the nabob-第69章

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ully　confused　two　names。　I　am　called　Bernard　Jansoulet；　the　other　Jansoulet　Louis。〃　Not　a　word　more　was　needed。

But　in　the　presence　of　his　mother；　still　ignorant　of　his　brother's　dishonour；　he　could　not　say　it。　Respectfamily　ties　forbade　it。　He　could　hear　his　father's　voice：　〃I　die　of　shame；　my　child。〃　Would　not　she　die　of　shame　too；　if　he　spoke？　He　turned　from　the　maternal　smile　with　a　sublime　look　of　renunciation；　then　in　a　low　voice；　utterly　discouraged；　he　said：

〃Excuse　me；　gentlemen；　this　explanation　is　beyond　my　power。　Order　an　investigation　of　my　whole　life；　open　as　it　is　to　all；　alas！　since　any　one　can　interpret　all　my　actions。　I　swear　to　you　that　you　will　find　nothing　there　which　unfits　me　to　sit　among　the　representatives　of　my　country。〃

In　the　face　of　this　defeat；　which　seemed　to　everybody　the　sudden　crumbling　of　an　edifice　of　effrontery；　the　astonishment　and　disillusionment　were　immense。　There　was　a　moment　of　excitement　on　the　benches；　the　tumult　of　a　vote　taken　on　the　spot；　which　the　Nabob　saw　vaguely　through　the　glass　doors；　as　the　condemned　man　looks　down　from　the　scaffold　on　the　howling　crowd。　Then；　after　that　terrible　pause　which　precedes　a　supreme　moment；　the　president　made；　amid　deep　silence；　the　simple　pronouncement：

〃The　election　of　M。　Bernard　Jansoulet　is　annulled。〃

Never　had　a　man's　life　been　cut　off　with　less　solemnity　or　disturbance。

Up　there　in　her　gallery；　Jansoulet's　mother　understood　nothing；　except　that　the　seats　were　emptying　near　her；　that　people　were　rising　and　going　away。　Soon　there　was　no　one　else　there　save　the　fat　man　and　the　lady　in　the　white　hat；　who　leaned　over　the　barrier；　watching　Bernard　with　curiosity；　who　seemed　also　to　be　going　away；　for　he　was　putting　up　great　bundles　of　papers　in　his　portfolio　quite　calmly。　When　they　were　in　order；　he　rose　and　left　his　place。　Ah！　the　life　of　public　men　had　sometimes　cruel　situations。　Gravely；　slowly；　under　the　gaze　of　the　whole　assembly；　he　must　descend　those　steps　which　he　had　mounted　at　the　cost　of　so　much　trouble　and　money；　to　whose　feet　an　inexorable　fatality　was　precipitating　him。

The　Hemerlingues　were　waiting　for　this；　following　to　its　last　stage　this　humiliating　exit；　which　crushes　the　unseated　member　with　some　of　the　shame　and　fear　of　a　dismissal。　Then；　when　the　Nabob　had　disappeared；　they　looked　at　each　other　with　a　silent　laugh；　and　left　the　gallery　before　the　old　woman　had　dared　to　ask　them　anything；　warned　by　her　instinct　of　their　secret　hostility。　Left　alone；　she　gave　all　her　attention　to　a　new　speech；　persuaded　that　her　son's　affairs　were　still　in　question。　They　spoke　of　an　election；　of　a　scrutiny；　and　the　poor　mother　leaning　forward　in　her　red　hood；　wrinkling　her　great　eyebrows；　would　have　religiously　listened　to　the　whole　of　the　report　of　the　Sarigue　election；　if　the　attendant　who　had　introduced　her　had　not　come　to　say　that　it　was　finished　and　she　had　better　go　away。　She　seemed　very　much　surprised。

〃Indeed！　Is　it　over？〃　said　she；　rising　almost　regretfully。

And　quietly；　timidly：

〃Has　hehas　he　won？〃

It　was　innocent；　so　touching　that　the　attendant　did　not　even　dream　of　smiling。

〃Unfortunately；　no；　madame。　M。　Jansoulet　has　not　won。　But　why　did　he　stop　in　that　way？　If　it　is　true　that　he　never　came　to　Paris；　and　that　another　Jansoulet　did　everything　they　accuse　him　of；　why　did　he　not　say　so？〃

The　old　mother；　turning　pale；　leaned　on　the　balustrade　of　the　staircase。　She　had　understood。

Bernard's　brusque　interruption　on　seeing　her；　the　sacrifice　he　had　made　to　her　so　simplythat　noble　glance　as　of　a　dying　animal；　came　to　her　mind；　and　the　shame　of　the　elder；　the　favourite　child；　mingled　itself　with　Bernard's　disastera　double…edged　maternal　sorrow；　which　tore　her　whichever　way　she　turned。　Yes；　yes；　it　was　on　her　account　he　would　not　speak。　But　she　would　not　accept　such　a　sacrifice。　He　must　come　back　at　once　and　explain　himself　before　the　deputies。

