the nabob-第91章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Tuileries。　Before　setting　out；　the　children　again　shook　solemnly　their　grandmother's　wrinkled　and　hardened　hand。　She　was　watching　them　go；　stupefied　and　oppressed；　when　all　at　once；　by　an　adorable　spontaneous　movement；　the　youngest　turned　back　when　he　had　got　to　the　door　and；　pushing　the　great　negro　aside；　came　to　throw　himself　head　foremost；　like　a　little　buffalo；　into　Mme。　Jansoulet's　skirts；　squeezing　her　to　him；　while　holding　out　his　smooth　forehead；　covered　with　brown　curls；　with　the　grace　of　a　child　offering　its　kiss　like　a　flower。　Perhaps　this　one；　nearer　the　warmth　of　the　nest；　the　cradling　knees　of　the　nurses　with　their　peasant　songs；　had　felt　the　maternal　influence；　of　which　the　Levantine　had　deprived　him；　reach　his　heart。　The　old　woman　trembled　all　over　with　the　surprise　of　this　instinctive　embrace。

〃Oh！　little　one；　little　one；〃　said　she；　seizing　the　little　silky；　curly　head　which　reminded　her　so　much　of　another　and　she　kissed　it　wildly。　Then　the　child　unloosed　himself；　and　ran　off　without　saying　anything；　his　head　moist　with　hot　tears。

Left　alone　with　Cabassu；　the　mother；　comforted　by　this　embrace；　asked　some　explanation　of　the　priest's　words。　Had　her　son　many　enemies？

〃Oh！〃　said　Cabassu；　〃it　is　not　astonishing；　in　his　position。〃

〃But　what　is　this　great　daythis　sitting　of　which　you　all　speak？〃

〃Well；　then；　it　is　to…day　that　we　shall　know　whether　Bernard　will　be　deputy　or　no。〃

〃What？　He　is　not　one　now；　then？　And　I　have　told　them　everywhere　in　the　country。　I　illuminated　Saint…Romans　a　month　ago。　Then　they　have　made　me　tell　a　lie。〃

The　/masseur/　had　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　explaining　to　her　the　parliamentary　formalities　of　the　verification　of　elections。　She　only　listened　with　one　ear；　walking　up　and　down　the　linen…room　feverishly。

〃That's　where　my　Bernard　is　now；　then？〃

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃And　can　women　go　to　the　Chamber？　Then　why　is　his　wife　not　there？　For　one　does　not　need　telling　that　it　is　an　important　matter　for　him。　On　a　day　like　this　he　needs　to　feel　all　those　whom　he　loves　at　his　side。　See；　my　lad；　you　must　take　me　there；　to　this　sitting。　Is　it　far？〃

〃No；　quite　near。　Only；　it　must　have　begun　already。　And　then；〃　added　he；　a　little　disconcerted；　〃it　is　the　hour　when　madame　wants　me。〃

〃Ah！　Do　you　teach　her　this　thing　you　are　professor　of？　What　do　you　call　it？〃

〃Massage。　We　have　learned　it　from　the　ancients。　Yes；　there　she　is　ringing　for　me；　and　some　one　will　come　to　fetch　me。　Shall　I　tell　her　you　are　here？〃

〃No；　no；　I　prefer　to　go　there　at　once。〃

〃But　you　have　no　admission　ticket。〃

〃Bah！　I　will　tell　them　I　am　Jansoulet's　mother；　come　to　hear　him　judged。〃　Poor　mother；　she　spoke　truer　than　she　knew。

〃Wait；　Mme。　Francoise。　I　will　give　you　some　one　to　show　you　the　way；　at　least。〃

〃Oh；　you　know；　I　have　never　been　able　to　put　up　with　servants。　I　have　a　tongue。　There　are　people　in　the　streets。　I　shall　find　my　way。〃

He　made　a　last　attempt；　without　letting　her　see　all　his　thought。　〃Take　care；　his　enemies　are　going　to　speak　against　him　in　the　Chamber。　You　will　hear　things　to　hurt　you。〃

Oh；　the　beautiful　smile　of　belief　and　maternal　pride　with　which　she　answered：　〃Don't　I　know　better　than　them　all　what　my　child　is　worth？　Could　anything　make　me　mistaken　in　him？　I　should　have　to　be　very　ungrateful　then。　Get　along　with　you！〃

And　shaking　her　head　with　its　flapping　cap　wings；　she　set　off　fiercely　indignant。

With　head　erect　and　upright　bearing　the　old　woman　strode　along　under　the　great　arcades　which　they　had　told　her　to　follow；　a　little　troubled　by　the　incessant　noise　of　the　carriages；　and　by　the　idleness　of　this　walk；　unaccompanied　by　the　faithful　distaff　which　had　never　quitted　her　for　fifty　years。　All　these　ideas　of　enmities　and　persecutions；　the　mysterious　words　of　the　priest；　the　guarded　talk　of　Cabassu；　frightened　and　agitated　her。　She　found　in　them　the　meaning　of　the　presentiments　which　had　so　overpowered　her　as　to　snatch　her　from　her　habits；　her　duties；　the　care　of　the　house　and　of　her　invalid。　Besides；　since　Fortune　had　thrown　on　her　and　her　son　this　golden　mantle　with　its　heavy　folds；　Mme。　Jansoulet　had　never　become　accustomed　to　it；　and　was　always　waiting　for　the　sudden　disappearance　of　these　splendours。　Who　knows　if　the　break…up　was　not　going　to　begin　this　time？　And　suddenly；　through　these　sombre　thoughts；　the　remembrance　of　the　scene　that　had　just　passed；　of　the　little　one　rubbing　himself　on　her　woollen　gown；　brought　on　her　wrinkled　lips　a　tender　smile；　and　she　murmured　in　her　peasant　tongue：

