the nabob-第46章

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　when　the　marquis　wants　five　francs　nobody　would　lend　them　to　him　upon　his　possessions。　The　furniture　is　hired　by　the　fortnight　from　Fitily；　the　upholsterer　of　the　demi…monde。　The　curiosities；　the　pictures；　belong　to　old　Schwalbach；　who　sends　his　clients　round　there　and　makes　them　pay　doubly　dear；　since　people　don't　bargain　when　they　think　they　are　dealing　with　a　marquis；　an　amateur。　As　for　the　toilettes　of　the　marquise；　the　milliner　and　the　dressmaker　provide　her　with　them　each　season　gratis；　get　her　to　wear　the　new　fashions；　a　little　ridiculous　sometimes　but　which　society　subsequently　adopts　because　Madame　is　still　a　very　handsome　woman　and　reputed　for　her　elegance；　she　is　what　is　called　a　/launcher/。　Finally；　the　servants！　Makeshifts　like　the　rest；　changed　each　week　at　the　pleasure　of　the　registry　office　which　sends　them　there　to　do　a　period　of　probation　by　way　of　preliminary　to　a　serious　engagement。　If　you　have　neither　sureties　nor　certificates；　if　you　have　just　come　out　of　prison　or　anything　of　that　kind；　Glanand；　the　famous　agent　of　the　Rue　de　la　Paix；　sends　you　off　to　the　Boulevard　Haussmann。　You　remain　in　service　there　for　a　week　or　two；　just　the　time　necessary　to　buy　a　good　reference　from　the　marquis；　who；　of　course；　it　is　understood；　pays　you　nothing　and　barely　boards　you；　for　in　that　house　the　kitchen…ranges　are　cold　most　of　the　time；　Monsieur　and　Madame　dining　out　nearly　every　evening　or　going　to　balls；　where　a　supper　is　included　in　the　entertainment。　It　is　positive　fact　that　there　are　people　in　Paris　who　take　the　sideboard　seriously　and　make　the　first　meal　of　their　day　after　midnight。　The　Bois　l'Herys；　in　consequence；　are　well…informed　with　regard　to　the　houses　that　provide　refreshments。　They　will　tell　you　that　you　get　a　very　good　supper　at　the　Austrian　Embassy；　that　the　Spanish　Embassy　rather　neglects　the　wines；　and　that　it　is　at　the　Foreign　Office　again　that　you　find　the　best　/chaud…froid　de　volailles/。　And　that　is　the　life　of　this　curious　household。　Nothing　that　they　possess　is　really　theirs；　everything　is　tacked　on；　loosely　fastened　with　pins。　A　gust　of　wind　and　the　whole　thing　blows　away。　But　at　least　they　are　certain　of　losing　nothing。　It　is　this　assurance　which　gives　to　the　marquis　that　air　of　raillery　worthy　of　a　Father　Tranquille　which　he　has　when　he　looks　at　you　with　both　hands　in　his　pockets；　as　much　as　to　say：　〃Ah；　well；　and　what　then？　What　can　they　do　to　me？〃

And　the　little　groom；　in　the　attitude　which　I　have　just　mentioned；　with　his　head　like　that　of　a　prematurely　old　and　vicious　child；　imitated　his　master　so　well　that　I　could　fancy　I　saw　himself　as　he　looks　at　our　board　meetings；　standing　in　front　of　the　governor　and　overwhelming　him　with　his　cynical　pleasantries。　All　the　same；　one　must　admit　that　Paris　is　a　tremendously　great　city；　for　a　man　to　be　able　to　live　thus；　through　fifteen；　twenty　years　of　tricks；　artifice；　dust　thrown　in　people's　eyes；　without　everybody　finding　him　out；　and　for　him　still　to　be　able　to　make　a　triumphal　entry　into　a　drawing…room　in　the　rear　of　his　name　announced　loudly　and　repeatedly；　〃Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Bois　l'Hery。〃

No；　look　you；　the　things　that　are　to　be　learned　at　a　servants'　party；　what　a　curious　spectacle　is　presented　by　the　fashionable　world　of　Paris；　seen　thus　from　below；　from　the　basements；　you　need　to　go　to　one　before　you　can　realize。　Here；　for　instance；　is　a　little　fragment　of　conversation　which；　happening　to　find　myself　between　M。　Francis　and　M。　Louis；　I　overheard　about　the　worthy　sire　de　Monpavon。

〃You　are　making　a　mistake；　Francis。　You　are　in　funds　just　now。　You　ought　to　take　advantage　of　the　occasion　to　restore　that　money　to　the　Treasury。〃

〃What　will　you　have？〃　replied　M。　Francis　with　a　despondent　air。　〃Play　is　devouring　us。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　it　well。　But　take　care。　We　shall　not　always　be　there。　We　may　die；　fall　from　power。　Then　you　will　be　asked　for　accounts　by　the　people　down　yonder。　And　it　will　be　a　terrible　business。〃

