the nabob- 第30部分

The　little　blue　placard　hung　over　the　cot；　as　in　the　foundling　hospitals；　states　the　child's　nationality：　〃Moldo；　Wallachian。〃　What　a　piece　of　ill…luck　that　Monsieur　the　Secretary's　attention　should　have　been　attracted　to　that　particular　child！　Oh；　that　poor　little　head　lying　on　the　pillow；　its　linen　cap　askew；　with　pinched　nostrils；　and　mouth　half　opened　by　a　quick；　panting　respiration；　the　breathing　of　the　newly　born；　of　those　also　who　are　about　to　die。

〃Is　he　ill？〃　asked　Monsieur　the　Secretary　softly　of　the　director；　who　has　come　up　to　him。

〃Not　the　least　in　the　world；〃　the　shameless　Pompon　replies；　and；　advancing　to　the　side　of　the　cot；　he　tries　to　make　the　little　one　laugh　by　tickling　him　with　his　finger；　straightens　the　pillow；　and　says　in　a　hearty　voice；　somewhat　overcharged　with　tenderness：　〃Well；　old　fellow？〃　Shaken　out　of　his　torpor；　escaping　for　a　moment　from　the　shades　which　already　are　closing　on　him；　the　child　opens　his　eyes　on　those　faces　leaning　over　him；　glances　at　them　with　a　gloomy　indifference；　then；　returning　to　his　dream　which　he　finds　more　interesting；　clinches　his　little　wrinkled　hands　and　heaves　an　elusive　sigh。　Mystery！　Who　shall　say　for　what　end　that　baby　had　been　born　into　life？　To　suffer　for　two　months　and　to　depart　without　having　seen　anything；　understood　anything；　without　any　one　even　knowing　the　sound　of　his　voice。

〃How　pale　he　is！〃　murmurs　M。　de　la　Perriere；　very　pale　himself。　The　Nabob　is　livid　also。　A　cold　breath　seems　to　have　passed　over　the　place。　The　director　assumes　an　air　of　unconcern。

〃It　is　the　reflection。　We　are　all　of　us　green　here。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　so；〃　remarks　Jenkins；　〃it　is　the　reflection　of　the　lake。　Come　and　look；　Monsieur　the　Secretary。〃　And　he　draws　him　to　the　window　to　point　out　to　him　the　large　sheet　of　water　with　its　dipping　willows；　while　Mme。　Polge　makes　haste　to　draw　over　the　eternal　dream　of　the　little　Wallachian　the　parted　curtains　of　his　cradle。

The　inspection　of　the　establishment　must　be　continued　very　quickly　in　order　to　destroy　this　unfortunate　impression。

To　begin　with；　M。　de　la　Perriere　is　shown　a　splendid　laundry；　with　stoves；　drying…rooms；　thermometers；　immense　presses　of　polished　walnut；　full　of　babies'　caps　and　frocks；　labelled　and　tied　up　in　dozens。　When　the　linen　has　been　warmed；　the　linen…room　maid　passes　it　out　through　a　little　door　in　exchange　for　the　number　left　by　the　nurse。　A　perfect　order　reigns；　one　can　see；　and　everything；　down　to　its　healthy　smell　of　soap…suds；　gives　to　this　apartment　a　wholesome　and　rural　aspect。　There　is　clothing　here　for　five　hundred　children。　That　is　the　number　which　Bethlehem　can　accommodate；　and　everything　has　been　arranged　upon　a　corresponding　scale；　the　vast　pharmacy；　glittering　with　bottles　and　Latin　inscriptions；　pestles　and　mortars　of　marble　in　every　corner；　the　hydropathic　installation；　its　large　rooms　built　of　stone；　with　gleaming　baths　possessing　a　huge　apparatus　including　pipes　of　all　dimensions　for　douches；　upward　and　downward；　spray；　jet；　or　whip…lash；　and　the　kitchens　adorned　with　superb　kettles　of　copper；　and　with　economical　coal　and　gas　ovens。　Jenkins　wished　to　institute　a　model　establishment；　and　he　found　the　thing　easy；　for　the　work　was　done　on　a　large　scale；　as　it　can　be　when　funds　are　not　lacking。　You　feel　also　over　it　all　the　experience　and　the　iron　hand　of　〃our　intelligent　superintendent；〃　to　whom　the　director　cannot　refrain　from　paying　a　public　tribute。　This　is　the　signal　for　general　congratulations。　M。　de　la　Perriere；　delighted　with　the　manner　in　which　the　establishment　is　equipped；　congratulates　Dr。　Jenkins　upon　his　fine　creations；　Jenkins　compliments　his　friend　Pondevez；　who；　in　his　turn；　thanks　the　Departmental　secretary　for　having　consented　to　honour　Bethlehem　with　a　visit。　The　good　Nabob　makes　his　voice　heard　in　this　chorus　of　eulogy；　finds　a　kind　word　for　each　one；　but　is　a　little　surprised　all　the　same　that　he　has　not　been　congratulated　himself；　since　they　were　about　it。　It　is　true　that　the　best　of　congratulations　awaits　him　on　the　16th　March　on　the　front　page　of　the　/Official　Journal/　in　a　decree　which　flames　in　advance　before　his　eyes　and　makes　him　glance　every　now　and　then　at　his　buttonhole。

