the nabob-第58节

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for　M。　de　Gery；　he　would　have　rushed　off　at　once　to　punch　Moessard's　head。

〃And　he　would　have　done　very　well；〃　remarked　M。　Noel；　entering　at　these　last　words；　very　much　excited。　〃There　is　not　a　line　of　truth　in　that　rascal's　article。　My　master　had　never　been　in　Paris　before　last　year。　From　Tunis　to　Marseilles；　from　Marseilles　to　Tunis；　those　were　his　only　journeys。　But　this　knave　of　a　journalist　is　taking　his　revenge　because　we　refused　him　twenty　thousand　francs。〃

〃There　you　acted　very　unwisely；〃　observed　M。　Francis　upon　this　Monpavon's　Francis；　Monpavon　the　old　beau　whose　solitary　tooth　shakes　about　in　the　centre　of　his　mouth　at　every　word　he　says；　but　whom　the　young　ladies　regard　with　a　favourable　eye　all　the　same　on　account　of　his　fine　manners。　〃Yes；　you　were　unwise。　One　must　know　how　to　conciliate　people；　so　long　as　they　are　in　a　position　to　be　useful　to　us　or　to　injure　us。　Your　Nabob　has　turned　his　back　too　quickly　upon　his　friends　after　his　success；　and　between　you　and　me；　/mon　cher/；　he　is　not　sufficiently　firmly　established　to　be　able　to　disregard　attacks　of　this　kind。〃

I　thought　myself　able　here　to　put　in　a　word　in　my　turn：

〃That　is　true　enough；　M。　Noel；　your　governor　is　no　longer　the　same　since　his　election。　He　has　adopted　a　tone　and　manners　which　I　can　hardly　but　describe　as　reprehensible。　The　day　before　yesterday；　at　the　Territorial；　he　raised　a　commotion　which　you　can　hardly　imagine。　He　was　heard　to　exclaim　before　the　whole　board：　'You　have　lied　to　me；　you　have　robbed　me；　and　made　me　a　robber　as　much　as　yourselves。　Show　me　your　books；　you　set　of　rogues！'　If　he　has　treated　Moessard　in　the　same　sort　of　fashion；　I　am　not　surprised　any　longer　that　the　latter　should　be　taking　his　revenge　in　his　newspaper。〃

〃But　what　does　this　article　say？〃　asked　M。　Barreau。　〃Who　is　present　that　has　read　it？〃

Nobody　answered。　Several　had　tried　to　buy　it；　but　in　Paris　scandal　sells　like　bread。　At　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　there　was　not　a　single　copy　of　the　/Messenger/　left　in　the　office。　Then　it　occurred　to　one　of　my　niecesa　sharp　girl；　if　ever　there　was　oneto　look　in　the　pocket　of　one　of　the　numerous　overcoats　in　the　cloak…room；　folded　carefully　in　large　pigeon…holes。　At　the　first　which　she　examined：

〃Here　it　is！〃　exclaimed　the　charming　child　with　an　air　of　triumph；　as　she　drew　out　a　/Messenger/　crumpled　in　the　folding　like　a　paper　that　has　just　been　read。

〃Here　is　another！〃　cried　Tom　Bois　l'Hery；　who　was　making　a　search　on　his　own　account。　A　third　overcoat；　a　third　/Messenger/。　And　in　every　one　the　same　thing：　pushed　down　to　the　bottom　of　a　pocket；　or　with　its　titlepage　protruding；　the　newspaper　was　everywhere；　just　as　its　article　must　have　been　in　every　memory；　and　one　could　imagine　the　Nabob　up　above　exchanging　polite　phrases　with　his　guests；　while　they　could　have　reeled　off　by　heart　the　atrocious　things　that　had　been　printed　about　him。　We　all　laughed　much　at　this　idea；　but　we　were　anxious　to　make　acquaintance　in　our　own　turn　with　this　curious　article。

