the nabob-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


g　the　votes　which　he　controls；　the　cantons　which　will　obey　his　call。　〃You　bring　me　your　capital。　II　give　you　an　entire　people。〃　The　cause　is　gained。

〃Bompain；　Bompain！〃　calls　the　Nabob；　roused　to　enthusiasm。　He　has　now　but　one　fear；　that　is　lest　the　thing　escape　him；　and　in　order　to　bind　Paganetti；　who　has　not　concealed　his　need　of　money；　he　hastens　to　effect　the　payment　of　a　first　instalment　to　the　Territorial　bank。　New　appearance　of　the　man　in　red　breeches　with　the　check…book　which　he　carries　clasped　gravely　to　his　chest；　like　a　choir…boy　moving　the　Gospel　from　one　side　to　the　other。　New　inscription　of　Jansoulet's　signature　upon　a　slip；　which　the　governor　pockets　with　a　negligent　air　and　which　operates　on　his　person　a　sudden　transformation。　The　Paganetti　who　was　so　humble　and　spiritless　just　now；　goes　away　with　the　assurance　of　a　man　worth　four　hundred　thousand　francs；　while　Monpavon；　carrying　it　even　higher　than　usual；　follows　after　him　in　his　steps；　and　watches　over　him　with　a　more　than　paternal　solicitude。

〃That's　a　good　piece　of　business　done；〃　says　the　Nabob　to　himself。　〃I　can　drink　my　coffee　now。〃

But　the　borrowers　are　waiting　for　him　to　pass。　The　most　prompt；　the　most　adroit；　is　Cardailhac；　the　manager；　who　lays　hold　of　him　and　bears　him　off　into　a　side…room。

〃Let　us　have　a　little　talk；　old　friend。　I　must　explain　to　you　the　situation　of　affairs　in　connection　with　our　theatre。〃　Very　complicated；　doubtless；　the　situation；　for　here　is　M。　Bompain　who　advances　once　more；　and　there　are　the　slips　of　blue　paper　flying　away　from　the　check…book。　Whose　turn　now？　There　is　the　journalist　Moessard　coming　to　draw　his　pay　for　the　article　in　the　/Messenger/；　the　Nabob　will　find　out　what　it　costs　to　have　one's　self　called　〃benefactor　of　childhood〃　in　the　morning　papers。　There　is　the　parish　priest　from　the　country　who　demands　funds　for　the　restoration　of　his　church；　and　takes　checks　by　assault　with　the　brutality　of　a　Peter　the　Hermit。　There　is　old　Schwalbach　coming　up　with　nose　in　his　beard　and　winking　mysteriously。

〃Sh！　He　had　found　a　pearl　for　monsieur's　gallery；　an　Hobbema　from　the　collection　of　the　Duc　de　Mora。　But　several　people　are　after　it。　It　will　be　difficult〃

〃I　must　have　it　at　any　price；〃　says　the　Nabob；　hooked　by　the　name　of　Mora。　〃You　understand；　Schwalbach。　I　must　have　this　Hobbema。　Twenty　thousand　francs　for　you　if　you　secure　it。〃

〃I　shall　do　my　utmost；　M。　Jansoulet。〃

And　the　old　rascal　calculates；　as　he　goes　away；　that　the　twenty　thousand　of　the　Nabob　added　to　the　ten　thousand　promised　him　by　the　duke　if　he　gets　rid　of　his　picture　for　him；　will　make　a　nice　little　profit　for　himself。

While　these　fortunate　ones　follow　each　other；　others　look　on　around；　wild　with　impatience；　biting　their　nails　to　the　quick；　for　all　are　come　on　the　same　errand。　From　the　good　Jenkins；　who　opened　the　advance；　to　the　masseur　Cabassu；　who　closes　it；　all　draw　the　Nabob　away　to　some　room　apart。　But；　however　far　they　lead　him　down　this　gallery　of　reception…rooms；　there　is　always　some　indiscreet　mirror　to　reflect　the　profile　of　the　host　and　the　gestures　of　his　broad　back。　That　back　has　eloquence。　Now　and　then　it　straightens　itself　up　in　indignation。　〃Oh；　no；　that　is　too　much。〃　Or　again　it　sinks　forward　with　a　comical　resignation。　〃Well；　since　it　must　be　so。〃　And　always　Bompain's　fez　in　some　corner　of　the　view。

When　those　are　finished；　others　arrive。　They　are　the　small　fry　who　follow　in　the　wake　of　the　big　eaters　in　the　ferocious　hunts　of　the　rivers。　There　is　a　continual　coming　and　going　through　these　handsome　white…and…gold　drawing　rooms；　a　noise　of　doors；　an　established　current　of　bare…faced　and　vulgar　exploitation　attracted　from　the　four　corners　of　Paris　and　the　suburbs　by　this　gigantic　fortune　and　incredible　facility。

