the nabob-第87章

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ar。　Everything　is　at　stake　in　what　you　cannot　refuse　to　do。〃

He　could　have　spoken　thus　for　hours　and　been　always　met　by　the　same　firm；　unshakable　obstinacyan　Afchin　could　not　visit　a　slave。

〃Well；　madame；〃　said　he　violently；　〃this　slave　is　worth　more　than　you。　She　has　increased　tenfold　her　husband's　wealth　by　her　intelligence；　while　you；　on　the　contrary〃

For　the　first　time　in　the　twelve　years　of　their　married　life　Jansoulet　dared　to　hold　up　his　head　before　his　wife。　Was　he　ashamed　of　this　crime　of　/lese…majeste/；　or　did　he　understand　that　such　a　remark　would　place　an　impassable　gulf　between　them？　He　changed　his　tone；　knelt　down　before　the　bed；　with　that　cheerful　tenderness　when　one　persuades　children　to　be　reasonable。

〃My　little　Martha；　I　beg　of　youget　up；　dress　yourself。　It　is　for　your　own　sake　I　ask　it；　for　your　comfort；　for　your　own　welfare。　What　would　become　of　you　if；　for　a　caprice；　a　stupid　whim；　we　should　become　poor？〃

But　the　wordpoorrepresented　absolutely　nothing　to　the　Levantine。　One　could　speak　of　it　before　her；　as　of　death　before　little　children。　She　was　not　moved　by　it；　not　knowing　what　it　was。　She　was　perfectly　determined　to　keep　in　bed　in　her　/djebba/；　and　to　show　her　decision；　she　lighted　a　new　cigarette　at　her　old　one　just　finished；　and　while　the　poor　Nabob　surrounded　his　〃dear　little　wife〃　with　excuses；　with　prayers；　with　supplications；　promising　her　a　diadem　of　pearls　a　hundred　times　more　beautiful　than　her　own；　if　she　would　come；　she　watched　the　heavy　smoke　rising　to　the　painted　ceiling；　wrapping　herself　up　in　it　as　in　an　imperturbable　calm。　At　last；　in　face　of　this　refusal；　this　silence；　this　barrier　of　headstrong　obstinacy；　Jansoulet　unbridled　his　wrath　and　rose　up　to　his　full　height：

〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃I　wish　it。〃

He　turned　to　the　negresses：

〃Dress　your　mistress　at　once。〃

And　boor　as　he　was　at　the　bottom；　the　son　of　a　southern　nail…maker　asserting　itself　in　this　crisis　which　moved　him　so　deeply；　he　threw　back　the　coverlids　with　a　brutal　and　contemptuous　gesture；　knocking　down　the　innumerable　toys　they　bore；　and　forcing　the　half…clad　Levantine　to　bound　to　her　feet　with　a　promptitude　amazing　in　so　massive　a　person。　She　roared　at　the　outrage；　drew　the　folds　of　her　dalmatic　against　her　bust；　pushed　her　cap　sideways　on　her　dishevelled　hair；　and　began　to　abuse　her　husband。

〃Never；　understand　me；　never！　You　may　drag　me　sooner　to　this〃

The　filth　flowed　from　her　heavy　lips　as　from　a　spout。　Jansoulet　could　have　imagined　himself　in　some　frightful　den　of　the　port　of　Marseilles；　at　some　quarrel　of　prostitutes　and　bullies；　or　again　at　some　open…air　dispute　between　Genoese；　Maltese；　and　Provencal　hags；　gleaning　on　the　quays　round　the　sacks　of　wheat；　and　abusing　each　other；　crouched　in　the　whirlwinds　of　golden　dust。　She　was　indeed　a　Levantine　of　a　seaport；　a　spoiled　child；　who；　in　the　evening；　left　alone；　had　heard　from　her　terrace　or　from　her　gondola　the　sailors　revile　each　other　in　every　tongue　of　the　Latin　seas；　and　had　remembered　it　all。　The　wretched　man　looked　at　her；　frightened；　terrified　at　what　she　forced　him　to　hear；　at　her　grotesque　figure；　foaming　and　gasping：

〃No；　I　will　not　gono；　I　will　not　go！〃

And　this　was　the　mother　of　his　children；　a　daughter　of　the　Afchins！　Suddenly；　at　the　thought　that　his　fate　was　in　the　hands　of　this　woman；　that　it　would　only　cost　her　a　dress　to　put　on　to　save　himand　that　time　was　flyingthat　soon　it　would　be　too　late；　a　criminal　feeling　rose　to　his　brain　and　distorted　his　features。　He　came　straight　to　her；　his　hands　contracted；　with　such　a　terrible　expression　that　the　daughter　of　the　Afchins；　frightened；　rushed；　calling　towards　the　door　by　which　the　/masseur/　had　just　gone　out：

