the nabob-第62部分
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〃/Ma foi/； so much the worse！ Since we cannot burn them； we will drown them。 Hold the light； Jenkins。〃
And they entered。
Where were they？ Saint…Simon relating the downfall of one of those sovereign existences； the disarray of ceremonies； of dignities； of grandeurs； caused by death and especially by sudden death； only Saint…Simon might have found words to tell you。 With his delicate； carefully kept hands； the Marquis de Monpavon did the pumping。 The other passed to him the letters after tearing them into small pieces； packets of letters； on satin paper； tinted； perfumed； adorned with crests； coats of arms； small flags with devices； covered with handwritings； fine； hurried； scrawling； entwining； persuasive； and all those flimsy pages went whirling one over the other in eddying streams of water which crumpled them； soiled them； washed out their tender links before allowing them to disappear with a gurgle down the drain。
They were love…letters and of every kind； from the note of the adventuress； 〃/I saw you pass yesterday in the Bois； M。 le Duc/；〃 to the aristocratic reproaches of the last mistress but one； and the complaints of ladies deserted； and the page； still fresh； of recent confidences。 Monpavon was in the secret of all these mysteriesput a name on each of them： 〃That is Mme。 Moor。 Hallo！ Mme。 d'Athis！〃 A confusion of coronets and initials； of caprices and old habits； sullied by the promiscuity of this moment； all engulfed in the horrid closet by the light of a lamp； with the noise of an intermittent gush of water； departing into oblivion by a shameful road。 Suddenly Jenkins paused in his work of destruction。 Two satin…gray letters trembled as he held them in his fingers。
〃Who is that？〃 asked Monpavon； noticing the unfamiliar handwriting and the Irishman's nervous excitement。 〃Ah； doctor； if you want to read them all； we shall never have finished。〃
Jenkins； his cheeks flushed； the two letters in his hand； was consumed by a desire to carry them away； to pore over them at his ease； to martyrize himself with delight by reading them； perhaps also to forge out of this correspondence a weapon for himself against the imprudent woman who had signed her name。 But the rigorous correctness of the marquis made him afraid。 How could he distract his attentionget him away？ The opportunity occurred of its own accord。 Among the letters； a tiny page written in a senile and shaky hand； caught the attention of the charlatan； who said with an ingenuous air： 〃Oh； oh！ here is something that does not look much like a /billet…doux。 'Mon Duc； to the rescueI am sinking！ The Court of Exchequer has once more stuck its nose into my affairs。'/〃
〃What are you reading there？〃 exclaimed Monpavon abruptly； snatching the letter from his hands。 And immediately； thanks to Mora's negligence in thus allowing such private letters to lie about； the terrible situation in which he would be left by the death of his protector returned to his mind。 In his grief； he had not yet given it a thought。 He told himself that in the midst of all his preparations for his departure； the duke might quite possibly overlook him； and； leaving Jenkins to complete the drowning of Don Juan's casket by himself； he returned precipitately in the direction of the bed… chamber。 Just as he was on the point of entering； the sound of a discussion held him back behind the lowered door…curtain。 It was Louis's voice； tearful like that of a beggar in a church…porch； trying to move the duke to pity for his distress； and asking permission to take certain bundles of bank…notes that lay in a drawer。 Oh； how hoarse； utterly wearied； hardly intelligible the answer； in which there could be detected the effort of the sick man to turn over in his bed； to bring back his vision from a far…off distance already half in sight：
〃Yes； yes； take them。 But for God's sake； let me sleeplet me sleep！〃
Drawers opened； closed again； a short and panting breath。 Monpavon heard no more of what was going on； and retraced his steps without entering。 The ferocious rapacity of his servant had set his pride upon its guard。 Anything rather than degradation to such a point as that。
The sleep which Mora craved for so insistentlythe lethargy； to be more accuratelasted a whole night； and through the next morning also； with uncertain wakings disturbed by terrible sufferings relieved each time by soporifics。 No further attempt was made to nurse him to recovery； they tried only to soothe his last moments； to help him to slip painlessly over that terrible last step。 His eyes had opened again during this time； but were already dimmed； fixed in the void on floating shadows； vague forms like those a diver sees quivering in the uncertain light under water。
In the afternoon of the Thursday； towards three o'clock； he regained complete consciousness； and recognising Monpavon； Cardailhac； and two or three other intimate friends； he smiled to them； and betrayed in a sentence his only anxiety：
〃What do they say about it in Paris？〃
