the nabob-第102章

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hotels　which　line　the　road；　and　bring　every　November　into　this　little　town；　so　marvellously　sheltered；　the　luxurious　life　and　cosmopolitan　animation　of　an　aristocratic　wintering　place。　But　at　this　time　of　year　there　was　no　one　in　the　sea　town　of　Bordighera　but　fishermen；　invisible　at　this　hour。　The　villas　and　hotels　seemed　dead；　their　blinds　and　shutters　closed。　They　took　Paul　through　long；　cool；　and　silent　passages　to　a　great　drawing…room　facing　north；　which　seemed　to　be　part　of　the　suites　let　for　the　season；　whose　doors　communicated　with　the　other　rooms。　White　curtains；　a　carpet；　the　comfort　demanded　by　the　English　even　when　travelling；　and　outside　the　windows；　which　the　hotel…keeper　opened　wide　to　tempt　the　traveller　to　a　longer　stay；　a　splendid　view　of　the　mountain。　An　astonishing　quiet　reigned　in　this　great　deserted　inn；　with　neither　manager；　nor　cook；　nor　waitersthe　whole　staff　coming　only　in　the　winterand　given　up　for　domestic　needs　to　a　local　spoil…sauce；　expert　at　a　/stoffato/；　a　/risotto/；　also　to　two　stablemen；　who　clothed　themselves　at　meal…time　with　the　dress…coat　and　white　tie　of　office。　Happily；　de　Gery　was　only　going　to　remain　there　for　an　hour　or　two；　to　rest　his　eyes　from　the　overpowering　light；　his　head　from　the　dolorous　grip　of　the　sun。

From　the　divan　where　he　lay；　the　admirable　landscape；　diversified　with　light　and　trembling　leaves；　seemed　to　descend　to　his　window　by　stages　of　different　greens；　where　scattered　villas　shone　white；　and　among　them　that　of　Maurice　Trott；　the　banker；　recognisable　by　its　capricious　architecture　and　the　height　of　its　palms。

The　Levantine　house；　whose　gardens　came　up　to　the　windows　of　the　hotel；　had　sheltered　for　some　months　an　artistic　celebrity；　the　sculptor　Brehat；　who　was　dying　of　consumption；　and　owed　the　prolonging　of　his　existence　to　this　princely　hospitality。　The　neighbourhood　of　this　dying　celebrityof　which　the　hotel…keeper　was　proud；　and　which　he　would　have　liked　to　charge　in　the　billthe　name　of　Brehat；　which　de　Gery　had　so　often　heard　pronounced　with　admiration　in　Felicia　Ruys's　studio；　brought　back　his　thoughts　to　the　beautiful　face；　with　its　pure　lines；　which　he　had　last　seen　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogue；　leaning　on　Mora's　shoulder。　What　had　become　of　this　unfortunate　girl　when　this　prop　had　failed　her？　Would　this　lesson　be　of　use　to　her　in　the　future？　And；　by　a　strange　coincidence；　while　he　was　thinking　thus　of　Felicia；　a　great　white　greyhound　was　bounding　up　an　alley　of　green　trees　on　the　slopes　of　the　neighbouring　garden。　It　was　like　Kadour　the　same　short　hair；　the　same　mouth；　red；　fierce；　and　delicate。　Paul；　before　his　open　window；　was　assailed　in　a　moment　by　all　sorts　of　visions；　sad　or　charming。　Perhaps　the　beauty　of　the　scene　before　his　eyes　made　his　thoughts　wander。　Under　the　orange…trees　and　lemon…trees　in　rows；　laden　with　their　golden　fruit；　stretched　immense　fields　of　violets　in　regular　and　packed　beds；　separated　by　little　irrigation　canals；　whose　white　stone　cut　up　the　exuberant　verdure。

An　exquisite　ordour　of　violets　dried　in　the　sun　was　risinga　hot　boudoir　scent；　enervating；　enfeebling；　which　called　up　for　de　Gery　feminine　visionsAline；　Feliciapermeating　the　fairy…like　landscape；　in　this　blue…charged　atmosphere；　this　heavenly　day；　which　one　might　have　called　the　perfume　become　visible　of　so　many　open　flowers。　The　creaking　of　a　door　made　him　open　his　eyes。　Some　one　had　just　gone　into　the　next　room。　He　heard　the　rustle　of　a　dress　against　the　thin　partition；　a　leaf　turned　in　a　book　which　could　not　be　very　interesting；　for　a　long　sigh　turning　into　a　yawn　made　him　start。　Was　he　still　sleeping；　dreaming？　Had　he　not　heard　the　cry　of　the　〃jackal　in　the　desert；〃　so　much　in　keeping　with　the　burning　temperature　out　of　doors？　Nonothing　more。　He　fell　asleep　again；　and　this　time　all　the　confused　images　which　pursued　him　fixed　themselves　in　a　dreama　very　pleasant　dream。

