the nabob-第64章

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It　was　time　to　leave。　Mme。　Hemerlingue　went　to　the　door　with　some　of　the　ladies；　presented　her　forehead　to　the　old　princess；　bent　under　the　benediction　of　the　Armenian　bishop；　nodded　with　a　smile　to　the　young　men　with　the　canes；　found　for　each　the　fitting　adieu　with　perfect　ease；　and　the　wretched　man　could　not　prevent　himself　from　comparing　this　Eastern　slave；　so　Parisian；　so　distinguished　in　the　best　society　of　the　world；　with　the　other；　the　European　brutalized　by　the　East；　stupefied　with　Turkish　tobacco；　and　swollen　with　idleness。　His　ambitions；　his　pride　as　a　husband；　were　extinguished　and　humiliated　in　this　marriage　of　which　he　saw　the　danger　and　the　emptinessa　final　cruelty　of　fate　taking　from　him　even　the　refuge　of　personal　happiness　from　all　his　public　disasters。

Little　by　little　the　room　was　emptied。　The　Levantines　disappeared　one　after　another；　leaving　each　time　an　immense　void　in　their　place。　Mme。　Jenkins　was　gone；　and　only　two　or　three　ladies　remained　whom　Jansoulet　did　not　know；　and　behind　whom　the　mistress　of　the　house　seemed　to　shelter　herself　from　him。　But　Hemerlingue　was　free；　and　the　Nabob　rejoined　him　at　the　moment　when　he　was　furtively　escaping　to　his　offices　on　the　same　floor　opposite　his　rooms。　Jansoulet　went　out　with　him；　forgetting　in　his　trouble　to　salute　the　baroness；　and　once　on　the　antechamber　staircase；　Hemerlingue；　cold　and　reserved　while　he　was　under　his　wife's　eye；　expanded　a　little。

〃It　is　very　annoying；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　as　if　he　feared　to　be　overheard；　〃that　Mme。　Jansoulet　has　not　been　willing　to　come。〃

Jansoulet　answered　him　by　a　movement　of　despair　and　savage　helplessness。

〃Annoying；　annoying；〃　repeated　the　other　in　a　whisper；　and　feeling　for　his　key　in　his　pocket。

〃Come；　old　fellow；〃　said　the　Nabob；　taking　his　hand；　〃there's　no　reason；　because　our　wives　don't　agree　That　doesn't　hinder　us　from　remaining　friends。　What　a　good　chat　the　other　day；　eh？〃

〃No　doubt〃　said　the　baron；　disengaging　himself；　as　he　opened　the　door　noiselessly；　showing　the　deep　workroom；　whose　lamp　burned　solitarily　before　the　enormous　empty　chair。　〃Come；　good…bye；　I　must　go；　I　have　my　mail　to　despatch。〃

〃/Ya　didon；　monci/〃　（But　look　here；　sir）　said　the　poor　Nabob；　trying　to　joke；　and　using　the　/patois/　of　the　south　to　recall　to　his　old　chum　all　the　pleasant　memories　stirred　up　the　other　evening。　〃Our　visit　to　Le　Merquier　still　holds　good。　The　picture　we　were　going　to　present　to　him；　you　know。　What　day？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　Le　Merquiertrueehwell；　soon。　I　will　write　to　you。〃

〃Really？　You　know　it　is　very　important。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　I　will　write　to　you。　Good…bye。〃

And　the　big　man　shut　his　door　in　a　hurry；　as　if　he　were　afraid　of　his　wife　coming。

Two　days　after；　the　Nabob　received　a　note　from　Hemerlingue；　almost　unreadable　on　account　of　the　complicated　scrawls；　of　abbreviations　more　or　less　commercial；　under　which　the　ex…sutler　hid　his　entire　want　of　spelling：

　　MY　DEAR　OLD　COM/I　cannot　accom/　you　to　Le　Mer/。　Too　bus/　just　　　now。　Besid/　y/　will　be　bet/　alone　to　tal/。　Go　th/　bold/。　You　are　　　exp/。　A/　Cassette；　ev/　morn/　8　to　10。

Yours　faith/

HEM。


Below　as　a　postscript；　a　very　small　hand　had　written　very　legibly：

　　〃A　religious　picture；　as　good　as　possible。〃

What　was　he　to　think　of　this　letter？　Was　there　real　good…will　in　it；　or　polite　evasion？　In　any　case　hesitation　was　no　longer　possible。　Time　pressed。　Jansoulet　made　a　bold　effort；　thenfor　he　was　very　frightened　of　Le　Merquierand　called　on　him　one　morning。

