the nabob-第36章

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al　manner。

〃What　an　astonishing　thing；〃　remarked　Pondevez；　〃the　conveyance　is　not　empty。〃

Indeed　it　did　draw　up　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　with　a　certain　pride；　and　the　man　who　got　out　of　it　sprang　up　the　staircase　at　a　bound。　He　was　a　courier　from　Jenkins　bearing　a　great　piece　of　news。　The　doctor　would　arrive　in　two　hours　to　visit　the　Home；　accompanied　by　the　Nabob　and　a　gentleman　from　the　Tuileries。　He　urgently　enjoined　that　everything　should　be　ready　for　their　reception。　The　thing　had　been　decided　at　such　short　notice　that　he　had　not　had　the　time　to　write；　but　he　counted　on　M。　Pondevez　to　do　all　that　was　necessary。

〃That　is　good！necessary！〃　murmured　Pondevez　in　complete　dismay。　The　situation　was　critical。　This　important　visit　was　occurring　at　the　worst　possible　moment；　just　as　the　system　had　utterly　broken　down。　The　poor　Pompon；　exceedingly　perplexed；　tugged　at　his　beard；　thoughtfully　gnawing　wisps　of　it。

〃Come；〃　said　he　suddenly　to　Mme。　Polge；　whose　long　face　had　grown　still　longer　between　her　ringlets；　〃we　have　only　one　course　to　take。　We　must　remove　the　infirmary　and　carry　all　the　sick　into　the　dormitory。　They　will　be　neither　better　nor　worse　for　passing　another　half…day　there。　As　for　those　with　the　rash；　we　will　put　them　out　of　the　way　in　some　corner。　They　are　too　ugly；　they　must　not　be　seen。　Come　along；　you　up　there！　I　want　every　one　on　the　bridge。〃

The　dinner…bell　being　violently　rung；　immediately　hurried　steps　are　heard。　Seamstresses；　infirmary…nurses；　servants；　goatherds；　issue　from　all　directions；　running；　jostling　each　other　across　the　court…yards。　Others　fly　about；　cries；　calls；　but　that　which　dominates　is　the　noise　of　a　mighty　cleansing；　a　streaming　of　water　as　though　Bethlehem　had　been　suddenly　attacked　by　fire。　And　those　groanings　of　sick　children　snatched　from　the　warmth　of　their　beds；　all　those　little　screaming　bundles　carried　across　the　damp　park；　their　coverings　fluttering　through　the　branches；　powerfully　complete　the　impression　of　a　fire。　At　the　end　of　two　hours；　thanks　to　a　prodigious　activity；　the　house　is　ready　from　top　to　bottom　for　the　visit　which　it　is　about　to　receive；　all　the　staff　at　their　posts；　the　stove　lighted；　the　goats　picturesquely　sprinkled　over　the　park。　Mme。　Polge　has　donned　her　green　silk　dress；　the　director　a　costume　somewhat　less　/neglige/　than　usual；　but　of　which　the　simplicity　excluded　all　idea　of　premeditation。　The　Departmental　Secretary　may　come。

And　here　he　is。

He　alights　with　Jenkins　and　Jansoulet　from　a　splendid　coach　with　the　red　and　gold　livery　of　the　Nabob。　Feigning　the　deepest　astonishment；　Pondevez　rushes　forward　to　meet　his　visitors。

〃Ah；　M。　Jenkins；　what　an　honour！　What　a　surprise！〃

Greetings　are　exchanged　on　the　flight　of　steps；　bows；　shakings　of　hands；　introductions。　Jenkins　with　his　flowing　overcoat　wide　open　over　his　loyal　breast；　beams　his　best　and　most　cordial　smile；　there　is　a　significant　wrinkle　on　his　brow；　however。　He　is　uneasy　about　the　surprises　which　may　be　held　in　store　for　them　by　the　establishment；　of　the　distressful　condition　of　which　he　is　better　aware　than　any　one。　If　only　Pondevez　had　taken　proper　precautions。　Things　begin　well；　at　any　rate。　The　rather　theatrical　view　from　the　entrance；　of　those　white　fleeces　frisking　about　among　the　bushes；　have　enchanted　M。　de　la　Perriere；　who　himself；　with　his　honest　eyes；　his　little　white　beard；　and　the　continual　nodding　of　his　head；　resembles　a　goat　escaped　from　its　tether。

