the nabob-第7部分

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　an　extreme　earnestness　which　added　to　her　beauty　the　concentration；　the　intensity　which　are　given　to　the　features　by　an　attentive　and　satisfied　expression。　But　that　changed　immediately　upon　the　arrival　of　the　doctor。

〃Ah；　it　is　you；〃　said　she　brusquely；　as　though　awaked　from　a　dream。　〃The　bell　was　rung；　then？　I　did　not　hear　it。〃

And　in　the　ennui；　the　lassitude　that　suddenly　took　possession　of　that　adorable　face；　the　only　thing　that　remained　expressive　and　brilliant　was　the　eyes；　eyes　in　which　the　factitious　gleam　of　the　Jenkins　pills　was　heightened　by　the　constitutional　wildness。

Oh；　how　the　doctor's　voice　became　humble　and　condescending　as　he　answered　her：

〃So　you　are　quite　absorbed　in　your　work；　my　dear　Felicia。　Is　it　something　new　that　you　are　at　work　on　there？　It　seems　to　me　very　pretty。〃

He　moved　towards　the　rough　and　still　formless　model　out　of　which　there　was　beginning　to　issue　vaguely　a　group　of　two　animals；　one　a　greyhound　which　was　scampering　at　full　speed　with　a　rush　that　was　truly　extraordinary。

〃The　idea　of　it　came　to　me　last　night。　I　began　to　work　it　out　by　lamplight。　My　poor　Kadour；　he　sees　no　fun　in　it；〃　said　the　girl；　glancing　with　a　look　of　caressing　kindness　at　the　greyhound　whose　paws　the　little　page　was　endeavouring　to　place　apart　in　order　to　get　the　pose　again。

Jenkins　remarked　in　a　fatherly　way　that　she　did　wrong　to　tire　herself　thus；　and　taking　her　wrist　with　ecclesiastical　precautions：

〃Come；　I　am　sure　you　are　feverish。〃

At　the　contact　of　his　hand　with　her　own；　Felicia　made　a　movement　almost　of　repulsion。

〃No；　no；　leave　me　alone。　Your　pills　can　do　nothing　for　me。　When　I　do　not　work　I　am　bored。　I　am　bored　to　death；　to　extinction；　my　thoughts　are　the　colour　of　that　water　which　flows　over　yonder；　brackish　and　heavy。　To　be　commencing　life；　and　to　be　disgusted　with　it！　It　is　hard。　I　am　reduced　to　the　point　of　envying　my　poor　Constance；　who　passes　her　days　in　her　chair；　without　opening　her　mouth；　but　smiling　to　herself　over　her　memories　of　the　past。　I　have　not　even　that；　I；　happy　remembrances　to　muse　upon。　I　have　only　workwork！〃

As　she　talked　she　went　on　modelling　furiously；　now　with　the　boasting…　tool；　now　with　her　fingers；　which　she　wiped　from　time　to　time　on　a　little　sponge　placed　on　the　wooden　platform　which　supported　the　group；　so　that　her　complaints；　her　melancholies；　inexplicable　in　the　mouth　of　a　girl　of　twenty　which；　in　repose；　had　the　purity　of　a　Greek　smile；　seemed　uttered　at　random　and　addressed　to　no　one　in　particular。

Jenkins；　however；　appeared　disturbed　by　them；　troubled；　despite　the　evident　attention　which　he　gave　to　the　work　of　the　artist；　or　rather　to　the　artist　herself；　to　the　triumphant　grace　of　this　girl　whom　her　beauty　seemed　to　have　predestined　to　the　study　of　the　plastic　arts。

Embarrassed　by　the　admiring　gaze　which　she　felt　fixed　upon　her；　Felicia　resumed：

〃Apropos；　I　have　seen　him；　you　know；　your　Nabob。　Some　one　pointed　him　out　to　me　last　Friday　at　the　opera。〃

〃You　were　at　the　opera　on　Friday？〃

〃Yes。　The　duke　had　sent　me　his　box。〃

Jenkins　changed　colour。

〃I　persuaded　Constance　to　go　with　me。　It　was　the　first　time　for　twenty…five　years　since　her　farewell　performance；　that　she　had　been　inside　the　Opera…House。　It　made　a　great　impression　on　her。　During　the　ballet；　especially；　she　trembled；　she　beamed；　all　her　old　triumphs　sparkled　in　her　eyes。　Happy　who　has　emotions　like　that。　A　real　type；　that　Nabob。　You　will　have　to　bring　him　to　see　me。　He　has　a　head　that　it　would　amuse　me　to　do。〃

