the nabob-第62章

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　windows　were　open；　the　ring　of　the　gold；　the　crash　of　the　piles　of　money　scattered　on　the　counters；　softened　a　little　by　the　rich　and　lofty　hangings　at　the　windows；　made　a　mercantile　accompaniment　to　the　buzzing　conversation　of　fashionable　Catholicism。

The　entrance　struck　at　once　the　note　of　this　house；　as　of　her　who　did　the　honours　of　it。　A　mixture　of　a　vague　scent　of　the　sacristy；　with　the　excitement　of　the　Bourse；　and　the　most　refined　fashion；　these　heterogeneous　elements；　met　and　crossed　each　other's　path　there；　but　remained　as　much　apart　as　the　noble　faubourg；　under　whose　patronage　the　striking　conversion　of　the　Moslem　had　taken　place；　was　from　the　financial　quarters　where　Hemerlingue　had　his　life　and　his　friends。　The　Levantine　colonypretty　numerous　in　Pariswas　composed　in　great　measure　of　German　Jews；　bankers　or　brokers　who　had　made　colossal　fortunes　in　the　East；　and　still　did　business　here；　not　to　lose　the　habit。　The　colony　showed　itself　regularly　on　the　baroness's　visiting　day。　Tunisians　on　a　visit　to　Paris　never　failed　to　call　on　the　wife　of　the　great　banker；　and　old　Colonel　Brahim；　/charge　d'affaires/　of　the　Bey；　with　his　flabby　mouth　and　bloodshot　eyes；　had　his　nap　every　Saturday　in　the　corner　of　the　same　divan。

〃One　seems　to　smell　scorching　in　your　drawing…room；　my　child；〃　said　the　old　Princess　de　Dions　smilingly　to　the　newly　named　Marie；　whom　M。　Le　Merquier　and　she　had　led　to　the　font。　But　the　presence　of　all　these　hereticsJews；　Moslems；　and　even　renegadesof　these　great　over…　dressed　blotched　women；　loaded　with　gold　and　ornaments；　veritable　bundles　of　clothes；　did　not　hinder　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　from　visiting；　surrounding；　and　looking　after　the　young　convert；　the　plaything　of　these　noble　ladies；　a　very　obedient　puppet；　whom　they　showed；　whom　they　took　out；　and　whose　evangelical　simplicities；　so　piquant　by　contrast　with　her　past；　they　quoted　everywhere。　Perhaps　deep　down　in　the　heart　of　her　amiable　patronesses　a　hope　lay　of　meeting　in　this　circle　of　returned　Orientals　some　new　subject　for　conversion；　an　occasion　for　filling　the　aristocratic　Chapel　of　Missions　again　with　the　touching　spectacle　of　one　of　those　adult　baptisms　which　carry　one　back　to　the　first　days　of　the　Faith；　far　away　on　the　banks　of　the　Jordan；　baptisms　soon　to　be　followed　by　a　first　communion；　a　confirmation；　when　baptismal　vows　are　renewed；　occasions　when　a　godmother　may　accompany　her　godchild；　guide　the　young　soul；　share　in　the　naive　transports　of　a　newly　awakened　belief；　and　may　also　display　a　choice　of　toilettes；　delicately　graduated　to　the　importance　of　the　sentiment　of　the　ceremony。　But　not　every　day　does　it　happen　that　one　of　the　leaders　of　finance　brings　to　Paris　an　Armenian　slave　as　his　wife。

A　slave！　That　was　the　blot　in　the　past　of　this　woman　from　the　East；　bought　in　the　bazaar　of　Adrianople　for　the　Emperor　of　Morocco；　then　sold；　when　he　died　and　his　harem　was　dispersed；　to　the　young　Bey　Ahmed。　Hemerlingue　had　married　her　when　she　passed　from　this　new　seraglio；　but　she　could　not　be　received　at　Tunis；　where　no　woman　Moor；　Turk　or　Europeanwould　consent　to　treat　a　former　slave　as　an　equal；　on　account　of　a　prejudice　like　that　which　separates　the　creoles　from　the　best　disguised　quadroons。　Even　in　Paris　the　Hemerlingues　found　this　invincible　prejudice　among　the　small　foreign　colonies；　constituted；　as　they　were；　of　little　circles　full　of　susceptibilities　and　local　traditions。　Yamina　thus　passed　two　or　three　years　in　a　complete　solitude　whose　leisure　and　spiteful　feelings　she　well　knew　how　to　utilize；　for　she　was　an　ambitious　woman　endowed　with　extraordinary　will　and　persistence。　She　learned　French　thoroughly；　said　farewell　to　her　embroidered　vests　and　pantaloons　of　red　silk；　accustomed　her　figure　and　her　walk　to　European　toilettes；　to　the　inconvenience　of　long　dresses；　and　then；　one　night　at　the　opera；　showed　the　astonished　Parisians　the　spectacle；　a　little　uncivilized　still；　but　delicate；　elegant；　and　original；　of　a　Mohammedan　in　a　costume　of　/Leonard's/。

