the nabob-第60章

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is　are　surrounded。

There　are　wings　poised　in　giant　flight；　a　sphere　supported　by　four　allegorical　figures　whose　attitude　of　turning　suggests　some　vague　waltz…measurea　total　effect　of　equilibrium　well　conveying　the　illusion　of　the　sweeping　onward　of　the　earth；　and　there　are　arms　raised　to　give　the　signal；　bodies　heroically　risen；　containing　an　allegory；　a　symbol　which　stamps　them　with　death　and　immortality；　secures　to　them　a　place　in　history；　in　legend；　in　that　ideal　world　of　museums　which　is　visited　by　the　curiosity　or　the　admiration　of　the　nations。

Although　Felicia's　group　in　bronze　had　not　the　proportions　of　these　large　pieces；　its　exceptional　merit　had　caused　it　to　be　selected　to　adorn　one　of　the　open　spaces　in　the　middle；　from　which　at　this　moment　the　public　was　holding　itself　at　a　respectful　distance；　watching；　over　the　hedge　of　custodians　and　policemen；　the　Bey　of　Tunis　and　his　suite；　an　array　of　long　bernouses　falling　in　sculptural　folds；　which　had　the　effect　of　placing　living　statues　opposite　the　other　ones。

The　Bey；　who　had　been　in　Paris　since　a　few　days　before；　and　was　the　lion　of　all　the　/premieres/；　had　desired　to　see　the　opening　of　the　exhibition。　He　was　〃an　enlightened　prince；　a　friend　of　art；〃　who　possessed　at　the　Bardo　a　gallery　of　remarkable　Turkish　paintings　and　chromo…lithographic　reproductions　of　all　the　battles　of　the　First　Empire。　The　moment　he　entered；　the　sight　of　the　big　Arab　greyhound　had　struck　him　as　he　passed。　It　was　the　/sleughi/　all　over；　the　true　/sleughi/；　delicate　and　nervous；　of　his　own　country；　the　companion　of　all　his　hunting　expeditions。　He　laughed　in　his　black　beard；　felt　the　loins　of　the　animal；　stroked　its　muscles；　seemed　to　want　to　urge　it　on　still　faster；　while　with　nostrils　open；　teeth　showing；　all　its　limbs　stretched　out　and　unwearying　in　their　vigorous　elasticity；　the　aristocratic　beast；　the　beast　of　prey；　ardent　in　love　and　the　chase；　intoxicated　with　their　double　intoxication；　its　eyes　fixed；　was　already　enjoying　a　foretaste　of　its　capture　with　a　little　end　of　its　tongue　which　hung　and　seemed　to　sharpen　the　teeth　with　a　ferocious　laugh。　When　you　only　looked　at　the　hound　you　said　to　yourself；　〃He　has　got　him！〃　But　the　sight　of　the　fox　reassured　you　immediately。　Beneath　the　velvet　of　his　lustrous　coat；　cat…like　almost　lying　along　the　ground；　covering　it　rapidly　without　effort；　you　felt　him　to　be　a　veritable　fairy；　and　his　delicate　head　with　its　pointed　ears；　which　as　he　ran　he　turned　towards　the　hound；　had　an　expression　of　ironical　security　which　clearly　marked　the　gift　received　from　the　gods。

While　an　Inspector　of　Fine　Arts；　who　had　rushed　up　in　all　haste；　with　his　official　dress　in　disorder；　and　a　head　bald　right　down　to　his　back；　explained　to　Mohammed　the　apologue　of　〃The　Dog　and　the　Fox；〃　related　in　the　descriptive　catalogue　with　these　words　inscribed　beneath；　〃Now　it　happened　that　they　met；〃　and　the　indication；　〃The　property　of　the　Duc　de　Mora；〃　the　fat　Hemerlingue；　perspiring　and　puffing　by　his　Highness's　side；　had　great　difficulty　to　convince　him　that　this　masterly　piece　of　sculpture　was　the　work　of　the　beautiful　young　lady　whom　they　had　encountered　the　previous　evening　riding　in　the　Bois。　How　could　a　woman；　with　her　feeble　hands；　thus　mould　the　hard　bronze；　and　give　to　it　the　very　appearance　of　the　living　body？　Of　all　the　marvels　of　Paris；　this　was　the　one　which　caused　the　Bey　the　most　astonishment。　He　inquired　consequently　from　the　functionary　if　there　was　nothing　else　to　see　by　the　same　artist。

〃Yes；　indeed；　monseigneur；　another　masterpiece。　If　your　Highness　will　deign　to　step　this　way　I　will　conduct　you　to　it。〃

