the nabob-第6部分

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here　sundry　members　of　the　club　had　their　apartments。　Among　them　was　the　Marquis　de　Monpavon；　whose　abode　Jenkins　was　now　on　his　way　to　visit。

〃What！　It　is　you；　doctor？　The　devil　take　it！　What　is　the　time　then？　I'm　not　visible。〃

〃Not　even　for　the　doctor？〃

〃Oh；　for　nobody。　Question　of　etiquette；　/mon　cher/。　No　matter；　come　in　all　the　same。　You'll　warm　your　feet　for　a　moment　while　Francis　finishes　doing　my　hair。〃

Jenkins　entered　the　bed…chamber；　a　banal　place　like　all　furnished　apartments；　and　moved　towards　the　fire　on　which　there　were　set　to　heat　curling…tongs　of　all　sizes；　while　in　the　contiguous　laboratory；　separated　from　the　room　by　a　curtain　of　Algerian　tapestry；　the　Marquis　de　Monpavon　gave　himself　up　to　the　manipulations　of　his　valet。　Odours　of　patchouli；　of　cold…cream；　of　hartshorn；　and　of　singed　hair　escaped　from　the　part　of　the　room　which　was　shut　off；　and　from　time　to　time；　when　Francis　came　to　fetch　a　curling…iron；　Jenkins　caught　sight　of　a　huge　dressing…table　laden　with　a　thousand　little　instruments　of　ivory；　and　mother…of…pearl；　with　steel　files；　scissors；　puffs；　and　brushes；　with　bottles；　with　little　trays；　with　cosmetics；　labelled　and　arranged　methodically　in　groups　and　lines；　and　amid　all　this　display；　awkward　and　already　shaky；　an　old　man's　hand；　shrunken　and　long；　delicately　trimmed　and　polished　about　the　nails　like　that　of　a　Japanese　painter；　which　faltered　about　among　this　fine　hardware　and　doll's　china。

While　continuing　the　process　of　making　up　his　face；　the　longest；　the　most　complicated　of　his　morning　occupations；　Monpavon　chatted　with　the　doctor；　told　of　his　little　ailments；　and　the　good　effect　of　the　/pills/。　They　made　him　young　again；　he　said。　And　at　a　distance；　thus；　without　seeing　him；　one　would　have　taken　him　for　the　Duc　de　Mora；　to　such　a　degree　had　he　usurped　his　manner　of　speech。　There　were　the　same　unfinished　phrases；　ended　by　〃ps；　ps；　ps；〃　muttered　between　the　teeth；　expressions　like　〃What's　its　name？〃　〃Who　was　it？〃　constantly　thrown　into　what　he　was　saying；　a　kind　of　aristocratic　stutter；　fatigued；　listless；　wherein　you　might　perceive　a　profound　contempt　for　the　vulgar　art　of　speech。　In　the　society　of　which　the　duke　was　the　centre；　every　one　sought　to　imitate　that　accent；　those　disdainful　intonations　with　an　affectation　of　simplicity。

Jenkins；　finding　the　sitting　rather　long；　had　risen　to　take　his　departure。

〃Adieu；　I　must　be　off。　We　shall　see　you　at　the　Nabob's？〃

〃Yes；　I　intend　to　be　there　for　luncheon。　Promised　to　bring　himwhat's　his　name。　Who　was　it？　What？　You　know；　for　our　big　affairps；　ps；　ps。　Were　it　not　for　that；　should　gladly　stay　away。　Real　menagerie；　that　house。〃

The　Irishman；　despite　his　benevolence；　agreed　that　the　society　was　rather　mixed　at　his　friend's。　But　then！　One　could　hardly　blame　him　for　it。　The　poor　fellow；　he　knew　no　better。

〃Neither　knows　nor　is　willing　to　learn；〃　remarked　Monpavon　with　bitterness。　〃Instead　of　consulting　people　of　experienceps；　ps；　ps　first　sponger　that　comes　along。　Have　you　seen　the　horses　that　Bois　l'Hery　has　persuaded　him　to　buy？　Absolute　rubbish　those　animals。　And　he　paid　twenty　thousand　francs　for　them。　We　may　wager　that　Bois　l'Hery　got　them　for　six　thousand。〃

〃Oh；　for　shamea　nobleman！〃　said　Jenkins；　with　the　indignation　of　a　lofty　soul　refusing　to　believe　in　baseness。

