the nabob-第106章

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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　thy　stage…box！　I　made　thy　fortune　along　with　my　own　in　the　days　when　we　shared　all　things　in　brotherly　community。　Thou；　pale　marquisI　paid　a　hundred　thousand　francs　at　the　club　in　order　to　save　thee　from　shameful　expulsion！

〃Thee　I　covered　with　jewels；　hussy；　letting　thee　pass　for　my　mistress；　because　that　kind　of　thing　makes　a　good　impression　in　our　worldbut　without　ever　asking　thee　anything　in　return。　And　thou；　brazen…faced　journalist；　who　for　brain　hast　all　the　dirty　sediment　of　thy　inkstand；　and　on　thy　conscience　as　many　spots　as　thy　queen　has　on　her　skin；　thou　thinkest　that　I　have　not　paid　thee　thy　price　and　that　is　why　thy　insults　are　heaped　on　me。　Yes；　yes；　stare　at　me；　you　vermin！　I　am　proud。　My　worth　is　above　yours。〃

All　that　he　was　thus　saying　to　himself　mentally；　in　an　ungovernable　rage；　visible　in　the　quivering　of　his　pale；　thick　lips。　The　unfortunate　man；　who　was　nearly　mad；　was　about　perhaps　to　shout　it　aloud　in　the　silence；　to　denounce　that　insulting　crowdwho　knows？to　spring　into　the　mids