the nabob-第26部分

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This　particular　specimen　of　it　was　the　daughter　of　an　immensely　rich　Belgian　who　was　engaged　in　the　coral　trade　at　Tunis；　and　in　whose　business　Jansoulet；　after　his　arrival　in　the　country；　had　been　employed　for　some　months。　Mlle。　Afchin；　in　those　days　a　delicious　little　doll　of　twelve　years　old；　with　radiant　complexion；　hair；　and　health；　used　often　to　come　to　fetch　her　father　from　the　counting…house　in　the　great　chariot　with　its　yoke　of　mules　which　carried　them　to　their　fine　villa　at　La　Marsu；　in　the　vicinity　of　Tunis。　This　mischievous　child　with　splendid　bare　shoulders；　had　dazzled　the　adventurer　as　he　caught　glimpses　of　her　amid　her　luxurious　surroundings；　and；　years　afterward；　when；　having　become　rich　and　the　favourite　of　the　Bey；　he　began　to　think　of　settling　down；　it　was　to　her　that　his　thoughts　went。　The　child　had　grown　into　a　fat　young　woman；　heavy　and　white。　Her　intelligence；　dull　in　the　first　instance；　had　become　still　more　obscured　through　the　inertia　of　a　dormouse's　existence；　the　carelessness　of　a　father　given　over　to　business；　the　use　of　opium…saturated　tobacco　and　of　preserves　made　from　rose…leaves；　the　torpor　of　her　Flemish　blood；　re…enforced　by　Oriental　indolence。　Furthermore；　she　was　ill…bred；　gluttonous；　sensual；　arrogant；　a　Levantine　jewel　in　perfection。

But　Jansoulet　saw　nothing　of　all　this。

For　him　she　was；　and　remained；　up　to　the　time　of　her　arrival　in　Paris；　a　superior　creature；　a　lady　of　the　most　exalted　rank；　a　Demoiselle　Afchin。　He　addressed　her　with　respect；　in　her　presence　maintained　an　attitude　which　was　a　little　constrained　and　timid；　gave　her　money　without　counting；　satisfied　her　most　costly　fantasies；　her　wildest　caprices；　all　the　strange　desires　of　a　Levantine's　brain　disordered　through　boredom　and　idleness。　One　word　alone　excused　everything。　She　was　a　Demoiselle　Afchin。　Beyond　this；　no　intercourse　between　them；　he　always　at　the　Kasbah　or　the　Bardo；　courting　the　favour　of　the　Bey；　or　else　in　his　counting…houses；　she　passing　her　days　in　bed；　wearing　in　her　hair　a　diadem　of　pearls　worth　three　hundred　thousand　francs　which　she　never　took　off；　befuddling　her　brain　with　smoking；　living　as　in　a　harem；　admiring　herself　in　the　glass；　adorning　herself；　in　company　with　a　few　other　Levantines；　whose　supreme　distraction　consisted　in　measuring　with　their　necklaces　arms　and　legs　which　rivalled　each　other　in　plumpness；　and　bearing　children　about　whom　she　never　gave　herself　the　least　trouble；　whom　she　never　used　to　see；　who　had　not　even　cost　her　a　pang；　for　she　gave　birth　to　them　under　chloroform。　A　lump　of　white　flesh　perfumed　with　musk。　And；　as　Jansoulet　used　to　say　with　pride：　〃I　married　a　Demoiselle　Afchin！〃