〃My　son；　where　is　my　son？〃

〃Below；　madame；　in　his　carriage。　It　was　he　who　sent　me　to　look　for　you。〃

She　ran　before　the　attendant；　walking　quickly；　talking　aloud；　pushing　aside　out　of　her　way　the　little　black　and　bearded　men　who　were　gesticulating　in　the　passages。　After　the　waiting…hall　she　crossed　a　great　round　antechamber　where　servants　in　respectful　rows　made　a　living　wainscotting　to　the　high；　blank　wall。　From　there　she　could　see　through　the　glass　doors；　the　outside　railing；　the　crowd　in　waiting；　and　among　the　other　vehicles；　the　Nabob's　carriage　waiting。　As　she　passed；　the　peasant　recognised　in　one　of　the　groups　her　enormous　neighbour　of　the　gallery；　with　the　pale　man　in　spectacles　who　had　attacked　her　son；　who　was　receiving　all　sorts　of　felicitation　for　his　discourse。　At　the　name　of　Jansoulet；　pronounced　among　mocking　and　satisfied　sneers；　she　stopped。

〃At　any　rate；〃　said　a　handsome　man　with　a　bad　feminine　face；　〃he　has　not　proved　where　our　accusations　were　false。〃

The　old　woman；　hearing　that；　wrenched　herself　through　the　crowd；　and　facing　Moessard　said：

〃What　he　did　not　say　I　will。　I　am　his　mother；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　speak。〃

She　stopped　to　seize　Le　Merquier　by　the　sleeve；　who　was　escaping：

〃Wicked　man；　you　must　listen；　first　of　all。　What　have　you　got　against　my　child？　Don't　you　know　who　he　is？　Wait　a　little　till　I　tell　you。〃

And　turning　to　the　journalist：

〃I　had　two　sons；　sir。〃

Moessard　was　no　longer　there。　She　returned　to　Le　Merquier：　〃Two　sons；　sir。〃　Le　Merquier　had　disappeared。

〃Oh；　listen　to　me；　some　one；　I　beg；〃　said　the　poor　mother；　throwing　her　hands　and　her　voice　round　her　to　assemble　and　retain　her　hearers；　but　all　fled；　melted　away；　disappeareddeputies；　reporters；　unknown　and　mocking　faces　to　whom　she　wished　at　any　cost　to　tell　her　story；　careless　of　the　indifference　where　her　sorrows　and　her　joys　fell；　her　pride　and　maternal　tenderness　expressed　in　a　tornado　of　feeling。　And　while　she　was　thus　exciting　herself　and　strugglingdistracted；　her　bonnet　awryat　once　grotesque　and　sublime；　as　are　all　the　children　of　nature　when　brought　into　civilization；　taking　to　witness　the　honesty　of　her　son　and　the　injustice　of　men；　even　the　liveried　servants；　whose　disdainful　impassibility　was　more　cruel　than　all；　Jansoulet　appeared　suddenly　beside　her。

〃Take　my　arm；　mother。　You　must　not　stop　there。〃

He　said　it　in　a　tone　so　firm　and　calm　that　all　the　laughter　ceased；　and　the　old　woman；　suddenly　quieted；　sustained　by　this　solid　hold；　still　trembling　a　little　with　anger；　left　the　palace　between　two　respectful　rows。　A　dignified　and　rustic　couple；　the　millions　of　the　son　gilding　the　countrified　air　of　the　mother；　like　the　rags　of　a　saint　enshrined　in　a　golden　/chasse/they　disappeared　in　the　bright　sunlight　outside；　in　the　splendour　of　their　glittering　carriagea　ferocious　irony　in　their　deep　distress；　a　striking　symbol　of　the　terrible　misery　of　the　rich。

They　sat　well　back；　for　both　feared　to　be　seen；　and　hardly　spoke　at　first。　But　when　the　vehicle　was　well　on　its　way；　and　he　had　behind　him　the　sad　Calvary　where　his　honour　hung　gibbeted；　Jansoulet；　utterly　overcome；　laid　his　head　on　his　mother's　shoulder；　hid　it　in　the　old　green　shawl；　and　there；　with　the　burning　tears　flowing；　all　his　great　body　shaken　by　sobs；　he　returned　to　the　cry　of　his　childhood：　〃Mother。〃



DRAMAS　OF　PARIS

　　Que　l'heure　est　donc　breve；　　　Qu'on　passe　en　aimant！　　　C'est　moins　qu'un　moment；　　　Un　peu　plus　qu'un　reve。

