the nabob-第15章
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ought to his dear old lady at home； and now he saw all of her again in these lines。 He remained a moment looking at the letter； which trembled in his heavy fingers。
Then； this emotion having passed：
〃M。 de Gery；〃 said he； 〃I am glad of the opportunity which is about to permit me to repay to you a little of the kindness which your family has shown to mine。 From to…day； if you consent； I take you into my house。 You are educated； you seem intelligent； you can be of great service to me。 I have a thousand plans； a thousand affairs in hand。 I am being drawn into a crowd of large industrial enterprises。 I want some one who will aid me； represent me at need。 I have indeed a secretary； a steward； that excellent Bompain； but the unfortunate fellow knows nothing of Paris； he has been； as it were； bewildered ever since his arrival。 You will tell me that you also come straight from the country； but that does not matter。 Well brought up as you are； a southerner； alert and adaptable； you will quickly pick up the routine of the Boulevard。 For the rest； I myself undertake your education from that point of view。 In a few weeks you will find yourself； I answer for it； as much at home in Paris as I am。〃
Poor man！ It was touching to hear him speak of his Parisian habits； and of his experience； he whose destiny it was to be always a beginner。
〃Now； that is understood； is it not？ I engage you as secretary。 You will have a fixed salary which we will settle directly； and I shall provide you with the opportunity to make your fortune rapidly。〃
And while de Gery； raised suddenly above all the anxieties of a newcomer； of one who solicits a favour； of a neophyte； did not move for fear of awaking from a dream：
〃Now；〃 said the Nabob to him in a gentle voice； 〃sit down there； next me； and let us talk a little about mamma。〃
MEMOIRS OF AN OFFICE PORTER A MERE GLANCE AT THE TERRITORIAL BANK
I had just finished my frugal morning repast and； as my habit was； placed the remains of my modest provisions in the board…room safe with a secret lock； which has served me as a store…cupboard during four years； almost； that I have been at the Territorial。 Suddenly the governor walks into the offices； with his face all red and eyes inflamed； as though after a night's feasting； draws in his breath noisily； and in rude terms says to me； with his Italian accent：
〃But this place stinks； /Moussiou/ Passajon。〃
The place did not stink； if you like the word。 Onlyshall I say it？ I had ordered a few onions to garnish a knuckle of veal which Mme。 Seraphine had sent down to me； she being the cook on the second floor； whose accounts I write out for her every evening。 I tried to explain the matter to the governor； but he had flown into a temper； saying that to his mind there was no sense in poisoning the atmosphere of an office in that way； and that it was not worth while to maintain premises at a rent of twelve thousand francs； with eight windows fronting full on the Boulevard Malesherbes； in order to roast onions in them。 I don't know what he did not say to me in his passion。 For my own part； naturally I got angry at hearing myself addressed in that insolent manner。 It is surely the least a man can do to be polite with people in his service whom he does not pay。 What the deuce！ So I answered him that it was annoying； in truth； but that if the Territorial Bank paid me what it owed me； namely； four years' arrears of salary； /plus/ seven thousand francs personal advances made by me to the governor for expenses of cabs； newspapers； cigars； and American grogs on board days； I would go and eat decently at the nearest cookshop； and should not be reduced to cooking； in the room where our board was accustomed to sit； a wretched stew； for which I had to thank the public compassion of female cooks。 Take that！
In speaking thus I had yielded to an impulse of indignation very excusable in the eyes of any person whatever acquainted with my position here。 Even so； I had said nothing improper and had confined myself within the limits of language conformable to my age and education。 （I must have mentioned somewhere in the course of these memoirs that of the sixty…five years I have lived I passed more than thirty as beadle to the Faculty of Letters in Dijon。 Hence my taste for reports and memoirs； and those ideas of academical style of which traces will be found in many passages of this lucubration。） I had； then； expressed myself in the governor's presence with the most complete reserve； without employing any one of those terms of abuse to which he is treated by everybody here； from our two censorsM。 de Monpavon； who； every time he comes； calls him laughingly 〃Fleur…de… Mazas；〃 and M。 de Bois l'Hery； of the Trumpet Club； coarse as a groom； who； for adieu； always greets him with； 〃To your bedstead； bug！〃to our cashier； whom I have heard repeat a hundred times； tapping on his big book； 〃That he has in there enough to send him to the galleys when he pleases。〃 Ah； well！ All the same； my simple observation produced an extraordinary effect upon him。 The circles round his eyes became quite yellow； and； trembling with rage； one of those evil rages of his country； he uttered these words： 〃Passajon； you are a blackguard。 One word more； and I discharge you！〃 Stupor nailed me to the floor when I heard them。 Discharge me/me！/ and my four years' arrears； and my seven thousand francs of money lent！
As though he could read my thought before it was put into words； the governor replied that all accounts were going to be settled； mine included。 〃And as to that；〃 he added； 〃summon these gentlemen to my private room。 I have important news to announce to them。〃
Upon that； he went into his office； banging the doors。
That devil of a man！ In vain you may know him to the coreknow him a liar； a comedianhe manages always to get the better of you with his stories。 My account； mine！mine！ I was so affected by the thought that my legs seemed to give way beneath me as I went to inform the staff。
According to the regulations； there are twelve of us employed at the Territorial Bank； including the governor and the handsome Moessard； manager of /Financial Truth/； but more than half of that number were wanting。 To begin with； since /Truth/ ceased to be issuedit is two years since its last appearanceM。 Moessard has not once set foot in the place。 It seems he moves amid honours and riches； has a queen for his mistressa real queenwho gives him all the money he desires。 Oh； what a Babylon； this Paris！ The others come from time to time to learn whether by chance anything new has happened at the bank； and； as nothing ever has； we remain weeks without seeing them。 Four or five faithful ones； all poor old men like myself； persist in putting in an appearance regularly every morning at the same hour； from habit； from want of occupation； not knowing what else to do。 Every one； however； busies himself about things quite foreign to the work of the office。 A man must live； you know。 And then； too； one cannot pass the day dragging one's self from easy chair to easy chair； from window to window； to look out of doors （eight windows fronting on the Boulevard）。 So one tries to do some work as best one can。 I myself； as I have said； keep the accounts of Mme。 Seraphine； and of another cook in the building。 Also； I write my memoirs； which； again； takes a good deal of my time。 Our receipt clerkone who has not very hard work with usmakes line for a firm that deals in fishing requisites。 Of our two copying…clerks； one； who writes a good hand； copies plays for a dramatic agency； the other invents little halfpenny toys which the hawkers sell at street corners about the time of the New Year； and manages by this means to keep himself from dying of hunger during all the rest of the year。 Our cashier is the only one who does no outside work。 He would believe his honour lost if he did。 He is a very proud man； who never utters a complaint； and whose one dread is to have the appearance of being in want of linen。 Locked in his office； he is occupied from morning till evening in the manufacture of shirt…fronts； collars； and cuffs of paper。 In this； he has attained very great skill； and his ever…dazzling linen would deceive； if it were not