〃In　the　first　place；　gentlemen；　the　apartment　of　principal　importance　in　the　house；　the　nursery；〃　said　the　director；　opening　a　massive　door　at　the　end　of　the　entrance…hall。　His　guests　follow　him；　go　down　a　few　steps　and　find　themselves　in　an　immense；　low　room；　with　a　tiled　floor；　formerly　the　kitchen　of　the　mansion。　The　most　striking　object　on　entering　is　a　lofty　and　vast　fireplace　built　on　the　antique　model；　of　red　brick；　with　two　stone　benches　opposite　one　another　beneath　the　chimney；　and　the　singer's　coat　of　armsan　enormous　lyre　barred　with　a　roll　of　musiccarved　on　the　monumental　pediment。　The　effect　is　startling；　but　a　frightful　draught　comes　from　it；　which　joined　to　the　coldness　of　the　tile　floor　and　the　dull　light　admitted　by　the　little　windows　on　a　level　with　the　ground；　may　well　terrify　one　for　the　health　of　the　children。　But　what　was　do　be　done？　The　nursery　had　to　be　installed　in　this　insalubrious　spot　on　account　of　the　sylvan　and　capricious　nurses；　accustomed　to　the　unconstraint　of　the　stable。　You　only　need　to　notice　the　pools　of　milk；　the　great　reddish　puddles　drying　up　on　the　tiles；　to　breathe　in　the　strong　odour　that　meets　you　as　you　enter；　a　mingling　of　whey；　of　wet　hair；　and　of　many　other　things　besides；　in　order　to　be　convinced　of　the　absolute　necessity　of　this　arrangement。

The　gloomy…walled　apartment　is　so　large　that　to　the　visitors　at　first　the　nursery　seems　to　be　deserted。　However；　at　the　farther　end；　a　group　of　creatures；　bleating；　moaning；　moving　about；　is　soon　distinguished。　Two　peasant　women；　hard　and　brutalized　in　appearance；　with　dirty　faces；　two　〃dry…nurses；〃　who　well　deserve　the　name；　are　seated　on　mats；　each　with　an　infant　in　her　arms　and　a　big　nanny…goat　in　front　of　her；　offering　its　udder　with　legs　parted。　The　director　seems　pleasantly　surprised。

〃Truly；　gentlemen；　this　is　lucky。　Two　of　our　children　are　having　their　little　luncheon。　We　shall　see　how　well　the　nurses　and　infants　understand　each　other。〃

〃What　can　he　be　doing？　He　is　mad；〃　said　Jenkins　to　himself　in　consternation。

But　the　director　on　the　contrary　knows　very　well　what　he　is　doing　and　has　himself　skilfully　arranged　the　scene；　selecting　two　patient　and　gentle　beasts　and　two　exceptional　subjects；　two　little　desperate　mortals　who　want　to　live　at　any　price　and　open　their　mouths　to　swallow；　no　matter　what　food；　like　young　birds　still　in　the　nest。

〃Come　nearer；　gentlemen；　and　observe。〃

Yes；　they　are　indeed　sucking；　these　little　cherubs！　One　of　them；　lying　close　to　the　ground；　squeezed　up　under　the　belly　of　the　goat；　is　going　at　it　so　heartily　that　you　can　hear　the　gurglings　of　the　warm　milk　descending；　it　would　seem；　even　into　the　little　limbs　that　kick　with　satisfaction　at　the　meal。　The　other；　calmer；　lying　down　indolently；　requires　some　little　encouragement　from　his　Auvergnoise　attendant。

〃Suck；　will　you　suck　then；　you　little　rogue！〃　And　at　length；　as　though　he　had　suddenly　come　to　a　decision；　he　begins　to　drink　with　such　avidity　that　the　woman　leans　over　to　him；　surprised　by　this　extraordinary　appetite；　and　exclaims　laughing：

〃Ah；　the　rascal；　is　he　not　cunning？it　is　his　thumb　that　he　is　sucking　instead　of　the　goat。〃

The　angel　has　hit　on　that　expedient　so　that　he　may　be　left　in　peace。　The　incident　does　not　create　a　bad　impression。　M。　de　la　Perriere　is　much　amused　by　this　notion　of　the　nurse　that　the　child　was　trying　to　take　them　all　in。　He　leaves　the　nursery；　delighted。　〃Positively　de…e…elighted；〃　he　repeats；　nodding　his　head　as　they　ascend　the　great　staircase　with　its　echoing　walls　decorated　with　the　horns　of　stags；　leading　to　the　dormitory。

Very　bright；　very　airy；　is　this　vast　room；　running　the　whole　length　of　one　side　of　the　house；　with　numerous　windows　and　cots；　separated　one　from　another　by　a　little　distance；　hung　with　fleecy　white　curtains　like　clouds。　Women　go　and　come　through　the　large　arch　in　the　centre；　with　piles　of　linen　on　their　arms；　or　keys　in　their　hands；　nurses　with　the　special　duty　of　washing　the　babies。

Here　too　much　has　been　attempted　and　the　first　impression　of　the　visitors　is　a　bad　one。　All　this　whiteness　of　muslin；　this　polished　parquet；　the　brightness　of　the　window…panes　reflecting　the　sky　sad　at　beholding　these　things；　seem　to　throw　into　bold　relief　the　thinness；　the　unhealthy　pallor　of　these　dying　little　ones；　already　the　colour　of　their　shrouds。　Alas！　the　oldest　are　only　aged　some　six　months；　the　youngest　barely　a　fortnight；　and　already　there　is　in　all　these　faces；　these　faces　in　embryo；　a　disappointed　expression；　a　scowling；　worn　look；　a　suffering　precocity　visible　in　the　numerous　lines　on　those　little　bald　foreheads；　cramped　by　linen　caps　edged　with　poor；　narrow　hospital　lace。　What　are　they　suffering？　What　diseases　can　they　have？　They　have　everything；　everything　that　one　can　h