Under　the　sky　of　Paris　and　its　cold　light　the　disillusion　began。　Determined　to　settle　down；　to　receive；　to　give　entertainments；　the　Nabob　had　brought　his　wife　over　with　the　idea　of　setting　her　at　the　head　of　the　establishment；　but　when　he　saw　the　arrival　of　that　display　of　gaudy　draperies　of　Palais…Royal　jewelry；　and　all　the　strange　paraphernalia　in　her　suite；　he　had　the　vague　impression　of　a　Queen　Pomare　in　exile。　The　fact　was　that　now　he　had　seen　real　women　of　the　world；　and　he　made　comparisons。　After　having　planned　a　great　ball　to　celebrate　her　arrival；　he　prudently　changed　his　mind。　Besides；　Mme。　Jansoulet　desired　to　see　nobody。　Here　her　natural　indolence　was　increased　by　the　home…sickness　which　she　suffered；　from　the　first　hour　of　her　coming；　by　the　chilliness　of　a　yellow　fog　and　the　dripping　rain。　She　passed　several　days　without　getting　up；　weeping　aloud　like　a　child；　saying　that　it　was　in　order　to　cause　her　death　that　she　had　been　brought　to　Paris；　and　not　permitting　her　women　to　do　even　the　least　thing　for　her。　She　lay　there　bellowing　among　the　laces　of　her　pillow；　with　her　hair　bristling　in　disorder　about　her　diadem；　the　windows　of　the　room　closed；　the　curtains　drawn　close；　the　lamps　lighted　night　and　day；　crying　out　that　she　wanted　to　go　away…y；　to　go　away…y；　and　it　was　pitiful　to　see；　in　that　funeral　gloom；　the　half…　unpacked　trunks　scattered　over　the　carpets；　the　frightened　maids；　the　negresses　crouched　around　their　mistress　in　her　nervous　attack；　they　also　groaning；　with　haggard　eyes　like　those　dogs　of　artic　travellers　that　go　mad　without　the　sun。

The　Irish　doctor；　called　in　to　deal　with　all　this　trouble；　had　no　success　with　his　fatherly　manners；　the　pretty　phrases　that　issued　from　his　compressed　lips。　The　Levantine　would　have　nothing　to　do　at　any　price　with　the　arsenic　pearls　as　a　tonic。　The　Nabob　was　in　consternation。　What　was　to　be　done？　Send　her　back　to　Tunis　with　the　children？　It　was　scarcely　possible。　He　was　decidedly　in　disgrace　in　that　quarter。　The　Hemerlingues　were　triumphant。　A　last　affront　had　filled　up　the　measure。　At　Jansoulet's　departure；　the　Bey　had　commissioned　him　to　have　gold…pieces　struck　at　the　Paris　Mint　of　a　new　design　to　the　value　of　several　millions；　then　the　order；　suddenly　withdrawn；　had　been　given　to　Hemerlingue。　Publicly　outraged；　Jansoulet　had　replied　by　a　public　demonstration；　offering　for　sale　all　his　possessions；　his　palace　at　the　Bardo　given　to　him　by　the　former　Bey；　his　villas　of　La　Marsu　all　of　white　marble；　surrounded　by　splendid　gardens；　his　counting…houses　which　were　the　largest　and　the　most　sumptuous　in　the　city；　and；　charging；　finally；　the　intelligent　Bompain　to　bring　over　to　him　his　wife　and　children　in　order　to　make　a　clear　affirmation　of　a　definitive　departure。　After　such　an　uproar；　it　was　no　easy　thing　for　him　to　return　there；　this　was　what　he　endeavoured　to　make　evident　to　Mlle。　Afchin；　who　only　replied　to　him　by　deep　groans。　He　tried　to　console　her；　to　amuse　her；　but　what　distraction　could　be　found　to　appeal　to　that　monstrously　apathetic　nature？　And　then；　could　he　change　the　sky　of　Paris；　restore　to　the　unhappy　Levantine　her　/patio/　paved　with　marble；　where　she　used　to　pass　long　hours　in　a　cool；　delicious　sleepiness；　listening　to　the　water　as　it　dripped　on　the　great　alabaster　fountain　with　its　three　basins；　one　over　the　other；　and　her　gilded　barge；　with　its　awning　of　crimson；　which　eight　Tripolitan　boatmen　supple　and　vigorous　rowed　after　sunset　on　the　beautiful　lake　of　El…Baheira？　However　luxurious　the　apartment　of　the　Place　Vendome　might　be；　it　could　not　compensate　for　the　loss　of　these　marvels。　And　then　she　would　be　more　miserable　than　ever。　At　last；　a　man　who　was　a　frequent　visitor　to　the　house　succeeded　in　lifting　her　out　of　her　despair。　This　was　Cabassu；　the　man　who　described　himself　on　his　cards　as　〃professor　of　massage；〃　a　big；　dark；　thick…set　man；　smelling　of　garlic　and　pomade；　square…shouldered；　hairy　to　the　eyes；　and　who　knew　stories　of　Parisian　seraglios；　tales　within　the　reach　of　madame's　intelligence。　Having　once　come　to　massage　her；　she　wished　to　see　him　again；　retained　him。　He　had　to　give　up　all　his　other　clients；　and　became；　at　the　salary　of　a　senator；　the　masseur　of　this　stout　lady；　her　page；　her　reader；　her　body…guard。　Jansoulet；　delighted　to　see　his　wife　contented；　was　unconscious　of　the　ridicule　attached　to　this　intimacy。

