the nabob-第6章

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ceived　from　this　dwelling。

Although　you　were　in　the　abode　of　the　first　official　of　the　Empire　there　was　nothing　here　suggestive　of　the　work　of　government　or　its　boxes　of　dusty　old　papers。　The　duke　had　only　consented　to　accept　his　high　dignitaries　as　Minister　of　State　and　President　of　the　Council　upon　the　condition　that　he　should　not　quit　his　private　mansion；　he　only　went　to　his　office　for　an　hour　or　two　daily；　the　time　necessary　to　give　the　indispensable　signatures；　and　held　his　receptions　in　his　bed…chamber。　At　this　moment；　notwithstanding　the　earliness　of　the　hour；　the　hall　was　crowded。　You　saw　there　grave；　anxious　faces；　provincial　prefects　with　shaven　lips；　and　administrative　whiskers；　slightly　less　arrogant　in　this　antechamber　than　yonder　in　their　prefectures；　magistrates　of　austere　air；　sober　in　gesture；　deputies　important　of　manner；　big…wigs　of　the　financial　world；　rich　and　boorish　manufacturers；　among　whom　stood　out　here　and　there　the　slender；　ambitious　figure　of　some　substitute　of　a　prefectorial　councillor；　in　the　garb　of　one　seeking　a　favour；　dress…coat　and　white　tie；　and　all；　standing；　sitting　in　groups　or　solitary；　sought　silently　to　penetrate　with　their　gaze　that　high　door　closed　upon　their　destiny；　by　which　they　would　issue　forth　directly　triumphant　or　with　cast…down　head。　Jenkins　passed　through　the　crowd　rapidly；　and　every　one　followed　with　an　envious　eye　this　newcomer　whom　the　doorkeeper；　with　his　official　chain；　correct　and　icy　in　his　demeanour；　seated　at　a　table　beside　the　door；　greeted　with　a　little　smile　at　once　respectful　and　familiar。

〃Who　is　with　him？〃　asked　the　doctor；　indicating　the　chamber　of　the　duke。

Hardly　moving　his　lips；　and　not　without　a　slightly　ironical　glance　of　the　eye；　the　doorkeeper　whispered　a　name　which；　if　they　had　heard　it；　would　have　roused　the　indignation　of　all　these　high　personages　who　had　been　waiting　for　an　hour　past　until　the　costumier　of　the　opera　should　have　ended　his　audience。

A　sound　of　voices；　a　ray　of　light。　Jenkins　had　just　entered　the　duke's　presence；　he　never　waited；　he。

Standing　with　his　back　to　the　fireplace；　closely　wrapped　in　a　dressing…jacket　of　blue　fur；　the　soft　reflections　from　which　gave　an　air　of　refinement　to　an　energetic　and　haughty　head；　the　President　of　the　Council　was　causing　to　be　designed　under　his　eyes　a　Pierrette　costume　for　the　duchess　to　wear　at　her　next　ball；　and　was　giving　his　directions　with　the　same　gravity　with　which　he　would　have　dictated　the　draft　of　a　new　law。

〃Let　the　frill　be　very　fine　on　the　ruff；　and　put　no　frills　on　the　sleeves。Good…morning；　Jenkins。　I　am　with　you　directly。〃

Jenkins　bowed；　and　took　a　few　steps　in　the　immense　room；　of　which　the　windows；　opening　on　a　garden　that　extended　as　far　as　the　Seine；　framed　one　of　the　finest　views　of　Paris；　the　bridges；　the　Tuileries；　the　Louvre；　in　a　network　of　black　trees　traced　as　it　were　in　Indian　ink　upon　the　floating　background　of　fog。　A　large　and　very　low　bed；　raised　by　a　few　steps　above　the　floor；　two　or　three　little　lacquer　screens　with　vague　and　capricious　gilding；　indicating；　like　the　double　doors　and　the　carpets　of　thick　wool；　a　fear　of　cold　pushed　even　to　excess；　various　seats；　lounges；　warmers；　scattered　about　rather　indiscriminately；　all　low；　rounded；　indolent；　or　voluptuous　in　shape；　composed　the　furniture　of　this　celebrated　chamber　in　which　the　gravest　questions　and　the　most　frivolous　were　wont　to　be　treated　alike　with　the　same　seriousness。　On　the　wall　was　a　handsome　portrait　of　the　duchess；　on　the　chimneypiece　a　bust　of　the　duke；　the　work　of　Felicia　Ruys；　which　at　the　recent　Salon　had　received　the　honours　of　a　first　medal。

〃Well；　Jenkins；　how　are　we　this　morning？〃　said　his　excellency；　approaching；　while　the　costumier　was　picking　up　his　fashion…plates；　scattered　over　all　the　easy　chairs。

〃And　you；　my　dear　duke？　I　thought　you　a　little　pale　last　evening　at　the　Varietes。〃

〃Come；　come！　I　have　never　felt　so　well。　Your　pills　have　a　most　marvellous　effect　upon　me。　I　am　conscious　of　a　vivacity；　a　freshness；　when　I　remember　how　run　down　I　was　six　months　ago。〃

Jenkins；　without　saying　anything；　had　laid　his　great　head　against　the　fur…coat　of　the　minister　of　state；　at　the　place　where；　in　common　men；　the　heart　beats。　He　listened　a　moment　while　his　excellency　continued　to　speak　in　the　indolent；　bored　tone　which　was　one　of　the　characteristics　of　his　distinction。