〃He！　Why；　he　is　hideous！　You　cannot　have　looked　at　him　carefully。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　had　a　perfect　view。　He　was　opposite　us。　That　mask；　as　of　a　white　Ethiopian；　would　be　superb　in　marble。　And　not　vulgar；　in　any　case。　Besides；　since　he　is　so　ugly　as　that；　you　will　not　be　so　unhappy　as　you　were　last　year　when　I　was　doing　Mora's　bust。　What　a　disagreeable　face　you　had；　Jenkins；　in　those　days！〃

〃For　ten　years　of　life；〃　muttered　Jenkins　in　a　gloomy　voice；　〃I　would　not　have　that　time　over　again。　But　you　it　amuses　to　behold　suffering。〃

〃You　know　quite　well　that　nothing　amuses　me；〃　said　she；　shrugging　her　shoulders　with　a　supreme　impertinence。

Then；　without　looking　at　him；　without　adding　another　word；　she　plunged　into　one　of　those　dumb　activities　by　which　true　artists　escape　from　themselves　and　from　everything　that　surrounds　them。

Jenkins　paced　a　few　steps　in　the　studio；　much　moved；　with　avowals　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue　which　yet　dared　not　put　themselves　into　words。　At　length；　feeling　himself　dismissed；　he　took　his　hat　and　walked　towards　the　door。

〃So　it　is　understood。　I　must　bring　him　to　see　you。〃

〃Who？〃

〃Why；　the　Nabob。　It　was　you　who　this　very　moment〃

〃Ah；　yes；〃　remarked　the　strange　person　whose　caprices　were　short…　lived。　〃Bring　him　if　you　like。　I　don't　care；　otherwise。〃

And　her　beautiful　dejected　voice；　in　which　something　seemed　broken；　the　listlessness　of　her　whole　personality；　said　distinctly　enough　that　it　was　true；　that　she　cared　really　for　nothing　in　the　world。

Jenkins　left　the　room；　extremely　troubled；　and　with　a　gloomy　brow。　But；　the　moment　he　was　outside；　he　assumed　once　more　his　laughing　and　cordial　expression；　being　of　those　who；　in　the　streets；　go　masked。　The　morning　was　advancing。　The　mist；　still　perceptible　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Seine；　floated　now　only　in　shreds　and　gave　a　vaporous　unsubstantiality　to　the　houses　on　the　quay；　to　the　river　steamers　whose　paddles　remained　invisible；　to　the　distant　horizon　in　which　the　dome　of　the　Invalides　hung　poised　like　a　gilded　balloon　with　a　rope　that　darted　sunbeams。　A　diffused　warmth；　the　movement　in　the　streets；　told　that　noon　was　not　far　distant；　that　it　would　be　there　directly　with　the　striking　of　all　the　bells。

Before　going　on　to　the　Nabob's；　Jenkins　had；　however；　one　other　visit　to　make。　But　he　appeared　to　find　it　a　great　nuisance。　However；　since　he　had　made　the　promise！　And；　resolutely：

〃68　Rue　Saint…Ferdinand；　at　the　Ternes；〃　he　said；　as　he　sprang　into　his　carriage。

The　address　required　to　be　repeated　twice　to　the　coachman；　Joey；　who　was　scandalized；　the　very　horse　showed　a　momentary　hesitation；　as　if　the　valuable　beast　and　the　impeccably　clad　servant　had　felt　revolt　at　the　idea　of　driving　out　to　such　a　distant　suburb；　beyond　the　limited　but　so　brilliant　circle　wherein　their　master's　clients　were　scattered。　The　carriage　arrived；　all　the　same；　without　accident；　at　the　end　of　a　provincial…looking；　unfinished　street；　and　at　the　last　of　its　buildings；　a　house　of　unfurnished　apartments　with　five　stories；　which　the　street　seemed　to　have　despatched　forward　as　a　reconnoitring　party　to　discover　whether　it　might　continue　on　that　side　isolated　as　it　stood　between　vaguely　marked…out　sites　waiting　to　be　built　upon　or　heaped　with　the　debris　of　houses　broken　down；　with　blocks　of　freestone；　old　shutters　lying　amid　the　desolation；　mouldy　butchers'　blocks　with　broken　hinges　hanging；　an　immense　ossuary　of　a　whole　demolished　region　of　the　town。

