the nabob-第59节

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es　was　not　to　be　heard　under　the　arches；　nor　the　banging　of　the　great　doors　of　the　antechamber；　and　that　perpetual　vibration　which　the　ringing　of　bells　upon　arrivals　or　departures　sent　coursing　through　the　very　ivy　on　the　walls；　the　feverish　pulse　of　the　life　of　a　fashionable　house。　It　was　well　known　that　up　to　three　o'clock　the　duke　held　his　reception　at　the　Ministry；　and　that　the　duchess；　a　Swede　still　benumbed　by　the　snows　of　Stockholm；　had　hardly　issued　from　her　drowsy　curtains；　consequently　nobody　came　to　call；　neither　visitors　or　petitioners；　and　only　the　footmen；　perched　like　flamingoes　on　the　deserted　flight　of　steps　in　front　of　the　house；　gave　the　place　a　touch　of　animation　with　the　slim　shadows　of　their　long　legs　and　their　yawning　weariness　of　idlers。

As　an　exception；　however；　that　day　Jenkins's　brougham　was　standing　waiting　in　a　corner　of　the　court…yard。　The　duke；　unwell　since　the　previous　evening；　had　felt　worse　after　leaving　the　breakfast…table；　and　in　all　haste　had　sent　for　the　man　of　the　pearls　in　order　to　question　him　on　his　singular　condition。　Pain　nowhere；　sleep　and　appetite　as　usual；　only　an　inconceivable　lassitude；　and　a　sense　of　terrible　chill　which　nothing　could　dissipate。　Thus　at　that　moment；　notwithstanding　the　brilliant　spring　sunshine　which　flooded　his　chamber　and　almost　extinguished　the　fire　flaming　in　the　grate；　the　duke　was　shivering　beneath　his　furs；　surrounded　by　screens；　and　while　signing　papers　for　an　/attache/　of　his　cabinet　on　a　low　table　of　gold　lacquer；　placed　so　near　to　the　fire　that　it　frizzled；　he　kept　holding　out　his　numb　fingers　every　moment　toward　the　blaze；　which　might　have　burned　the　skin　without　restoring　circulation。

Was　it　anxiety　caused　by　the　indisposition　of　his　illustrious　client？　Jenkins　appeared　nervous；　disquieted；　walked　backward　and　forward　with　long　strides　over　the　carpet；　hunting　about　right　and　left；　seeking　in　the　air　something　which　he　believed　to　be　present；　a　subtle　and　intangible　something　like　the　trace　of　a　perfume　or　the　invisible　track　left　by　a　bird　in　its　flight。　You　heard　the　crackling　of　the　wood　in　the　fireplace；　the　rustle　of　papers　hurriedly　turned　over；　the　indolent　voice　of　the　duke　indicating　in　a　sentence；　always　precise　and　clear；　a　reply　to　a　letter　of　four　pages；　and　the　respectful　monosyllables　of　the　/attache/〃Yes；　M。　le　Ministre；〃　〃No；　M。　le　Ministre〃；　then　the　scraping　of　a　rebellious　and　heavy　pen。　Out　of　doors　the　swallows　were　twittering　merrily　over　the　water；　the　sound　of　a　clarinet　was　wafted　from　somewhere　near　the　bridges。

〃It　is　impossible；〃　suddenly　said　the　Minister　of　State；　rising。　〃Take　that　away；　Lartigues；　you　must　return　to…morrow。　I　cannot　write。　I　am　too　cold。　See；　doctor；　feel　my　handsone　would　think　that　they　had　just　come　out　of　a　pail　of　iced　water。　For　the　last　two　days　my　whole　body　has　been　the　same。　Isn't　it　too　absurd；　in　this　weather！〃

〃I　am　not　surprised；〃　muttered　the　Irishman；　in　a　sullen；　curt　tone；　rarely　heard　from　that　honeyed　personage。

