the nabob-第51部分
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ooms； the name of each guest； which a glittering beadle saluted every time with the 〃/bing/〃 of his halberd on the floor。
How many the curious observations which that evening again I was able to make； how many the pleasant sallies； the high…toned jests exchanged among the servants upon all that world as it passed by！ Not with the vine…dressers of Montbars in any case should I have heard such drolleries。 I should remark that the worthy M。 Barreau； to begin with； had caused to be served to us all in his pantry； filled to the ceiling with iced drinks and provisions； a solid lunch well washed down； which put each of us in a good humour that was maintained during the evening by the glasses of punch and champagne pilfered from the trays when dessert was served。
The masters； indeed； seemed in less joyous mood than we。 So early as nine o'clock； when I arrived at my post； I was struck by the uneasy nervousness apparent on the face of the Nabob； whom I saw walking with M。 de Gery through the lighted and empty drawing…rooms； talking quickly and making large gestures。
〃I will kill him！〃 he said； 〃I will kill him！〃
The other endeavoured to soothe him； then madame came in； and the subject of their conversation was changed。
A mighty fine woman； this Levantine； twice as stout as I am； dazzling to look at with her tiara of diamonds； the jewels with which her huge white shoulders were laden； her back as round as her bosom； her waist compressed within a cuirass of green gold； which was continued in long braids down the whole length of her stiff skirt。 I have never seen anything so imposing； so rich。 She suggested one of those beautiful white elephants that carry towers on their backs； of which we read in books of travel。 When she walked； supporting herself with difficulty by means of clinging to the furniture； her whole body quivered； her ornaments clattered like a lot of old iron。 Added to this； a small； very piercing voice； and a fine red face which a little negro boy kept cooling for her all the time with a white feather fan as big as a peacock's tail。
It was the first time that this indolent and retiring person had showed herself to Parisian society； and M。 Jansoulet seemed very happy and proud that she had been willing to preside over his party； which undertaking； for that matter； did not cost the lady much trouble； for； leaving her husband to receive the guests in the first drawing…room； she went and lay down on the divan of the small Japanese room； wedged between two piles of cushions； motionless； so that you could see her from a distance right in the background； looking like an idol； beneath the great fan which her negro waved regularly like a piece of clockwork。 These foreign women possess an assurance！
All the same； the Nabob's irritation had struck me； and seeing the /valet de chambre/ go by； descending the staircase four steps at a time； I caught him on the wing and whispered in his ear：
〃What's the matter； then； with your governor； M。 Noel？〃
〃It is the article in the /Messenger/；〃 was his reply； and I had to give up the idea of learning anything further for the moment； the loud ringing of a bell announcing that the first carriage had arrived； followed soon by a crowd of others。
Wholly absorbed in my occupation； careful to utter clearly the names which were given to me； and to make them echo from salon to salon； I had no longer a thought for anything besides。 It is no easy business to announce in a proper manner persons who are always under the impression that their name must be known； whisper it under their breath as they pass； and then are surprised to hear you murder it with the finest accent； and are almost angry with you on account of those entrances which； missing fire and greeted with little smiles； follow upon an ill…made announcement。 At M。 Jansoulet's； what made the work still more difficult for me was the number of foreignersTurks； Egyptians； Persians； Tunisians。 I say nothing of the Corsicans； who were very numerous that day； because during my four years at the Territorial I have become accustomed to the pronunciation of those high…sounding； interminable names； always followed by that of the locality： 〃Paganetti de Porto Vecchio； Bastelica di Bonifacio； Paianatchi de Barbicaglia。〃
It was always a pleasure to me to modulate these Italian syllables； to give them all their sonority； and I saw clearly； from the bewildered airs of these worthy islanders； how charmed and surprised they were to be introduced in such a manner into the high society of the Continent。 But with the Turks； these pashas； beys； and effendis； I had much more trouble； and I must have happened often to fall on a wrong pronunciation； for M。 Jansoulet； on two separate occasions； sent word to me to pay more attention to the names that were given to me； and especially to announce in a more natural manner。 This remark； uttered aloud before the whole vestibule with a certain roughness； annoyed me greatly； and prevented meshall I confess it？from pitying this rich /parvenu/ when I learned； in the course of the evening； what cruel thorns lay concealed in his bed of roses。
