the nabob-第38节

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f　by　chance　some　unfortunate　wight　did　mount；　I　made　a　failure　of　him；　got　on　my　plate　only　an　image　blurred　and　vague　as　a　phantom。　One　day；　at　the　very　beginning；　a　wedding…party　came　up　to　me；　the　bride　all　in　white；　the　bridegroom　with　a　waistcoatlike　that！　And　all　the　guests　in　white　gloves；　which　they　insisted　on　keeping　on　for　the　portrait　on　account　of　the　rarity　of　such　an　event　with　them。　No；　I　thought　I　should　go　mad。　Those　black　faces；　the　great　white　patches　made　by　the　dresses；　the　gloves；　the　orange…blossoms；　the　unlucky　bride；　looking　like　a　queen　of　Niam…niam　under　her　wreath　merging　indistinguishably　into　her　hair。　And　all　of　them　so　full　of　good…will；　of　encouragements　to　the　artist。　I　began　them　over　again　at　least　twenty　times；　and　kept　them　till　five　o'clock　in　the　evening。　And　then　they　only　left　me　because　it　was　time　for　dinner。　Can　you　imagine　that　wedding…day　passed　at　a　photographer's？〃

While　Andre　was　recounting　to　him　with　this　good　humour　the　troubles　of　his　life；　Paul　recalled　the　tirade　of　Felicia　that　day　when　Bohemians　had　been　mentioned；　and　all　that　she　had　said　to　Jenkins　of　their　lofty　courage；　avid　of　privations　and　trials。　He　thought　also　of　Aline's　passion　for　her　beloved　Paris；　of　which　he　himself　was　only　acquainted；　for　his　part；　with　the　unwholesome　eccentricities；　while　the　great　city　hid　in　its　recesses　so　many　unknown　heroisms　and　noble　illusions。　This　last　impression；　already　experienced　within　the　sheltered　circle　of　the　Joyeuse's　great　lamp；　he　received　perhaps　still　more　vividly　in　this　atmosphere；　less　warm；　less　peaceful；　wherein　art　also　entered　to　add　its　despairing　or　glorious　uncertainty；　and　it　was　with　a　moved　heart　that　he　listened　to　Andre　Maranne　as　he　spoke　to　him　of　Elise；　of　the　examinations　which　it　was　taking　her　so　long　to　pass；　of　the　difficulties　of　photography；　of　all　that　unforeseen　element　in　his　life　which　would　end　certainly　〃when　he　could　have　secured　the　production　of　/Revolt/；〃　a　charming　smile　accompanying　on　the　poet's　lips　this　so　often　expressed　hope；　which　he　was　wont　himself　to　hasten　to　make　fun　of；　as　though　to　deprive　others　of　the　right　to　do　so。



MEMOIRS　OF　AN　OFFICE　PORTER　SERVANTS

Truly　Fortune　in　Paris　has　bewildering　turns　of　the　wheel！

To　have　seen　the　Territorial　Bank　as　I　have　seen　it；　the　rooms　without　fires；　never　swept；　the　desert　with　its　dust；　protested　bills　piled　high　as　/that/　on　the　desks；　every　week　a　notice　of　sale　posted　at　the　door；　my　stew　spreading　throughout　the　whole　place　the　odour　of　a　poor　man's　kitchen；　and　then　to　witness　now　the　reconstitution　of　our　company　in　its　newly　furnished　halls；　in　which　I　have　orders　to　light　fires　big　enough　for　a　Government　department；　amid　a　busy　crowd；　blowings　of　whistles；　electric　bells；　gold　pieces　piled　up　till　they　fall　over；　it　savours　of　miracle。　I　need　to　look　at　myself　in　the　glass　before　I　can　believe　it；　to　see　in　the　mirror　my　iron…gray　coat；　trimmed　with　silver；　my　white　tie；　my　usher's　chain　like　the　one　I　used　to　wear　at　the　Faculty　on　the　days　when　there　were　sittings。　And　to　think　that　to　work　this　transformation；　to　bring　back　to　our　brows　gaiety；　the　mother　of　concord；　to　restore　to　our　scrip　its　value　ten　times　over；　to　our　dear　governor　the　esteem　and　confidence　of　which　he　had　been　so　unjustly　deprived；　one　man　has　sufficed；　the　being　of　supernatural　wealth　whom　the　hundred　voices　of　renown　designate　by　the　name　of　the　Nabob。

