the nabob- 第9部分

〃He　told　you　so？〃

〃Ask　the　governor　if　he　did　notheard　it　like　myself。〃

The　person　who　was　called　the　governorPaganetti；　to　give　him　his　real　namewas　a　little；　expressive　man；　constantly　gesticulating　and　fatiguing　to　behold；　so　many　were　the　different　expressions　which　his　face　would　assume　in　the　course　of　a　single　minute。　He　was　managing　director　of　the　Territorial　Bank　of　Corsica；　a　vast　financial　enterprise；　and　had　now　come　to　the　house　for　the　first　time；　introduced　by　Monpavon；　he　occupied　accordingly　a　place　of　honour。　On　the　other　side　of　the　Nabob　was　an　old　gentleman；　buttoned　up　to　the　chin　in　a　frock…coat　having　a　straight　collar　without　lapels；　like　an　Oriental　tunic；　his　face　slashed　by　a　thousand　little　bloodshot　veins　and　wearing　a　white　moustache　of　military　cut。　It　was　Brahim　Bey；　the　most　valiant　colonel　of　the　Regency　of　Tunis；　aide…de…camp　of　the　former　Bey　who　had　made　the　fortune　of　Jansoulet。　The　glorious　exploits　of　this　warrior　showed　themselves　written　in　wrinkles；　in　blemishes　wrought　by　debauchery　upon　the　nerveless　under…lip　that　hung　as　it　were　relaxed；　and　upon　his　eyes　without　lashes；　inflamed　and　red。　It　was　a　head　such　as　one　may　see　in　the　dock　at　certain　criminal　trials　that　are　held　with　closed　doors。　The　other　guests　were　seated　pell…mell；　just　as　they　had　happened　to　arrive　or　to　find　themselves；　for　the　house　was　open　to　everybody；　and　the　table　was　laid　every　morning　for　thirty　persons。

There　were　present　the　manager　of　the　theatre　financed　by　the　Nabob；　Cardailhac；　renowned　for　his　wit　almost　as　much　as　for　his　insolvencies；　a　marvellous　carver　who；　while　he　was　engaged　in　severing　the　limbs　of　a　partridge；　would　prepare　one　of　his　witticisms　and　deposit　it　with　a　wing　upon　the　plate　which　was　presented　to　him。　He　worked　up　his　witticisms　instead　of　improvising　them；　and　the　new　fashion　of　serving　meats；　/a　la　Russe/　and　carved　beforehand；　had　been　fatal　to　him　by　its　removal　of　all　excuse　for　a　preparatory　silence。　Consequently　it　was　the　general　remark　that　his　vogue　was　on　the　decline。　Parisian；　moreover；　a　dandy　to　the　finger　tips；　and；　as　he　himself　was　wont　to　boast；　〃with　not　one　particle　of　superstition　in　his　whole　body；〃　a　characteristic　which　permitted　him　to　give　very　piquant　details　concerning　the　ladies　of　his　theatre　to　Brahim　Bey　who　listened　to　him　as　one　turns　over　the　pages　of　a　naughty　bookand　to　talk　theology　to　the　young　priest　who　was　his　nearest　neighbour；　a　curate　of　some　little　southern　village；　lean　and　with　a　complexion　sunburnt　till　it　matched　the　cloth　of　his　cassock　in　colour；　with　fiery　patches　above　the　cheek…bones；　and　the　pointed；　forward…pushing　nose　of　the　ambitious　man；　who　would　remark　to　Cardailhac　very　loudly；　in　a　tone　of　protection　and　sacerdotal　authority：

〃We　are　quite　pleased　with　M。　Guizot。　He　is　doing　very　wellvery　well。　It　is　a　conquest　for　the　Church。〃

