the nabob-第77章

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he　engagements　he　had　undertaken；　the　promises　he　had　made；　a　mass　of　protested　bills　and　writs。　The　Levantine；　gone　off　to　some　spa　accompanied　by　her　/masseur/　and　her　negress；　was　totally　indifferent　to　the　ruin　of　the　establishment；　Bompainthe　man　in　the　fezin　frightened　bewilderment　amid　the　demands　for　money；　not　knowing　how　to　approach　his　ill…　starred　master；　who　persistently　kept　his　bed　and　turned　his　face　to　the　wall　as　soon　as　business　matters　were　mentioned。　His　old　mother　alone　remained　behind　to　face　the　disaster；　with　the　knowledge　born　of　her　narrow　and　straitened　experience　as　a　village　woman；　who　knows　what　a　stamped　documenta　signatureis；　and　thinks　honour　is　the　greatest　and　best　thing　in　the　world。　Her　peasant's　cap　made　its　appearance　on　every　floor　of　the　mansion；　examining　bills；　reforming　the　domestic　arrangements；　and　fearing　neither　outcries　or　humiliation。　At　all　hours　the　good　woman　might　be　seen　striding　about　the　Place　Vendome；　gesticulating；　talking　to　herself；　and　saying　aloud：　〃/Te/；　I　will　go　and　see　the　bailiff。〃　And　never　did　she　consult　her　son　about　anything　save　when　it　was　indispensable；　and　then　only　in　a　few　discreet　words；　while　avoiding　even　a　glance　at　him。　To　rouse　Jansoulet　from　his　torpor　it　had　required　de　Gery's　telegram；　dated　from　Marseilles；　announcing　that　he　was　on　his　way　back；　bringing　ten　million　francs。　Ten　millions！that　is　to　say；　bankruptcy　averted；　the　possibility　of　recovering　his　positionof　starting　life　afresh。　And　behold　our　southerner　rebounding　from　the　depth　of　his　fall；　intoxicated　with　joy；　and　full　of　hope。　He　ordered　the　windows　to　be　opened　and　newspapers　to　be　brought　to　him。　What　a　magnificent　opportunity　was　this　first　night　of　/Revolt/　to　show　himself　to　the　Parisians；　who　were　believing　him　to　have　gone　under；　to　enter　the　great　whirlpool　once　more　through　the　swing　door　of　his　box　at　the　Nouveautes！　His　mother；　warned　by　some　instinct；　did　indeed　try　to　hold　him　back。　Paris　now　terrified　her。　She　would　have　liked　to　carry　off　her　child　to　some　unknown　corner　of　the　Midi；　to　nurse　him　along　with　his　elder　brotherstricken　down　both　of　them　by　the　great　city。　But　he　was　the　master。　Resistance　was　impossible　to　that　will　of　a　man　spoiled　by　wealth。　She　helped　him　to　dress　for　the　occasion；　〃made　him　look　nice；〃　as　she　said　laughing；　and　watched　him　not　without　a　certain　pride　as　he　departed；　dignified；　full　of　new　life；　having　almost　got　over　the　prostration　of　the　preceding　days。

After　his　arrival　at　the　theatre；　Jansoulet　quickly　perceived　the　commotion　which　his　presence　caused　in　the　house。　Accustomed　to　similar　curious　ovations；　he　acknowledged　them　ordinarily　without　the　least　embarrassment；　with　a　frank　display　of　his　wide　and　good…natured　smile；　but　this　time　the　manifestation　was　hostile；　almost　indignant。

〃What！　It　is　he？〃

〃There　he　is。〃

〃What　impudence！〃

Such　exclamations　from　the　stalls　confusedly　rose　among　many　others。　The　retirement　in　which　he　had　taken　refuge　for　some　days　past　had　left　him　in　ignorance　of　the　public　exasperation；　of　the　homilies；　the　statements　broadcast　in　the　newspapers；　with　the　corrupting　influence　of　his　wealth　as　their　textarticles　written　for　effect；　hypocritical　phraseology　by　the　aid　of　which　opinion　avenges　itself　from　time　to　time　on　the　innocent　for　all　its　own　concessions　to　the　guilty。　It　was　a　terribly　embarrassing　exhibition；　which　gave　him　at　first　more　sorrow　than　anger。　Deeply　moved；　he　hid　his　emotion　behind　his　opera…　glass；　fixing　his　attention　on　the　least　details　of　the　stage　arrangements；　giving　a　three…quarters　view　of　his　back　to　the　house；　but　unable　to　escape　the　scandalous　observation　of　which　he　was　the　victim　and　which　made　his　ears　buzz；　his　temples　beat；　the　dulled　lenses　of　his　opera…glass　become　full　of　those　whirling　multi…coloured　circles　which　are　the　first　symptom　of　brain　disorder。

