the nabob-第36部分

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〃They　are　waiting　for　M。　Louis。〃

〃M。　Louis？〃

〃What！　you　do　not　know　M。　Louis；　the　/valet　de　chambre/　of　the　Duc　de　Mora？〃

I　then　learned　who　this　influential　personage　was；　whose　protection　is　sought　by　prefects；　senators；　even　ministers；　and　who　must　make　them　pay　stiffly　for　it；　since　with　his　salary　of　twelve　hundred　francs　from　the　duke　he　has　saved　enough　to　produce　him　an　income　of　twenty…　five　thousand；　sends　his　daughters　to　the　convent　school　of　the　Sacre　Coeur；　his　son　to　the　College　Bourdaloue；　and　owns　a　chalet　in　Switzerland　where　all　his　family　goes　to　stay　during　the　holidays。

At　this　juncture　the　personage　in　question　arrived；　but　nothing　in　his　appearance　would　have　suggested　the　unique　position　in　Paris　which　is　his。　Nothing　of　majesty　in　his　deportment；　a　waistcoat　buttoned　up　to　the　collar；　a　mean…looking　and　insolent　manner；　and　a　way　of　speaking　without　moving　the　lips　which　is　very　impolite　to　those　who　are　listening　to　you。

He　greeted　the　assembly　with　a　slight　nod　of　the　head；　extended　a　finger　to　M。　Noel；　and　we　were　sitting　there　looking　at　each　other；　frozen　by　his　grand　manners；　when　a　door　opened　at　the　farther　end　of　the　room　and　we　beheld　the　supper　laid　out　with　all　kinds　of　cold　meats；　pyramids　of　fruit；　and　bottles　of　all　shapes　beneath　the　light　falling　from　two　candelabra。

〃Come；　gentlemen；　give　the　ladies　your　hands。〃　In　a　minute　we　were　at　table；　the　ladies　seated　next　the　eldest　or　the　most　important　among　us　all；　the　rest　on　their　feet；　serving；　chattering；　drinking　from　everybody's　glass；　picking　a　morsel　from　any　plate。　I　had　M。　Francis　for　my　neighbour　and　I　had　to　listen　to　his　grudges　against　M。　Louis；　of　whose　place　he　was　envious；　so　brilliant　was　it　in　comparison　with　that　which　he　occupied　under　the　noble　but　worn…out　old　gambler　who　was　his　master。

〃He　is　a　/parvenu/；〃　he　muttered　to　me　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　owes　his　fortune　to　his　wife；　to　Mme。　Paul。〃

It　appears　that　this　Mme。　Paul　is　a　housekeeper；　who　has　been　in　the　duke's　establishment　for　twenty　years；　and　who　excels　beyond　all　others　in　the　preparation　for　him　of　a　certain　ointment　for　an　affection　to　which　he　is　subject。　She　is　indispensable　to　Mora。　Recognising　this；　M。　Louis　made　love　to　the　old　lady；　married　her　though　much　younger　than　she；　and　in　order　not　to　lose　his　sick…nurse　and　her　ointments；　his　excellency　engaged　the　husband　as　/valet　de　chambre/。　At　bottom；　in　spite　of　what　I　said　to　M。　Francis；　for　my　own　part　I　thought　the　proceeding　quite　praiseworthy　and　conformable　to　the　loftiest　morality；　since　the　mayor　and　the　priest　had　a　finger　in　it。　Moreover；　that　excellent　meal；　composed　of　delicate　and　very　expensive　foods　with　which　I　was　unacquainted　even　by　name；　had　strongly　disposed　my　mind　to　indulgence　and　good…humour。　But　every　one　was　not　similarly　inclined；　for　from　the　other　side　of　the　table　I　could　hear　the　bass　voice　of　M。　Barreau；　complaining：