From half past ten until midnight the bell was constantly ringing； carriages rolling up under the portico； guests succeeding one another； deputies； senators； councillors of state； municipal councillors； who looked much rather as though they were attending a meeting of shareholders than an evening…party of society people。 What could account for this？ I had not succeeded in finding an explanation； but a remark of the beadle Nicklauss opened my eyes。
〃Do you notice； M。 Passajon；〃 said that worthy henchman； as he stood opposite me； halberd in hand； 〃do you notice how few ladies we have？〃
That was it； egad！ Nor were we the only two to observe the fact。 As each new arrival made his entry I could hear the Nabob； who was standing near the door； exclaim； with consternation in his thick voice like that of a Marseillais with a cold in his head：
〃What！ all alone？〃
The guest would murmur his excuses。 〃Mn…mn…mnhis wife a trifle indisposed。 Certainly very sorry。〃 Then another would arrive； and the same question call forth the same reply。
By its constant repetition this phrase 〃All alone？〃 had eventually become a jest in the vestibule； lackeys and footmen threw it at each other whenever there entered a new guest 〃all alone！〃 And we laughed and were put in good…humour by it。 But M。 Nicklauss； with his great experience of the world； deemed this almost general abstention of the fair sex unnatural。
〃It must be the article in the /Messenger/；〃 said he。
Everybody was talking about it； this rascally article； and before the mirror garlanded with flowers； at which each guest gave a finishing touch to his attire before entering； I surprised fragments of whispered conversation such as this：
〃You have read it？〃
〃It is horrible！〃
〃Do you think the thing possible？〃
〃I have no idea。 In any case； I preferred not to bring my wife。〃
〃I have done the same。 A man can go everywhere without compromising himself。〃
〃Certainly。 While a woman〃
Then they would go in； opera hat under arm； with that conquering air of married men when they are unaccompanied by their wives。
What； then； could there be in this newspaper； this terrible article； to menace to this degree the influence of so wealthy a man？ Unfortunately； my duties took up the whole of my time。 I could go down neither to the pantry nor to the cloak…room to obtain information； to chat with the coachmen and valets and lackeys whom I could see standing at the foot of the staircase； amusing themselves by jests upon the people who were going up。 What will you？ Masters give themselves great airs also。 How not laugh to see go by with an insolent manner and an empty stomach the Marquis and the Marquise de Bois l'Hery； after all that we have been told about the traffickings of Monsieur and the toilettes of Madame？ And the Jenkins couple； so tender； so united； the doctor carefully putting a lace shawl over his lady's shoulders for fear she should take cold on the staircase； she herself smiling and in full dress； all in velvet； with a great long train； leaning on her husband's arm with an air that seems to say； 〃How happy I am！〃 when I happened to know that； in fact； since the death of the Irishwoman； his real； legitimate wife； the doctor is thinking of getting rid of the old woman who clings to him； in order to be able to marry a chit of a girl； and that the old woman passes her nights in lamentation； and in spoiling with tears whatever beauty she has left。
The humorous thing is that not one of these people had the least suspicion of the rich jests and jeers that were spat over their backs as they passed； not a notion of the filth which those long trains drew after them as they crossed the carpet of the antechamber； and they all would look at you so disdainfully that it was enough to make you die of laughing。
The two ladies whom I have just named； the wife of the governor； a little Corsican； to whom her bushy eyebrows； her white teeth； and her shining cheeks； dark beneath the skin； give the appearance of a woman of Auvergne with a washed face； a good sort； for the rest； and laughing all the time except when her husband is looking at other women； in addition； a few Levantines with tiaras of gold or pearls； less perfect specimens of the type than our own； but still in a similar style； wives of upholsterers； jewellers； regular tradesmen of the establishment； with shoulders as large as shop…fronts； and expensive toilettes； finally； sundry ladies； wives of officials of the Territorial； in sorry； badly creased dresses； these constituted the sole representation of the fair sex in the assembly； some thirty ladies lost among a thousand black coatsthat is to say； practically none at all。 From time to time Cassagne； Laporte； Grandvarlet； who were serving the refreshments in trays； stopped to inform us of what was passing in the drawing…rooms。
〃Ah； my boys； if you could see it！ it has a gloom； a melancholy。 The men don't stir from the buffets。 The ladies are all at the back； seated in a circle； fanning themselves and saying nothing。 The fat old lady does not speak to a soul。 I fancy she is sulking。 You should see the look on Monsieu
