the nabob-第31章

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That　Ethiopian　face　on　which　the　muscles　stood　out　in　the　very　intoxication　of　health；　with　its　long　drooping　eyelashes　as　of　some　deer　being　gently　stroked　in　its　sleep；　the　bold　profile　of　the　girl　as　she　leaned　over　those　strange　features　in　order　to　verify　their　proportions；　then　a　violent；　irresistible　gesture；　clutching　the　delicate　hand　as　it　passed　and　pressing　it　to　two　thick；　passionate　lips。　Jenkins　saw　all　that　in　one　red　flash。

The　noise　that　he　made　in　entering　caused　the　two　personages　instantly　to　resume　their　respective　positions；　and；　in　the　strong　light　which　dazzled　his　prying　eyes；　he　saw　the　young　girl　standing　before　him；　indignant；　stupefied。

〃Who　is　that？　Who　has　taken　the　liberty？〃　and　the　Nabob；　on　his　platform；　with　his　collar　turned　down；　petrified；　monumental。

Jenkins；　a　little　abashed；　frightened　by　his　own　audacity；　murmured　some　excuses。　He　had　something　very　urgent　to　say　to　M。　Jansoulet；　a　piece　of　news　which　was　most　important　and　would　suffer　no　delay。　〃He　knew　upon　the　best　authority　that　certain　decorations　were　to　be　bestowed　on　the　16th　of　March。〃

Immediately　the　face　of　the　Nabob；　that　for　a　moment　had　been　frowning；　relaxed。

〃Ah！　can　it　be　true？〃

He　abandoned　his　pose。　The　thing　was　worth　the　trouble；　/que　diable！/　M。　de　la　Perriere；　a　secretary　of　the　department　involved　had　been　commissioned　by　the　Empress　to　visit　the　Bethlehem　Refuge。　Jenkins　had　come　in　search　of　the　Nabob　to　take　him　to　see　the　secretary　at　the　Tuileries　and　to　appoint　a　day。　This　visit　to　Bethlehem；　it　meant　the　cross　for　him。

〃Quick；　let　us　start；　my　dear　doctor。　I　follow　you。〃

He　was　no　longer　angry　with　Jenkins　for　having　disturbed　him；　and　he　knotted　his　cravat　feverishly；　forgetting　in　his　new　emotions　how　he　had　been　upset　a　moment　earlier；　for　ambition　with　him　came　before　all　else。

While　the　two　men　were　talking　in　a　half…whisper；　Felicia；　standing　motionless　before　them；　with　quivering　nostrils　and　her　lip　curled　in　contempt；　watched　them　with　an　air　of　saying；　〃Well；　I　am　waiting。〃

Jansoulet　apologized　for　being　obliged　to　interrupt　the　sitting；　but　a　visit　of　the　most　extreme　importance　She　smiled　in　pity。

〃Don't　mention　it；　don't　mention　it。　At　the　point　which　we　have　reached　I　can　work　without　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃the　work　is　almost　completed。〃

He　added　with　the　air　of　a　connoisseur：

〃It　is　a　fine　piece　of　work。〃

And；　counting　upon　covering　his　retreat　with　this　compliment；　he　made　for　the　door　with　shoulders　drooped；　but　Felicia　detained　him　abruptly。

〃Stay；　you。　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃

He　saw　clearly　from　her　look　that　he　would　have　to　yield；　on　pain　of　an　explosion。

〃You　will　excuse　me；　/cher　ami/？　Mademoiselle　has　a　word　for　me。　My　brougham　is　at　the　door。　Get　in。　I　will　be　with　you　immediately。〃

As　soon　as　the　door　of　the　studio　had　closed　on　that　heavy；　retreating　foot；　each　of　them　looked　at　the　other　full　in　the　face。

〃You　must　be　either　drunk　or　mad　to　have　allowed　yourself　to　behave　in　this　way。　What！　you　dare　to　enter　my　house　when　I　am　not　at　home？　What　does　this　violence　mean？　By　what　right〃

〃By　the　right　of　a　despairing　and　incurable　passion。〃

〃Be　silent；　Jenkins；　you　are　saying　words　that　I　will　not　hear。　I　allow　you　to　come　here　out　of　pity；　from　habit；　because　my　father　was　fond　of　you。　But　never　speak　to　me　again　of　yourlove〃she　uttered　the　word　in　a　very　low　voice；　as　though　it　were　shameful〃or　you　shall　never　see　me　again；　even　though　I　should　have　to　kill　myself　in　order　to　escape　you　once　and　for　all。〃

A　child　caught　in　mischief　could　not　bend　its　head　more　humbly　than　did　Jenkins；　as　he　replied：

〃It　is　true。　I　was　in　the　wrong。　A　moment　of　madness；　of　blindness　But　why　do　you　amuse　yourself　by　torturing　my　heart　as　you　do？〃

〃I　think　of　you　often；　however。〃

〃Whether　you　think　of　me　or　not；　I　am　there；　I　see　what　goes　on；　and　your　coquetry　hurts　me　terribly。〃