Oh；　the　first　time　that　he　came　to　the　office；　with　his　fine　presence；　his　face　a　little　worn　perhaps；　but　so　distinguished；　his　manners　of　one　accustomed　to　frequent　courts；　upon　terms　of　the　utmost　familiarity　with　all　the　princes　of　the　Orientin　a　word；　that　indescribable　quality　of　assurance　and　greatness　which　is　bestowed　by　immense　wealthI　felt　my　heart　bursting　beneath　the　double　row　of　buttons　on　my　waistcoat。　People　may　mouth　in　vain　their　great　words　of　equality　and　fraternity；　there　are　men　who　stand　so　surely　above　the　rest　that　one　would　like　to　bow　one's　self　down　flat　in　their　presence；　to　find　new　phrases　of　admiration　in　order　to　compel　them　to　take　a　practical　interest　in　one。　Let　us　hasten　to　add　that　I　had　need　of　nothing　of　the　kind　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　Nabob。　As　I　rose　at　his　passagemoved　to　some　emotion；　but　with　dignity；　you　may　trust　Passajon　for　thathe　looked　at　me　with　a　smile　and　said　in　an　undertone　to　the　young　man　who　accompanied　him：　〃What　a　fine　head；　like　a〃　Then　there　came　a　word　which　I　did　not　catch　very　well；　a　word　ending　in　/art/；　something　like　/leopard/。　No；　however；　it　cannot　have　been　that。　/Jean…Bart/；　perhaps；　although　even　then　I　hardly　see　the　connection。　However　that　be；　in　any　case　he　did　say；　〃What　a　fine　head；〃　and　this　condescension　made　me　proud。　Moreover；　all　the　directors　show　me　a　marked　degree　of　kindness　and　politeness。　It　seems　that　there　was　a　discussion　with　regard　to　me　at　the　meeting　of　the　board；　to　determine　whether　I　should　be　kept　or　dismissed　like　our　cashier；　that　ill…tempered　fellow　who　was　always　talking　of　getting　everybody　sent　to　the　galleys；　and　whom　they　have　now　invited　to　go　elsewhere　to　manufacture　his　cheap　shirt…fronts。　Well　done！　That　will　teach　him　to　be　rude　to　people。　So　far　as　I　am　concerned；　Monsieur　the　Governor　kindly　consented　to　overlook　my　somewhat　hasty　words；　in　consideration　of　my　record　of　service　at　the　Territorial　and　elsewhere；　and　at　the　conclusion　of　the　board　meeting；　he　said　to　me　with　his　musical　accent：　〃Passajon；　you　remain　with　us。〃　It　may　be　imagined　how　happy　I　was　and　how　profuse　in　the　expression　of　my　gratitude。　But　just　think！　I　should　have　left　with　my　few　pence　without　hope　of　ever　saving　any　more；　obliged　to　go　and　cultivate　my　vineyard　in　that　little　country　district　of　Montbars；　a　very　narrow　field　for　a　man　who　has　lived　in　the　midst　of　all　the　financial　aristocracy　of　Paris；　and　among　those　great　banking　operations　by　which　fortunes　are　made　at　a　stroke。　Instead　of　that；　here　I　am　established　afresh　in　a　magnificent　situation；　my　wardrobe　renewed；　and　my　savings；　which　I　spent　a　whole　day　in　fingering　over；　intrusted　to　the　kind　care　of　the　governor；　who　has　undertaken　to　invest　them　for　me　advantageously。　I　think　that　is　a　manoeuvre　which　he　is　the　very　man　to　execute　successfully。　And　no　need　for　the　least　anxiety。　Every　fear　vanishes　before　the　word　which　is　in　vogue　just　now　at　all　the　councils　of　administration；　in　all　shareholders'　meetings；　on　the　Bourse；　the　boulevards；　and　everywhere：　〃The　Nabob　is　in　the　affair。〃　That　is　to　say；　gold　is　being　poured　out　abundantly；　the　worst　/combinazioni/　are　excellent。