Monpavon　continued；　without　seeming　to　hear：

〃All　that　because　the　horses　came　from　Mora's　stable。〃

〃It　is　true　that　the　dear　Nabob's　heart　is　very　full　of　the　duke。　I　am　about　to　make　him　very　happy；　therefore；　when　I　inform　him〃

The　doctor　paused；　embarrassed。

〃When　you　inform　him　of　what；　Jenkins？〃

Somewhat　abashed；　Jenkins　had　to　confess　that　he　had　obtained　permission　from　his　excellency　to　present　to　him　his　friend　Jansoulet。　Scarcely　had　he　finished　his　sentence　before　a　tall　spectre；　with　flabby　face　and　hair　and　whiskers　diversely　coloured；　bounded　from　the　dressing…room　into　the　chamber；　with　his　two　hands　folding　round　a　fleshless　but　very　erect　neck　a　dressing…gown　of　flimsy　silk　with　violet　spots；　in　which　he　was　wrapped　like　a　sweetmeat　in　its　paper。　The　most　striking　thing　about　this　mock…heroic　physiognomy　was　a　large　curved　nose　all　shiny　with　cold　cream；　and　an　eye　alive；　keen；　too　young；　too　bright；　for　the　heavy　and　wrinkled　eyelid　which　covered　it。　Jenkins's　patients　all　had　that　eye。

Monpavon　must　indeed　have　been　deeply　moved　to　show　himself　thus　devoid　of　all　prestige。　In　point　of　fact；　with　white　lips　and　a　changed　voice　he　addressed　the　doctor　quickly；　without　the　lisp　this　time；　and　in　a　single　outburst：

〃Come　now；　/mon　cher/；　no　tomfoolery　between　us；　eh？　We　are　both　met　before　the　same　dish；　but　I　leave　you　your　share。　I　intend　that　you　shall　leave　me　mine。〃

And　Jenkins's　air　of　astonishment　did　not　make　him　pause。　〃Let　this　be　said　once　for　all。　I　have　promised　the　Nabob　to　present　him　to　the　duke；　just　as；　formerly；　I　presented　you。　Do　not　mix　yourself　up；　therefore；　with　what　concerns　me　alone。〃

Jenkins　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；　protested　his　innocence。　He　had　never　had　any　intention。　Certainly　Monpavon　was　too　intimate　a　friend　of　the　duke；　for　any　otherHow　could　he　have　supposed？

〃I　suppose　nothing；〃　said　the　old　nobleman；　calmer　but　still　cold。　〃I　merely　desired　to　have　a　very　clear　explanation　with　you　on　this　subject。〃

The　Irishman　extended　a　widely　opened　hand。

〃My　dear　marquis；　explanations　are　always　clear　between　men　of　honour。〃

〃Honour　is　a　big　word；　Jenkins。　Let　us　say　people　of　deportmentthat　suffices。〃

And　that　deportment；　which　he　invoked　as　the　supreme　guide　of　conduct；　recalling　him　suddenly　to　the　sense　of　his　ludicrous　situation；　the　marquis　offered　one　finger　to　his　friend's　demonstrative　shake　of　the　hand；　and　passed　back　with　dignity　behind　his　curtain；　while　the　other　left；　in　haste　to　resume　his　round。



What　a　magnificent　clientele　he　had；　this　Jenkins！　Nothing　but　princely　mansions；　heated　staircases；　laden　with　flowers　at　every　landing；　upholstered　and　silky　alcoves；　where　disease　was　transformed　into　something　discreet；　elegant；　where　nothing　suggested　that　brutal　hand　which　throws　on　a　bed　of　pain　those　who　only　cease　to　work　in　order　to　die。　They　were　not　in　any　true　speech；　sick　people；　these　clients　of　the　Irish　doctor。　They　would　have　been　refused　admission　to　a　hospital。　Their　organs　not　possessing　even　strength　to　give　them　a　shock；　the　seat　of　their　malady　was　to　be　discovered　nowhere；　and　the　doctor；　as　he　bent　over　them；　might　have　sought　in　vain　the　throb　of　any　suffering　in　those　bodies　which　the　inertia；　the　silence　of　death　already　inhabited。　They　were　worn…out；　debilitated　people；　anaemics；　exhausted　by　an　absurd　life；　but　who　found　it　so　good　still　that　they　fought　to　have　it　prolonged。　And　the　Jenkins　pills　became　famous　precisely　by　reason　of　that　lash　of　the　whip　which　they　gave　to　jaded　existences。