〃Aristide！〃

This　cry；　the　words；　this　intimacy　of　his　wife　with　a　servant！　Jansoulet　stopped；　his　rage　suddenly　calmed；　then；　with　a　gesture　of　disgust；　he　flung　himself　out；　slamming　the　doors；　more　eager　to　fly　the　misfortune　and　the　horror　whose　presence　he　divined　in　his　own　home；　than　to　seek　elsewhere　the　help　he　had　been　promised。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　he　made　his　appearance　at　the　Hemerlingues'；　making　a　despairing　gesture　as　he　entered　to　the　banker；　and　approached　the　baroness　stammering　the　ready…made　phrase　he　had　heard　repeated　so　often　the　night　of　his　ball；　〃His　wife；　very　unwellmost　grieved　not　to　have　been　able　to　come〃　She　did　not　give　him　time　to　finish；　rose　slowly；　unwound　herself　like　a　long　and　slender　snake　from　the　pleated　folds　of　her　tight　dress；　and　said；　without　looking　at　him；　〃Oh；　I　knewI　knew！〃　then　changed　her　place　and　took　no　more　notice　of　him。　He　attempted　to　approach　Hemerlingue；　but　the　good　man　seemed　absorbed　in　his　conversation　with　Maurice　Trott。　Then　he　went　to　sit　down　near　Mme。　Jenkins；　whose　isolation　seemed　like　his　own。　But；　even　while　talking　to　the　poor　woman；　as　languid　as　he　was　preoccupied；　he　was　watching　the　baroness　doing　the　honours　of　this　drawing…room；　so　comfortable　when　compared　with　his　own　gilded　halls。

It　was　time　to　leave。　Mme。　Hemerlingue　went　to　the　door　with　some　of　the　ladies；　presented　her　forehead　to　the　old　princess；　bent　under　the　benediction　of　the　Armenian　bishop；　nodded　with　a　smile　to　the　young　men　with　the　canes；　found　for　each　the　fitting　adieu　with　perfect　ease；　and　the　wretched　man　could　not　prevent　himself　from　comparing　this　Eastern　slave；　so　Parisian；　so　distinguished　in　the　best　society　of　the　world；　with　the　other；　the　European　brutalized　by　the　East；　stupefied　with　Turkish　tobacco；　and　swollen　with　idleness。　His　ambitions；　his　pride　as　a　husband；　were　extinguished　and　humiliated　in　this　marriage　of　which　he　saw　the　danger　and　the　emptinessa　final　cruelty　of　fate　taking　from　him　even　the　refuge　of　personal　happiness　from　all　his　public　disasters。

Little　by　little　the　room　was　emptied。　The　Levantines　disappeared　one　after　another；　leaving　each　time　an　immense　void　in　their　place。　Mme。　Jenkins　was　gone；　and　only　two　or　three　ladies　remained　whom　Jansoulet　did　not　know；　and　behind　whom　the　mistress　of　the　house　seemed　to　shelter　herself　from　him。　But　Hemerlingue　was　free；　and　the　Nabob　rejoined　him　at　the　moment　when　he　was　furtively　escaping　to　his　offices　on　the　same　floor　opposite　his　rooms。　Jansoulet　went　out　with　him；　forgetting　in　his　trouble　to　salute　the　baroness；　and　once　on　the　antechamber　staircase；　Hemerlingue；　cold　and　reserved　while　he　was　under　his　wife's　eye；　expanded　a　little。

〃It　is　very　annoying；〃　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　as　if　he　feared　to　be　overheard；　〃that　Mme。　Jansoulet　has　not　been　willing　to　come。〃

Jansoulet　answered　him　by　a　movement　of　despair　and　savage　helplessness。

〃Annoying；　annoying；〃　repeated　the　other　in　a　whisper；　and　feeling　for　his　key　in　his　pocket。

〃Come；　old　fellow；〃　said　the　Nabob；　taking　his　hand；　〃there's　no　reason；　because　our　wives　don't　agree　That　doesn't　hinder　us　from　remaining　friends。　What　a　good　chat　the　other　day；　eh？〃

〃No　doubt〃　said　the　baron；　disengaging　himself；　as　he　opened　the　door　noiselessly；　showing　the　deep　workroom；　whose　lamp　burned　solitarily　before　the　enormous　empty　chair。　〃Come；　good…bye；　I　must　go；　I　have　my　mail　to　despatch。〃

〃/Ya　didon；　monci/〃　（But　look　here；　sir）　said　the　poor　Nabob；　trying　to　joke；　and　using　the　/patois/　of　the　south　to　recall　to　his　old　chum　all　the　pleasant　memories　stirred　up　the　other　evening。　〃Our　visit　to　Le　Merquier　still　holds　good。　The　picture　we　were　going　to　present　to　him；　you　know。　What　day？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　Le　Merquiertrueehwell；　soon。　I　will　write　to　you。〃

〃Really？　You　know　it　is　very　important。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　I　will　write　to　you。　Good…bye。〃

And　the　big　man　shut　his　door　in　a　hurry；　as　if　he　were　afraid　of　his　wife　coming。

Two　days　after；　the　Nabob　received　a　note　from　Hemerlingue；　almost　unreadable　on　account　of　the　complicated　scrawls；　of　abbreviations　more　or　less　commercial；　under　which　the　ex…sutler　hid　his　entire　want　of　spelling：

　　MY　DEAR　OLD　COM/I　cannot　accom/　you　to　Le　Mer/。　Too　bus/　just　　　now。　Besid/　y/　will　be　bet/　alone　to　tal/。　Go　th/　bold/。　You　are　　　exp/。　A/　Cassette；　ev/　morn/　8　to　10。

Yours　faith/

HEM。


Below　as　a　postscript；　a　very　small　hand　had　written　very　legibly：

　　〃A　religious　picture；　as　good　as　possible。〃