Our　strange　Paris；　alike　in　its　population　and　its　aspects；　seems　a　specimen　map　of　the　whole　world。　In　the　Marais　there　are　narrow　streets；　with　old　sculptured　worm…eaten　doors；　with　overhanging　gables　and　balconies；　which　remind　you　of　old　Heidelberg。　The　Faubourg　Saint…　Honore；　lying　round　the　Russian　church　with　its　white　minarets　and　golden　domes；　seems　a　part　of　Moscow。　On　Montmartre　I　know　a　picturesque　and　crowded　corner　which　is　simply　Algiers。　Little；　low；　clean　houses；　each　with　its　brass　plate　and　little　front　garden；　are　English　streets　between　Neuilly　and　the　Champs…Elysees　while　all　behind　the　apse　of　Saint…Sulpice；　the　Rue　Feron；　the　Rue　Cassette；　lying　peaceably　in　the　shadow　of　its　great　towers；　roughly　paved；　their　doors　each　with　its　knocker；　seem　lifted　out　of　some　provincial　and　religious　townTours　or　Orleans；　for　examplein　the　district　of　the　cathedral　or　the　palace；　where　the　great　over…hanging　trees　in　the　gardens　rock　themselves　to　the　sound　of　the　bells　and　the　choir。

It　was　there；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Catholic　Clubof　which　he　had　just　been　made　honorary　presidentthat　M。　Le　Merquier　lived。　He　was　/avocat/；　deputy　for　Lyons；　business　man　of　all　the　great　communities　of　France；　and　Hemerlingue；　moved　by　a　deep…seated　instinct；　had　intrusted　him　with　the　affairs　of　his　firm。

He　arrived　before　nine　o'clock　at　an　old　mansion　of　which　the　ground　floor　was　occupied　by　a　religious　bookshop；　asleep　in　the　odour　of　the　sacristy；　and　of　the　thick　gray　paper　on　which　the　stories　of　miracles　are　printed　for　hawkers；　and　mounted　the　great　whitewashed　convent　stairway。　Jansoulet　was　touched　by　this　provincial　and　Catholic　atmosphere；　in　which　revived　the　souvenirs　of　his　past　in　the　south；　impressions　of　infancy　still　intact；　thanks　to　his　long　absence　from　home；　and　since　his　arrival　at　Paris　he　had　had　neither　the　time　nor　the　occasion　to　call　them　in　question。　Fashionable　hypocrisy　had　presented　itself　to　him　in　all　its　forms　save　that　of　religious　integrity；　and　he　refused　now　to　believe　in　the　venality　of　a　man　who　lived　in　such　surroundings。　Introduced　into　the　/avocat's/　waiting…　rooma　vast　parlour　with　fine　white　muslin　curtains；　having　for　its　sole　ornament　a　large　and　beautiful　copy　of　Tintoretto's　Dead　Christ　his　doubt　and　trouble　changed　into　indignant　conviction。　It　was　not　possible！　He　had　been　deceived　as　to　Le　Merquier。　There　was　surely　some　bold　slander　in　it；　such　as　so　easily　spreads　in　Parisor　perhaps　it　was　one　of　those　ferocious　snares　among　which　he　had　stumbled　for　six　months。　No；　this　stern　conscience；　so　well　known　in　Parliament　and　the　courts；　this　cold　and　austere　personage；　could　not　be　treated　like　those　great　swollen　pashas　with　loosened　waist…belts　and　floating　sleeves　open　to　conceal　the　bags　of　gold。　He　would　only　expose　himself　to　a　scandalous　refusal；　to　the　legitimate　revolt　of　outraged　honour；　if　he　attempted　such　means　of　corruption。

The　Nabob　told　himself　all　this；　as　he　sat　on　the　oak　bench　which　ran　round　the　room；　a　bench　polished　with　serge　dresses　and　the　rough　cloth　of　cassocks。　In　spite　of　the　early　hour　several　persons　were　waiting　there　with　him。　A　Dominican；　ascetic　and　serene；　walking　up　and　down　with　great　strides；　two　sisters　of　charity；　buried　under　their　caps；　counting　long　rosaries　which　measured　their　time　of　waiting；　priests　from　Lyons；　recognisable　by　the　shape　of　their　hats；　others　reserved　and　severe　in　air；　sitting　at　the　great　ebony　table　which　filled　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　turning　over　some　of　those　pious　journals　printed　at　Fouvieres；　just　above　Lyons；　the　/Echo　of　Purgatory/；　the　/Rose…bush　of　Mary/；　which　give　as　a　present　to　all　yearly　subscribers　pontifical　indulgences　and　remissions　of　future　sins。　Some　muttered　words；　a　stifled　cough；　the　light　whispered　prayers　of　the　sisters；　recalled　to　Jansoulet　the　distant　and　confused　sensation　of　the　hours　of　waiting　in　the　corner　of　his　village　church　round　the　confessional　on　the　eves　of　the　great　festivals　of　the　Church。

