the nabob-第18部分

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sulted　by　his　wife；　a　savage　and　evil…disposed　creature；　who　does　not　pardon　me　for　always　having　declined　to　receive　her　in　Tunis。　Do　you　know　what　she　called　me　just　now　as　she　passed　me？　'Thief　and　son　of　a　dog。'　As　free　in　her　language　as　that；　the　odaliskThat　is　to　say；　that　if　I　did　not　know　my　Hemerlingue　to　be　as　cowardly　as　he　is　fatAfter　all；　bah！　let　them　say　what　they　like。　I　snap　my　fingers　at　them。　What　can　they　do　against　me？　Ruin　me　with　the　Bey？　That　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me。　There　is　nothing　any　longer　for　me　to　do　in　Tunis；　and　I　shall　withdraw　myself　from　the　place　altogether　as　soon　as　possible。　There　is　only　one　town；　one　country　in　the　world；　and　that　is　ParisParis　welcoming；　hospitable；　not　prudish；　where　every　intelligent　man　may　find　space　to　do　great　things。　And　I；　now；　do　you　see；　de　Gery；　I　want　to　do　great　things。　I　have　had　enough　of　mercantile　life。　For　twenty　years　I　have　worked　for　money；　to…day　I　am　greedy　of　glory；　of　consideration；　of　fame。　I　want　to　be　somebody　in　the　history　of　my　country；　and　that　will　be　easy　for　me。　With　my　immense　fortune；　my　knowledge　of　men　and　of　affairs；　the　things　I　know　I　have　here　in　my　head；　nothing　is　beyond　my　reach　and　I　aspire　to　everything。　Believe　me；　therefore；　my　dear　boy；　never　leave　me〃one　would　have　said　that　he　was　replying　to　the　secret　thought　of　his　young　companion〃remain　faithfully　on　board　my　ship。　The　masts　are　firm；　I　have　my　bunkers　full　of　coal。　I　swear　to　you　that　we　shall　go　far；　and　quickly；　/nom　d'un　sort/！〃

The　ingenuous　southerner　thus　poured　out　his　projects　into　the　night　with　many　expressive　gestures；　and　from　time　to　time；　as　they　walked　rapidly　to　and　fro　in　the　vast　and　deserted　square；　majestically　surrounded　by　its　silent　and　closed　palaces；　he　raised　his　head　towards　the　man　of　bronze　on　the　column；　as　though　taking　to　witness　that　great　upstart　whose　presence　in　the　midst　of　Paris　authorizes　all　ambitions；　endows　every　chimera　with　probability。

There　is　in　young　people　a　warmth　of　heart；　a　need　of　enthusiasm　which　is　awakened　by　the　least　touch。　As　the　Nabob　talked；　de　Gery　felt　his　suspicion　take　wing　and　all　his　sympathy　return；　together　with　a　shade　of　pity。　No；　very　certainly　this　man　was　not　a　rascal；　but　a　poor；　illuded　being　whose　fortune　had　gone　to　his　head　like　a　wine　too　heavy　for　a　stomach　long　accustomed　to　water。　Alone　in　the　midst　of　Paris；　surrounded　by　enemies　and　people　ready　to　take　advantage　of　him；　Jansoulet　made　upon　him　the　impression　of　a　man　on　foot　laden　with　gold　passing　through　some　evil…haunted　wood；　in　the　dark　and　unarmed。　And　he　reflected　that　it　would　be　well　for　the　/protege/　to　watch；　without　seeming　to　do　so；　over　the　protector；　to　become　the　discerning　Telemachus　of　the　blind　Mentor；　to　point　out　to　him　the　quagmires；　to　defend　him　against　the　highwaymen；　to　aid　him；　in　a　word；　in　his　combats　amid　all　that　swarm　of　nocturnal　ambuscades　which　he　felt　were　prowling　ferociously　around　the　Nabob　and　his　millions。



THE　JOYEUSE　FAMILY

Every　morning　of　the　year；　at　exactly　eight　o'clock；　a　new　and　almost　tenantless　house　in　a　remote　quarter　of　Paris；　echoed　to　cries；　calls；　merry　laughter；　ringing　clear　in　the　desert　of　the　staircase：

