the nabob-第11章
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〃He told you so？〃
〃Ask the governor if he did notheard it like myself。〃
The person who was called the governorPaganetti； to give him his real namewas a little； expressive man； constantly gesticulating and fatiguing to behold； so many were the different expressions which his face would assume in the course of a single minute。 He was managing director of the Territorial Bank of Corsica； a vast financial enterprise； and had now come to the house for the first time； introduced by Monpavon； he occupied accordingly a place of honour。 On the other side of the Nabob was an old gentleman； buttoned up to the chin in a frock…coat having a straight collar without lapels； like an Oriental tunic； his face slashed by a thousand little bloodshot veins and wearing a white moustache of military cut。 It was Brahim Bey； the most valiant colonel of the Regency of Tunis； aide…de…camp of the former Bey who had made the fortune of Jansoulet。 The glorious exploits of this warrior showed themselves written in wrinkles； in blemishes wrought by debauchery upon the nerveless under…lip that hung as it were relaxed； and upon his eyes without lashes； inflamed and red。 It was a head such as one may see in the dock at certain criminal trials that are held with closed doors。 The other guests were seated pell…mell； just as they had happened to arrive or to find themselves； for the house was open to everybody； and the table was laid every morning for thirty persons。
There were present the manager of the theatre financed by the Nabob； Cardailhac； renowned for his wit almost as much as for his insolvencies； a marvellous carver who； while he was engaged in severing the limbs of a partridge； would prepare one of his witticisms and deposit it with a wing upon the plate which was presented to him。 He worked up his witticisms instead of improvising them； and the new fashion of serving meats； /a la Russe/ and carved beforehand； had been fatal to him by its removal of all excuse for a preparatory silence。 Consequently it was the general remark that his vogue was on the decline。 Parisian； moreover； a dandy to the finger tips； and； as he himself was wont to boast； 〃with not one particle of superstition in his whole body；〃 a characteristic which permitted him to give very piquant details concerning the ladies of his theatre to Brahim Bey who listened to him as one turns over the pages of a naughty bookand to talk theology to the young priest who was his nearest neighbour； a curate of some little southern village； lean and with a complexion sunburnt till it matched the cloth of his cassock in colour； with fiery patches above the cheek…bones； and the pointed； forward…pushing nose of the ambitious man； who would remark to Cardailhac very loudly； in a tone of protection and sacerdotal authority：
〃We are quite pleased with M。 Guizot。 He is doing very wellvery well。 It is a conquest for the Church。〃
Seated next this pontiff； with a black neck…band； old Schwalbach； the famous picture…dealer； displayed his prophet's beard； tawny in places like a dirty fleece； his three overcoats tinged by mildew； all that loose and negligent attire for which he was excused in the name of art； and because； in a time when the mania for picture galleries had already begun to cause millions to change hands； it was the proper thing to entertain the man who was the best placed for the conduct of these absurdly vain transactions。 Schwalbach did not speak； contenting himself with gazing around him through his enormous monocle； shaped like a hand magnifying…glass； and with smiling in his beard over the singular neighbours made by this unique assembly。 Thus it happened that M。 de Monpavon had quite close to himand it was a sight to watch how the disdainful curve of his nose was accentuated at each glance in that directionthe singer Garrigou； a fellow…countryman of Jansoulet； a distinguished ventriloquist who sang Figaro in the dialect of the south； and had no equal in his imitations of animals。 Just beyond； Cabassu； another compatriot； a little short and dumpy man； with the neck of a bull and the biceps of a statue by Michel Angelo； who suggested at once a Marseilles hairdresser and the strong man at a fair； a masseur； pedicure； manicure； and something of a dentist； sat with elbows on the table with the coolness of a charlatan whom one receives in the morning and knows the little infirmities； the intimate distresses of the abode in which he chances to find himself。 M。 Bompain completed this array of subordinates； all alike in one respect at any rate； Bompain； the secretary； the steward； the confidential agent； through whose hands the entire business of the house passed； and it sufficed to observe that solemnly stupid attitude； that indefinite manner； the Turkish fez placed awkwardly on a head suggestive of a village school…master； in order to understand to what manner of people interests like those of the Nabob had been abandoned。
Finally； to fill the gaps among these figures I have sketched； the Turkish crowdTunisians； Moors； Egyptians； Levantines； and； mingled with this exotic element； a whole variegated Parisian Bohemia of ruined nobleman； doubtful traders； penniless journalists； inventors of strange products； people arrived from the south without a farthing； all the lost ships needing revictualling； or flocks of birds wandering aimlessly in the night； which were drawn by this great fortune as by the light of a beacon。 The Nabob admitted this miscellaneous collection of individuals to his table out of kindness； out of generosity； out of weakness； by reason of his easy…going manners； joined to an absolute ignorance and a survival of that loneliness of the exile； of that need for expansion which； down yonder in Tunis； in his splendid palace of the Bardo； had caused him to welcome everybody who hailed from France； from the small tradesman exporting Parisian wares to the famous pianist on tour and the consul…general himself。
As one listened to those various accents； those foreign intonations； gruff or faltering； as one gazed upon those widely different physiognomies； some violent； barbarous； vulgar； others hyper… civilized； worn； suggestive only of the Boulevard and as it were flaccid； one noted that the same diversity was evident also among the servants who； some apparently lads just out of an office； insolent in manner； with heads of hair like a dentist's or a bath…attendant's； busied themselves among Ethiopians standing motionless and shining like candelabra of black marble； and it was impossible to say exactly where one was； in any case； you would never have imagined yourself to be in the Place Vendome； right in the beating heart and very centre of the life of our modern Paris。 Upon the table there was a like importation of exotic dishes； saffron or anchovy sauces； spices mixed up with Turkish delicacies； chickens with fried almonds； and all this taken together with the banality of the interior； the gilding of the panels； the shrill ringing of the new bells； gave the impression of a /table d'hote/ in some big hotel in Smyrna or Calcutta； or of a luxurious dining…saloon on board a transatlantic liner； the 〃Pereire〃 or the 〃Sinai。〃
It might seem that this diversity among the guestsI was about to say among the passengersought to have caused the meal to be animated and noisy。 Far otherwise。 They all ate nervously； watching each other out of eye…corners； and even those most accustomed to society； those who appeared the most at their ease； had in their glance the wandering look and the distraction of a fixed idea； a feverish anxiety which caused them to speak without relevance and to listen without understanding a word of what was being said to them。
Suddenly the door of the dining…room opened。
〃Ah； here comes Jenkins！〃 exclaimed the Nabob delightedly。 〃Welcome； welcome； doctor。 How are you； my friend？〃
A smile to those around； a hearty shake of his host's hand； and Jenkins sat down opposite him； next to Monpavon； before a place at the table which a servant had just prepared in all haste and without having received any order； exactly as at a /table d'hote/。 Among those preoccupied and feverish faces； this one at any rate stood out in contrast by its good humour； its cheerfulness； and t