For　these　small　sums；　these　regular　distributions；　recourse　was　not　had　to　the　check…book。　For　such　purposes　the　Nabob　kept　in　one　of　his　rooms　a　mahogany　chest　of　drawers；　a　horrible　little　piece　of　furniture　representing　the　savings　of　a　house　porter；　the　first　that　Jansoulet　had　bought　when　he　had　been　able　to　give　up　living　in　furnished　apartments；　which　he　had　preserved　since；　like　a　gambler's　fetish；　and　the　three　drawers　of　which　contained　always　two　hundred　thousand　francs　in　cash。　It　was　to　this　constant　supply　that　he　had　recourse　on　the　days　of　his　large　receptions；　displaying　a　certain　ostentation　in　the　way　in　which　he　would　handle　the　gold　and　silver；　by　great　handfuls；　thrusting　it　to　the　bottom　of　his　pockets　to　draw　it　out　thence　with　the　gesture　of　a　cattle　dealer；　a　certain　vulgar　way　of　raising　the　skirts　of　his　frock…coat　and　of　sending　his　hand　〃to　the　bottom　and　into　the　pile。〃　To…day　there　must　be　a　terrible　void　in　the　drawers　of　the　little　chest。

After　so　many　mysterious　whispered　confabulations；　demands　more　or　less　clearly　formulated；　chance　entries　and　triumphant　departures；　the　last　client　having　been　dismissed；　the　chest　of　drawers　closed　and　locked；　the　flat　in　the　Place　Vendome　began　to　empty　in　the　uncertain　light　of　the　afternoon　towards　four　o'clock；　that　close　of　the　November　days　so　exceedingly　prolonged　afterward　by　artificial　light。　The　servants　were　clearing　away　the　coffee　and　the　raki；　and　bearing　off　the　open　and　half…emptied　cigar…boxes。　The　Nabob；　thinking　himself　alone；　gave　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃Ouf！　that's　over。〃　But　no。　Opposite　him；　some　one　comes　out　from　a　corner　that　is　already　dark；　and　approaches　with　a　letter　in　his　hand。

Another！

And　at　once；　mechanically；　the　poor　man　made　that　eloquent；　horse…　dealer's　gesture　of　his。　Instinctively；　also；　the　visitor　showed　a　movement　of　recoil　so　prompt；　so　hurt；　that　the　Nabob　understood　that　he　was　making　a　mistake；　and　took　the　trouble　to　examine　the　young　man　who　stood　before　him；　simply　but　correctly　dressed；　of　a　dull　complexion；　without　the　least　sign　of　a　beard；　with　regular　features；　perhaps　a　little　too　serious　and　fixed　for　his　age；　which；　aided　by　his　hair　of　pale　blond　colour；　curled　in　little　ringlets　like　a　powdered　wig；　gave　him　the　appearance　of　a　young　deputy　of　the　Commons　under　Louis　XVI；　the　head　of　a　Barnave　at　twenty！　This　face；　although　the　Nabob　beheld　it　for　the　first　time；　was　not　absolutely　unknown　to　him。

〃What　do　you　desire；　monsieur？〃

Taking　the　letter　which　the　young　man　held　out　to　him；　he　went　to　a　window　in　order　to　see　to　read　it。

〃Te！　It　is　from　mamma。〃

He　said　it　with　so　happy　an　air；　that　word　〃mamma〃　lit　up　all　his　face　with　so　young；　so　kind　a　smile；　that　the　visitor；　who　had　been　at　first　repulsed　by　the　vulgar　aspect　of　this　/parvenu/；　felt　himself　filled　with　sympathy　for　him。

In　an　undertone　the　Nabob　read　these　few　lines　written　in　an　awkward　hand；　incorrect　and　shaky；　which　contrasted　with　the　large　glazed　note…paper；　with　its　heading　〃Chateau　de　Saint…Romans。〃

〃My　dear　son；　this　letter　will　be　delivered　to　you　by　the　eldest　son　of　M。　de　Gery；　the　former　justice　of　the　peace　for　Bourg…Saint…Andeol；　who　has　shown　us　so　much　kindness。〃

The　Nabob　broke　off　his　reading。

〃I　ought　to　have　recognised　you；　M。　de　Gery。　You　resemble　your　father。　Sit　down；　I　beg　of　you。〃

Then　he　finished　running　through　the　letter。　His　mother　asked　him　nothing　precise；　but；　in　the　name　of　the　services　which　the　de　Gery　family　had　rendered　them　in　former　years；　she　recommended　M。　Paul　to　him。　An　orphan；　burdened　with　the　care　of　his　two　young　brothers；　he　had　been　called　to　the　bar　in　the　south；　and　was　now　coming　to　Paris　to　seek　his　fortune。　She　implored　Jansoulet　to　aid　him；　〃for　he　needed　it　badly；　poor　fellow；〃　and　she　signed　herself；　〃Thy　mother　who　pines　for　thee；　Francoise。〃

This　letter　from　his　mother；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　six　years；　those　expressions　of　the　south　country　of　which　he　could　hear　the　intonations　that　he　knew　so　well；　that　coarse　handwriting　which　sketched　for　him　an　adored　face；　all　wrinkled；　scored；　and　cracked；　but　smiling　beneath　its　peasant's　head…dress；　had　affected　the　Nabob。　During　the　six　weeks　that　he　had　been　in　France；　lost　in　the　whirl　of　Paris；　the　business　of　getting　settled　in　his　new　habitation；　he　had　not　yet　given　a　thought　to　his　dear　old　lady　at　home；　and　now　he　saw　all　of　her　again　in　these　lines。　He　remained　a　mo