I　had　often　heard　whispered　the　story　of　a　forced　loan　of　two　hundred　thousand　francs　which　the　marquis　was　reputed　to　have　secured　from　the　State　at　the　time　when　he　was　Receiver…General；　but　the　testimony　of　his　/valet　de　chambre/　was　worse　than　all。　Ah！　if　masters　had　any　suspicion　of　how　much　servants　know；　of　all　the　stories　that　are　told　in　the　servants'　hall；　if　they　could　see　their　names　dragged　among　the　sweepings　of　the　house　and　the　refuse　of　the　kitchen；　they　would　never　again　dare　to　say　even　〃shut　the　door〃　or　〃harness　the　horses。〃　Why；　for　instance；　take　Dr。　Jenkins；　with　the　most　valuable　practice　in　Paris；　ten　years　of　life　in　common　with　a　magnificent　woman；　who　is　sought　after　everywhere；　it　is　in　vain　that　he　has　done　everything　to　dissimulate　his　position；　announced　his　marriage　in　the　newspapers　after　the　English　fashion；　admitted　to　his　house　only　foreign　servants　knowing　hardly　three　words　of　French。　In　those　three　words；　seasoned　with　vulgar　oaths　and　blows　of　his　fist　on　the　table；　his　coachman　Joey；　who　hates　him；　told　us　his　whole　history　during　supper。

〃She　is　going　to　kick　the　bucket；　his　Irish　wife；　the　real　one。　Remains　to　be　seen　now　whether　he　will　marry　the　other。　Forty…five；　she　is；　Mrs。　Maranne；　and　not　a　shilling。　You　should　see　how　afraid　she　is　of　being　left　in　the　lurch。　Whether　he　marries　her　or　whether　he　does　not　marry　herkss；　ksswe　shall　have　a　good　laugh。〃

And　the　more　drink　he　was　given；　the　more　he　told　us　about　her；　speaking　of　his　unfortunate　mistress　as　though　she　were　the　lowest　of　the　low。　For　my　own　part；　I　confess　that　she　interested　me；　this　false　Mme。　Jenkins；　who　goes　about　weeping　in　every　corner；　implores　her　lover　as　though　he　were　the　executioner；　and　runs　the　chance　of　being　thrown　overboard　altogether；　when　all　society　believes　her　to　be　married；　respectable；　and　established　in　life。　The　others　only　laughed　over　the　story；　the　women　especially。　Dame！　it　is　amusing　when　one　is　in　service　to　see　that　the　ladies　of　the　upper　ten　have　their　troubles　also　and　torments　that　keep　them　awake　at　night。

Our　festal　board　at　this　stage　presented　the　most　lively　aspect；　a　circle　of　gay　faces　stretched　towards　this　Irishman　whose　story　was　adjudged　to　have　won　the　prize。　The　fact　excited　envy；　the　rest　sought　and　hunted　through　their　memories　for　whatever　they　might　hold　in　the　way　of　old　scandals；　adventures　of　deceived　husbands；　of　those　intimate　privacies　which　are　emptied　on　the　kitchen…table　along　with　the　scraps　from　the　plates　and　the　dregs　from　the　bottles。　The　champagne　was　beginning　to　claim　its　own　among　the　guests。　Joey　wanted　to　dance　a　jig　on　the　table…cloth。　The　ladies；　at　the　least　word　that　was　a　little　gay；　threw　themselves　back　with　the　piercing　laughter　of　people　who　are　being　tickled；　allowing　their　embroidered　skirts　to　trail　beneath　the　table；　loaded　with　the　remains　of　the　food　and　covered　with　spilt　grease。　M。　Louis　had　discreetly　retired。　Glasses　were　filled　up　before　they　had　been　emptied；　one　of　the　housekeepers　dipped　a　handkerchief　in　hers；　filled　with　water；　and　bathed　her　forehead　with　it；　because　her　head　was　swimming；　she　said。　It　was　time　that　the　festivity　should　end；　and；　in　fact；　an　electric　bell　ringing　in　the　corridor　warned　us　that　the　footman；　on　duty　at　the　theatre；　had　come　to　summon　the　coachmen。　Thereupon　Monpavon　proposed　the　health　of　the　master　of　the　house；　thanking　him　for　his　little　party。　M。　Noel　announced　that　he　proposed　to　give　another　at　Saint…Romans；　in　honour　of　the　visit　of　the　Bey；　to　which　most　of　those　present　would　probably　be　invited。　And　I　was　about　to　rise　in　my　turn；　being　sufficiently　accustomed　to　social　banquets　to　know　that　on　such　an　occasion　the　oldest　man　present　is　expected　to　propose　the　health　of　the　ladies；　when　the　door　opened　abruptly；　and　a　tall　footman；　bespattered　with　mud；　a　dripping　umbrella　in　his　hand；　perspiring；　out　of　breath；　cried　to　us；　without　respect　for　the　company：

〃But　come　on　then；　you　set　of　idiots！　What　are　you　sticking　here　for？　Don't　you　know　it　is　over？〃



THE　FESTIVITIES　IN　HONOUR　OF　THE　BEY

In　the　regions　of　the　Midi；　of　bygone　civilization；　historical　castles　still　standing　are　rare。　Only　at　long　intervals　on　the　hillsides　some　old　abbey　lifts　its　tottering