the nabob-第66章

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　a　velvet　jacket；　over　the　torso　of　a　bull；　came　into　the　linen…room。

〃What！　Cabassu！〃

〃You　here；　Mme。　Francoise！　What　a　surprise！〃　said　the　/masseur/；　staring　like　a　bronze　figure。

〃Yes；　my　brave　Cabassu；　it　is　I。　I　have　just　arrived；　and　as　you　see；　I　am　at　work　already。　It　made　my　heart　bleed　to　see　all　this　muddle。〃

〃You　came　up　for　the　sitting；　then？〃

〃What　sitting？〃

〃Why；　the　grand　sitting　of　the　legislative　body。　It's　do…day。〃

〃Dear　me；　no。　What　has　that　got　to　do　with　me？　I　should　understand　nothing　at　all　about　it。　No；　I　came　because　I　wanted　to　know　my　little　Jansoulets；　and　then；　I　was　beginning　to　feel　uneasy。　I　have　written　several　times　without　getting　an　answer。　I　was　afraid　that　there　was　a　child　sick；　that　Bernard's　business　was　going　wrongall　sorts　of　ideas。　At　last　I　got　seriously　worried；　and　came　away　at　once。　They　are　well　here；　they　tell　me。〃

〃Yes；　Mme。　Francoise。　Thank　God；　every　one　is　quite　well。〃

〃And　Bernard。　His　businessis　that　going　on　as　he　wants　it　to？〃

〃Well；　you　know　one　has　always　one's　little　worries　in　lifestill；　I　don't　think　he　should　complain。　But；　now　I　think　of　it；　you　must　be　hungry。　I　will　go　and　make　them　bring　you　something。〃

He　was　going　to　ring；　more　at　home　and　at　ease　than　the　old　mother　herself。　She　stopped　him。

〃No；　no；　I　don't　want　anything。　I　have　still　something　left　in　my　basket。〃　And　she　put　two　figs　and　a　crust　of　bread　on　the　edge　of　the　table。　Then；　while　she　was　eating：　〃And　you；　lad；　your　business？　You　look　very　much　sprucer　than　you　did　the　last　time　you　were　at　Bourg。　How　smart　you　are！　What　do　you　do　in　the　house？〃

〃Professor　of　massage；〃　said　Aristide　gravely。

〃Professoryou？〃　said　she　with　respectful　astonishment；　but　she　did　not　dare　ask　him　what　he　taught；　and　Cabassu；　who　felt　such　questions　a　little　embarrassing；　hastened　to　change　the　subject。

〃Shall　I　go　and　find　the　children？　Haven't　they　told　them　that　their　grandmother　is　here？〃

〃I　didn't　want　to　disturb　them　at　their　work。　But　I　believe　it　must　be　over　nowlisten！〃

Behind　the　door　they　could　hear　the　shuffling　impatience　of　the　children　anxious　to　be　out　in　the　open　air；　and　the　old　woman　enjoyed　this　state　of　things；　doubling　her　maternal　desire；　and　hindering　her　from　doing　anything　to　hasten　its　pleasure。　At　last　the　door　opened。　The　tutor　came　out　firsta　priest　with　a　pointed　nose　and　great　cheek…bones；　whom　we　have　met　before　at　the　great　/dejeuners/。　On　bad　terms　with　his　bishop；　he　had　left　the　diocese　where　he　had　been　engaged；　and　in　the　precarious　position　of　an　unattached　priestfor　the　clergy　have　their　Bohemians　toohe　was　glad　to　teach　the　little　Jansoulets；　recently　turned　out　of　the　Bourdaloue　College。　With　his　arrogant；　solemn　air；　overweighted　with　responsibilities；　which　would　have　become　the　prelates　charged　with　the　education　of　the　dauphins　of　France；　he　preceded　three　curled　and　gloved　little　gentlemen　in　short　jackets；　with　leather　knapsacks；　and　great　red　stockings　reaching　half…way　up　their　little　thin　legs；　in　complete　suits　of　cyclist　dress；　ready　to　mount。

〃My　children；〃　said　Cabassu；　〃that　is　Mme。　Jansoulet；　your　grandmother；　who　has　come　to　Paris　expressly　to　see　you。〃

