the nabob-第90章

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And　with　a　little　malicious　twinkle　of　her　eye；　a　proud　revenge　for　their　insolent　looks；　she　added：　〃I　am　his　mother。〃

The　scullions　and　stable…boys　drew　back　respectfully。　M。　Barreau　raised　his　cap：

〃I　thought　I　had　seen　madame　somewhere。〃

〃And　I　too；　my　lad；〃　answered　Mme。　Jansoulet；　who　shivered　still　at　the　remembrance　of　the　Bey's　/fete/。

〃My　lad；〃　to　M。　Barreau；　to　a　man　of　his　importance！　It　raised　her　at　once　to　a　very　high　place　in　the　esteem　of　the　others。

Well！　grandeur　and　splendour　hardly　dazzled　this　courageous　old　lady。　She　did　not　go　into　ecstasies　over　gilding　and　petty　baubles；　and　as　she　walked　up　the　grand　staircase　behind　her　trunk；　the　baskets　of　flowers　on　the　landings；　the　lamps　held　by　bronze　statues；　did　not　prevent　her　from　noticing　that　there　was　an　inch　of　dust　on　the　balustrade；　and　holes　in　the　carpet。　She　was　taken　to　the　rooms　on　the　second　floor　belonging　to　the　Levantine　and　her　children；　and　there；　in　an　apartment　used　as　a　linen…room；　which　seemed　to　be　near　the　school…room　（to　judge　by　the　murmur　of　children's　voices）；　she　waited　alone；　her　basket　on　her　knees；　for　the　return　of　her　Bernard；　perhaps　the　waking　of　her　daughter…in…law；　or　the　great　joy　of　embracing　her　grandchildren。　What　she　saw　around　her　gave　her　an　idea　of　the　disorder　of　this　house　left　to　the　care　of　the　servants；　without　the　oversight　and　foreseeing　activity　of　a　mistress。　The　linen　was　heaped　in　disorder；　piles　on　piles　in　great　wide…open　cupboards；　fine　linen　sheets　and　table…cloths　crumpled　up；　the　locks　prevented　from　shutting　by　pieces　of　torn　lace；　which　no　one　took　the　trouble　to　mend。　And　yet　there　were　many　servants　aboutnegresses　in　yellow　Madras　muslin；　who　came　to　snatch　here　a　towel；　there　a　table…cloth；　walking　among　the　scattered　domestic　treasures；　dragging　with　their　great　flat　feet　frills　of　fine　lace　from　a　petticoat　which　some　lady's…maid　had　thrown　downthimble　here；　scissors　thereready　to　pick　up　again　in　a　few　minutes。

Jansoulet's　mother　was　doubly　wounded。　The　half…rustic　artisan　in　her　was　outraged　in　the　tenderness；　the　respect；　the　sweet　unreasonableness　the　woman　of　the　provinces　feels　towards　a　full　linen　cupboarda　cupboard　filled　piece　by　piece；　full　of　relics　of　past　struggles；　whose　contents　grow　finer　little　by　little；　the　first　token　of　comfort；　of　wealth；　in　the　house。　Besides；　she　had　held　the　distaff　from　morning　till　night；　and　if　the　housewife　in　her　was　angry；　the　spinner　could　have　wept　at　the　profanation。　At　last；　unable　to　contain　herself　longer；　she　rose；　and　actively；　her　little　shawl　displaced　at　each　movement；　she　set　herself　to　pick　up；　straighten；　and　carefully　fold　this　magnificent　linen；　as　she　used　to　do　in　the　fields　of　Saint…　Romans；　when　she　gave　herself　the　treat　of　a　grand　washing…day；　with　twenty　washerwomen；　the　clothes…baskets　flowing　over　with　floating　whiteness；　and　the　sheets　flapping　in　the　morning　wind　on　the　clothes…　lines。　She　was　in　the　midst　of　this　occupation；　forgetting　her　journey；　forgetting　Paris；　even　the　place　where　she　was；　when　a　stout；　thick…set；　bearded　man；　with　varnished　boots　and　a　velvet　jacket；　over　the　torso　of　a　bull；　came　into　the　linen…room。

〃What！　Cabassu！〃

〃You　here；　Mme。　Francoise！　What　a　surprise！〃　said　the　/masseur/；　staring　like　a　bronze　figure。

〃Yes；　my　brave　Cabassu；　it　is　I。　I　have　just　arrived；　and　as　you　see；　I　am　at　work　already。　It　made　my　heart　bleed　to　see　all　this　muddle。〃

〃You　came　up　for　the　sitting；　then？〃

〃What　sitting？〃

〃Why；　the　grand　sitting　of　the　legislative　body。　It's　do…day。〃

〃Dear　me；　no。　What　has　that　got　to　do　with　me？　I　should　understand　nothing　at　all　about　it。　No；　I　came　because　I　wanted　to　know　my　little　Jansoulets；　and　then；　I　was　beginning　to　feel　uneasy。　I　have　written　several　times　without　getting　an　answer。　I　was　afraid　that　there　was　a　child　sick；　that　Bernard's　business　was　going　wrongall　sorts　of　ideas。　At　last　I　got　seriously　worried；　and　came　away　at　once。　They　are　well　here；　they　tell　me。〃

