the nabob-第16部分

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！


else　could　understand　but　of　which　the　Nabob　himself　well　appreciated　the　insult；　for；　as　he　raised　his　head　again；　his　tanned　face　was　of　the　colour　of　baked　earthenware　as　it　leaves　the　furnace。　He　stood　for　an　instant　without　moving；　his　huge　fists　clinched；　his　mouth　swollen　with　anger。　Jenkins　came　up　and　rejoined　him；　and　de　Gery；　who　had　followed　the　whole　scene　from　a　distance；　saw　them　talking　together　with　preoccupied　air。

The　thing　was　a　failure。　The　reconciliation；　so　cunningly　planned；　would　not　take　place。　Hemerlingue　did　not　desire　it。　If　only　the　duke；　now；　did　not　fail　to　keep　his　engagement　with　them。　This　reflection　was　prompted　by　the　lateness　of　the　hour。　The　Wauters　who　was　to　sing　the　music　of　the　Night　from　the　/Enchanted　Flute/；　on　her　way　home　from　her　theatre；　had　just　entered；　completely　muffled　in　her　hoods　of　lace。

And　there　was　still　no　sign　of　the　Minister。

It　was；　however；　a　clearly　understood；　definitely　promised　arrangement。　Monpavon　was　to　call　for　him　at　the　club。　From　time　to　time　the　good　Jenkins　glanced　at　his　watch；　while　applauding　absently　the　bouquet　of　brilliant　notes　which　the　Wauters　was　pouring　forth　from　her　fairy　lips；　a　bouquet　costing　three　thousand　francs；　useless；　like　the　other　expenses　of　the　evening；　if　the　duke　did　not　come。

Suddenly　the　double　doors　were　flung　wide　open：

〃His　excellency　M。　le　Duc　de　Mora！〃

A　long　quiver　of　excitement　welcomed　him；　a　respectful　curiosity　that　ranged　itself　in　two　rows　instead　of　the　mobbing　crowd　that　flocked　on　the　heels　of　the　Nabob。

None　better　than　he　knew　how　to　bear　himself　in　society；　to　walk　across　a　drawing…room　with　gravity；　to　endow　futile　things　with　an　air　of　seriousness；　and　to　treat　serious　things　lightly；　that　was　the　epitome　of　his　attitude　in　life；　a　paradoxical　distinction。　Still　handsome；　despite　his　fifty…six　years；　with　a　comeliness　compounded　of　elegance　and　proportion；　wherein　the　grace　of　the　dandy　was　fortified　by　something　military　about　the　figure　and　the　haughtiness　of　the　face；　he　wore　with　striking　effect　his　black　dress…coat；　on　which；　to　do　honour　to　Jenkins；　he　had　pinned　a　few　of　his　decorations；　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　never　wearing　except　upon　official　occasions。　The　reflection　from　the　linen；　from　the　white　cravat；　the　dull　silver　of　the　decorations；　the　smoothness　of　the　thin　hair　now　turning　gray；　enhanced　the　pallor　of　the　features；　more　bloodless　than　all　the　bloodless　faces　that　were　to　be　seen　that　evening　in　the　Irishman's　house。

He　had　led　such　a　terrible　life！　Politics；　play　under　all　its　forms；　from　the　Stock　Exchange　to　the　baccarat…table；　and　that　reputation　of　a　man　successful　with　women　which　had　to　be　maintained　at　all　costs。　Oh；　this　man　was　a　true　client　of　Jenkins；　and　this　princely　visit；　he　owed　it　in　good　sooth　to　the　inventor　of　those　mysterious　pills　which　gave　that　fire　to　his　glance；　to　his　whole　being　that　energy　so　vibrating　and　extraordinary。

