the nabob-第92节

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ear；　when　I　was　twenty…five　I　was　confronted　with　this　alternative：　a　debtor's　prison　or　Miss　Strang；　an　ugly　and　gouty　old　maid；　sister　of　the　usurer　who　had　lent　me　five　hundred　pounds　to　pay　for　my　medical　studies。　I　preferred　the　prison；　but　after　weeks　and　months　I　came　to　the　end　of　my　courage；　and　I　married　Miss　Strang；　who　brought　me　for　dowrymy　note　of　hand。　You　can　guess　what　my　life　was　between　these　two　monsters　who　adored　each　other。　A　jealous；　impotent　wife。　The　brother　spied　on　me；　following　me　everywhere。　I　should　have　gone　away；　but　one　thing　kept　me　there。　The　usurer　was　said　to　be　very　rich。　I　wished　to　have　some　return　for　my　cowardice。　You　see；　I　tell　you　all。　Come　now；　I　have　been　punished。　Old　Strang　died　insolvent；　he　used　to　gamble；　had　ruined　himself　without　saying　a　word。　Then　I　put　my　wife　and　her　rheumatism　in　a　hospital；　and　came　to　France。　I　had　to　begin　existence　again；　more　struggles　and　misery。　But　I　had　experience　on　my　side；　hatred　and　contempt　for　men；　and　my　newly　conquered　liberty；　for　I　did　not　dream　that　the　horrible　weight　of　this　cursed　union　was　going　to　hinder　my　getting　on；　at　that　distance。　Happily；　it　is　overI　am　free。〃

〃Yes；　Jenkins；　free。　But　why　do　you　not　make　your　wife　the　poor　creature　who　has　shared　your　life　so　long；　so　humble　and　devoted　as　she　is？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　he；　with　an　outburst　of　sincerity；　〃between　my　two　prisons　I　would　prefer　the　other；　where　I　could　be　frankly　indifferent。　But　the　atrocious　comedy　of　conjugal　love；　of　unwearying　happiness；　when　for　so　long　I　had　loved　you　and　thought　of　you　alone！　There　is　not　such　a　torture　on　earth。　If　I　can　guess；　the　poor　woman　must　have　uttered　a　cry　of　relief　and　happiness　at　the　separation。　It　is　the　only　adieu　I　hoped　for　from　her。〃

〃But　who　forced　you　to　such　a　thing？〃

〃Paris；　society；　the　world。　Married　by　its　opinion；　we　were　held　by　it。〃

〃And　now　you　are　held　no　longer？〃

〃Now　something　comes　before　allit　is　the　idea　of　losing　you；　of　seeing　you　no　longer。　Oh！　when　I　learned　of　your　flight；　when　I　saw　the　bill　over　your　door　TO　LET；　I　felt　sure　that　it　was　all　up　with　poses　and　grimaces；　that　I　had　nothing　else　to　do　but　to　set　out；　to　run　quickly　after　my　happiness；　which　you　were　taking　away。　You　were　leaving　ParisI　have　left　it。　Everything　of　yours　was　being　sold；　everything　of　mine　will　be　sold。〃

〃And　she？〃　said　Felicia　trembling。　〃She；　the　irreproachable　companion；　the　honest　woman　whom　no　one　has　ever　suspected；　where　will　she　go？　What　will　she　do？　And　it　is　her　place　you　have　just　offered　me。　A　stolen　place；　think　what　a　hell！　Well；　and　your　motto；　good　Jenkins；　virtuous　Jenkins；　what　shall　we　do　with　it？　'/Le　bien　sans　esperance/；'　eh！〃

At　this　sneer；　cutting　his　face　like　a　whip；　the　wretch　answered　panting：

〃That　will　do！　Do　not　sneer　at　me　so。　It　is　too　horrible　now。　Does　it　not　touch　you；　then；　to　be　loved　as　I　love　you　in　sacrificing　everything　to　youfortune；　honour；　respect？　See；　look　at　me。　I　have　snatched　my　mask　off　for　you；　I　have　snatched　if　off　before　all。　And　now；　see；　here　is　the　hypocrite。〃