〃Father；　don't　forget　my　music。〃

〃Father；　my　crochet　wool。〃

〃Father；　bring　us　some　rolls。〃

And　the　voice　of　the　father　calling　from　below：

〃Yaia；　bring　me　down　my　portfolio；　please。〃

〃There　you　are；　you　see！　He　has　forgotten　his　portfolio。〃

And　there　would　be　a　glad　scurry　from　top　to　bottom　of　the　house；　a　running　of　all　those　pretty　faces　confused　by　sleep；　of　all　those　heads　with　disordered　hair　which　the　owners　made　tidy　as　they　ran；　until　the　moment　when；　leaning　over　the　baluster；　half　a　dozen　girls　bade　loud　good…bye　to　a　little；　old　gentleman；　neat　and　well…groomed；　whose　reddish　face　and　short　profile　disappeared　at　length　in　the　spiral　perspective　of　the　stairs。　M。　Joyeuse　had　departed　for　his　office。　At　once　the　whole　band；　escaped　from　their　cage；　would　rush　quickly　upstairs　again　to　the　fourth　floor；　and；　the　door　having　been　opened；　group　themselves　at　an　open　casement　to　gain　one　last　glimpse　of　their　father。　The　little　man　used　to　turn　round；　kisses　were　exchanged　across　the　distance；　then　the　windows　were　closed；　the　new　and　tenantless　house　became　quiet　again；　except　for　the　posters　dancing　their　wild　saraband　in　the　wind　of　the　unfinished　street；　as　if　made　gay；　they　also；　by　all　these　proceedings。　A　moment　later　the　photographer　on　the　fifth　floor　would　descend　to　hang　at　the　door　his　showcase；　always　the　same；　in　which　was　to　be　seen　the　old　gentleman　in　a　white　tie　surrounded　by　his　daughters　in　various　groups；　he　went　upstairs　again　in　his　turn；　and　the　calm　which　succeeded　immediately　upon　this　little　morning　uproar　left　one　to　imagine　that　the　〃father〃　and　his　young　ladies　had　re…entered　the　case　of　photographs；　where　they　remained　smiling　and　motionless　until　evening。

From　the　Rue　Saint…Ferdinand　to　the　establishment　of　Hemerlingue　&　Son；　his　employers；　M。　Joyeuse　had　a　good　three…quarters　of　an　hour's　journey。　He　walked　with　head　erect　and　straight；　as　though　he　had　feared　to　disarrange　the　smart　knot　of　the　cravat　tied　by　his　daughters；　or　his　hat　put　on　by　them；　and　when　the　eldest；　ever　anxious　and　prudent；　just　as　he　went　out　raised　his　coat…collar　to　protect　him　against　the　harsh　gusts　of　the　wind　that　blew　round　the　street　corner；　even　if　the　temperature　were　that　of　a　hothouse　M。　Joyeuse　would　not　lower　it　again　until　he　reached　the　office；　like　the　lover　who；　quitting　his　mistress's　arms；　dares　not　to　move　for　fear　of　losing　the　intoxicating　perfume。

A　widower　for　some　years；　this　worthy　man　lived　only　for　his　children；　thought　only　of　them；　went　through　life　surrounded　by　those　fair　little　heads　that　fluttered　around　him　confusedly　as　in　a　picture　of　the　Assumption。　All　his　desires；　all　his　projects；　bore　reference　to　〃those　young　ladies；〃　returned　to　them　without　ceasing；　sometimes　after　long　circuits；　for　M。　Joyeusethis　was　connected　no　doubt　with　the　fact　that　he　possessed　a　short　neck　and　a　small　figure　whereof　his　turbulent　blood　made　the　circuit　in　a　momentwas　a　man　of　fecund　and　astonishing　imagination。　In　his　brain　the　ideas　performed　their　evolutions　with　the　rapidity　of　hollow　straws　around　a　sieve。　At　the　office；　figures　kept　his　steady　attention　by　reason　of　their　positive　quality；　but；　outside；　his　mind　took　its　revenge　upon　that　inexorable　occupation。　The　activity　of　the　walk；　the　habit　that　led　him　by　a　route　where　he　was　familiar　with　the　least　incidents；　allowed　full　liberty　to　his　imaginative　faculties。　He　invented　at　these　times　extraordinary　adventures；　enough　of　them　to　crank　out　a　score　of　the　serial　stories　that　appear　in　the　newspapers。