They　stopped　in　a　row；　astonished；　examining　this　old　wrinkled　visage　between　the　folds　of　her　cap；　this　strange　dress　of　a　simplicity　unknown　to　them；　and　their　grandmother's　astonishment　answered　theirs；　complicated　with　a　heart…breaking　discomfiture　and　constraint　in　dealing　with　these　little　gentlemen；　as　stiff　and　disdainful　as　any　of　the　nobles　or　ministers　whom　her　son　had　brought　to　Saint…Romans。　On　the　bidding　of　their　tutor　〃to　salute　their　venerable　grandmother；〃　they　came　in　turn　to　give　her　one　of　those　little　half…hearted　shakes　of　the　hand　of　which　they　had　distributed　so　many　in　the　garrets　they　had　visited。　The　fact　is　that　this　good　woman；　with　her　agricultural　appearance　and　clean　but　very　simple　clothes；　reminded　them　of　the　charity　visits　of　the　College　Bourdaloue。　They　felt　between　them　the　same　unknown　quality；　the　same　distance；　which　no　remembrance；　no　word　of　their　parents　had　ever　helped　to　bridge。　The　abbe　felt　this　constraint；　and　tried　to　dispel　itspeaking　with　the　tone　of　voice　and　gestures　customary　to　those　who　always　think　they　are　in　the　pulpit。

〃Well；　madame；　the　day　has　come；　the　great　day　when　Jansoulet　will　confound　his　enemies/confundantur　hostes　mei；　quia　injuste　iniquitatem　fecerunt　in　me/because　they　have　unjustly　persecuted　me。〃

The　old　lady　bent　religiously　before　the　Latin　of　the　Church；　but　her　face　expressed　a　vague　expression　of　uneasiness　at　this　idea　of　enemies　and　of　persecutions。

〃These　enemies　are　powerful　and　numerous；　my　noble　lady；　but　let　us　not　be　alarmed　beyond　measure。　Let　us　have　confidence　in　the　decrees　of　Heaven　and　in　the　justice　of　our　cause。　God　is　in　the　midst　of　it；　it　shall　not　be　overthrown/in　medio　ejus　non　commovebitur/。〃

A　gigantic　negro；　resplendent　with　gold　braid；　interrupted　him　by　announcing　that　the　bicycles　were　ready　for　the　daily　lesson　on　the　terrace　of　the　Tuileries。　Before　setting　out；　the　children　again　shook　solemnly　their　grandmother's　wrinkled　and　hardened　hand。　She　was　watching　them　go；　stupefied　and　oppressed；　when　all　at　once；　by　an　adorable　spontaneous　movement；　the　youngest　turned　back　when　he　had　got　to　the　door　and；　pushing　the　great　negro　aside；　came　to　throw　himself　head　foremost；　like　a　little　buffalo；　into　Mme。　Jansoulet's　skirts；　squeezing　her　to　him；　while　holding　out　his　smooth　forehead；　covered　with　brown　curls；　with　the　grace　of　a　child　offering　its　kiss　like　a　flower。　Perhaps　this　one；　nearer　the　warmth　of　the　nest；　the　cradling　knees　of　the　nurses　with　their　peasant　songs；　had　felt　the　maternal　influence；　of　which　the　Levantine　had　deprived　him；　reach　his　heart。　The　old　woman　trembled　all　over　with　the　surprise　of　this　instinctive　embrace。

〃Oh！　little　one；　little　one；〃　said　she；　seizing　the　little　silky；　curly　head　which　reminded　her　so　much　of　another　and　she　kissed　it　wildly。　Then　the　child　unloosed　himself；　and　ran　off　without　saying　anything；　his　head　moist　with　hot　tears。

Left　alone　with　Cabassu；　the　mother；　comforted　by　this　embrace；　asked　some　explanation　of　the　priest's　words。　Had　her　son　many　enemies？

〃Oh！〃　said　Cabassu；　〃it　is　not　astonishing；　in　his　position。〃

〃But　what　is　this　great　daythis　sitting　of　which　you　all　speak？〃

〃Well；　then；　it　is　to…day　that　we　shall　know　whether　Bernard　will　be　deputy　or　no。〃

〃What？　He　is　not　one　now；　then？　And　I　have　told　them　everywhere　in　the　country。　I　illuminated　Saint…Romans　a　month　ago。　Then　they　have　made　me　tell　a　lie。〃

The　/masseur/　had　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　explaining　to　her　the　parliamentary　formalities　of　the　verification　of　elections。　She　only　listened　with　one　ear；　walking　up　and　down　the　linen…room　feverishly。

〃That's　where　my　Bernard　is　now；　then？〃

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃And　can　women　go　to　the　Chamber？　Then　why　is　his　wife　not　there？　For　one　does　not　need　telling　that　it　is　an　important　matter　for　him。　On　a　day　like　this　he　needs　to　feel　all　those　whom　he　loves　at　his　side。　See；　my　lad；　you　must　take　me　there；　to　this　sitting。　Is　it　far？〃

〃No；　quite　near。　Only；　it　must　have　begun　already。　And　then；〃　added　he；　a　little　disconcerted；　〃it　is　the　hour　when　madame　wants　me。〃

〃Ah！　Do　you　teach　her　this　thing　you　are　professor　of？　What　do　you　call　it？〃

〃Massage。　We　have　learned　it　from　the　ancients。　Yes；　there　she　is　ringing　for　me；　and　some　one　will　come　to　fetch　me。　Shall　I　tell　her　you　are　here？〃