At　last　his　turn　came；　and　if　a　doubt　as　to　M。　Le　Merquier　had　remained；　he　doubted　no　longer　when　he　saw　this　great　office；　simple　and　severe；　yet　a　little　more　ornate　than　the　waiting…room；　a　fitting　frame　for　the　austerity　of　the　lawyer's　principles；　and　for　his　thin　form；　tall；　stooping；　narrow…shouldered；　squeezed　into　a　black　coat　too　short　in　the　sleeves；　from　which　protruded　two　black　fists；　broad　and　flat；　two　sticks　of　Indian　ink　with　hieroglyphs　of　great　veins。　The　clerical　deputy　had；　with　the　leaden　hue　of　a　Lyonnese　grown　mouldy　between　his　two　rivers；　a　certain　life　of　expression　which　he　owed　to　his　double　looksometimes　sparkling；　but　impenetrable　behind　the　glass　of　his　spectacles；　more　often；　vivid；　mistrustful；　and　dark；　above　these　same　glasses；　surrounded　by　the　shadow　which　a　lifted　eye　and　a　stooping　head　gives　the　eyebrow。

After　a　greeting　almost　cordial　in　comparison　with　the　cold　bow　which　the　two　colleagues　exchanged　at　the　Chamber；　a　n〃I　was　expecting　you〃　in　which　perhaps　an　intention　showed　itself；　the　lawyer　pointed　the　Nabob　into　a　seat　near　his　desk；　told　the　smug　domestic　in　black　not　to　come　till　he　was　summoned；　arranged　a　few　papers；　after　which；　sinking　into　his　arm…chair　with　the　attitude　of　a　man　ready　to　listen；　who　becomes　all　ears；　his　legs　crossed；　he　rested　his　chin　on　his　hand；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　a　great　rep　curtain　falling　to　the　ground　in　front　of　him。

The　moment　was　decisive；　the　situation　embarrassing。　Jansoulet　did　not　hesitate。　It　was　one　of　the　poor　Nabob's　pretensions　to　know　men　as　well　as　Mora。　And　this　instinct；　which；　said　he；　had　never　deceived　him；　warned　him　that　he　was　at　that　moment　dealing　with　a　rigid　and　unshakable　honesty；　a　conscience　in　hard　stone；　untouchable　by　pick…　axe　or　powder。　〃My　conscience！〃　Suddenly　he　changed　his　programme；　threw　to　the　winds　the　tricks　and　equivocations　which　embarrassed　his　open　and　courageous　disposition；　and；　head　high　and　heart　open；　held　to　this　honest　man　a　language　he　was　born　to　understand。

〃Do　not　be　astonished；　my　dear　colleague；〃his　voice　trembled；　but　soon　became　firm　in　the　conviction　of　his　defence〃do　not　be　astonished　if　I　am　come　to　find　you　here　instead　of　asking　simply　to　be　heard　by　the　third　committee。　The　explanation　which　I　have　to　make　to　you　is　so　delicate　and　confidential　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　make　it　publicly　before　my　colleagues。〃

Maitre　Le　Merquier；　above　his　spectacles；　looked　at　the　curtain　with　a　disturbed　air。　Evidently　the　conversation　was　taking　an　unexpected　turn。

〃I　do　not　enter　on　the　main　question；〃　said　the　Nabob。　〃Your　report；　I　am　assured；　is　impartial　and　loyal；　such　as　your　conscience　has　dictated　to　you。　Only　there　are　some　heart…breaking　calumnies　spread　about　me　to　which　I　have　not　answered；　and　which　have　perhaps　influenced　the　opinion　of　the　committee。　It　is　on　this　subject　that　I　wish　to　speak　to　you。　I　know　the　confidence　with　which　you　are　honoured　by　your　colleagues；　M。　Le　Merquier；　and　that；　when　I　shall　have　convinced　you；　your　word　will　be　enough　without　forcing　me　to　lay　bare　my　distress　to　them　all。　You　know　the　accusationthe　most　terrible；　the　most　ignoble。　There　are　so　many　people　who　might　be　deceived　by　it。　My　enemies　have　given　names；　dates；　addresses。　Well；　I　bring　you　the　proofs　of　my　innocence。　I　lay　them　bare　before　youyou　onlyfor　I　have　grave　reasons　for　keeping　the　whole　affair　secret。〃

Then　he　showed　the　lawyer　a　certificate　from　the　Consulate　of　Tunis；　that　during　twenty　years　he　had　only　left　the　principality　twicethe　first　time　to　see　his　dying　father　at　Bourg…Saint　Andeol；　the　second；　to　make；　with　the　Bey；　a　visit　of　three　days　to　his　chateau　of　Saint…　Romans。

〃How　comes　it；　then；　that　with　a　document　so　conclusive　in