These　pleasant　words　are　exchanged　as　the　party　passes　along　a　big　corridor　in　which　the　voices　ring　out　in　all　their　honest　accents；　but　suddenly　a　frightful　noise　interrupts　the　conversation　and　the　advance　of　the　visitors。　It　seems　to　be　made　up　of　the　mewing　of　cats　in　delirium；　of　bellowings；　of　the　howlings　of　savages　performing　a　war…　dance；　an　appalling　tempest　of　human　cries；　reverberated；　swelled；　and　prolonged　by　the　echoing　vaults。　It　rises　and　falls；　ceases　suddenly；　then　goes　on　again　with　an　extraordinary　effect　of　unanimity。

Monsieur　the　Director　begins　to　be　uneasy；　makes　an　inquiry。　Jenkins　rolls　furious　eyes。

〃Let　us　go　on；〃　says　the　director；　rather　anxious　this　time。　〃I　know　what　it　is。〃

He　knows　what　it　is；　but　M。　de　la　Perriere　wishes　to　know　also　what　it　is；　and；　before　Pondevez　has　had　the　time　to　unfasten　it；　he　pushes　open　the　massive　door　whence　this　horrible　concert　proceeds。

In　a　sordid　kennel　which　the　great　cleansing　has　passed　over；　for；　in　fact；　it　was　not　intended　to　be　exhibited；　on　mattresses　ranged　on　the　floor；　a　dozen　little　wretches　are　laid；　watched　over　by　an　empty　chair　on　which　the　beginning　of　a　knitted　vest　lies　with　an　air　of　dignity；　and　by　a　little　broken　saucepan；　full　of　hot　wine；　boiling　on　a　smoky　wood　fire。　These　are　the　children　with　ringworm；　with　rashes；　the　disfavoured　of　Bethlehem；　who　had　been　hidden　in　this　retired　corner　with　recommendation　to　their　dry…nurse　to　rock　them；　to　soothe　them；　to　sit　on　them；　if　need　were；　in　order　to　keep　them　from　crying；　but　whom　this　country…woman；　stupid　and　inquisitive；　had　left　alone　there　in　order　to　see　the　fine　carriage　standing　in　the　court…yard。　Her　back　turned；　the　infants　had　very　quickly　grown　weary　of　their　horizontal　position；　and　then　all　these　little　scrofulous　patients　raised　their　lusty　concert；　for　they；　by　a　miracle；　are　strong；　their　malady　saves　and　nourishes　them。　Bewildered　and　kicking　like　beetles　when　they　are　turned　on　their　backs；　helping　themselves　with　their　hips　and　their　elbows；　some　fallen　on　one　side　and　unable　to　regain　their　balance；　others　raising　in　the　air　their　little　benumbed；　swaddled　legs；　spontaneously　they　cease　their　gesticulations　and　cries　as　they　see　the　door　open；　but　M。　de　la　Perrier's　nodding　goatee　beard　reassures　them；　encourages　them　anew；　and　in　the　renewed　tumult　the　explanation　given　by　the　director　is　only　heard　with　difficulty：　〃Children　kept　separateContagionSkin…diseases。〃　This　is　quite　enough　for　Monsieur　the　Departmental　Secretary；　less　heroic　than　Bonaparte　on　his　visit　to　the　plague…stricken　of　Jaffa；　he　hastens　towards　the　door；　and　in　his　timid　anxiety；　wishing　to　say　something　and　yet　not　finding　words；　murmurs　with　an　ineffable　smile：　〃They　are　char…ar…ming。〃