〃And　who　was　your　companion；　doctor；　last　night？　That　huge；　bronzed　Tartar　who　was　laughing　so　loudly　in　the　front　of　your　box。〃

〃It　was　the　Nabob；　/Monsieur　le　Duc/。　The　famous　Jansoulet；　about　whom　people　are　talking　so　much　just　now。〃

〃I　ought　to　have　guessed　it。　The　whole　house　was　watching　him。　The　actresses　played　for　him　alone。　You　know　him？　What　sort　of　man　is　he？〃

〃I　know　him。　That　is　to　say；　I　attend　him　professionally。Thank　you；　my　dear　duke；　I　have　finished。　All　is　right　in　that　region。When　he　arrived　in　Paris　a　month　ago；　he　had　found　the　change　of　climate　somewhat　trying。　He　sent　for　me；　and　since　then　has　received　me　upon　the　most　friendly　footing。　What　I　know　of　him　is　that　he　possesses　a　colossal　fortune；　made　in　Tunis；　in　the　service　of　the　Bey；　that　he　has　a　loyal　heart；　a　generous　soul；　in　which　the　ideas　of　humanity〃

〃In　Tunis？〃　interrupted　the　duke；　who　was　by　nature　very　little　sentimental　and　humanitarian。　〃In　that　case；　why　this　name　of　Nabob？〃

〃Bah！　the　Parisians　do　not　look　at　things　so　closely。　For　them；　every　rich　foreigner　is　a　nabob；　no　matter　whence　he　comes。　Furthermore；　this　nabob　has　all　the　physical　qualities　for　the　parta　copper…　coloured　skin；　eyes　like　burning　coals；　and；　what　is　more；　gigantic　wealth；　of　which　he　makes；　I　do　not　fear　to　say　it；　the　most　noble　and　the　most　intelligent　use。　It　is　to　him　that　I　owe〃here　the　doctor　assumed　a　modest　air〃that　I　owe　it　that　I　have　at　last　been　able　to　found　the　Bethlehem　Society　for　the　suckling　of　infants；　which　a　morning　paper；　that　I　was　looking　over　just　nowthe　/Messenger/；　I　thinkcalls　'the　great　philanthropic　idea　of　the　century。'　〃

The　duke　threw　a　listless　glance　over　the　sheet　which　Jenkins　held　out　to　him。　He　was　not　the　man　to　be　caught　by　the　turn　of　an　advertisement。

〃He　must　be　very　rich；　this　M。　Jansoulet；〃　said　he；　coldly。　〃He　finances　Cardailhac's　theatre；　Monpavon　gets　him　to　pay　his　debts；　Bois　l'Hery　starts　a　stable　for　him；　old　Schwalbach　a　picture　gallery。　It　means　money；　all　that。〃

Jenkins　laughed。

〃What　will　you　have；　my　dear　duke；　this　poor　Nabob；　you　are　his　great　occupation。　Arriving　here　with　the　firm　resolution　to　become　a　Parisian；　a　man　of　the　world；　he　has　taken　you　for　his　model　in　everything；　and　I　do　not　conceal　from　you　that　he　would　very　much　like　to　study　his　model　from　a　nearer　standpoint。〃

〃I　know；　I　know。　Monpavon　has　already　asked　my　permission　to　bring　him　to　see　me。　But　I　prefer　to　wait；　I　wish　to　see。　With　these　great　fortunes　that　come　from　so　far　away　one　has　to　be　careful。　/Mon　Dieu/！　I　do　not　say　that　if　I　should　meet　him　elsewhere　than　in　my　own　house；　at　the　theatre；　in　a　drawing…room〃

〃As　it　just　happens；　Mrs。　Jenkins　is　proposing　to　give　a　small　party　next　month。　If　you　would　do　us　the　honour〃

〃I　shall　be　glad　to　come；　my　dear　doctor；　and　if　your　Nabob　should　chance　to　be　there　I　should　make　no　objection　to　his　being　presented　to　me。〃

At　this　moment　the　usher　on　duty　opened　the　door。

〃Monsieur　the　Minister　of　the　Interior　is　in　the　blue　salon。　He　has　only　one　word　to　say　to　his　excellency。　Monsieur　the　Prefect　of　Police　is　still　waiting　downstairs；　in　the　gallery。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　duke；　〃I　am　coming。　But　I　should　like　first　to　finish　the　matter　of　this　costume。　Let　us　seefriend；　what's　your　namewhat　are　we　deciding　upon　for　these　ruffs？　Au　revoir；　doctor。　There　is　nothing　to　be　done；　is　there；　except　to　continue　the　pills？〃

〃Continue　the　pills；〃　said　Jenkins；　bowing；　and　he　left　the　room　beaming　with　delight　at　the　two　pieces　of　good　fortune　which　were　befalling　him　at　the　same　timethe　honour　of　entertaining　the　duke　and　the　pleasure　of　obliging　his　dear　Nabob。　In　the　antechamber；　the　crowd　of　petitioners　through　which　he　passed　was　still　more　numerous　than　at　his　entry；　newcomers　had　joined　those　who　had　been　patiently　wa