In　the　semi…obscurity　of　a　great　drawing…room　filled　with　flowers；　the　seats　of　the　furniture　covered　with　holland；　the　chandeliers　draped　with　muslin；　the　windows　open；　and　the　venetians　lowered；　Mme。　Jenkins　is　seated　at　the　piano　reading　the　new　song　of　the　fashionable　musician；　some　melodic　phrases　accompanying　exquisite　verse；　a　melancholy　/Lied/；　unequally　divided；　which　seems　written　for　the　tender　gravities　of　her　voice　and　the　disturbed　state　of　her　soul。

　　Le　temps　nous　enleve　　　Notre　enchantement

sighs　the　poor　woman；　moved　by　the　sound　of　her　own　voice；　and　while　the　notes　float　away　in　the　court…yard　of　the　house；　where　the　fountain　falls　drop　by　drop　among　a　bed　of　rhododendrons；　the　singer　breaks　off；　her　hands　holding　the　chord；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　music；　but　her　look　far　away。　The　doctor　is　absent。　The　care　of　his　health　and　business　has　exiled　him　from　Paris　for　some　days；　and　the　thoughts　of　the　beautiful　Mme。　Jenkins　have　taken　that　grave　turn；　as　often　happens　in　solitude；　that　analytical　tendency　which　sometimes　makes　even　momentary　separations　fatal　in　the　most　united　households。　United　they　had　not　been　for　sometime。　They　only　saw　each　other　at　meal…　times；　before　the　servants；　hardly　speaking　unless　he；　the　man　of　unctuous　manners；　allowed　himself　to　make　some　disobliging　or　brutal　remark　on　her　son；　or　on　her　age；　which　she　began　to　show；　or　on　some　dress　which　did　not　become　her。　Always　gentle　and　serene；　she　stifled　her　tears；　accepted　everything；　feigned　not　to　understand；　not　that　she　loved　him　still　after　so　much　cruelty　and　contempt；　but　it　was　the　story；　as　their　coachman　Joe　told　it；　〃of　an　old　clinger　who　was　determined　to　make　him　marry　her。〃　Up　to　then　a　terrible　obstaclethe　life　of　the　legitimate　wifehad　prolonged　a　dishonourable　situation。　Now　that　the　obstacle　no　longer　existed　she　wished　to　put　an　end　to　the　situation；　because　of　Andre；　who　from　one　day　to　another　might　be　forced　to　despise　his　mother；　because　of　the　world　which　they　had　deceived　for　ten　yearsa　world　she　never　entered　but　with　a　beating　heart；　for　fear　of　the　treatment　she　would　receive　after　a　discovery。　To　her　allusions；　to　her　prayers；　Jenkins　had　answered　at　first　by　phrases；　grand　gestures：　〃Could　you　distrust　me？　Is　not　our　engagement　sacred？〃

He　pointed　out　the　difficulty　of　keeping　an　act　of　this　importance　secret。　Then　he　shut　himself　up　in　a　malignant　silence；　full　of　cold　anger　and　violent　determinations。　The　death　of　the　duke；　the　fall　of　an　absurd　vanity；　had　struck　a　final　blow　at　the　household；　for　disaster；　which　often　brings　hearts　ready　to　understand　one　another　nearer；　finishes　and　completes　disunions。　And　it　was　indeed　a　disaster。　The　popularity　of　the　Jenkins　pearls　suddenly　stopped；　the　situation　of　the　foreign　doctor　and　charlatan；　ably　defined　by　Bouchereau　in　the　Journal　of　the　Academy；　and　people　of　fashion　looked　at　each　other　in　fright；　paler　from　terror　than　from　the　arsenic　they　had　imbibed。　Already　the　Irishman　had　felt　the　effect　of　those　counter　blasts　which　make　Parisian　infatuations　so　dangerous。

It　was　for　that　reason；　no　doubt；　that　Jenkins　had　judged　it　wise　to　disappear　for　some　time；　leaving　madame　to　continue　to　frequent　the　houses　still　open　to　them；　to　gauge　and　hold　public　opinion　in　respect。　It　was　a　hard　task　for　the　poor　woman；　who　found　everywhere　the　cool　and　distant　welcome　which　she　had　received　at　the　Hemerlingues。　But　she　did　not　complain；　thus　earning　her　marriage；　she　was　putting　between　them　as　a　last　resource　the　sad　tie　of　pity　and　common　trials。　And　as　she　knew　that　she　was　welcomed　in　the　world　on　account　of　her　talent；　of　the　artistic　distraction　she　lent　to　their　private　parties；　she　was　always　ready　to　lay　on　the　piano　her　fan　and　long　gloves；　to　play　some　fragment　of　her　vast　repertory。　She　worked　constantly；　passing　her　afternoons　in　turning　over　new　music；　choosin