The　Bey　commenced　to　move　on　again　with　his　suite。　They　were　all　admirable　types；　with　chiselled　features　and　pure　lines；　warm　pallors　of　complexion　of　which　even　the　reflections　were　absorbed　by　the　whiteness　of　their　/haiks/。　Magnificently　draped；　they　contrasted　with　the　busts　ranged　on　either　side　of　the　aisle　they　were　following；　which；　perched　on　their　high　columns；　looking　slender　in　the　open　air；　exiled　from　their　own　home；　from　the　surroundings　in　which　doubtless　they　would　have　recalled　severe　labours；　a　tender　affection；　a　busy　and　courageous　existence；　had　the　sad　aspect　of　people　gone　astray　in　their　path；　and　very　regretful　to　find　themselves　in　their　present　situation。　Excepting　two　or　three　female　heads；　with　opulent　shoulders　framed　in　petrified　lace；　and　hair　rendered　in　marble　with　that　softness　of　touch　which　gives　it　the　lightness　of　a　powdered　wig；　excepting；　too；　a　few　profiles　of　children　with　their　simple　lines；　in　which　the　polish　of　the　stone　seems　to　resemble　the　moistness　of　the　living　flesh；　all　the　rest　were　only　wrinkles；　crow's…feet；　shrivelled　features　and　grimaces；　our　excesses　in　work　and　in　movement；　our　nervousness　and　our　feverishness；　opposing　themselves　to　that　art　of　repose　and　of　beautiful　serenity。

The　ugliness　of　the　Nabob　had　at　least　energy　in　its　favour；　the　vulgar　side　of　him　as　an　adventurer；　and　that　expression　of　benevolence；　so　well　rendered　by　the　artist；　who　had　taken　care　to　underlay　her　plaster　with　a　layer　of　ochre；　which　gave　it　almost　the　weather…beaten　and　sunburned　tone　of　the　model。　The　Arabs；　when　they　saw　it；　uttered　a　stifled　exclamation；　〃Bou…Said！〃　（the　father　of　good　fortune）。　This　was　the　surname　of　the　Nabob　in　Tunis；　the　label；　as　it　were；　of　his　luck。　The　Bey；　for　his　part；　thinking　that　some　one　had　wished　to　play　a　trick　on　him　in　thus　leading　him　to　inspect　the　bust　of　the　hated　trader；　regarded　his　guide　with　mistrust。

〃Jansoulet？〃　said　he　in　his　guttural　voice。

〃Yes；　Highness：　Bernard　Jansoulet；　the　new　deputy　for　Corsica。〃

This　time　the　Bey　turned　to　Hemerlingue；　with　a　frown　on　his　brow。

〃Deputy？〃

〃Yes；　monseigneur；　since　this　morning；　but　nothing　is　yet　settled。〃

And　the　banker；　raising　his　voice；　added　with　a　stutter：

〃No　French　Chamber　will　ever　admit　that　adventurer。〃

No　matter。　The　stroke　had　fallen　on　the　blind　faith　of　the　Bey　in　his　baron　financier。　The　latter　had　so　confidently　affirmed　to　him　that　the　other　would　never　be　elected　and　that　their　action　with　regard　to　him　need　not　be　fettered　or　in　any　way　hampered　by　the　least　fear。　And　now；　instead　of　a　man　ruined　and　overthrown；　there　rose　before　him　a　representative　of　the　nation；　a　deputy　whose　portrait　in　stone　the　Parisians　were　coming　to　admire；　for　in　the　eyes　of　the　Oriental；　an　idea　of　distinction　being　mingled　in　spite　of　everything　with　this　public　exhibition；　that　bust　had　the　prestige　of　a　statue　dominating　a　square。　Still　more　yellow　than　usual；　Hemerlingue　internally　accused　himself　of　clumsiness　and　imprudence。　But　how　could　he　ever　have　dreamed　of　such　a　thing？　He　had　been　assured　that　the　bust　was　not　finished。　And　in　fact　it　had　been　there　only　since　morning；　and　seemed　quite　at　home；　quivering　with　satisfied　pride；　defying　its　enemies　with　the　good…tempered　smile　of　its　curling　lip。　A　veritable　silent　revenge　for　the　disaster　of　Saint…Romans。

For　some　minutes　the　Bey；　cold　and　impassible　as　the　sculptured　image；　gazed　at　it　without　saying　anything；　his　forehead　divided　by　a　straight　crease　wherein　his　courtiers　alone　could　read　his　anger；　then；　after　two　quick　words　in　Arabic；　to　order　the　carriages　and　to　reassemble　his　scattered　suite；　he　directed　his　steps　gravely　towards　the　door　of　exit；　without　consenting　to　give　even　a　glance　to　anything　else。　Who　shall　say　what　passes　in　these　august　brains　surfeited　with　power？　Even　our　sovereigns　of　the　West　have　incomprehensible　fantasies；　but　they　are　nothing　compared　with　Oriental　caprices。　Monsieur　the　Inspector　of　Fine　Arts；　who　had　made　sure　of　taking　his　Highness　all　round　the　exhibition　and　of　thus　winning　the　pretty　red…　and…green　ribbon　of　the　Nicham…Iftikahr；　never　knew　the　secret　of　this　sudden　flight。

At　the　moment　when　the　white　/haiks/　were　disappearing　under　the　porch；　just　in　time　to　see　the　last　wave　of　their　folds；　the　Nabob　made　his　entry　by　the　middle　door。　In　the　morning　he　had　received　the　news；　〃Elected　by　an　overwhelming　majority〃；　and　after　a　sumptuous　luncheon；　at　which　the　new　deputy　for　Corsica　had　been　extensively　toasted；　he　came；　with　some　of　his　guests；　to　show　himself；　to　see　himself　als