When　the　curtain　fell　at　the　end　of　the　first　act　he　remained　motionless；　in　the　same　attitude　of　embarrassment；　the　whisperings；　now　more　distinct　when　they　were　no　longer　held　in　check　by　the　dialogue　on　the　stage；　the　pertinacity　of　certain　inquisitive　people　changing　their　places　in　order　to　get　a　better　view　of　him；　obliged　him　to　leave　his　box　and　to　beat　a　hurried　retreat　into　the　corridors；　like　a　wild　beast　escaping　across　a　circus　from　the　arena。　Beneath　the　low　ceiling　in　the　narrow　circular　passage　of　the　theatre　corridors；　he　found　himself　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　a　dense　crowd　of　emasculate　youths；　journalists；　tightly　laced　women　wearing　their　hats；　laughing　as　part　of　their　trade；　their　backs　against　the　wall。　From　box…doors　opened　for　air；　mixed　and　disjointed　fragments　of　conversation　were　escaping：

〃A　delightful　piece。　It　is　fresh；　it　is　good。〃

〃That　Nabob！　What　impudence！〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　it　is　restful。　One　feels　better　for　it。〃

〃How　is　it　that　he　has　not　yet　been　arrested？〃

〃Quite　a　young　man；　it　seems。　It　is　his　first　play。〃

〃Bois　l'Hery　at　Mazas！　It　is　impossible。　Why；　there　is　the　marquise　opposite；　in　the　balcony；　with　a　new　hat。〃

〃What　does　that　prove？　She　is　at　her　business　as　a　stager　of　new　fashions。　It　is　very　pretty；　that　hat。　In　Desgrange's　racing　colours。〃

〃And　Jenkins？　What　is　Jenkins　doing？〃

〃At　Tunis；　with　Felicia。　Old　Brahim　has　seen　them　both。　It　seems　that　the　Bey　has　begun　to　take　the　pearls。〃

〃The　deuce　he　has！〃

Farther　along；　soft　voices　were　murmuring：

〃Yes；　father；　do；　do　go　speak　to　him。　See　how　lonely　he　looks；　poor　man！〃

〃But；　children；　I　do　not　know　him。〃

〃Never　mind。　Just　a　bow。　Something　to　show　him　that　he　is　not　utterly　deserted。〃

Thereupon　the　little　old　gentleman；　very　red　in　the　face　and　wearing　a　white　tie；　stepped　quickly　in　front　of　the　Nabob；　and　ceremoniously　raised　his　hat　to　him　with　great　respect。　With　what　gratitude；　what　a　smile　of　eager　good…will　was　that　solitary　greeting　returned；　that　greeting　from　a　man　whom　Jansoulet　did　not　know；　whom　he　had　never　seen；　and　who　had　yet　exerted　a　weighty　influence　upon　his　destiny；　for；　but　for　the　/pere/　Joyeuse；　the　chairman　of　the　board　of　the　Territorial　would　probably　have　shared　the　fate　of　the　Marquis　de　Bois　l'Hery。　Thus　it　is　that　in　the　tangle　of　modern　society；　that　great　web　of　interests；　ambitions；　services　accepted　and　rendered；　all　the　various　worlds　are　connected；　united　beneath　the　surface；　from　the　highest　existences　to　the　most　humble；　this　it　is　that　explains　the　variegation；　the　complexity　of　this　study　of　manners；　the　collection　of　the　scattered　threads　of　which　the　writer　who　is　careful　of　truth　is　bound　to　make　the　background　of　his　story。

In　ten　minutes　the　Nabob　had　been　subjected　to　every　manifestation　of　the　terrible　ostracism　of　that　Paris　world　to　which　he　had　neither　relationship　nor　serious　ties；　and　whose　contempt　isolated　him　more　surely　than　a　visiting　monarch　is　isolated　by　respectthe　averted　look；　the　apparently　aimless　step　aside；　the　hat　suddenly　put　on　and　pulled　down　over　the　eyes。　Overcome　by　embarrassment　and　shame；　he　stumbled。　Some　one　said　quite　loudly；　〃He　is　drunk；〃　and　all　that　the　poor　man　could　manage　to　do　was　to　return　and　shut　himself　up　in　the　salon　at　the　back　of　his　box。　Ordinarily；　this　little　retreat　was　crowded　during　the　intervals　between　the　acts　by　stock…brokers　and　journalists。　They　laughed　and　smoked　and　made　a　great　noise；　the　manager　would　come　to　greet　his　sleeping　partner。　But　on　this　evening　there　was　nobody。　And　the　absence　of　Cardailhac；　with　his　keen　nose　for　success；　signified　fully　to　Jansoulet　the　measure　of　his　disgrace。

