the nabob-第67章

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　envelope　of　a　peculiar　shape　the　Irishman　started　involuntarily；　while　the　duke；　having　opened　and　glanced　over　his　letter；　rose　with　new　vigor；　his　cheeks　wearing　that　light　flush　of　artificial　health　which　all　the　heat　of　the　stove　had　not　been　able　to　bring　there。

〃My　dear　doctor；　I　must　at　any　price〃

The　servant　still　stood　waiting。

〃What　is　it？　Ah；　yes；　this　card。　Take　the　visitor　to　the　gallery。　I　shall　be　there　directly。〃

The　gallery　of　the　Duke　de　Mora；　open　to　visitors　twice　a　week；　was　for　himself；　as　it　were；　a　neutral　ground；　a　public　place　where　he　could　see　any　one　without　binding　or　compromising　himself　in　any　way。　Then；　the　servant　having　withdrawn：

〃Jenkins；　/mon　bon/；　you　have　already　worked　miracles　for　me。　I　ask　you　for　one　more。　Double　the　dose　of　my　pearls；　find　something；　whatever　you　will。　But　I　must　be　feeling　young　by　Sunday。　You　understand　me；　altogether　young。〃

And　on　the　little　letter　in　his　hand；　his　fingers；　warm　once　more　and　feverish；　clinched　themselves　with　a　thrill　of　eager　desire。

〃Take　care；　M。　le　Duc；〃　said　Jenkins；　very　pale　and　with　compressed　lips。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　alarm　you　unnecessarily　with　regard　to　the　feeble　state　of　your　health；　but　it　becomes　my　duty〃

Mora　gave　a　smile　of　pretty　arrogance：

〃Your　duty　and　my　pleasure　are　two　separate　things；　my　worthy　friend。　Let　me　burn　the　candle　at　both　ends；　if　it　amuses　me。　I　have　never　had　so　fine　an　opportunity　as　this　time。〃

He　started：

〃The　duchess！〃

A　door　concealed　behind　a　curtain　had　just　opened　to　give　passage　to　a　merry　little　head　with　fair　curls　in　disorder；　quite　fairy…like　amid　the　laces　and　frills　of　a　dressing…jacket　worthy　of　a　princess：

〃What　do　I　hear？　You　have　not　gone　out？　But　do　scold　him；　doctor。　He　is　wrong；　isn't　he；　to　have　so　many　fancies　about　himself？　Look　at　him　a　picture　of　health！〃

〃Thereyou　see；〃　said　the　duke；　laughing；　to　the　Irishman。　〃You　will　not　come　in；　duchess？〃

〃No；　I　am　going　to　carry　you　off；　on　the　contrary。　My　uncle　d'Estaing　has　sent　me　a　cage　full　of　tropical　birds。　I　want　to　show　them　to　you。　Wonderful　creatures；　of　all　colours；　with　little　eyes　like　black　pearls。　And　so　sensitive　to　coldnearly　as　much　so　as　you　are。〃

〃Let　us　go　and　have　a　look　at　them；〃　said　the　minister。　〃Wait　for　me；　Jenkins。　I　shall　be　back　in　a　moment。〃

Then；　noticing　that　he　still　had　his　letter　in　his　hand；　he　threw　it　carelessly　into　the　drawer　of　the　little　table　at　which　he　had　been　signing　papers；　and　left　the　room　behind　the　duchess；　with　the　fine　coolness　of　a　husband　accustomed　to　these　changes　of　situation。

What　prodigious　mechanic；　what　incomparable　manufacturer　of　toys；　must　it　have　been　who　succeeded　in　endowing　the　human　mask　with　its　suppleness；　its　marvellous　elasticity！　How　interesting　to　observe　the　face　of　this　great　seigneur　surprised　in　the　very　planning　of　his　adultery；　with　cheeks　flushed　in　the　anticipation　of　promised　delights；　calming　down　at　a　moment's　notice　into　the　serenity　of　conjugal　tenderness；　how　fine　the　devout　obsequiousness；　the　paternal　smile；　after　the　Franklin　method；　of　Jenkins；　in　the　presence　of　the　duchess；　giving　place　suddenly；　when　he　found　himself　alone；　to　a　savage　expression　of　anger　and　hatred；　the　pallor　of　a　criminal；　the　pallor　of　a　Castaing　or　of　a　Lapommerais　hatching　his　sinister　treasons。

One　rapid　glance　towards　each　of　the　two　doors；　and　he　stood　before　the　drawer　full　of　precious　papers；　the　little　gold　key　still　remaining　in　the　lock　with　an　arrogant　carelessness；　which　seemed　to　say；　〃No　one　will　dare。〃