〃Doctor；　I　beseech　you；　let　me　be　fit　to　go　to　the　ball　this　evening！〃　the　young　woman　would　say；　prostrate　on　her　lounge；　and　whose　voice　was　reduced　to　a　breath。

〃You　shall　go；　my　dear　child。〃

And　she　went；　and　never　had　she　looked　more　beautiful。

〃Doctor；　at　all　costs；　though　it　should　kill　me；　to…morrow　morning　I　must　be　at　the　Cabinet　Council。〃

He　was　there；　and　carried　away　from　it　in　a　triumph　of　eloquence　and　of　ambitious　diplomacy。

Afterwardoh；　afterward；　if　you　please！　But　no　matter！　To　their　last　day　Jenkins's　clients　went　about；　showed　themselves；　cheated　the　devouring　egotism　of　the　crowd。　They　died　on　their　feet；　as　became　men　and　women　of　the　world。

After　a　thousand　peregrinations　in　the　Chaussee　d'Antin　and　the　Champs…Elysees；　after　having　visited　every　millionaire　or　titled　personage　in　the　Faubourg　Saint　Honore；　the　fashionable　doctor　arrived　at　the　corner　of　the　Cours…la…Reine　and　the　Rue　Francois　I。；　before　a　house　with　a　rounded　front；　which　occupied　the　angle　on　the　quay；　and　entered　an　apartment　on　the　ground　floor　which　resembled　in　nowise　those　through　which　he　had　been　passing　since　morning。　From　the　threshold；　tapestries　covering　the　wall；　windows　of　old　stained　glass　with　strips　of　lead　cutting　across　a　discrete　and　composite　light；　a　gigantic　saint　in　carved　wood　which　fronted　a　Japanese　monster　with　protruding　eyes　and　a　back　covered　with　delicate　scales　like　tiles；　indicated　the　imaginative　and　curious　taste　of　an　artist。　The　little　page　who　answered　the　door　held　in　leash　an　Arab　greyhound　larger　than　himself。

〃Mme。　Constance　is　at　mass；〃　he　said；　〃and　Mademoiselle　is　in　the　studio　quite　alone。　We　have　been　at　work　since　six　o'clock　this　morning；〃　added　the　child　with　a　rueful　yawn　which　the　dog　caught　on　the　wing；　making　him　open　wide　his　pink　mouth　with　its　sharp　teeth。

Jenkins；　whom　we　have　seen　enter　with　so　much　self…possession　the　chamber　of　the　Minister　of　State；　trembled　a　little　as　he　raised　the　curtain　masking　the　door　of　the　studio　which　had　been　left　open。　It　was　a　splendid　sculptor's　studio；　the　front　of　which；　on　the　street　corner；　semi…circular　in　shape；　gave　the　room　one　whole　wall　of　glass；　with　pilasters　at　the　sides；　a　large；　well…lighted　bay；　opal…coloured　just　then　by　reason　of　the　fog。　More　ornate　than　are　usually　such　work…rooms；　which　the　stains　of　the　plaster；　the　boasting…tools；　the　clay；　the　puddles　of　water　generally　cause　to　resemble　a　stone…mason's　shed；　this　one　added　a　touch　of　coquetry　to　its　artistic　purpose。　Green　plants　in　every　corner；　a　few　good　pictures　suspended　against　the　bare　wall　and；　here　and　there；　resting　upon　oak　brackets；　two　or　three　works　of　Sebastien　Ruys；　of　which　the　last；　exhibited　after　his　death；　was　covered　with　a　piece　of　black　gauze。

The　mistress　of　the　house；　Felicia　Ruys；　the　daughter　of　the　famous　sculptor　and　herself　already　known　by　two　masterpieces；　the　bust　of　her　father　and　that　of　the　Duc　de　Mora；　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　studio；　occupied　in　the　modelling　of　a　figure。　Wearing　a　tightly　fitting　riding…habit　of　blue　cloth　with　long　folds；　a　fichu　of　China　silk　twisted　about　her　neck　like　a　man's　tie；　her　black；　fine　hair　caught　up　carelessly　above　the　antique　modelling　of　her　small　head；　Felicia　was　at　work　with　an　extreme　earnestness　which　added　to　her　beauty　the　concentration；　the　intensity　which　are　given　t