If；　for　example；　M。　Joyeuse；　as　he　went　up　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　on　the　right…hand　footwalkhe　always　took　that　onenoticed　a　heavy　laundry…cart　going　along　at　a　quick　pace；　driven　by　a　woman　from　the　country　with　a　child　perched　on　a　bundle　of　linen　and　leaning　over　somewhat：

〃The　child！〃　the　terrified　old　fellow　would　cry。　〃Have　a　care　of　the　child！〃

His　voice　would　be　lost　in　the　noise　of　the　wheels　and　his　warning　among　the　secrets　of　Providence。　The　cart　passed。　He　would　follow　it　for　a　moment　with　his　eye；　then　resume　his　walk；　but　the　drama　begun　in　his　mind　would　continue　to　unfold　itself　there；　with　a　thousand　catastrophes。　The　child　had　fallen。　The　wheels　were　about　to　pass　over　him。　M。　Joyeuse　dashed　forward；　saved　the　little　creature　on　the　very　brink　of　destruction；　the　pole　of　the　cart；　however；　struck　himself　full　in　the　chest　and　he　fell　bathed　in　blood。　Then　he　would　see　himself　borne　to　some　chemists'　shop　through　the　crowd　that　had　collected。　He　was　placed　in　an　ambulance；　carried　to　his　own　house；　and　then　suddenly　he　would　hear　the　piercing　cry　of　his　daughters；　his　well…beloved　daughters；　when　they　beheld　him　in　this　condition。　And　that　agonized　cry　touched　his　heart　so　deeply；　he　would　hear　it　so　distinctly；　so　realistically：　〃Papa；　my　dear　papa；〃　that　he　would　himself　utter　it　aloud　in　the　street；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　passers…by；　in　a　hoarse　voice　which　would　wake　him　from　his　fictitious　nightmare。

Will　you　have　another　sample　of　this　prodigious　imagination？　It　is　raining；　freezing；　wretched　weather。　M。　Joyeuse　has　taken　the　omnibus　to　go　to　his　office。　Finding　himself　seated　opposite　a　sort　of　colossus；　with　the　head　of　a　brute　and　formidable　biceps；　M。　Joyeuse；　himself　very　small；　very　puny；　with　his　portfolio　on　his　knees；　draws　in　his　legs　in　order　to　make　room　for　the　enormous　columns　which　support　the　monumental　body　of　his　neighbour。　As　the　vehicle　moves　on　and　as　the　rain　beats　on　the　windows；　M。　Joyeuse　falls　into　reverie。　And　suddenly　the　colossus　opposite；　whose　face　is　kind　after　all；　is　very　much　surprised　to　see　the　little　man　change　colour；　look　at　him　and　grind　his　teeth；　look　at　him　with　ferocious　eyes；　an　assassin's　eyes。　Yes；　with　the　eyes　of　a　veritable　assassin；　for　at　that　moment　M。　Joyeuse　is　dreaming　a　terrible　dream。　He　sees　one　of　his　daughters　sitting　there　opposite　him；　by　the　side　of　this　giant　brute；　and　the　wretch　has　put　his　arm　round　her　waist　under　her　cape。

〃Remove　your　hand；　sir！〃　M。　Joyeuse　has　already　said　twice　over。　The　other　has　only　sneered。　Now　he　wishes　to　kiss　Elise。

〃Ah；　rascal！〃

Too　feeble　to　defend　his　daughter；　M。　Joyeuse；　foaming　with　rage；　draws　his　knife　from　his　pocket；　stabs　the　insolent　fellow　full　in　the　breast；　and　with　head　high　goes　off；　strong　in　the　right　of　an　outraged　father；　to　make　his　declaration　at　the　nearest　police…　station。

〃I　have　just　killed　a　man　in　an　omnibus！〃　At　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　actually　uttering　these　sinister　words；　but　not　in　the　police…　station；　the　poor　fellow　wakes　us；　guesses　from　the　bewildered　manner　of　the　passengers　that　he　must　have　spoken　the　words　aloud；　and　very　quickly　takes　advantage　of　the　conductor's　call；　〃Saint…Philippe　PantheonBastille〃　to　alight；　feeling　greatly　confused；　amid　general　stupefaction。

This　imagination　constantly　on　the　stretch；　gave　to　M。　Joyeuse　a　singular　physiognomy；　feverish　and　worn；　in　strong　contrast　with　the　general　correct　appearance　of　a　subor