Innumerable　placards　were　stuck　above　the　door；　the　latter　being　decorated　by　a　great　frame　of　photographs　white　with　dust　before　which　Jenkins　paused　for　a　moment　as　he　passed。　Had　the　famous　doctor　come　so　far；　then；　simply　for　the　purpose　of　having　a　photograph　taken？　It　might　have　been　thought　so；　judging　by　the　attention　with　which　he　stayed　to　examine　this　display；　the　fifteen　or　twenty　photographs　which　represented　the　same　family　in　different　poses　and　actions　and　with　varying　expressions；　an　old　gentleman；　with　chin　supported　by　a　high　white　neckcloth；　and　a　leathern　portfolio　under　his　arm；　surrounded　by　a　bevy　of　young　girls　with　their　hair　in　plait　or　in　curls；　and　with　modest　ornaments　on　their　black　frocks。　Sometimes　the　old　gentleman　had　posed　with　but　two　of　his　daughters；　or　perhaps　one　of　those　young　and　pretty　profile　figures　stood　out　alone；　the　elbow　resting　upon　a　broken　column；　the　head　bowed　over　a　book　in　a　natural　and　easy　pose。　But；　in　short；　it　was　always　the　same　air　with　variations；　and　within　the　glass　frame　there　was　no　gentleman　save　the　old　gentleman　with　the　white　neckcloth；　nor　other　feminine　figures　that　those　of　his　numerous　daughters。

〃Studios　upstairs；　on　the　fifth　floor；〃　said　a　line　above　the　frame。　Jenkins　sighed；　measured　with　his　eye　the　distance　that　separated　the　ground　from　the　little　balcony　up　there　in　the　clouds；　then　he　decided　to　enter。　In　the　corridor　he　passed　a　white　neckcloth　and　a　majestic　leathern　portfolio；　evidently　the　old　gentleman　of　the　photographic　exhibition。　Questioned；　this　individual　replied　that　M。　Maranne　did　indeed　live　on　the　fifth　floor。　〃But；〃　he　added；　with　an　engaging　smile；　〃the　stories　are　not　lofty。〃　Upon　this　encouragement　the　Irishman　began　to　ascend　a　narrow　and　quite　new　staircase　with　landings　no　larger　than　a　step；　only　one　door　on　each　floor；　and　badly　lighted　windows　through　which　could　be　seen　a　gloomy；　ill…paved　court…　yard　and　other　cage…like　staircases；　all　empty；　one　of　those　frightful　modern　houses；　built　by　the　dozen　by　penniless　speculators；　and　having　as　their　worst　disadvantage　thin　partition　walls　which　oblige　all　the　inhabitants　to　live　in　a　phalansterian　community。

At　this　particular　time　the　inconvenience　was　not　great；　the　fourth　and　fifth　floors　alone　happening　to　be　occupied；　as　though　the　tenants　had　dropped　into　them　from　the　sky。

On　the　fourth　floor；　behind　a　door　with　a　copper　plate　bearing　the　announcement　〃M。　Joyeuse；　Expert　in　Bookkeeping；〃　the　doctor　heard　a　sound　of　fresh　laughter；　of　young　people's　chatter；　and　of　romping　steps；　which　accompanied　him　to　the　floor　above；　to　the　photographic　establishment。

These　little　businesses　perched　away　in　corners　with　the　air　of　having　no　communication　with　any　outside　world　are　one　of　the　surprises　of　Paris。　One　asks　one's　self　how　the　people　live　who　go　into　these　trades；　what　fastidious　Providence　can；　for　example；　send　clients　to　a　photographer　lodged　on　a　fifth　floor　in　a　nondescript　region；　well　beyond　the　Rue　Saint…Ferdinand；　or　books　to　keep　to　the　accountant　below。　Jenkins；　as　he　made　this　reflection；　smiled　in　pity；　then　went　straight　in　as　he　was　invited　by　the　following　inscription；　〃Enter　without　knocking。〃　Alas！　the　permission　was　scarcely　abused。　A　tall　young　man　weari