They said many things about it； different and contradictory； but very certainly he was the only subject of conversation； and the news spread through the town since the morning； that Mora was at his last breath； agitated the streets； the drawing…rooms； the cafes； the workshops； revived the question of the political situation in newspaper offices and clubs； even in porters' lodges and on the tops of omnibuses； in every place where the unfolded public newspapers commented on this startling rumour of the day。
Mora was the most brilliant incarnation of the Empire。 One sees from a distance； not the solid or insecure base of the building； but the gilded and delicate spire； embellished； carved into hollow tracery； added for the satisfaction of the age。 Mora was what was seen in France and throughout Europe of the Empire。 If he fell； the monument would find itself bereft of all its elegance； split as by some long and irreparable crack。 And how many lives would be dragged down by that sudden fall； how many fortunes undermined by the weakened reverberations of the catastrophe！ None so completely as that of the big man sitting motionless downstairs； on the bench in the monkey… house。
For the Nabob； this death was his own death； the ruin； the end of all things。 He was so deeply conscious of it that； when he entered the house； on learning the hopeless condition of the duke； no expression of pity； no regrets of any sort； had escaped him； only the ferocious word of human egoism； 〃I am ruined！〃 And this word kept recurring to his lips； he repeated it mechanically each time that he awoke suddenly afresh to all the horror of his situation； as in those dangerous mountain storms； when a sudden flash of lightning illumines the abyss to its depths； showing the wounding spurs and the bushes on its sides； ready to tear and scratch the man who should fall。
The rapid clairvoyance which accompanies cataclysms spared him no detail。 He saw the invalidation of his election almost certain； now that Mora would no longer be there to plead his cause； then the consequences of the defeatbankruptcy； poverty； and still worse； for when these incalculable riches collapse they always bury a little of a man's honour beneath their ruins。 But how many briers； how many thorns； how many cruel scratches and wounds before arriving at the end！ In a week there would be the Schwalbach billsthat is to say； eight hundred thousand francsto pay； indemnity for Moessard； who wanted a hundred thousand francs； or as the alternative he would apply for the permission of the Chamber to prosecute him for a misdemeanour； a suit still more sinister instituted by the families of two little martyrs of Bethlehem against the founders of the Society； and； on top of all； the complications of the Territorial Bank。 There was one solitary hope； the mission of Paul de Gery to the Bey； but so vague； so chimerical； so remote！
〃Ah； I am ruined！ I am ruined！〃
In the immense entrance…hall no one noticed his distress。 The crowd of senators； of deputies； of councillors of state； all the high officials of the administration； came and went around him without seeing him； holding mysterious consultations with uneasy importance near the two fireplaces of white marble which faced one another。 So many ambitions disappointed； deceived； hurled down； met in this visit /in extremis/； that personal anxieties dominated every other preoccupation。
The faces； strangely enough； expressed neither pity nor grief； rather a sort of anger。 All these people seemed to have a grudge against the duke for dying； as though he had deserted them。 One heard remarks of this kind： 〃It is not surprising； with such a life as he has lived！〃 And looking out of the high windows； these gentlemen pointed out to each other； amid the going and coming of the equipages in the court… yard； the drawing up of some little brougham from within which a well… gloved hand； with its lace sleeve brushing the sash of the door； would hold out a card with a corner turned back to the footman。
From time to time one of the /habitues/ of the palace； one of those whom the dying man had summoned to his bedside； appeared in the medley； gave an order； then went away； leaving the scared expression of his face reflected on twenty others。 Jenkins showed himself thus for a moment； with his cravat untied； his waistcoat unbuttoned； his cuffs crumpled； in all the disorder of the battle in which he was engaged upstairs against a terrible opponent。 He was instantly surrounded； besieged with questions。
Certainly the monkeys flattening their short noses against the bars of their cage； excited by the unaccustomed tumult； and very attentive to all that passed about them as though they were occupied in making a methodical study of human hypocrisy； had a magnificent model in the Irish physician。 His grief was superb； a splendid grief； masculine and strong； which compressed his lips and made him pant。
〃The agony has begun；〃 he said mournfully。 〃It is only a matter of hours。〃
And as Jansoulet came towards him； he said to him emphatically：
〃Ah； my friend； what a man！ What courage！ He has forgotten nobody。 Only just now he was speaking to me of you。〃
〃Really？〃
〃 'The poor Nabob；' said he； 'how does the affair of his election