He　was　on　his　honeymoon　with　Aline。　She　was　a　delicious　wife；　her　clear　eyes　full　of　love　and　faith；　which　only　knew；　only　looked　at　him。　In　this　very　room；　on　the　other　side　of　the　partition；　she　was　sitting　in　white　morning　dress；　which　smelt　of　violets　and　of　the　fine　lace　of　her　trousseau。　They　were　having　breakfastone　of　those　solitary　breakfasts　of　a　honeymoon；　served　in　their　bedroom；　opposite　the　blue　sea；　and　the　clear　sky；　which　tinge　with　azure　the　glass　in　which　one　drinks；　the　eyes　where　one　sees　one's　self；　the　futurelife　the　distant　horizon。　Oh！　how　good　it　was；　what　a　divine　youth…giving　light；　how　happy　they　were！

And　all　at　once；　in　the　delight　of　their　kisses；　Aline　became　sad。　Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　She　said　to　him：　〃Felicia　is　there。　You　will　love　me　no　longer。〃　And　he　laughed；　〃Felicia　here？　What　an　idea！〃　〃Yes；　yes；　she　is　there。〃　Trembling　she　pointed　to　the　next　room；　from　which　came　angry　barks；　and　the　voice　of　Felicia：　〃Here；　Kadour！　Here；　Kadour！〃　the　low；　concentrated；　furious　voice　of　some　one　who　is　hiding　and　suddenly　discovered。

Wide　awake；　the　lover；　disenchanted；　found　himself　in　his　empty　room；　before　an　empty　table；　his　dream；　fled　through　the　window　to　the　great　hillside。　But　he　heard　very　distinctly　in　the　next　room　the　bark　of　a　dog；　and　hurried　knocks　on　the　door。

〃Open　the　door！　It　is　Iit　is　Jenkins。〃

Paul　sat　up　on　his　divan；　stupefied。　Jenkins　here？　How　was　that？　To　whom　was　he　speaking？　What　voice　was　going　to　answer　him？　No　one　answered。　A　light　step　went　to　the　door；　and　the　lock　creaked　nervously。

〃Here　you　are　at　last；〃　said　the　Irishman；　entering。

And　truly　if　he　had　not　taken　care　to　announce　himself；　Paul　would　never　have　taken　this　brutal；　violent；　hoarse　voice　heard　through　the　partition　for　the　doctor's　with　his　sugary　manners。

〃At　last　I　have　found　you　after　a　week　of　searching；　of　mad　rushing　from　Genoa　to　Nice；　from　Nice　to　Genoa。　I　knew　that　you　had　not　gone；　because　the　yacht　was　in　the　harbour；　and　I　was　going　to　inspect　all　the　inns　on　the　coast；　when　I　remembered　Brehat。　I　have　just　come　from　him。　It　was　he　who　told　me　you　were　here。〃

But　to　whom　was　he　speaking？　Who　was　so　singularly　obstinate？　At　last　a　beautiful；　sad　voice；　which　Paul　well　knew；　made　the　hot　afternoon　air　vibrate。

〃Well；　yes；　Jenkins；　here　I　am。　What　is　the　matter？〃

Through　the　wall　Paul　could　see　the　disdainful　mouth；　turned　down　with　disgust。

〃I　have　come　to　prevent　you　from　goingfrom　doing　this　foolish　thing。〃

〃What　foolish　thing？　I　have　some　work　at　Tunis。　I　must　go　there。〃

〃But　you　don't　think；　my　dear　child；　that〃

〃Oh；　enough　of　your　fatherly　airs；　Jenkins。　We　know　what　lies　underneath　it。　Speak　to　me　as　you　did　just　now。　I　prefer　the　bull…dog　to　the　spaniel。　I　fear　it　less。〃

〃Well；　I　tell　you　that　you　must　be　mad　to　go　over　there　alone；　young　and　beautiful　as　you　are。〃

〃And　am　I　not　always　alone？　Would　you　like　me　to　take　Constance；　at　her　age？〃

〃Or　me？〃

〃You！〃　She　pronounced　the　word　with　an　ironical　laugh。　〃And　what　about　Paris？　And　your　patientsdeprive　society　of　its　Cagliostro？　Never；　on　any　account。〃

〃I　have；　however；　made　up　my　mind　to　follow　you　wherever　you　go；〃　said　Jenkins　resolutely。

There　was　an　instant　of　silence。　Paul　asked　himself　if　it　was　worthy　of　him　to　listen　to　this　conversation　which　was　full　of　terrible　revelations。　But　in　spite　of　his　fatigue　an　invincible　curiosity　nailed　him　to　the　spot。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　enigma　which　had　so　long　been　perplexing　and　troubling　him　was　going　to　be　solved　at　last；　to　show　the　woman　sad　or　perverse；　concealed　by　the　fashionable　artist。　He　remained　there；　still　holding　his　breath；　needlessly；　however；　for　the　two；　believing　themselves　to　be　alone　in　the　hotel；　let　their　passions　and　their　voices　rise　without　constraint。

〃Well；　what　do　you　want　of　me？〃

〃I　want　you。〃

〃Jenkins！〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　you　have　forbidden　me　to　say　such　words　before　you；　but　other　men　than　I　have　said　them；　and　nearer　still。〃

〃And　if　it　were　so；　wretch！　If　I　have　not　been　able　to　protect　myself　from　disgust　and　boredom；　if　I　have　lost　my　pride；　is　it　for　you　to　say　a　word？　As　if　you　were　not　the　cause　of　it；　as　if　you　had　not　forever　saddened　and　darkened　my　life　for　me！〃

And　these　burning　and　rapid　words　revealed　to　the　terrified　Paul　de　Gery　the