Seated　next　this　pontiff；　with　a　black　neck…band；　old　Schwalbach；　the　famous　picture…dealer；　displayed　his　prophet's　beard；　tawny　in　places　like　a　dirty　fleece；　his　three　overcoats　tinged　by　mildew；　all　that　loose　and　negligent　attire　for　which　he　was　excused　in　the　name　of　art；　and　because；　in　a　time　when　the　mania　for　picture　galleries　had　already　begun　to　cause　millions　to　change　hands；　it　was　the　proper　thing　to　entertain　the　man　who　was　the　best　placed　for　the　conduct　of　these　absurdly　vain　transactions。　Schwalbach　did　not　speak；　contenting　himself　with　gazing　around　him　through　his　enormous　monocle；　shaped　like　a　hand　magnifying…glass；　and　with　smiling　in　his　beard　over　the　singular　neighbours　made　by　this　unique　assembly。　Thus　it　happened　that　M。　de　Monpavon　had　quite　close　to　himand　it　was　a　sight　to　watch　how　the　disdainful　curve　of　his　nose　was　accentuated　at　each　glance　in　that　directionthe　singer　Garrigou；　a　fellow…countryman　of　Jansoulet；　a　distinguished　ventriloquist　who　sang　Figaro　in　the　dialect　of　the　south；　and　had　no　equal　in　his　imitations　of　animals。　Just　beyond；　Cabassu；　another　compatriot；　a　little　short　and　dumpy　man；　with　the　neck　of　a　bull　and　the　biceps　of　a　statue　by　Michel　Angelo；　who　suggested　at　once　a　Marseilles　hairdresser　and　the　strong　man　at　a　fair；　a　masseur；　pedicure；　manicure；　and　something　of　a　dentist；　sat　with　elbows　on　the　table　with　the　coolness　of　a　charlatan　whom　one　receives　in　the　morning　and　knows　the　little　infirmities；　the　intimate　distresses　of　the　abode　in　which　he　chances　to　find　himself。　M。　Bompain　completed　this　array　of　subordinates；　all　alike　in　one　respect　at　any　rate；　Bompain；　the　secretary；　the　steward；　the　confidential　agent；　through　whose　hands　the　entire　business　of　the　house　passed；　and　it　sufficed　to　observe　that　solemnly　stupid　attitude；　that　indefinite　manner；　the　Turkish　fez　placed　awkwardly　on　a　head　suggestive　of　a　village　school…master；　in　order　to　understand　to　what　manner　of　people　interests　like　those　of　the　Nabob　had　been　abandoned。

Finally；　to　fill　the　gaps　among　these　figures　I　have　sketched；　the　Turkish　crowdTunisians；　Moors；　Egyptians；　Levantines；　and；　mingled　with　this　exotic　element；　a　whole　variegated　Parisian　Bohemia　of　ruined　nobleman；　doubtful　traders；　penniless　journalists；　inventors　of　strange　products；　people　arrived　from　the　south　without　a　farthing；　all　the　lost　ships　needing　revictualling；　or　flocks　of　birds　wandering　aimlessly　in　the　night；　which　were　drawn　by　this　great　fortune　as　by　the　light　of　a　beacon。　The　Nabob　admitted　this　miscellaneous　collection　of　individuals　to　his　table　out　of　kindness；　out　of　generosity；　out　of　weakness；　by　reason　of　his　easy…going　manners；　joined　to　an　absolute　ignorance　and　a　survival　of　that　loneliness　of　the　exile；　of　that　need　for　expansion　which；　down　yonder　in　Tunis；　in　his　splendid　palace　of　the　Bardo；　had　caused　him　to　welcome　everybody　who　hailed　from　France；　from　the　small　tradesman　exporting　Parisian　wares　to　the　famous　pianist　on　tour　and　the　consul…general　himself。

As　one　listened　to　those　various　accents；　those　foreign　intonations；　gruff　or　faltering；　as　one　gazed　upon　those　widely　different　physiognomies；　some　violent；　barbarous；　vulgar；　others　hyper…　civilized；　worn；　suggestive　only　of　the　Boulevard　and　as　it　were　flaccid；　one　noted　that　the　same　diversity　was　evident　also　among　the　servants　who；　some　apparently　lads　just　out　of　an　office；　insolent　in　manner；　with　heads　of　hair　like　a　dentist's　or　a　bath…attendant's；　busied　themselves　among　Ethiopians　standing　motionless　and　shining　like　candelabra　of　black　marble；　and　it　was　impossible　to　say　exactly　where　one　was；　in　any　case；　you　would　never　have　imagined　yourself　to　be　in　the　Place　Vendome；　right　in　the　beating　heart　and　very　centre　of　the　life　of　our　modern　Paris。　Upon　the　table　there　was　a　like　importation　of　exotic　dishes；　saffron　or　anchovy　sauces；　spices　mixed　up　with　Turkish　delicacies；　chickens　with　fried　almonds；　and　all　this　taken　together　with　the　banality　of　the　interior；　the　gilding　of　the　panels；　the　shrill　ringing　of　the　new　bells；　gave　the　impression　of　a　/table　d'hote/　in　some　big　hotel　in　Smyrna　or　Calcutta；　or　of　a　luxurious　dining…saloon　on　board　a　transatlantic　liner；　the　〃Pereire〃　or　the　〃Sinai。〃