〃Why　can　he　not　mind　his　own　business？　Do　I　go　pushing　my　nose　into　his　department？　To　begin　with；　the　thing　concerns　Bompain；　not　him。　And　then；　after　all；　what　is　it　that　I　am　charged　with？　The　butcher　sends　me　five　baskets　of　meat　every　morning。　I　use　only　two　of　them　and　sell　the　three　others　back　to　him。　Where　is　the　/chef/　who　does　not　do　the　same？　As　if；　instead　of　coming　to　play　the　spy　in　my　basement；　he　would　not　do　better　to　look　after　the　great　leakage　up　there。　When　I　think　that　in　three　months　that　gang　on　the　first　floor　has　smoked　twenty…eight　thousand　francs'　worth　of　cigars。　Twenty…eight　thousand　francs！　Ask　Noel　if　I　am　not　speaking　the　truth。　And　on　the　second　floor；　in　the　apartments　of　madame；　that　is　where　you　should　look　to　see　a　fine　confusion　of　linen；　of　dresses　thrown　aside　after　being　worn　once；　jewels　by　the　handful；　pearls　that　you　crush　on　the　floor　as　you　walk。　Oh；　but　wait　a　little。　I　shall　get　my　own　back　from　that　same　little　gentleman。〃

I　understood　that　the　allusion　was　to　M。　de　Gery；　that　young　secretary　of　the　Nabob　who　often　comes　to　the　Territorial；　where　he　is　always　occupied　rummaging　into　the　books。　Very　polite；　certainly；　but　a　very　haughty　young　man；　who　does　not　know　how　to　push　himself　forward。　From　all　round　the　table　there　came　nothing　but　a　concert　of　maledictions　on　him。　M。　Louis　himself　addressed　some　remarks　to　the　company　upon　the　subject　with　his　grand　air：

〃In　our　establishment；　my　dear　M。　Barreau；　the　cook　quite　recently　had　an　affair；　similar　to　yours；　with　the　chief　of　his　excellency's　Cabinet；　who　had　permitted　himself　to　make　some　comments　upon　the　expenditure。　The　cook　went　up　to　the　duke's　apartments　upon　the　instant　in　his　professional　costume；　and　with　his　hand　on　the　strings　of　his　apron；　said；　'Let　your　excellency　choose　between　monsieur　and　myself。'　The　duke　did　not　hesitate。　One　can　find　as　many　Cabinet　leaders　as　one　desires；　while　the　good　cooks；　you　can　count　them。　There　are　in　Paris　four　altogether。　I　include　you；　my　dear　Barreau。　We　dismissed　the　chief　of　our　Cabinet；　giving　him　a　prefecture　of　the　first　class　by　way　of　consolation；　but　we　kept　the　/chef/　of　our　kitchen。〃

〃Ah；　you　see；〃　said　M。　Barreau；　who　rejoiced　to　hear　this　story；　〃you　see　what　it　is　to　serve　in　the　house　of　a　/grand　seigneur/。　But　/parvenus/　are　/parvenus/what　will　you　have？〃

〃And　that　is　all　Jansoulet　is；〃　added　M。　Francis；　tugging　at　his　cuffs。　〃A　man　who　used　to　be　a　street　porter　at　Marseilles。〃

M。　Noel　took　offence　at　this。

〃Hey；　down　there；　old　Francis；　you　are　very　glad　all　the　same　to　have　him　to　pay　your　card…debts；　the　street　porter　of　La　Cannebriere。　You　may　well　be　embarrassed　by　/parvenus/　like　us　who　lend　millions　to　kings；　and　whom　/grand　seigneurs/　like　Mora　do　not　blush　to　admit　to　their　tables。〃

〃Oh；　in　the　country；〃　chuckled　M。　Francis；　with　a　sneer　that　showed　his　old　tooth。

The　other　rose；　quite　red　in　the　face。　He　was　about　to　give　way　to　his　anger　when　M。　Louis　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand　to　signify　that　he　had　something　to　say；　and　M。　Noel　sat　down　immediately；　putting　his　hand　to　his　ear　like　all　the　rest　of　us　in　order　to　lose　nothing　that　fell　from　those　august　lips。

〃It　is　true；〃　remarked　the　personage；　speaking　with　the　slightest　possible　movement　of　his　mouth　and　continuing　to　take　his　wine　in　little　sips；　〃it　is　true　that　we　received　the　Nabob　at　Grandbois　the　other　week。　There　even　happened　something　very　funny　on　the　occasion。　We　have　a　quantity　of　mushrooms　in　the　second　park；　and　his　excellency　amuses　himself　sometimes　by　gathering　them。　Now　at　dinner　was　served　a　large　dish　of　fungi。　There　were　present；　what's　his　nameI　forget；　what　is　it？Marigny；　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Monpavon；　and　your　master；　my　dear　Noel。　The　mushrooms　went　the　round　of　the　table；　they　looked　nice；　the　gentlemen　helped　themselves　freely；　except　M。　le　Duc；　who　cannot　digest　them　and　out　of　politeness　feels　it　his　duty　to　remark　to　his　guests：　'Oh；　you　know；　it　is　not　that　I　am　suspicious　of　them。　They　are　perfectly　safe。　It　was　I　myself　who　gathered　them。'