He　is　so　rich；　that　man！

Rich　to　a　degree　one　cannot　imagine。　Has　he　not　just　lent　fifteen　million　francs　as　a　simple　loan　passing　from　hand　to　hand；　to　the　Bey　of　Tunis？　I　repeat；　fifteen　millions。　It　was　a　trick　he　played　on　the　Hemerlingues；　who　wished　to　embroil　him　with　that　monarch　and　cut　the　grass　under　his　feet　in　those　fine　regions　of　the　Orient　where　it　grows　golden；　high；　and　thick。　It　was　an　old　Turk　whom　I　know；　Colonel　Brahim；　one　of　our　directors　at　the　Territorial；　who　arranged　the　affair。　Naturally；　the　Bey；　who　happened　to　be；　it　appears；　short　of　pocket…money；　was　very　much　touched　by　the　alacrity　of　the　Nabob　to　oblige　him；　and　he　has　just　sent　him　through　Brahim　a　letter　of　thanks　in　which　he　announces　that　upon　the　occasion　of　his　next　visit　to　Vichy；　he　will　stay　a　couple　of　days　with　him　at　that　fine　Chateau　de　Saint…Romans；　which　the　former　Bey；　the　brother　of　this　one；　honoured　with　a　visit　once　before。　You　may　fancy；　what　an　honour！　To　receive　a　reigning　prince　as　a　guest！　The　Hemerlingues　are　in　a　rage。　They　who　had　manoeuvred　so　carefullythe　son　at　Tunis；　the　father　in　Paristo　get　the　Nabob　into　disfavour。　And　then　it　is　true　that　fifteen　millions　is　a　big　sum。　And　do　not　say；　〃Passajon　is　telling　us　some　fine　tales。〃　The　person　who　acquainted　me　with　the　story　has　held　in　his　hands　the　paper　sent　by　the　Bey　in　an　envelope　of　green　silk　stamped　with　the　royal　seal。　If　he　did　not　read　it；　it　was　because　this　paper　was　written　in　Arabic；　otherwise　he　would　have　made　himself　familiar　with　its　contents　as　in　the　case　of　all　the　rest　of　the　Nabob's　correspondence。　This　person　is　his　/valet　de　chambre/；　M。　Noel；　to　whom　I　had　the　honour　of　being　introduced　last　Friday　at　a　small　evening…party　of　persons　in　service　which　he　gave　to　all　his　friends。　I　record　an　account　of　this　function　in　my　memoirs　as　one　of　the　most　curious　things　which　I　have　seen　in　the　course　of　my　four　years　of　sojourn　in　Paris。

I　had　thought　at　first　when　M。　Francis；　Monpavon's　/valet　de　chambre/；　spoke　to　me　of　the　thing；　that　it　was　a　question　of　one　of　those　little　clandestine　junketings　such　as　are　held　sometimes　in　the　garrets　of　our　boulevards　with　the　fragments　of　food　brought　up　by　Mlle。　Seraphine　and　the　other　cooks　in　the　building；　at　which　you　drink　stolen　wine；　and　gorge　yourself；　sitting　on　trunks；　trembling　with　fear；　by　the　light　of　a　couple　of　candles　which　are　extinguished　at　the　least　noise　in　the　corridors。　These　secret　practices　are　repugnant　to　my　character。　But　when　I　received；　as　for　the　regular　servants'　ball；　an　invitation　written　in　a　very　beautiful　hand　upon