He　heard　the　muffled　noise　of　two　knees　falling　on　the　floor。　And　stammering；　distracted　with　love；　weak　before　her；　he　begged　her　to　consent　to　this　marriage；　to　give　him　the　right　to　follow　her　everywhere；　to　defend　her。　Then　the　words　failed　him；　stifled　in　a　passionate　sob；　so　deep；　so　lacerating　that　it　should　have　touched　any　heart；　above　all　among　this　splendid　impassible　scenery　in　this　perfumed　heat。　But　Felicia　was　not　touched。　〃Let　us　have　done；　Jenkins；〃　said　she　brusquely。　〃What　you　ask　is　impossible。　We　have　nothing　to　hide　from　each　other；　and　after　your　confidences　just　now；　I　wish　to　make　one　to　you；　which　humbles　my　pride；　but　your　degradation　makes　you　worthy。　I　was　Mora's　mistress。〃

Paul　knew　this。　And　yet　it　was　so　sad　to　hear　this　beautiful；　pure　voice　laden　with　such　a　confession；　in　the　midst　of　the　intoxicating　air；　that　he　felt　his　heart　contract。

〃I　knew　it；〃　answered　Jenkins　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　have　the　letters　you　wrote　to　him。〃

〃My　letters？〃

〃Oh；　I　will　give　them　to　youhere。　I　know　them　by　heart。　I　have　read　and　reread　them。　It　is　that　which　hurts　one；　when　one　loves。　But　I　have　suffered　other　tortures。　When　I　think　that　it　was　I〃　He　stopped　himself。　He　choked。　〃I　who　had　to　furnish　fuel　for　your　flames；　warm　this　frozen　lover；　send　him　to　you　ardent　and　young　Ah！　he　has　devoured　my　pearlsI　might　refuse　over　and　over　again；　he　was　always　taking　them。　At　last　I　was　mad。　You　wish　to　burn；　wretched　woman。　Well；　burn；　then！〃



Paul　rose　to　his　feet　in　terror。　Was　he　going　to　hear　the　confession　of　a　crime？　But　the　shame　of　hearing　more　was　not　inflicted　on　him。　A　violent　knocking；　this　time　on　his　own　door；　warned　him　that　his　/calesino/　was　ready。

〃Is　the　French　gentleman　ready？〃

In　the　next　room　there　was　silence；　then　a　whisper。There　had　been　some　one　near　who　had　heard　them。Paul　de　Gery　hurried　downstairs。　He　must　get　out　of　this　room　to　escape　the　weight　of　so　much　infamy。

As　the　post…chaise　swayed；　he　saw　among　the　common　white　curtains；　which　float　at　all　the　windows　in　the　south；　a　pale　figure　with　the　hair　of　a　goddess；　and　great　burning　eyes　fixed　on　him。　But　a　glance　at　Aline's　portrait　quickly　dispelled　this　disturbing　vision；　and　forever　cured　of　his　old　love；　he　travelled　until　evening　through　the　magic　landscape　with　the　lovely　bride　of　the　/dejeuner/；　who　carried　in　the　folds　of　her　modest　robe　and　mantle　all　the　violets　of　Bordighera。



