the nabob-第7章

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ssed　was　still　more　numerous　than　at　his　entry；　newcomers　had　joined　those　who　had　been　patiently　waiting　from　the　first；　others　were　mounting　the　staircase；　with　busy　look　and　very　pale；　and　in　the　courtyard　the　carriages　continued　to　arrive；　and　to　range　themselves　on　ranks　in　a　circle；　gravely；　solemnly；　while　the　question　of　the　sleeve　ruffs　was　being　discussed　upstairs　with　not　less　solemnity。

〃To　the　club；〃　said　Jenkins　to　his　coachman。

The　brougham　bowled　along　the　quays；　recrossed　the　bridges；　reached　the　Place　de　la　Concorde；　which　already　no　longer　wore　the　same　aspect　as　an　hour　earlier。　The　fog　was　lifting　in　the　direction　of　the　Garde…　Meuble　and　the　Greek　temple　of　the　Madeleine；　allowing　to　be　dimly　distinguished　here　and　there　the　white　plume　of　a　jet　of　water；　the　arcade　of　a　palace；　the　upper　portion　of　a　statue；　the　tree…clumps　of　the　Tuileries；　grouped　in　chilly　fashion　near　the　gates。　The　veil；　not　raised；　but　broken　in　places；　disclosed　fragments　of　horizon；　and　on　the　avenue　which　leads　to　the　Arc　de　Triomphe　could　be　seen　brakes　passing　at　full　trot　laden　with　coachmen　and　jobmasters；　dragoons　of　the　Empress；　fuglemen　bedizened　with　lace　and　covered　with　furs；　going　two　by　two　in　long　files　with　a　jangling　of　bits　and　spurs；　and　the　snorting　of　fresh　horses；　the　whole　lighted　by　a　sun　still　invisible；　the　light　issuing　from　the　misty　atmosphere；　and　here　and　there　withdrawing　into　it　again　as　if　offering　a　fleeting　vision　of　the　morning　luxury　of　that　quarter　of　the　town。

Jenkins　alighted　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　Royale。　From　top　to　bottom　of　the　great　gambling　house　the　servants　were　passing　to　and　fro；　shaking　the　carpets；　airing　the　rooms　where　the　fume　of　cigars　still　hung　about　and　heaps　of　fine　glowing　ashes　were　crumbling　away　at　the　back　of　the　hearths；　while　on　the　green　tables；　still　vibrant　with　the　night's　play；　there　stood　burning　a　few　silver　candlesticks　whose　flames　rose　straight　in　the　wan　light　of　day。　The　noise；　the　coming　and　going；　ceased　at　the　third　floor；　where　sundry　members　of　the　club　had　their　apartments。　Among　them　was　the　Marquis　de　Monpavon；　whose　abode　Jenkins　was　now　on　his　way　to　visit。

〃What！　It　is　you；　doctor？　The　devil　take　it！　What　is　the　time　then？　I'm　not　visible。〃

〃Not　even　for　the　doctor？〃

〃Oh；　for　nobody。　Question　of　etiquette；　/mon　cher/。　No　matter；　come　in　all　the　same。　You'll　warm　your　feet　for　a　moment　while　Francis　finishes　doing　my　hair。〃

Jenkins　entered　the　bed…chamber；　a　banal　place　like　all　furnished　apartments；　and　moved　towards　the　fire　on　which　there　were　set　to　heat　curling…tongs　of　all　sizes；　while　in　the　contiguous　laboratory；　separated　from　the　room　by　a　curtain　of　Algerian　tapestry；　the　Marquis　de　Monpavon　gave　himself　up　to　the　manipulations　of　his　valet。　Odours　of　patchouli；　of　cold…cream；　of　hartshorn；　and　of　singed　hair　escaped　from　the　part　of　the　room　which　was　shut　off；　and　from　time　to　time；　when　Francis　came　to　fetch　a　curling…iron；　Jenkins　caught　sight　of　a　huge　dressing…table　laden　with　a　thousand　little　instruments　of　ivory；　and　mother…of…pearl；　with　steel　files；　scissors；　puffs；　and　brushes；　with　bottles；　with　little　trays；　with　cosmetics；　labelled　and　arranged　methodically　in　groups　and　lines；　and　amid　all　this　display；　awkward　and　already　shaky；　an　old　man's　hand；　shrunken　and　long；　delicately　trimmed　and　polished　about　the　nails　like　that　of　a　Japanese　painter；　which　faltered　about　among　this　fine　hardware　and　doll's　china。

While　continuing　the　process　of　making　up　his　face；　the　longest；　the　most　complicated　of　his　morning　occupations；　Monpavon　chatted　with　the　doctor；　told　of　his　little　ailments；　and　the　good　effect　of　the　/pills/。　They　made　him　young　again；　he　said。　And　at　a　distance；　thus；　without　seeing　him；　one　would　have　taken　him　for　the　Duc　de　Mora；　to　such　a　degree　had　he　usurped　his　manner　of　speech。　There　were　the　same　unfinished　phrases；　ended　by　〃ps；　ps；　ps；〃　muttered　between　the　teeth；　expressions　like　〃What's　its　name？〃　〃Who　was　it？〃　constantly　thrown　into　what　he　was　saying；　a　kind　of　aristocratic　stutter；　fatigued；　listless；　wherein　you　might　perceive　a　profound　contempt　for　the　vulgar　art　of　speech。　In　the　society　of　which　the　duke　was　the　centre；　every　one　sought　to　imitate　that　accent；　those　disdainful　intonations　with　an　affectation　of　simplicity。