〃Oh；　for　the　little　one；　at　any　rate。〃



She　crossed　a　magnificent　square；　immense；　dazzling；　two　fountains　throwing　up　their　water　in　a　silvery　spray；　then　a　great　stone　bridge；　and　at　the　end　was　a　square　building　with　statues　on　its　front；　a　railing　with　carriages　drawn　up　before　it；　people　going　on；　numbers　of　policemen。　It　was　there。　She　pushed　through　the　crowd　bravely　and　came　up　to　the　high　glass　doors。

〃Your　card；　my　good　woman？〃

The　〃good　woman〃　had　no　card；　but　she　said　quite　simply　to　one　of　the　porters　in　red　who　were　keeping　the　door：

〃I　am　Bernard　Jansoulet's　mother。　I　have　come　for　the　sitting　of　my　boy。〃

It　was　indeed　the　sitting　of　her　boy；　for　everywhere　in　this　crowd　besieging　the　doors；　filling　the　passages；　the　hall；　the　tribune；　the　whole　palace；　the　same　name　was　repeated；　accompanied　with　smiles　and　anecdotes。　A　great　scandal　was　expected；　terrible　revelations　from　the　chairman；　which　would　no　doubt　lead　to　some　violence　from　the　barbarian　brought　to　bay；　and　they　hurried　to　the　spot　as　to　a　first　night　or　a　celebrated　trial。　The　old　mother　would　hardly　have　been　heard　in　the　middle　of　this　crowd；　if　the　stream　of　gold　left　by　the　Nabob　wherever　he　had　passed；　marking　his　royal　progress；　had　not　opened　all　the　roads　to　her。　She　went　behind　the　attendant　in　this　tangle　of　passages；　of　folding…doors；　of　empty　resounding　halls；　filled　with　a　hum　which　circulated　with　the　air　of　the　building；　as　if　the　walls；　themselves　soaked　with　babble；　were　joining　to　the　sound　of　all　these　voices　the　echoes　of　the　past。　While　crossing　a　corridor　she　saw　a　little　dark　man　gesticulating　and　crying　to　the　servants：

〃You　will　tell　Moussiou　Jansoulet　that　it　is　I；　that　I　am　the　Mayor　of　Sarlazaccio；　that　I　have　been　condemned　to　five　months'　imprisonment　for　him。　In　God's　name；　surely　that　is　worth　a　card　for　the　sitting。〃

Five　months'　imprisonment　for　her　son！　Why？　Very　much　disturbed；　she　arrived　at　last；　her　ears　singing；　at　the　top　of　the　staircase；　where　different　inscriptions〃Tribune　of　the　Senate；　of　the　Diplomatic　Body；　of　the　Deputies〃stood　above　little　doors　like　boxes　in　a　theatre。　She　entered；　and　without　seeing　anything　at　first　except　four　or　five　rows　of　seats　filled　with　people；　and　opposite；　very　far　off；　separated　from　her　by　a　vast　clear　space；　other　galleries　similarly　filled。　She　leaned　up　against　the　wall；　astonished　to　be　there；　exhausted；　almost　ashamed。　A　current　of　hot　air　which　came　to　her　face；　a　chatter　of　rising　voices；　drew　her　towards　the　slope　of　the　gallery；　towards　the　kind　of　gulf　open　in　the　middle　where　her　son　must　be。　Oh！　how　she　would　like　to　see　him。　So　squeezing　herself　in；　and　using　her　elbows；　pointed　and　hard　as　her　spindle；　she　glided　and　slipped　between　the　wall　and　the　seats；　taking　no　notice　of　the　anger　she　aroused　or　the　contempt　of　the　well…dressed　women　whose　lace　and　fresh　toilettes　she　crushed；　for　the　assembly　was　elegant　and　fashionable。　Mme。　Jansoulet　recognised；　by　his　stiff　shirt…front　and　aristocratic　nose；　the　marquis　who　had　visited　them　at　Saint…Romans；　who　so　well　suited　his　name；　but　he　did　not　look　at　her。　She　was　stopped　farther　progress　by　the　back　of　a　man　sitting　down；　an　enormous　back　which　barred　everything　and　forbade　her　go　farther。　Happily；　she　could　see　nearly　all　the　hall　from　here　by　leaning　forward　a　little；　and　these　semi…circular　benches　filled　with　deputies；　the　green　hanging　of　the　walls；　the　chair　at　the　end；　occupied　by　a　bald　man　with　a　severe　air；　gave　her　the　idea；　under　the　studious　and　gray　light　from　the　roof；　of　a　class　about　to　begin；　with　all　the　chatter　and　movement　of　thoughtless　schoolboys。

One　thing　struck　herthe　way　in　which　all　looks　turne