THE　FIRST　NIGHT　OF　〃REVOLT〃

〃Take　your　places　for　the　first　act！〃

The　cry　of　the　stage…manager；　standing　with　his　hand　raised　to　his　mouth　to　form　a　trumpet；　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase　behind　the　scenes；　echoes　under　the　roof；　rises　and　rolls　along；　to　be　lost　in　the　depths　of　corridors　full　of　the　noise　of　doors　banging；　of　hasty　steps；　of　desperate　calls　to　the　/coiffeur/　and　the　dressers；　while　there　appear　one　by　one　on　the　landings　of　the　various　floors；　slow　and　majestic；　without　moving　their　heads　for　fear　of　disturbing　the　least　detail　of　their　make…up；　all　the　personages　of　the　first　act　of　/Revolt/；　in　elegant　modern　ball　costumes；　with　the　creaking　of　new　shoes；　the　silken　rustle　of　the　trains；　the　jingling　of　rich　bracelets　pushed　up　the　arm　while　gloves　are　being　buttoned。　All　these　people　seem　excited；　nervous；　pale　beneath　their　paint；　and　under　the　skilfully　prepared　satin…like　surface　of　the　shoulders；　tremors　flutter　like　shadows。　Dry…mouthed；　they　speak　little。　The　least　nervous；　while　affecting　to　smile；　have　in　their　eyes　and　voice　the　hesitation　that　marks　an　absent　mindthat　apprehension　of　the　battle　behind　the　foot…lights　which　is　ever　one　of　the　most　powerful　attractions　of　the　comedian's　art；　its　piquancy；　its　freshness。

The　stage　is　encumbered　by　the　passage　to　and　fro　of　machinists　and　scene…builders　hastening　about；　running　into　one　another　in　the　dim；　pallid　light　falling　from　above；　which　will　give　place　directly；　as　soon　as　the　curtain　rises；　to　the　dazzling　of　the　foot…lights。　Cardailhac　is　there　in　his　dress…coat　and　white　tie；　his　opera　hat　on　one　side；　giving　a　final　glance　to　the　arrangement　of　the　scenery；　hurrying　the　workmen；　complimenting　the　/ingenue/　who　is　waiting　dressed　and　ready；　beaming；　humming　an　air；　looking　superb。　To　see　him　no　one　would　ever　guess　the　terrible　worries　which　distract　him。　He　is　compromised　by　the　fall　of　the　Nabobwhich　entails　the　loss　of　his　directorateand　is　risking　his　all　on　the　piece　of　this　evening；　obliged；　if　it　be　not　a　success；　to　leave　the　cost　of　this　marvellous　scenery；　these　stuffs　at　a　hundred　francs　the　yard；　unpaid。　It　is　a　fourth　bankruptcy　that　stares　him　in　the　face。　But；　bah！　our　manager　is　confident。　Success；　like　all　the　monsters　that　feed　on　men；　loves　youth；　and　this　unknown　author；　whose　name　is　appearing　for　the　first　time　on　a　theatre　bill；　flatters　the　gambler's　superstitions。

Andre　Maranne　feels　less　confident。　As　the　hour　for　the　production　of　the　piece　approaches　he　loses　faith　in　his　work；　terrified　by　the　sight　of　the　house；　at　which　he　looks　through　the　hole　in　the　curtain　as　through　the　narrow　lens　of　a　stereoscope。

A　splendid　house；　crammed　to　the　roof；　notwithstanding　the　late　period　of　the　spring　and　the　fashionable　taste　for　early　departure　to　the　country；　a　house　that　Cardailhac；　a　declared　enemy　of　nature　and　the　country；　endeavouring　always　to　keep　Parisians　in　Paris　till　the　latest　possible　date；　has　succeeded　in　crowding　and　making　as　brilliant　as　in　midwinter。　Fifteen　hundred　heads　are　swarming　beneath　the　great　central　chandelier；　erectbent　forwardturning　round　questioning　amid　a　great　play　of　shadows　and　reflections；　some　massed　in　the　obscure　corners　of　the　floor；　others　in　a　bright　light　reflected　through　the　open　doors　of　the　boxes　from　the　white　walls　of　the　corridor；　the　first…night　public　which　is　always　the　same；　that　brigand…like　/tout　Paris/　which　goes　everywhere；　carrying　those　envied　places　by　storm　when　a　favour　or　a　claim　by　right　of　some　official　position　fails　to　secure　them。

In　the　stalls　are　low…cut　waistcoats；　clubmen；　shining　bald　heads；　wide　partings　in　scanty　hair；　light…coloured　gloves；　big　opera…glasses　raised　and　directed　towards