It　might　seem　that　this　diversity　among　the　guestsI　was　about　to　say　among　the　passengersought　to　have　caused　the　meal　to　be　animated　and　noisy。　Far　otherwise。　They　all　ate　nervously；　watching　each　other　out　of　eye…corners；　and　even　those　most　accustomed　to　society；　those　who　appeared　the　most　at　their　ease；　had　in　their　glance　the　wandering　look　and　the　distraction　of　a　fixed　idea；　a　feverish　anxiety　which　caused　them　to　speak　without　relevance　and　to　listen　without　understanding　a　word　of　what　was　being　said　to　them。

Suddenly　the　door　of　the　dining…room　opened。

〃Ah；　here　comes　Jenkins！〃　exclaimed　the　Nabob　delightedly。　〃Welcome；　welcome；　doctor。　How　are　you；　my　friend？〃

A　smile　to　those　around；　a　hearty　shake　of　his　host's　hand；　and　Jenkins　sat　down　opposite　him；　next　to　Monpavon；　before　a　place　at　the　table　which　a　servant　had　just　prepared　in　all　haste　and　without　having　received　any　order；　exactly　as　at　a　/table　d'hote/。　Among　those　preoccupied　and　feverish　faces；　this　one　at　any　rate　stood　out　in　contrast　by　its　good　humour；　its　cheerfulness；　and　that　loquacious　and　flattering　benevolence　which　makes　the　Irish　in　a　way　the　Gascons　of　England。　And　what　a　splendid　appetite！　With　what　heartiness；　what　ease　of　conscience　he　used　his　white　teeth　as　he　talked！

〃Well；　Jansoulet；　you　have　read　it？〃

〃What？〃

〃How；　then！　you　do　not　know？　You　have　not　read　what　the　/Messenger/　says　about　you　this　morning？〃

Beneath　the　dark　tan　of　his　cheeks　the　Nabob　blushed　like　a　child；　and；　his　eyes　shining　with　pleasure：

〃Is　it　possiblethe　/Messenger/　has　spoken　of　me？〃

〃Through　two　columns。　How　is　it　that　Moessard　has　not　shown　it　to　you？〃

〃Oh；〃　put　in　Moessard　modestly；　〃it　was　not　worth　the　trouble。〃

He　was　a　little　journalist；　with　a　fair　complexion　and　smart　in　his　dress；　sufficiently　good…looking；　but　with　a　face　which　presented　that　worn　appearance　noticeable　as　the　special　mark　of　waiters　in　night…　restaurants；　actors；　and　light　women；　and　produced　by　conventional　grimacing　and　the　wan　reflection　of　gaslight。　He　was　reputed　to　be　the　paid　lover　of　an　exiled　and　profligate　queen。　The　rumour　was　whispered　around　him；　and；　in　his　own　world；　secured　him　an　envied　and　despicable　position。

Jansoulet　insisted　on　reading　the　article；　impatient　to　know　what　had　been　said　of　him。　Unfortunately　Jenkins　had　left　his　copy　at　the　duke's。

〃Let　some　one　go　fetch　me　a　/Messenger/　quickly；〃　said　the　Nabob　to　the　servant　behind　him。

Moessard　intervened。

〃It　is　needless。　I　must　have　the　thing　on　me　somewhere。〃

And　with　the　absence　of　ceremony　of　the　tavern　/habitue/；　of　the　reporter　who　scribbles　his　paragraph　with　his　glass　beside　him；　the　journalist　drew　out　a　pocket…book；　crammed　full　of　notes；　stamped　papers；　newspaper　cuttings；　notes　written　on　glazed　paper　with　crests；　which　he　proceeded　to　litter　over　the　table；　pushing　away　his　plate　in　order　to　search　for　the　proof　of　his　article。

〃There　you　are。〃　He　passed　it　over　to　Jansoulet；　but　Jenkins　besought　him：

〃No；　no；　read　it　aloud。〃

The　company　having　echoed　the　request　in　chorus；　Moessard