〃My　dear　duke；　permit　me　to〃

Monpavon；　with　solemn　air　and　a　great　sense　of　his　own　importance；　endeavoured　to　effect　the　presentation　so　long　looked　forward　to；　but　his　excellency；　preoccupied；　seemed　not　to　hear；　continued　his　progress　towards　the　large　drawing…room；　borne　along　by　one　of　those　electric　currents　that　break　the　social　monotony。　On　his　passage；　and　while　he　greeted　the　handsome　Mme。　Jenkins；　the　ladies　bent　forward　a　little　with　seductive　airs；　a　soft　laugh；　concerned　to　please。　But　he　noticed　only　one　among　them；　Felicia；　on　her　feet　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　men；　discussing　some　question　as　though　she　were　in　her　studio；　and　watching　the　duke　come　towards　her；　while　tranquilly　taking　her　sherbet。　She　greeted　him　with　perfect　naturalness。　Those　near　had　discreetly　retired　to　a　little　distance。　There　seemed　to　exist　between　them；　however；　notwithstanding　what　de　Gery　had　overheard　with　regard　to　their　presumed　relations；　nothing　more　than　a　quite　intellectual　intimacy；　a　playful　familiarity。

〃I　called　at　your　house；　mademoiselle；　on　my　way　to　the　Bois。〃

〃I　was　informed　of　it。　You　even　went　into　the　studio。〃

〃And　I　saw　the　famous　groupmy　group。〃

〃Well？〃

〃It　is　very　fine。　The　hound　runs　as　though　he　were　mad。　The　fox　scampers　away　admirably。　Only　I　did　not　quite　understand。　You　had　told　me　that　it　was　our　own　story；　yours　and　mine。〃

〃Ah；　there！　Try。　It　is　an　apologue　that　I　read　in　You　do　not　read　Rabelais；　M。　le　Duc？〃

〃My　faith；　no。　He　is　too　coarse。〃

〃Ah；　well；　his　works　were　the　text…book　of　my　first　reading　lessons。　Very　badly　brought　up；　you　know。　Oh；　exceedingly　badly。　My　apologue；　then；　is　taken　from　Rabelais。　Here　it　is：　Bacchus　created　a　wonderful　fox；　impossible　to　capture。　Vulcan；　on　the　other　hand；　gave　a　dog　of　his　own　creation　the　power　to　catch　every　animal　that　he　should　pursue。　'Now；'　as　my　author　has　it；　'it　happened　that　the　two　met。'　You　see　what　a　wild　and　interminable　chase。　It　seems　to　me；　my　dear　duke；　that　destiny　has　in　the　same　way　brought　us　together；　endowed　with　conflicting　attributes；　you　who　have　received　from　the　gods　the　gift　of　reaching　all　hearts；　I　whose　heart　will　never　be　made　prisoner。〃

She　spoke　these　words；　looking　him　full　in　the　face；　almost　laughing；　but　sheathed　and　erect　in　the　white　tunic　which　seemed　to　defend　her　person　against　the　liberties　of　his　thought。　He；　the　conqueror；　the　irresistible；　had　never　before　met　one　of　this　audacious　and　headstrong　breed。　He　brought　to　bear　upon　her；　therefore；　all　the　magnetic　currents　of　his　seductiveness；　while　around　them　the　rising　murmur　of　the　/fete/；　the　soft　laughter；　the　rustle　of　satins　and　the　rattling　of　pearls　formed　the　accompaniment　to　this　duet　of　mundane　passion　and　juvenile　irony。　He　resumed　after　a　minute's　pause：

〃But　how　did　the　gods　escape　from　that　awkward　situation？〃

〃By　turning　the　two　runners　into　stone。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　a　solution　which　I　do　not　at　all　accept。　I　defy　the　gods　ever　to　petrify　my　heart。〃

A　fiery　gleam　shot　for　a　moment　from　his　eyes；　extinguished　immediately　by　the　thought　that　people　were　observing　them。

In　effect；　people　were　observing　them　intently；　but　no　one　with　so　much　curiosity　as　Jenkins；　who　wandered　round　them　a　little　way　off；　impatient　and　fidgety；　as　though　he　were　annoyed　with　Felicia　for　taking　private　possession　of　the　important　personage　of　the　assembly。　The　young　girl　laughingly　called　the　duke's　attention　to　it。

〃People　will　say　that　I　am　monopolizing　you。〃

She　pointed　out　to　him　Monpavon　waiting；　standing　near　the　Nabob　who；　from　afar；　was　gazing　at　his　excellency　with　the　beseeching；　submissive　eyes　of　a　big；　good…tempered　mastiff。　The　Minister　of　State　then　remembered　the　object　which　had　brought　him。　He　bowed　to　the　young　girl　and　returned　to　Monpavon；　who　was　able　at　last　to　present　to　him　〃his　honourable　friend；　M。　Bernard　Jansoulet。〃　His　excellency　bowed　slightly；　the　/parvenu/　humbled　himself　lower　than　the　earth；　then　they　chatted　for　a　moment。

