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