Cabassu　was　now　seen　in　the　Bois；　seated　beside　the　favourite　maid　in　the　huge　and　sumptuous　open　carriage；　also　at　the　back　of　the　theatre　boxes　taken　by　the　Levantine；　for　she　began　to　go　out；　since　she　had　grown　less　torpid　under　the　treatment　of　her　masseur　and　was　determined　to　amuse　herself。　The　theatre　pleased　her；　especially　farces　or　melodramas。　The　apathy　of　her　large　body　found　a　stimulus　in　the　false　glare　of　the　footlights。　But　it　was　to　Cardailhac's　theatre　that　she　went　for　preference。　There；　the　Nabob　found　himself　in　his　own　house。　From　the　chief　superintendent　to　the　humblest　/ouvreuse/；　the　whole　staff　was　under　his　control。　He　had　a　key　which　enabled　him　to　pass　from　the　corridors　on　to　the　stage；　and　the　small　drawing…room　communicating　with　his　box　was　decorated　in　Oriental　manner；　with　a　concave　ceiling　like　a　beehive；　its　couches　covered　in　camel's　hair；　the　flame　of　the　gas　inclosed　in　a　little　Moorish　lantern。　Here　one　could　enjoy　a　siesta　during　rather　long　intervals　between　the　acts；　a　gallant　attention　on　the　part　of　the　manager　to　the　wife　of　his　partner。　Nor　did　that　ape　of　a　Cardailhac　stop　at　this。　Remarking　the　taste　of　the　Demoiselle　Afchin　for　the　drama；　he　had　ended　by　persuading　her　that　she　also　possessed　the　intuition；　the　knowledge　of　it；　and　by　begging　her　when　she　had　nothing　better　to　do　to　glance　over　and　let　him　know　what　she　thought　of　the　pieces　that　were　submitted　to　him。　A　good　way　of　cementing　the　partnership　more　firmly。

Poor　manuscripts　in　your　blue　or　yellow　covers；　bound　by　hope　with　fragile　ribbons；　that　set　out　full　of　ambition　and　dreams；　who　knows　what　hands　may　touch　you；　turn　over　your　pages；　what　indiscreet　fingers　deflower　your　charm；　the　charm　of　the　unknown；　that　glittering　dust　which　lies　on　new　ideas？　Who　may　judge　you　and　who　condemn？　Sometimes；　before　dining　out；　Jansoulet；　mounting　to　his　wife's　room；　would　find　her　on　her　lounge；　smoking；　her　head　thrown　back；　bundles　of　manuscripts　by　her　side；　and　Cabassu；　armed　with　a　blue　pencil；　reading　in　his　thick　voice　and　with　the　Bourg…Saint…Andeol　accent；　some　dramatic　lucubration　which　he　cut　and　scored　without　pity　at　the　least　criticism　from　the　lady。

〃Don't　disturb　yourselves；〃　the　good　Nabob　would　signal　with　his　hand；　entering　on　tiptoe。　He　would　listen；　shake　his　head　with　an　admiring　air；　as　he　watched　his　wife：　〃She　is　astonishing！〃　for　he　himself　understood　nothing　about　literature；　and　there；　at　least；　he　could　discover　once　again　the　superiority　of　Mlle。　Afchin。

〃She　had　the　instinct　of　the　stage；〃　as　Cardailhac　used　to　say；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　the　maternal　instinct　was　wanting　in　her。　Never　did　she　take　any　interest　in　her　children；　abandoning　them　to　the　hands　of　strangers；　and；　when　they　were　brought　to　her　once　a　month；　contenting　herself　with　offering　to　them　the　flaccid　and　inanimate　flesh　of　her　cheeks　between　two　puffs　of　cigarette…smoke；　without　making　any　inquiries　into　those　details　of　their　bringing　up　and　of　their　health　which　perpetuate　the　physical　bond　of　maternity　and　make　the　hearts　of　true　mothers　bleed　at　the　least　suffering　of　their　children。

They　were　three　big；　dull　and　apathetic　boys　of　eleven；　nine；　and　seven　years；　having；　with　the　sallow