〃　'/Sapristi！'　said　Monpavon；　laughing；　'then；　my　dear　Auguste；　allow　me　to　be　excused　from　tasting　them。'　Marigny；　less　familiar；　glanced　at　his　plate　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。

〃　'But；　yes；　Monpavon；　I　assure　you。　They　look　extremely　good；　these　mushrooms。　I　am　truly　sorry　that　I　have　no　appetite　left。'

〃The　duke　remained　very　serious。

〃　'Come；　M。　Jansoulet；　I　sincerely　hope　that　you　are　not　going　to　offer　me　this　affront；　you　also。　Mushrooms　selected　by　myself。'

〃　'Oh；　Excellency；　the　very　idea　of　such　a　thing！　Why；　I　would　eat　them　with　my　eyes　closed。'

〃So　you　see　what　sort　of　luck　he　had；　the　poor　Nabob；　the　first　time　that　he　dined　with　us。　Duperron；　who　was　serving　opposite　him；　told　us　all　about　it　in　the　pantry。　It　seems　there　could　have　been　nothing　more　comic　than　to　see　the　Jansoulet　stuffing　himself　with　mushrooms；　and　rolling　terrified　eyes；　while　the　others　sat　watching　him　curiously　without　touching　their　plates。　He　sweated　under　the　effort；　poor　wretch。　And　the　best　of　it　was　that　he　took　a　second　portion；　he　actually　found　the　courage　to　take　a　second　portion。　He　kept　drinking　off　glasses　of　wine；　however；　like　a　mason；　between　each　mouthful。　Ah；　well；　do　you　wish　to　hear　my　opinion？　What　he　did　there　was　very　clever；　and　I　am　no　longer　surprised　that　this　fat　cow…herd　should　have　become　the　favourite　of　sovereigns。　He　knows　where　to　flatter　them　in　those　little　pretensions　which　no　man　avows。　In　brief；　the　duke　has　been　crazy　over　him　since　that　day。〃

This　little　story　caused　much　laughter　and　scattered　the　clouds　which　had　been　raised　by　a　few　imprudent　words。　So　then；　since　the　wine　had　untied　people's　tongues；　and　they　knew　each　other　better；　elbows　were　leaned　on　the　table　and　the　conversation　fell　on　masters；　on　the　places　in　which　each　of　them　had　served；　on　the　amusing　things　he　had　seen　in　them。　Ah！　of　how　many　such　adventures　did　I　not　hear；　how　much　of　the　interior　life　of　those　establishments　did　I　not　see　pass　before　me。　Naturally　I　also　made　my　own　little　effect　with　the　story　of　my　larder　at　the　Territorial；　the　times　when　I　used　to　keep　my　stew　in　the　empty　safe；　which　circumstance；　however；　did　not　prevent　our　old　cashier；　a　great　stickler　for　forms；　from　changing　the　key…word　of　the　lock　every　two　days；　as　though　all　the　treasures　of　the　Bank　of　France　had　been　inside。　M。　Louis　appeared　to　find　my　anecdote　entertaining。　But　the　most　astonishing　was　what　the　little　Bois　l'Hery；　with　his　Parisian　street…boy's　accent；　related　to　us　concerning　the　household　of　his　employers。

Marquis　and　Marquise　de　Bois　l'Hery；　second　floor；　Boulevard　Haussmann。　Furniture　rich　as　at　the　Tuileries；　blue　satin　on　all　the　walls；　Chinese　ornaments；　pictures；　curiosities；　a　veritable　museum；　indeed；　overflowing　even　on　to　the　stairway。　The　service　very　smart：　six　men…servants；　chestnut　livery　in　winter；　nankeen　livery　in　summer。　These　people　are　seen　everywhere　at　the　small　Mondays；　at　the　races；　at　first…nights；　at　embassy　balls；　and　their　name　always　in　the　newspapers　with　a　remark　upon　the　handsome　toilettes　of　Madame；　and　Monsieur's　remarkable　chic。　Well！　all　that　is　nothing　at　all　but　pretence；　plated　goods；　show；　and　when　the　marquis　wants　five　francs　nobody　wo