The　sacrifice　of　her　religion　soon　followed　that　of　her　costume。　Mme。　Hemerlingue　had　long　abandoned　the　practices　of　Mohammedan　religion；　when　M。　le　Merquier；　their　friend　and　mentor　in　Paris；　showed　them　that　the　baroness's　public　conversion　would　open　to　her　the　doors　of　that　section　of　the　Parisian　world　whose　access　became　more　and　more　difficult　as　society　became　more　democratic。　Once　the　Faubourg　Saint…　Germain　was　conquered；　all　the　others　would　follow。　And；　in　fact；　when；　after　the　announcement　of　the　baptism；　they　learned　that　the　greatest　ladies　in　France　could　be　seen　at　the　Baroness　Hemerlingue's　Saturdays；　Mmes。　Gugenheim；　Furenberg；　Caraiscaki；　Maurice　Trottall　wives　of　millionaires　celebrated　on　the　markets　of　Tunisgave　up　their　prejudices　and　begged　to　be　invited　to　the　former　slave's　receptions。　Mme。　Jansoulet　alonenewly　arrived　with　a　stock　of　cumbersome　Oriental　ideas　in　her　mind；　like　her　ostrich　eggs；　her　narghile　pipe；　and　the　Tunisian　/bric…a…brac/　in　her　roomsprotested　against　what　she　called　an　impropriety；　a　cowardice；　and　declared　that　she　would　never　set　her　foot　at　/her/　house。　Soon　a　little　retrograde　movement　was　felt　round　the　Gugenheims；　the　Caraiscaki；　and　the　other　people；　as　happens　at　Paris　every　time　when　some　irregular　position；　endeavouring　to　establish　itself；　brings　on　regrets　and　defections。　They　had　gone　too　far　to　draw　back；　but　they　resolved　to　make　the　value　of　their　good…will；　of　their　sacrificed　prejudices；　felt；　and　the　Baroness　Marie　well　understood　the　shade　of　meaning　in　the　protecting　tone　of　the　Levantines；　treating　her　as　〃My　dear　child；〃　〃My　dear　good　girl；〃　with　an　almost　contemptuous　pride。　Thenceforward　her　hatred　of　the　Jansoulets　knew　no　boundsthe　complicated　ferocious　hatred　of　the　seraglio；　with　strangling　and　the　sack　at　the　end；　perhaps　more　difficult　to　arrive　at　in　Paris　than　on　the　banks　of　the　lake　of　El　Bahaira；　but　for　which　she　had　already　prepared　the　stout　sack　and　the　cord。

One　can　imagine；　knowing　all　this；　what　was　the　surprise　and　agitation　of　this　corner　of　exotic　society；　when　the　news　spread；　not　only　that　the　great　Afchinas　these　ladies　called　herhad　consented　to　see　the　baroness；　but　that　she　would　pay　her　first　visit　on　her　next　Saturday。　Neither　the　Fuernbergs　nor　the　Trotts　would　wish　to　miss　such　an　occasion。　On　her　side；　the　baroness　did　everything　in　her　power　to　give　the　utmost　brilliancy　to　this　solemn　reparation。　She　wrote；　she　visited；　and　succeeded　so　well；　that　in　spite　of　the　lateness　of　the　season；　Mme。　Jansoulet；　on　arriving　at　four　o'clock　at　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　would　have　seen　drawn　up　before　the　great　arched　doorway；　side　by　side　with　the　discreet　russet　livery　of　the　Princess　de　Dion；　and　of　many　authentic　/blasons/；　the　pretentious　and　fictitious　arms；　the　multicoloured　wheels　of　a　crowd　of　plutocrat　equipages；　and　the　tall　powdered　lackeys　of　the　Caraiscaki。

Above；　in　the　reception　rooms；　was　another　strange　and　resplendent　crowd。　In　the　first　two　rooms　there　was　a　going　and　coming；　a　continual　passage　of　rustling　silks　up　to　the　boudoir　where　the　baroness　sat；　sharing　her　attentions　and　cajoleries　between　two　very　distinct　camps。　On　one　side　were　dark　toilettes；　modest　in　appearance；　whose　refinement　was　appreciable　only　to　observant　eyes；　on　the　other；　a　wild　burst　of　vivid　colour；　opulent　figures；　rich　diamonds；　floating　scarfs；　exotic　fashions；　in　which　one　felt　a　regret　for　a　warmer　climate；　and　more　luxurious　life。　Here　were　sharp　taps　with　the　fan；　discreet　whispers　from　the　few　men　present；　some　of　the　/bien　pensant/　youth；　silent；　immovable；　sucking　the　handles　of　their　canes；　two　or　three　figures；　upright　behind　the　broad　backs　of　their　wives；　speaking　with　their　heads　bent　forward；　as　if　they　were　offering　contraband　goods　for　sale；　and　in　a　corner　the　fine　patriarchal　beard　and　violet　cassock　of　an　orthodox　Armenian　bishop。