Jenkins　dared。

The　letter　lay　there；　the　first　on　a　pile　of　others。　The　grain　of　the　paper；　an　address　of　three　words　dashed　off　in　a　simple；　bold　handwriting；　and　then　the　perfume；　that　intoxicating；　suggestive　perfume；　the　very　breath　of　her　divine　lips　It　was　true；　then；　his　jealous　love　had　not　deceived　him；　nor　the　embarrassment　she　had　shown　in　his　presence　for　some　time　past；　nor　the　secretive　and　rejuvenated　airs　of　Constance；　nor　those　bouquets　magnificently　blooming　in　the　studio　as　in　the　shadow　of　an　intrigue。　That　indomitable　pride　had　surrendered；　then；　at　last？　But　in　that　case；　why　not　to　him；　Jenkins？　To　him　who　had　loved　her　for　so　longalways；　who　was　ten　years　younger　than　the　other　man；　and　who　certainly　was　troubled　with　no　cold　shiverings！　All　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　head　like　arrows　shot　from　a　tireless　bow。　And；　stabbed　through　and　through；　torn　to　pieces；　his　eyes　blinded；　he　stood　there　looking　at　the　little　satiny　and　cold　envelope　which　he　did　not　dare　open　for　fear　of　dismissing　a　final　doubt；　when　the　rustling　of　a　curtain　warned　him　that　some　one　had　just　come　in。　He　threw　the　letter　back　quickly；　and　closed　the　wonderfully　adjusted　drawer　of　the　lacquered　table。

〃Ah！　it　is　you；　Jansoulet。　How　is　it　you　are　here？〃

〃His　excellency　told　me　to　come　and　wait　for　him　in　his　room；〃　replied　the　Nabob；　very　proud　of　being　thus　introduced　into　the　privacy　of　the　apartments；　at　an　hour；　especially；　when　visitors　were　not　generally　received。　As　a　fact；　the　duke　was　beginning　to　show　a　real　liking　for　this　savage；　for　several　reasons：　to　begin　with；　he　liked　audacious　people；　adventurers　who　followed　their　lucky　star。　Was　he　not　one　of　them　himself？　Then；　the　Nabob　amused　him；　his　accent；　his　frank　manners；　his　rather　coarse　and　impudent　flattery；　were　a　change　for　him　from　the　eternal　conventionality　of　his　surroundings；　from　that　scourge　of　administrative　and　court　life　which　he　held　in　horrorthe　set　speechin　such　great　horror　that　he　never　finished　a　sentence　which　he　had　begun。　The　Nabob　had　an　unforeseen　way　of　finishing　his　which　was　sometimes　full　of　surprises。　A　fine　gambler　as　well；　losing　games　of　/ecarte/　at　five　thousand　francs　the　fish　without　flinching。　And　so　convenient　when　one　wanted　to　get　rid　of　a　picture；　always　ready　to　buy；　no　matter　at　what　price。　To　these　motives　of　condescending　kindness　there　had　come　to　be　joined　of　late　a　sentiment　of　pity　and　indignation　in　the　face　of　the　tenacity　with　which　the　unfortunate　man　was　being　persecuted；　the　cowardly　and　merciless　war　so　ably　managed；　that　public　opinion；　always　credulous　and　with　neck　outstretched　to　see　which　way　the　wind　is　blowing；　was　beginning　to　be　seriously　influenced。　One　must　do　to　Mora　the　justice　of　admitting　that　he　was　no　follower　of　the　crowd。　When　he　had　seen　in　a　corner　of　the　gallery　the　simple　but　rather　piteous　and　discomfited　face　of　the　Nabob；　he　had　thought　it　cowardly　to　receive　him　there；　and　had　sent　him　up　to　his　private　room。

Jenkins　and　Jansoulet；　sufficiently　embarrassed　by　each　other's　presence；　exchanged　a　few　commonplace　words。　Their　great　friendship　had　recently　cooled；　Jansoulet　having　refused　point…blank　all　further　subsidies　to　the　Bethlehem　Society；　leaving　the　business　on　the　Irishman's　hands；　who　was　furious　at　this　defection；　and　much　more　furious　still　at　this　moment　because　he　had　not　been　able　to　open　Felicia's　letter　before　the　arrival　of　the　intruder。　The　Nabob；　on　his　side；　was　asking　himself　whether　the　doctor　was　going　to　be　present　at　the　conversation　which　he　wished　to　have　with　the　duke　on　the　subject　of　the　infamous　insinuations　with　which　the　/Messenger/　was　pursuing　him；　anxious　also　to　know　whether　these　calumnies　might　not　have　produced　a　coolness　in　that　sovereign　good…will　which　was　so　necessary　to　him　at　the　moment　of　the　verification　of　his　election。　The　greeting　which　he　had　received　in　the　gallery　had　half　reassured　him　on　this　point；　he　was　entirely　satisfied　when　the　duke　entered　and　came　towards　him　with　outstretched　hand：

〃Well；　my　poor　Jansoulet；　I　hope　Paris　is　making　you　pay　dearly　enough　for　your　welcome。　What　brawling　and　hate　and　spite　one　finds！〃

〃Ah；　M。　le　Duc；　if　you　knew〃

〃I　know。　I　have　read　it；〃　said　the　minister；　moving　closer　to　the　fire。

〃I　sincerely　hope　that　your　excellency　does　not　believe　these　infamies。　Besides；　I　have　hereI　bring　the　proof。〃

With　his　strong　hairy　hands；　trembling　with　emotion；　he　hunted　among　the　papers　in　an　enormous　shagreen　portfolio　which　he　had　under　his　arm。

〃Never　mind　thatnever　mind。　I　am　acquainted　with　the　whole　affair。　I　know　that；　wilfully　or　not；　they　have