The　door　had　closed　upon　the　young　/attache/；　bearing　off　his　papers　with　majestic　dignity；　but　very　happy；　I　imagine；　to　feel　himself　free　and　to　be　able　to　stroll　for　an　hour　or　two；　before　returning　to　the　Ministry；　in　the　Tuileries　gardens；　full　of　spring　frocks　and　pretty　girls　sitting　near　the　still　empty　chairs　round　the　band；　under　the　chestnut…trees　in　flower；　through　which　from　root　to　summit　there　ran　the　great　thrill　of　the　month　when　nests　are　built。　The　/attache/　was　certainly　not　frozen。

Jenkins；　silently；　examined　his　patient；　sounded　him；　and　tapped　his　chest；　then；　in　the　same　rough　tone　which　might　be　explained　by　his　anxious　devotion；　the　annoyance　of　the　doctor　who　sees　his　orders　transgressed：

〃Ah；　now；　my　dear　duke；　what　sort　of　life　have　you　been　living　lately？〃

He　knew　from　the　gossip　of　the　antechamberin　the　case　of　his　regular　clients　the　doctor　did　not　disdain　thishe　knew　that　the　duke　had　a　new　favourite；　that　this　caprice　of　recent　date　possessed　him；　excited　him　in　an　extraordinary　measure；　and　the　fact；　taken　together　with　other　observations　made　elsewhere；　had　implanted　in　Jenkins's　mind　a　suspicion；　a　mad　desire　to　know　the　name　of　this　new　mistress。　It　was　this　that　he　was　trying　to　read　on　the　pale　face　of　his　patient；　attempting　to　fathom　the　depth　of　his　thoughts　rather　than　the　origin　of　his　malady。　But　he　had　to　deal　with　one　of　those　faces　which　are　hermetically　sealed；　like　those　little　coffers　with　a　secret　spring　which　hold　jewels　and　women's　letters；　one　of　those　discreet　natures　closed　by　a　cold；　blue　eye；　a　glance　of　steel　by　which　the　most　astute　perspicacity　may　be　baffled。

〃You　are　mistaken；　doctor；〃　replied　his　excellency　tranquilly。　〃I　have　made　no　changes　in　my　habits。〃

〃Very　well；　M。　le　Duc；　you　have　done　wrong；〃　remarked　the　Irishman　abruptly；　furious　at　having　made　no　discovery。

And　then；　feeling　that　he　was　going　too　far；　he　gave　vent　to　his　bad　temper　and　to　the　severity　of　his　diagnosis　in　words　which　were　a　tissue　of　banalities　and　axioms。　One　ought　to　take　care。　Medicine　was　not　magic。　The　power　of　the　Jenkins　pearls　was　limited　by　human　strength；　by　the　necessities　of　age；　by　the　resources　of　nature；　which；　unfortunately；　are　not　inexhaustible。　The　duke　interrupted　him　in　an　irritable　tone：

〃Come；　Jenkins；　you　know　very　well　that　I　don't　like　phrases。　I　am　not　all　right；　then？　What　is　the　matter　with　me？　What　is　the　reason　of　this　chilliness？〃

〃It　is　anaemia；　exhaustiona　sinking　of　the　oil　in　the　lamp。〃

〃What　must　I　do？〃

〃Nothing。　An　absolute　rest。　Eat；　sleep；　nothing　besides。　If　you　could　go　and　spend　a　few　weeks　at　Grandbois。〃

Mora　shrugged　his　shoulders：

〃And　the　Chamberand　the　Counciland？　Nonsense！　how　is　it　possible？〃

〃In　any　case；　M。　le　Duc；　you　must　put　the　brake　on；　as　somebody　said；　renounce　absolutely〃

Jenkins　was　interrupted　by　the　entry　of　the　servant　on　duty；　who；　discreetly；　on　tiptoe；　like　a　dancing…master；　came　in　to　deliver　a　letter　and　a　card　to　the　Minister　of　State；　who　was　still　shivering　before　the　fire。　At　the　sight　of　that　satin…gray　envelope　of　a　peculiar　shape　the　Irishman　started　involuntarily；　while　the　duke；　having　opened　and　glanced　over　his　letter；　rose　with　new　vigor；　his　cheeks　wearing　that　light　flush　of　artificial　health　which　all　the　heat　of　the　stove　had　not　been　able　to　bring　there。