The　baroness；　in　attempting　to　harmonize　these　fashionable　diversities；　to　keep　her　rooms　full　until　the　famous　interview；　moved　about　continually；　took　part　in　ten　different　conversations；　raising　her　harmonious　and　velvety　voice　to　the　twittering　diapason　which　distinguishes　Oriental　women；　caressing　and　coaxing；　the　mind　supple　as　the　body；　touching　on　all　subjects；　and　mixing　in　the　requisite　proportions　fashion　and　charity　sermons；　theatres　and　bazaars；　the　dressmaker　and　the　confessor。　The　mistress　of　the　house　united　a　great　personal　charm　with　this　acquired　sciencea　science　visible　even　in　her　black　and　very　simple　dress；　which　brought　out　her　nun…like　pallor；　her　houri…like　eyes；　her　shining　and　plaited　hair　drawn　back　from　a　narrow；　child…like　forehead；　a　forehead　of　which　the　small　mouth　accentuated　the　mystery；　hiding　from　the　inquisitive　the　former　/favourite's/　whole　varied　past；　she　who　had　no　age；　who　knew　not　herself　the　date　of　her　birth；　and　never　remembered　to　have　been　a　child。

Evidently　if　the　absolute　power　of　evilrare　indeed　among　women；　influenced　as　they　are　by　their　impressionable　physical　nature　by　so　many　different　currentscould　take　possession　of　a　soul；　it　would　be　in　that　of　this　slave；　moulded　by　basenesses；　revolted　but　patient；　and　complete　mistress　of　herself；　like　all　those　whom　the　habit　of　veiling　the　eyes　has　accustomed　to　lie　safely　and　unscrupulously。

At　this　moment　no　one　could　have　suspected　the　anguish　she　suffered；　to　see　her　kneeling　before　the　princess；　an　old；　good；　straightforward　soul；　of　whom　the　Fuernberg　was　always　saying；　〃Call　that　a　princess　that！〃

〃I　beg　of　you；　godmamma；　don't　go　away　yet。〃

She　surrounded　her　with　all　sorts　of　cajoleries；　of　graces；　of　little　airs；　without　telling　her；　to　be　sure；　that　she　wanted　to　keep　her　till　the　arrival　of　the　Jansoulets；　to　add　to　her　triumph。

〃But；〃　said　the　princess；　pointing　out　to　her　the　majestic　Armenian；　silent　and　grave；　his　tasselled　hat　on　his　knees；　〃I　must　take　this　poor　bishop　to　the　/Grand　Saint…Christophe/；　to　buy　some　medals。　He　would　never　get　on　without　me。〃

〃No；　no；　I　wishyou　musta　few　minutes　more。〃　And　the　baroness　threw　a　furtive　look　on　the　ancient　and　sumptuous　clock　in　a　corner　of　the　room。

Five　o'clock　already；　and　the　great　Afchin　not　arrived。　The　Levantines　began　to　laugh　behind　their　fans。　Happily　tea　was　just　being　served；　also　Spanish　wines；　and　a　crowd　of　delicious　Turkish　cakes　which　were　only　to　be　had　in　that　house；　whose　receipts；　brought　away　with　her　by　the　favourite；　had　been　preserved　in　the　harem；　like　some　secrets　of　confectionery　on　our　convents。　That　made　a　diversion。　Hemerlingue；　who　on　Saturdays　came　out　of　his　office　from　time　to　time　to　make　his　bow　to　the　ladies；　was　drinking　a　glass　of　Madeira　near　the　little　table　while　talking　to　Maurice　Trott；　once　the　dresser　of　Said…Pasha；　when　his　wife　approached　him；　gently　and　quietly。　He　knew　what　anger　this　impenetrable　calm　must　cover；　and　asked　her；　in　a　low　tone；　timidly：

〃No　one？〃

〃No　one。　You　see　to　what　an　insult　you　expose　me。〃

She　smiled；　her　eyes　half　closed；　taking　with　the　end　of　her　nail　a　crumb　of　cake　from　his　long　black　whiskers；　but　her　little　transparent　nostrils　trembled　with　a　terrible　eloquence。

〃Oh；　she　will　come；〃　said　the　banker；　his　mouth　full。　〃I　am　sure　she　will　come。〃

The　noise　of　dresses；