A　touch　of　red　mounted　to　her　cheeks　at　this　reproach。

〃A　coquette；　I？　And　with　whom？〃

〃With　that；〃　said　the　Irishman；　indicating　the　ape…like　and　powerful　bust。

She　tried　to　laugh。

〃The　Nabob？　What　folly！〃

〃Don't　tell　an　untruth　about　it　now。　Do　you　think　I　am　blind；　that　I　do　not　notice　all　your　little　manoeuvres？　You　remain　alone　with　him　for　very　long　at　a　time。　Just　now；　I　was　there。　I　saw　you。〃　He　dropped　his　voice　as　though　breath　had　failed　him。　〃What　do　you　want；　strange　and　cruel　child？　I　have　seen　you　repulse　the　most　handsome；　the　most　noble；　the　greatest。　That　little　de　Gery　devours　you　with　his　eyes；　you　take　no　notice。　The　Duc　de　Mora　himself　has　not　been　able　to　reach　your　heart。　And　it　is　that　man　there　who　is　ugly；　vulgar；　who　had　no　thought　of　you；　whose　head　is　full　of　quite　other　matters　than　love。　You　saw　how　he　went　off　just　now。　What　can　you　mean？　What　do　you　expect　from　him？〃

〃I　wantI　want　him　to　marry　me。　There！〃

Coldly；　in　a　softened　tone；　as　though　this　avowal　had　brought　her　nearer　the　level　of　the　man　whom　she　so　much　despised；　she　explained　her　motives。　The　life　which　she　led　was　pushing　her　into　a　situation　from　which　there　was　no　way　out。　She　had　luxurious　and　expensive　tastes；　habits　of　disorder　which　nothing　could　conquer　and　which　would　bring　her　inevitably　to　poverty；　both　her　and　that　good　Crenmitz；　who　was　allowing　herself　to　be　ruined　without　saying　a　word。　In　three　years；　four　years　at　the　outside；　all　would　be　over　with　them。　And　then　the　wretched　expedients；　the　debts；　the　tatters　and　old　shoes　of　poor　artists'　households。　Or；　indeed；　the　lover；　the　man　who　keeps　a　mistressthat　is　to　say；　slavery　and　infamy。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Jenkins。　〃And　what　of　me；　am　I　not　here？〃

〃Anything　rather　than　you；〃　she　exclaimed；　stiffening。　〃No；　what　I　require；　what　I　want；　is　a　husband　who　will　protect　me　from　others　and　from　myself；　who　will　save　me　from　many　terrible　things　of　which　I　am　afraid　in　my　moments　of　ennui；　from　the　gulfs　in　which　I　feel　that　I　may　perish；　some　one　who　will　love　me　while　I　am　at　work　and　relieve　my　poor　old　wearied　fairy　of　her　sentry　duty。　This　man　here　suits　my　purpose；　and　I　thought　of　him　from　the　first　time　I　met　him。　He　is　ugly；　but　he　has　a　kind　manner；　then；　too；　he　is　ridiculously　rich；　and　wealth；　upon　that　scale；　must　be　amusing。　Oh；　I　know　well　enough。　No　doubt　there　is　in　his　life　some　blemish　that　has　brought　him　luck。　All　that　money　cannot　be　made　honestly。　But　come；　truly　now；　Jenkins；　with　your　hand　on　that　heart　you　so　often　invoke；　do　you　think　me　a　wife　who　should　be　very　attractive　to　an　honest　man？　See：　among　all　these　young　men　who　ask　permission　as　a　favour　to　be　allowed　to　come　here；　which　one　has　dreamed　of　offering　me　marriage？　Never　a　single　one。　De　Gery　no　more　than　the　rest。　I　am　attractive；　but　I　make　men　afraid。　It　is　intelligible　enough。　What　can　one　imagine　of　a　girl　brought　up　as　I　have　been；　without　a　mother；　among　my　father's　models　and　mistresses？　What　mistresses；　/mon　Dieu/！　And　Jenkins　for　sole　guardian。　Oh；　when　I　think；　when　I　think！〃

And　from　that　far…off　memory　things　surged　up　that　stirred　her　to　a　deeper　wrath。

〃Ah；　yes；　/parbleu/！　I　am　a　daughter　of　adventure；　and　this　adventurer　is；　of　a　truth；　the　fit　husband　for　me。〃

〃You　must　wait　at　least　till　he　is　a　widower；〃　replied　Jenkins　calmly。　〃And；　in　that　case；　you　run　the　risk　of　having　a　long　time　to　wait；　for　his　Levantine　seems　to　enjoy　excellent　health。〃

Felicia　Ruys　turned　pale。

〃He　is　married？〃

〃Married？　certainly；　and　father　of　a　bevy　of　children。　The　whole　camp　of　them　landed　a　couple　of　days　ago。〃

For　a　minute　she　remained　overwhelmed；　looking　into　space；　her　cheeks　quivering。　Opposite　her；　the　Nabob's　large　face；　with　its　flattened　nose；　its　sensual　and　weak　mouth；　spoke　insistently　of　life　and　reality　in　the　gloss　of　its　clay。　She　looked　at　it　for　an　instant；　then　made　a　step　forward　and；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust；　overturned；　with　the　high　wooden　stool　on　which　it　stood；　the　glistening　and　greasy　block；　which　fell　on　the　floor　shattered　to　a　heap　of　mud。



JANSOULET　AT　HOME

Married　he　was　and　had　been　so　for　twelve　years；　but　he　had　mentioned　the　fact　to　no　one　among　his　Parisian　acquaintances；　through　Eastern