〃My　dear　doctor；　I　must　at　any　price〃

The　servant　still　stood　waiting。

〃What　is　it？　Ah；　yes；　this　card。　Take　the　visitor　to　the　gallery。　I　shall　be　there　directly。〃

The　gallery　of　the　Duke　de　Mora；　open　to　visitors　twice　a　week；　was　for　himself；　as　it　were；　a　neutral　ground；　a　public　place　where　he　could　see　any　one　without　binding　or　compromising　himself　in　any　way。　Then；　the　servant　having　withdrawn：

〃Jenkins；　/mon　bon/；　you　have　already　worked　miracles　for　me。　I　ask　you　for　one　more。　Double　the　dose　of　my　pearls；　find　something；　whatever　you　will。　But　I　must　be　feeling　young　by　Sunday。　You　understand　me；　altogether　young。〃

And　on　the　little　letter　in　his　hand；　his　fingers；　warm　once　more　and　feverish；　clinched　themselves　with　a　thrill　of　eager　desire。

〃Take　care；　M。　le　Duc；〃　said　Jenkins；　very　pale　and　with　compressed　lips。　〃I　have　no　wish　to　alarm　you　unnecessarily　with　regard　to　the　feeble　state　of　your　health；　but　it　becomes　my　duty〃

Mora　gave　a　smile　of　pretty　arrogance：

〃Your　duty　and　my　pleasure　are　two　separate　things；　my　worthy　friend。　Let　me　burn　the　candle　at　both　ends；　if　it　amuses　me。　I　have　never　had　so　fine　an　opportunity　as　this　time。〃

He　started：

〃The　duchess！〃

A　door　concealed　behind　a　curtain　had　just　opened　to　give　passage　to　a　merry　little　head　with　fair　curls　in　disorder；　quite　fairy…like　amid　the　laces　and　frills　of　a　dressing…jacket　worthy　of　a　princess：

〃What　do　I　hear？　You　have　not　gone　out？　But　do　scold　him；　doctor。　He　is　wrong；　isn't　he；　to　have　so　many　fancies　about　himself？　Look　at　him　a　picture　of　health！〃

〃Thereyou　see；〃　said　the　duke；　laughing；　to　the　Irishman。　〃You　will　not　come　in；　duchess？〃

〃No；　I　am　going　to　carry　you　off；　on　the　contrary。　My　uncle　d'Estaing　has　sent　me　a　cage　full　of　tropical　birds。　I　want　to　show　them　to　you。　Wonderful　creatures；　of　all　colours；　with　little　eyes　like　black　pearls。　And　so　sensitive　to　coldnearly　as　much　so　as　you　are。〃

〃Let　us　go　and　have　a　look　at　them；〃　said　the　minister。　〃Wait　for　me；　Jenkins。　I　shall　be　back　in　a　moment。〃

Then；　noticing　that　he　still　had　his　letter　in　his　hand；　he　threw　it　carelessly　into　the　drawer　of　the　little　table　at　which　he　had　been　signing　papers；　and　left　the　room　behind　the　duchess；　with　the　fine　coolness　of　a　husband　accustomed　to　these　changes　of　situation。

What　prodigious　mechanic；　what　incomparable　manufacturer　of　toys；　must　it　have　been　who　succeeded　in　endowing　the　human　mask　with　its　suppleness；　its　marvellous　elasticity！　How　interesting　to　observe　the　face　of　this　great　seigneur　surprised　in　the　very　planning　of　his　adultery；　with　cheeks　flushed　in　the　anticipation　of　promised　delights；　calming　down　at　a　moment's　notice　into　the　serenity　of　conjugal　tenderness；　how　fine　the　devout　obsequiousness；　the　paternal　smile；　after　the　Franklin　method；　of　Jenkins；　in　the　presence　of　the　duchess；　g