Next；　the　inspection　at　an　end；　see　them　all　gathered　in　the　salon　on　the　ground　floor；　where　Mme。　Polge　has　prepared　a　little　luncheon。　The　cellar　of　Bethlehem　is　well　stocked。　The　keen　air　of　the　table…land；　these　climbs　up　and　downstairs　have　given　the　old　gentleman　from　the　Tuileries　an　appetite　such　as　he　has　not　known　for　a　long　time；　so　that　he　chats　and　laughs　as　if　he　were　at　a　picnic；　and　at　the　moment　of　departure；　as　they　are　all　standing；　raises　his　glass；　nodding　his　head；　to　drink；　〃To　Be…Be…Bethlehem！〃　Those　present　are　moved；　glasses　are　touched；　then；　at　a　quick　trot；　the　carriage　bears　the　party　away　down　the　long　avenue　of　limes；　over　which　a　red　and　cold　sun　is　just　setting。　Behind　them　the　park　resumes　its　dismal　silence。　Great　dark　masses　gather　in　the　depths　of　the　copses；　surround　the　house；　gain　little　by　little　the　paths　and　open　spaces。　Soon　all　is　lost　in　gloom　save　the　ironical　letters　embossed　above　the　entrance…gate；　and；　away　over　yonder；　at　a　first…floor　window；　one　red　and　wavering　spot；　the　light　of　a　candle　burning　by　the　pillow　of　the　dead　child。

　　〃By　a　decree　dated　the　12th　March；　1865；　issued　upon　the　proposal　　　of　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Monsieur　the　Doctor　Jenkins；　　　President　and　Founder　of　the　Bethlehem　Society　is　named　a　　　Chevalier　of　the　Imperial　Order　of　the　Legion　of　Honour。　Great　　　devotion　to　the　cause　of　humanity。〃

As　he　read　these　words　on　the　front　page　of　the　/Official　Journal/；　on　the　morning　of　the　16th；　the　poor　Nabob　felt　dazed。

Was　it　possible？

Jenkins　decorated；　and　not　he！

He　read　the　paragraph　twice　over；　distrusting　his　own　eyes。　His　ears　buzzed。　The　letters　danced　double　before　his　eyes　with　those　great　red　rings　round　them　which　they　have　in　strong　sunlight。　He　had　been　so　confident　of　seeing　his　name　in　this　place；　Jenkins；　only　the　evening　before；　had　repeated　to　him　with　so　much　assurance；　〃It　is　already　done！〃　that　he　still　thought　his　eyes　must　have　deceived　him。　But　no；　it　was　indeed　Jenkins。　The　blow　was　heavy；　deep；　prophetic；　as　it　were　a　first　warning　from　destiny；　and　one　that　was　felt　all　the　more　intensely　because　for　years　this　man　had　been　unaccustomed　to　failure。　Everything　good　in　him　learned　mistrust　at　the　same　time。

〃Well；〃　said　he　to　de　Gery　as　he　came　as　usual　every　morning　into　his　room；　and　found　him　visibly　affected；　holding　the　newspaper　in　his　hand；　〃have　you　seen？　I　am　not　in　the　/Official/。〃

He　tried　to　smile；　his　features　puckered　like　those　of　a　child　restraining　his　tears。　Then；　suddenly；　with　that　frankness　which　was　such　a　pleasing　quality　in　him：　〃It　is　a　great　disappointment　to　me。　I　was　looking　forward　to　it　too　confidently。〃

The　door　opened　upon　these　words；　and　Jenkins　rushed　in；　out　of　breath；　stammering；　extraordinarily　agitated。

〃It　is　an　infamy；　a　frightful　infamy！　The　thing　cannot　be；　it　shall　not　be！〃

The　words　stumbled　over　each　other　in　disorder　on　his　lips；　all　trying　to　get　out　at　once；　then　he　seemed　to　despair　of　finding　expression　for　his　thoughts　and　in　disgust　threw　on　the　table　a　small　box　and　a　large　envelope；　both　bearing　the　stamp　of　the　chancellor's　office。

〃There　are　my　cross　and　my　brevet。　They　are　yours；　friend。　I　could　not　keep　them。〃

At　bottom　the　words　did　not　signify　much。　Jansoulet　adorni