〃What　have　I　done？　Why　will　Paris　have　no　more　of　me？〃

Thus　he　questioned　himself　amid　a　solitude　that　was　accentuated　by　the　noises　around；　the　abrupt　turning　of　keys　in　the　doors　of　the　boxes；　the　thousand　exclamations　of　an　amused　crowd。　Then　suddenly；　the　freshness　of　his　luxurious　surroundings；　the　Moorish　lantern　casting　strange　shadows　on　the　brilliant　silks　of　the　divan　and　walls；　reminded　him　of　the　date　of　his　arrival。　Six　months！　Only　six　months　since　he　came　to　Paris！　Completely　done　for　and　ruined　in　six　months！　He　sank　into　a　kind　of　torpor；　from　which　he　was　roused　by　the　sound　of　applause　and　enthusiastic　bravos。　It　was　decidedly　a　great　success　this　play　/Revolt/。　There　were　some　passages　of　strength　and　satire；　and　the　violent　tirades；　a　trifle　over…emphatic　but　written　with　youth　and　sincerity；　excited　the　audience　after　the　idyllic　calm　of　the　opening。　Jansoulet　in　his　turn　wished　to　hear　and　see。　This　theatre　belonged　to　him　after　all。　His　place　in　that　stage…box　had　cost　him　over　a　million　francs；　the　very　least　he　could　do　was　to　occupy　it。

So　he　seated　himself　in　the　front　of　his　box。　In　the　theatre　the　heat　was　suffocating　in　spite　of　the　fans　which　were　vigorously　at　work；　throwing　reflections　from　their　bright　spangles　through　the　impalpable　atmosphere　of　silence。　The　house　was　listening　religiously　to　an　indignant　and　lofty　denunciation　of　the　scamps　who　occupied　exalted　positions；　after　having　robbed　their　fellows　in　those　depths　from　which　they　were　sprung。　Certainly；　Maranne　when　he　wrote　these　fine　lines　had　been　far　from　having　the　Nabob　in　his　mind。　But　the　public　saw　an　allusion　in　them；　and　while　a　triple　salvo　of　applause　greeted　the　conclusion　of　the　speech；　all　heads　were　turned　towards　the　stage…　box　on　the　left　with　an　indignant；　openly　offensive　movement。　The　poor　wretch；　pilloried　in　his　own　theatre！　A　pillory　which　had　cost　him　so　dear！　This　time　he　made　no　attempt　to　escape　the　insult；　but　settled　himself　resolutely　in　his　seat；　with　arms　folded；　and　braved　the　crowd　that　was　staring　at　himthose　hundreds　of　faces　raised　in　mockery；　that　virtuous　/tout　Paris/　which　had　seized　upon　him　as　a　scapegoat　and　was　driving　him　into　the　wilderness；　after　having　laden　him　with　the　burden　of　all　its　own　crimes。

A　pretty　gang；　truly；　for　a　manifestation　of　that　kind！　Opposite；　the　box　of　a　bankrupt　banker；　the　wife　and　her　lover　sitting　next　each　other　in　the　front　row；　the　husband　behind　in　the　shadow；　voluntarily　inconspicuous　and　solemn。　Near　them　the　frequent　trio　of　a　mother　who　has　married　her　daughter　in　accordance　with　the　personal　inclination　of　her　own　heart；　in　order　to　make　a　son…in…law　of　her　lover。　Then　irregular　households；　courtesans　exhibiting　the　price　of　shame；　diamonds　like　circlets　of　fire　riveted　around　arms　and　neck。　And　those　groups　of　emasculate　youths；　with　their　open　collars　and　painted　eyebrows；　whose　shirts　of　embroidered　cambric　and　white　satin　corsets　people　used　to　admire　in　the　guest…chambers　at　Compiegne；　those　/mignons/；　of　the　time　of　Agrippa；　calling　each　other　among　themselves：　〃My　heartMy　dear　girl。〃　An　assemblage　of　all　the　scandals；　all　the　turpitudes；　consciences　sold　or　for　sale；　the　vice　of　an　epoch　devoid　of　greatness　and　without　originality；　intent　on　making　trial　of　the　caprices　of　every　other　age。

And　these　were　the　people　who　were　insulting　him　and　crying：　〃Away　with　thee；　thou　art　unworthy！〃

〃UnworthyI！　But　my　worth　is　a　hundred　times　greater　than　that　of　any　among　you；　wretches　that　you　are！　You　make　my　millions　a　reproach　to　me；　but　who　has　helped　me　to　spend　them？　Thou；　cowardly　and　treacherous　comrade；　who　hidest　thy　sick　pasha…like　obesity　in　the　corner　of