A　group　curious　to　observe。　Jansoulet；　tall；　strong；　with　an　air　of　the　people　about　him；　a　sunburned　skin；　his　broad　back　arched　as　though　made　round　for　ever　by　the　low　bowings　of　Oriental　courtiery；　his　big；　short　hands　splitting　his　light　gloves；　his　excessive　gestures；　his　southern　exuberance　chopping　up　his　words　like　a　puncher。　The　other；　a　high…bred　gentleman；　a　man　of　the　world；　elegance　itself；　easy　in　his　least　gestures；　though　these；　however；　were　extremely　rare；　carelessly　letting　fall　unfinished　sentences；　relieving　by　a　half　smile　the　gravity　of　his　face；　concealing　beneath　an　imperturbable　politeness　the　deep　contempt　which　he　had　for　man　and　woman；　and　it　was　in　that　contempt　that　his　strength　lay。　In　an　American　drawing…room　the　antithesis　would　have　been　less　violent。　The　Nabob's　millions　would　have　re…established　the　balance　and　even　made　the　scale　lean　to　his　side。　But　Paris　does　not　yet　place　money　above　every　other　force；　and　to　realize　this；　it　was　sufficient　to　observe　the　great　contractor　wriggling　amiably　before　the　great　gentleman　and　casting　under　his　feet；　like　the　courtier's　cloak　of　ermine；　the　dense　vanity　of　a　newly　rich　man。

From　the　corner　in　which　he　had　ensconced　himself；　de　Gery　was　watching　the　scene　with　interest；　knowing　what　importance　his　friend　attached　to　this　introduction；　when　the　same　chance　which　all　through　the　evening　had　so　cruelly　been　giving　the　lie　to　the　native　simplicity　of　his　inexperience；　caused　him　to　distinguish　a　short　dialogue　near　him；　amid　that　buzz　of　many　conversations　through　which　each　hears　just　the　word　that　interests　him。

〃It　is　indeed　the　least　that　Monpavon　can　do；　to　enable　him　to　make　a　few　good　acquaintances。　He　has　introduced　him　to　so　many　bad　ones。　You　know　that　he　has　just　put　Paganetti　and　all　his　gang　on　his　shoulders。〃

〃Poor　fellow！　But　they　will　devour　him。〃

〃Bah！　It　is　only　fair　that　he　should　be　made　to　disgorge　a　little。　He　has　been　such　a　thief　himself　away　yonder　among　the　Turks。〃

〃Really；　do　you　believe　that　is　so？〃

〃Do　I　believe　it？　I　am　in　possession　of　very　precise　details　on　the　point　which　I　have　from　Baron　Hemerlingue；　the　banker；　who　effected　the　last　Tunisian　loan。　He　knows　some　stories　about　the　Nabob；　he　does。　Just　imagine。〃

And　the　infamous　gossip　commenced。　For　fifteen　years　Jansoulet　had　exploited　the　former　Bey　in　a　scandalous　fashion。　Names　of　purveyors　were　cited　and　tricks　wonderful　in　their　assurance；　their　effrontery；　for　instance；　the　story　of　a　musical　frigate；　yes；　a　veritable　musical　box；　like　a　dining…room　picture；　which　he　had　bought　for　two　hundred　thousand　francs　and　sold　again　for　ten　millions；　the　cost　price　of　a　throne　sold　at　three　millions　for　which　the　account　could　be　seen　in　the　books　of　an　upholsterer　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore　did　not　exceed　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　the　funniest　part　of　it　was　that；　the　Bey　having　changed　his　mind；　the　royal　seat；　fallen　into　disgrace　before　it　had　even　been　unpacked；　remained　still　nailed　in　its　packing…case　at　the　custom…house　in　Tripoli。

Next；　beyond　these　wildly　extravagant　commissions　on　the　provision　of　the　least　toy；　they　laid　stress　upon　accusations　more　grave　but　no　less　certain；　since　they　also　sprang　from　the　same　source。　It　seemed