〃Come；　/pere/　Passajon；　read　it　aloud　to　us。〃

It　was　the　general　desire；　and　I　assented。

I　don't　know　if　you　are　like　me；　but　when　I　read　aloud　I　gargle　my　throat　with　my　voice；　I　introduce　modulations　and　flourishes　to　such　an　extent　that　I　understand　nothing　of　what　I　am　saying；　like　those　singers　to　whom　the　sense　of　the　words　matters　little；　provided　the　notes　be　true。　The　thing　was　entitled　〃The　Boat　of　Flowers〃a　sufficiently　complicated　story；　with　Chinese　names；　about　a　very　rich　mandarin；　who　had　at　one　time　in　the　past　kept　a　〃boat　of　flowers〃　moored　quite　at　the　far　end　of　the　town　near　a　barrier　frequented　by　the　soldiers。　At　the　end　of　the　article　we　were　not　farther　on　than　at　the　beginning。　We　tried　certainly　to　wink　at　each　other；　to　pretend　to　be　clever；　but；　frankly；　we　had　no　reason。　A　veritable　puzzle　without　solution；　and　we　should　still　be　stuck　fast　at　it　if　old　Francis；　a　regular　rascal　who　knows　everything；　had　not　explained　to　us　that　this　meeting　place　of　the　soldiers　must　stand　for　the　Military　School；　and　that　the　〃boat　of　flowers〃　did　not　bear　so　pretty　a　name　as　that　in　good　French。　And　this　name；　he　said　it　aloud　notwithstanding　the　presence　of　the　ladies。　There　was　an　explosion　of　cries；　of　〃Ah's！〃　and　〃Oh's！〃　some　saying；　〃I　suspected　it！〃　others；　〃It　is　impossible！〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　added　Francis；　formerly　a　trumpeter　in　the　Ninth　Lancers　the　regiment　of　Mora　and　of　Monpavon〃pardon　me。　Twenty　years　ago；　during　the　last　half　year　of　my　service；　I　was　in　barracks　in　the　Military　School；　and　I　remember　very　well　that　near　the　fortifications　there　was　a　dirty　dancing…hall　known　as　the　Jansoulet　Rooms；　with　a　little　furnished　flat　above　and　bedrooms　at　twopence…halfpenny　the　hour；　to　which　one　could　retire　between　two　quadrilles。〃

〃You　are　an　infamous　liar！〃　said　M。　Noel；　beside　himself　with　rage〃a　thief　and　a　liar　like　your　master。　Jansoulet　has　never　been　in　Paris　before　now。〃

Francis　was　seated　a　little　outside　our　circle　engaged　in　sipping　something　sweet；　because　champagne　has　a　bad　effect　on　his　nerves　and　because；　too；　it　is　not　a　sufficiently　distinguished　beverage　for　him。　He　rose　gravely；　without　putting　down　his　glass；　and；　advancing　towards　M。　Noel；　said　to　him　very　quietly：

〃You　are　wanting　in　manners；　/mon　cher/。　The　other　evening　I　found　your　tone　coarse　and　unseemly。　To　insult　people　serves　no　good　purpose；　especially　in　this　case；　since　I　happen　to　have　been　an　assistant　to　a　fencing…master；　and；　if　matters　were　carried　further　between　us；　could　put　a　couple　of　inches　of　steel　into　whatever　part　of　your　body　I　might　choose。　But　I　am　good…natured。　Instead　of　a　sword…thrust；　I　prefer　to　give　you　a　piece　of　advice；　which　your　master　will　do　well　to　follow。　This　is　what　I　should　do　in　your　place：　I　should　go　and　find　Moessard；　and　I　should　buy　him；　without　quibbling　about　price。　Hemerlingue　has　given　him　twenty　thousand　francs　to　speak；　I　would　offer　him　thirty　thousand　to　hold　his　tongue。〃

〃Never！　never！〃　vociferated　M。　Noel。　〃I　should　rather　go　and　knock　the　rascally　brigand's　head　off。〃

〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind。　Whether　the　calumny　be　true　or　false；　you　have　seen　the　effect　of　it　this　evening。　This　is　a　sample　of　the　pleasures　in　store　for　you。　What　can　you　expect；　/mon　cher/？　You　have　thrown　away　your　crutches　too　soon；　and　thought　to　walk　by　yourselves。　That　is　all　very　well　when　one　is　well　set　up　and　firm　on　the　legs；　but　when　one　had　not　a　very　solid　footing；　and　has　also　the　misfortune　to　feel　Hemerlingue　at　his　heels；　it　is　a　bad　business。　Besides；　your　master　is　beginning　to　be　short　of　money；　he　has　given　notes　of　hand　to　old　Schwalbachand　don't　talk　to　me　of　a　Nabob　who　gives　notes　of　hand。　I　know　well　that　you　have　millions　over　yonder；　but　your　election　must　be　declared　valid　before　you　can　touch　them；　a　few　more　articles　like　to…day's；　and　I　answer　for　it　that　you　will　not　secure　that　declaration。　You　set　yourselves　up　to　struggle　against　Paris；　/mon　bon/；　but　you　are　not　big　enough　for　such　a　match；　you　know　nothing　about　it。　Here　we　are　not　in　the　East；　and　if　we　do　not　wring　the　necks　of　people　who　displease　us；　if　we　do　not　throw　them　into　the　water　in　a　sack；　we　have　other　methods　of　effecting　their　disappearance。　Noel；　let　your　master　take　care。　One　of　these　mornings　Paris　will　swallow　him　as　I　swallow　this　plum；　without　spitting　out　either　the　stone　or　skin。〃

He　was　terrible；　this　old　man；　and　notwithstanding　the　paint　on　his　face；　I　felt　a　certain　respect　for　him。　While　he　was　speaking；　we　could　hear　the　music　upstairs；　and　the　horses　of　the　municipal　guards　shaking　their　curb…chains　in　the　square。　From　without；　our　festivities　must　have　seemed　very　brilliant；　all　lighted　up　by　their　thousands　of　candles；　and　with　the　great　portico　illuminated。　And　when　one　reflected　that　ruin　perhaps　lay　beneath　it　all！　We　sat　there　in　the　vestibule　like　rats　that　hold　counsel　with　each　other　at　the　bottom　of　a　ship's　hold；　when　the　vessel　is　beginning　to　leak　and　before　the　crew　has　found　it　out；　and　I　saw　clearly　that　all　the　lackeys　and　chambermaids　would　not　be　long　in　decamping　at　the　first　note　of　alarm。　Could　such　a　catastrophe　indeed　be　possible？　And　in　that　case　what　would　become　of　me；　and　the　Territorial；　and　the　money　I　had　advanced；　and　the　arrears　due　to　me？

That　Francis　has　left　me　with　a　cold　shudder　down　my　back。



A　PUBLIC　MAN

The　bright　warmth　of　a　clear　May　afternoon　heated　the　lofty　casement　windows　of　the　Mora　mansion　to　the　temperature　of　a　greenhouse。　The　blue　silk　curtains　were　visible　from　outside　through　the　branches　of　the　trees；　and　the　wide　terraces；　where　exotic　flowers　were　planted　out　of　doors　for　the　first　time　of　the　season；　ran　in　borders　along　the　whole　length　of　the　quay。　The　raking　of　the　garden　paths　traced　the　light　footprints　of　summer　in　the　sand；　while　the　soft　fall　of　the　water　from　the　hoses　on　the　lawns　was　its　refreshing　song。

All　the　luxury　of　the　princely　residence　lay　sunning　itself　in　the　soft　warmth　of　the　temperature；　borrowing　a　beauty　from　the　silence；　the　repose　of　this　noontide　hour；　the　only　hour　when　the　roll　of　carriages　was　not　to　be　heard　under　the　arches；　nor　the　banging　of　the　great　doors　of　the　antechamber；　and