〃No；　no；　I　prefer　to　go　there　at　once。〃

〃But　you　have　no　admission　ticket。〃

〃Bah！　I　will　tell　them　I　am　Jansoulet's　mother；　come　to　hear　him　judged。〃　Poor　mother；　she　spoke　truer　than　she　knew。

〃Wait；　Mme。　Francoise。　I　will　give　you　some　one　to　show　you　the　way；　at　least。〃

〃Oh；　you　know；　I　have　never　been　able　to　put　up　with　servants。　I　have　a　tongue。　There　are　people　in　the　streets。　I　shall　find　my　way。〃

He　made　a　last　attempt；　without　letting　her　see　all　his　thought。　〃Take　care；　his　enemies　are　going　to　speak　against　him　in　the　Chamber。　You　will　hear　things　to　hurt　you。〃

Oh；　the　beautiful　smile　of　belief　and　maternal　pride　with　which　she　answered：　〃Don't　I　know　better　than　them　all　what　my　child　is　worth？　Could　anything　make　me　mistaken　in　him？　I　should　have　to　be　very　ungrateful　then。　Get　along　with　you！〃

And　shaking　her　head　with　its　flapping　cap　wings；　she　set　off　fiercely　indignant。

With　head　erect　and　upright　bearing　the　old　woman　strode　along　under　the　great　arcades　which　they　had　told　her　to　follow；　a　little　troubled　by　the　incessant　noise　of　the　carriages；　and　by　the　idleness　of　this　walk；　unaccompanied　by　the　faithful　distaff　which　had　never　quitted　her　for　fifty　years。　All　these　ideas　of　enmities　and　persecutions；　the　mysterious　words　of　the　priest；　the　guarded　talk　of　Cabassu；　frightened　and　agitated　her。　She　found　in　them　the　meaning　of　the　presentiments　which　had　so　overpowered　her　as　to　snatch　her　from　her　habits；　her　duties；　the　care　of　the　house　and　of　her　invalid。　Besides；　since　Fortune　had　thrown　on　her　and　her　son　this　golden　mantle　with　its　heavy　folds；　Mme。　Jansoulet　had　never　become　accustomed　to　it；　and　was　always　waiting　for　the　sudden　disappearance　of　these　splendours。　Who　knows　if　the　break…up　was　not　going　to　begin　this　time？　And　suddenly；　through　these　sombre　thoughts；　the　remembrance　of　the　scene　that　had　just　passed；　of　the　little　one　rubbing　himself　on　her　woollen　gown；　brought　on　her　wrinkled　lips　a　tender　smile；　and　she　murmured　in　her　peasant　tongue：

〃Oh；　for　the　little　one；　at　any　rate。〃



She　crossed　a　magnificent　square；　immense；　dazzling；　two　fountains　throwing　up　their　water　in　a　silvery　spray；　then　a　great　stone　bridge；　and　at　the　end　was　a　square　building　with　statues　on　its　front；　a　railing　with　carriages　drawn　up　before　it；　people　going　on；　numbers　of　policemen。　It　was　there。　She　pushed　through　the　crowd　bravely　and　came　up　to　the　high　glass　doors。

〃Your　card；　my　good　woman？〃

The　〃good　woman〃　had　no　card；　but　she　said　quite　simply　to　one　of　the　porters　in　red　who　were　keeping　the　door：

〃I　am　Bernard　Jansoulet's　mother。　I　have　come　for　the　sitting　of　my　boy。〃

It　was　indeed　the　sitting　of　her　boy；　for　everywhere　in　this　crowd　besieging　the　doors；　filling　the　passages；　the　hall；　the　tribune；　the　whole　palace；　the　same　name　was　repeated；　accompanied　with　smiles　and　anecdotes。　A　great　scandal　was　expected；　terrible　revelations　from　the　chairman；　which　would　no　doubt　lead　to　some　violence　from　the　barbarian　brought　to　bay；　and　they　hurried　to　the　spot　as　to　a　first　night　or　a　celebrated　trial。　The　old　mother　would　hardly　have　been　heard　in　the　middle　of　this　crowd；　if　the　stream　of　gold　left　by　the　Nabob　wherever　he　had　passed；　marking　his　royal　progress；　had　not　opened　all　the　roads　to　her。　She　went　behind　the　attendant　in　this　tangle　of　passages；　of　folding…doors；　of　empty　resounding　halls；　filled　with　a　hum　which　circulated　with　the　air　of　the　building；　as　if　the　walls；　themselves　soaked　with　babble；　were　joining　to　the　sound　of　all　these　voices　the　echoes　of　the　past。　While　crossing　a　corridor　she　saw　a　little　dark　man　gesticulating　and　crying　to　the　servants：

〃You　will　tell　Mouss