Jenkins；　finding　the　sitting　rather　long；　had　risen　to　take　his　departure。

〃Adieu；　I　must　be　off。　We　shall　see　you　at　the　Nabob's？〃

〃Yes；　I　intend　to　be　there　for　luncheon。　Promised　to　bring　himwhat's　his　name。　Who　was　it？　What？　You　know；　for　our　big　affairps；　ps；　ps。　Were　it　not　for　that；　should　gladly　stay　away。　Real　menagerie；　that　house。〃

The　Irishman；　despite　his　benevolence；　agreed　that　the　society　was　rather　mixed　at　his　friend's。　But　then！　One　could　hardly　blame　him　for　it。　The　poor　fellow；　he　knew　no　better。

〃Neither　knows　nor　is　willing　to　learn；〃　remarked　Monpavon　with　bitterness。　〃Instead　of　consulting　people　of　experienceps；　ps；　ps　first　sponger　that　comes　along。　Have　you　seen　the　horses　that　Bois　l'Hery　has　persuaded　him　to　buy？　Absolute　rubbish　those　animals。　And　he　paid　twenty　thousand　francs　for　them。　We　may　wager　that　Bois　l'Hery　got　them　for　six　thousand。〃

〃Oh；　for　shamea　nobleman！〃　said　Jenkins；　with　the　indignation　of　a　lofty　soul　refusing　to　believe　in　baseness。

Monpavon　continued；　without　seeming　to　hear：

〃All　that　because　the　horses　came　from　Mora's　stable。〃

〃It　is　true　that　the　dear　Nabob's　heart　is　very　full　of　the　duke。　I　am　about　to　make　him　very　happy；　therefore；　when　I　inform　him〃

The　doctor　paused；　embarrassed。

〃When　you　inform　him　of　what；　Jenkins？〃

Somewhat　abashed；　Jenkins　had　to　confess　that　he　had　obtained　permission　from　his　excellency　to　present　to　him　his　friend　Jansoulet。　Scarcely　had　he　finished　his　sentence　before　a　tall　spectre；　with　flabby　face　and　hair　and　whiskers　diversely　coloured；　bounded　from　the　dressing…room　into　the　chamber；　with　his　two　hands　folding　round　a　fleshless　but　very　erect　neck　a　dressing…gown　of　flimsy　silk　with　violet　spots；　in　which　he　was　wrapped　like　a　sweetmeat　in　its　paper。　The　most　striking　thing　about　this　mock…heroic　physiognomy　was　a　large　curved　nose　all　shiny　with　cold　cream；　and　an　eye　alive；　keen；　too　young；　too　bright；　for　the　heavy　and　wrinkled　eyelid　which　covered　it。　Jenkins's　patients　all　had　that　eye。

Monpavon　must　indeed　have　been　deeply　moved　to　show　himself　thus　devoid　of　all　prestige。　In　point　of　fact；　with　white　lips　and　a　changed　voice　he　addressed　the　doctor　quickly；　without　the　lisp　this　time；　and　in　a　single　outburst：

〃Come　now；　/mon　cher/；　no　tomfoolery　between　us；　eh？　We　are　both　met　before　the　same　dish；　but　I　leave　you　your　share。　I　intend　that　you　shall　leave　me　mine。〃

And　Jenkins's　air　of　astonishment　did　not　make　him　pause。　〃Let　this　be　said　once　for　all。　I　have　promised　the　Nabob　to　present　him　to　the　duke；　just　as；　formerly；　I　presented　you。　Do　not　mix　yourself　up；　therefore；　with　what　concerns　me　alone。〃

Jenkins　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　protested　his　innocence。　He　had　never　had　any　intention。　Certainly　Monpavon　was　too　intimate　a　friend　of　the　duke；　for　any　otherHow　could　he　have　supposed？

〃I　suppose　nothing；〃　said　the　old　nobleman；　calmer　but　still　cold。　〃I　merely　desired　to　have　a　very　clear　explanation　with　you　on　this　subject。〃

The　Irishman　extended　a　widely　opened　hand。

〃My　dear　marquis；　explanations　are　always　clear　between　men　of　honour。〃

〃Honour　is　a　big　word；　Jenkins。　Let　us　say　people　of　deportmentthat　suffices。〃

And　that　deportment；　which　he　invoked　as　the　supreme　guide　of　conduct；　recalling　him　suddenly　to　the　sense　of　his　ludicrous　situation；　the　marquis　offered　one　finger　to　his　friend's　demonstrative　shake　of　the　hand；　and　passed　back　with　dignity　behind　his　curtain；　while　the　other　left；　in　haste　to　resume　his　round。



What　a　magnificent　clientele　he　had；　this　Jenkins！　Nothing　but　princely　mansions；　heated　staircases；　laden　with　flowers　at　every　landing；　upholstered　and　silky　alcoves；　where　disease　was　transformed　into　something　discreet；　elegant；　where　nothing　suggested　that　brutal　hand　which　throws　on　a　bed　of　pain　those　who　only　cease　to　work　in　order　to　die。