〃Yes；　Mme。　Francoise。　Thank　God；　every　one　is　quite　well。〃

〃And　Bernard。　His　businessis　that　going　on　as　he　wants　it　to？〃

〃Well；　you　know　one　has　always　one's　little　worries　in　lifestill；　I　don't　think　he　should　complain。　But；　now　I　think　of　it；　you　must　be　hungry。　I　will　go　and　make　them　bring　you　something。〃

He　was　going　to　ring；　more　at　home　and　at　ease　than　the　old　mother　herself。　She　stopped　him。

〃No；　no；　I　don't　want　anything。　I　have　still　something　left　in　my　basket。〃　And　she　put　two　figs　and　a　crust　of　bread　on　the　edge　of　the　table。　Then；　while　she　was　eating：　〃And　you；　lad；　your　business？　You　look　very　much　sprucer　than　you　did　the　last　time　you　were　at　Bourg。　How　smart　you　are！　What　do　you　do　in　the　house？〃

〃Professor　of　massage；〃　said　Aristide　gravely。

〃Professoryou？〃　said　she　with　respectful　astonishment；　but　she　did　not　dare　ask　him　what　he　taught；　and　Cabassu；　who　felt　such　questions　a　little　embarrassing；　hastened　to　change　the　subject。

〃Shall　I　go　and　find　the　children？　Haven't　they　told　them　that　their　grandmother　is　here？〃

〃I　didn't　want　to　disturb　them　at　their　work。　But　I　believe　it　must　be　over　nowlisten！〃

Behind　the　door　they　could　hear　the　shuffling　impatience　of　the　children　anxious　to　be　out　in　the　open　air；　and　the　old　woman　enjoyed　this　state　of　things；　doubling　her　maternal　desire；　and　hindering　her　from　doing　anything　to　hasten　its　pleasure。　At　last　the　door　opened。　The　tutor　came　out　firsta　priest　with　a　pointed　nose　and　great　cheek…bones；　whom　we　have　met　before　at　the　great　/dejeuners/。　On　bad　terms　with　his　bishop；　he　had　left　the　diocese　where　he　had　been　engaged；　and　in　the　precarious　position　of　an　unattached　priestfor　the　clergy　have　their　Bohemians　toohe　was　glad　to　teach　the　little　Jansoulets；　recently　turned　out　of　the　Bourdaloue　College。　With　his　arrogant；　solemn　air；　overweighted　with　responsibilities；　which　would　have　become　the　prelates　charged　with　the　education　of　the　dauphins　of　France；　he　preceded　three　curled　and　gloved　little　gentlemen　in　short　jackets；　with　leather　knapsacks；　and　great　red　stockings　reaching　half…way　up　their　little　thin　legs；　in　complete　suits　of　cyclist　dress；　ready　to　mount。

〃My　children；〃　said　Cabassu；　〃that　is　Mme。　Jansoulet；　your　grandmother；　who　has　come　to　Paris　expressly　to　see　you。〃

They　stopped　in　a　row；　astonished；　examining　this　old　wrinkled　visage　between　the　folds　of　her　cap；　this　strange　dress　of　a　simplicity　unknown　to　them；　and　their　grandmother's　astonishment　answered　theirs；　complicated　with　a　heart…breaking　discomfiture　and　constraint　in　dealing　with　these　little　gentlemen；　as　stiff　and　disdainful　as　any　of　the　nobles　or　ministers　whom　her　son　had　brought　to　Saint…Romans。　On　the　bidding　of　their　tutor　〃to　salute　their　venerable　grandmother；〃　they　came　in　turn　to　give　her　one　of　those　little　half…hearted　shakes　of　the　hand　of　which　they　had　distributed　so　many　in　the　garrets　they　had　visited。　The　fact　is　that　this　good　woman；　with　her　agricultural　appearance　and　clean　but　very　simple　clothes；　reminded　them　of　the　charity　visits　of　the　College　Bourdaloue。　They　felt　between　them　the　same　unknown　quality；　the　same　distance；　which　no　remembrance；　no　word　of　their　parents　had　ever　helped　to　bridge。　The　abbe　felt　this　constraint；　and　tried　to　dispel　itspeaking　with　the　tone　of　voice　and　gestures　customary　to　those　who　always　think　they　are　in　the　pulpit。

〃Well；　madame；　the　day　has　come；　the　great　day　when　Jansoulet　will　confound　his　enemies/confundantur　hostes　mei；　quia　injuste　iniquitatem　fecerunt　in　me/because　they　have　unjustly　persecuted　me。〃

The　old　lady　bent　religiously　before　the　Latin　of　the　Church；　but　her　face　expressed　a　vague　expression　of　uneasiness　at　this　idea　of　enemies　and　of　persecutions。

〃These　enemies　are　powerful　and　numerous；　my　noble　lady；　but　let　us　not　be　alarmed　beyond　measure。　Let　us　have　confidence　in　the　decrees　of　Heaven　and　in　the　justice　of　our　cause。　God　is　in　the　midst　of　it；　it　shall　not　be　overthrown/in　medio　ejus　non　commovebitur/。〃

A　gigantic　negro；　resplendent　with　gold　braid；　interrupted　him　by　announcing　that　the　bicycles　were　ready　for　the　daily　lesson　on　the　terrace　of　the　Tuileries。　Before　setting