the nabob-第57章

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〃Really？　And　with　whom？〃

〃With〃

He　was　going　to　say　〃With　Aline　Joyeuse；〃　but　a　feeling　of　restraint　stopped　him；　an　undefinable　sentiment；　a　sense　of　shame　at　pronouncing　her　name　in　the　studio　which　had　heard　so　many　others。　There　are　things　that　do　not　go　together；　one　scarcely　knows　why。　Paul　preferred　to　reply　with　a　falsehood；　which　brought　him　at　once　to　the　object　of　his　visit。

〃With　an　excellent　fellow　to　whom　you　have　given　very　unnecessary　pain。　Come；　why　have　you　not　finished　the　poor　Nabob's　bust？　It　was　a　great　joy　to　him；　such　a　very　proud　thing　for　him；　to　have　that　bust　in　the　exhibition。　He　counted　upon　it。〃

At　the　Nabob's　name　she　was　slightly　troubled。

〃It　is　true；〃　she　said；　〃I　broke　my　word。　But　what　do　you　expect？　I　am　made　of　caprice。　See；　the　cover　is　over　it；　all　wet；　so　that　the　clay　does　not　harden。〃

〃And　the　accident？　You　know；　we　didn't　believe　in　it。〃

〃Then　you　were　wrong。　I　never　lie。　It　had　a　fall；　a　most　awful　upset；　only　the　clay　was　fresh；　and　I　easily　repaired　it。　Look！〃

With　a　sweeping　gesture　she　lifted　the　cover。　The　Nabob　suddenly　appeared　before　them；　his　jolly　face　beaming　with　the　pleasure　of　being　portrayed；　so　like；　so　tremendously　himself；　that　Paul　gave　a　cry　of　admiration。

〃Isn't　it　good？〃　she　said　artlessly。　〃Still　a　few　touches　here　and　there〃　She　had　taken　the　chisel　and　the　little　sponge　and　pushed　the　stand　into　what　remained　of　the　daylight。　〃It　could　be　done　in　a　few　hours。　But　it　couldn't　go　to　the　exhibition。　To…day　is　the　22nd；　all　the　exhibits　have　been　in　a　long　time。〃

〃Bah！　With　influence〃

She　frowned；　and　her　bad　expression　came　back；　her　mouth　turning　down。

〃That's　true。　The　/protege/　of　the　Duc　de　Mora。　Oh！　you　have　no　need　to　apologize。　I　know　what　people　say；　and　I　don't　care　/that/〃　and　she　threw　a　little　ball　of　clay　at　the　wall；　where　it　stuck；　flat。　〃Perhaps　men；　by　dint　of　supposing　the　thing　which　is　not　But　let　us　leave　these　infamies　alone；〃　she　said；　holding　up　her　aristocratic　head。　〃I　really　want　to　please　you；　Minerva。　Your　friend　shall　go　to　the　/Salon/　this　year。〃

Just　then　a　smell　of　caramel　and　warm　pastry　filled　the　studio；　where　the　shadows　were　falling　like　a　fine　gray　dust；　and　the　fairy　appeared；　a　dish　of　sweetmeats　in　her　hand。　She　looked　more　fairy…like　than　ever；　bedecked　and　rejuvenated；　dressed　in　a　white　gown　which　showed　her　beautiful　arms　through　sleeves　of　old　lace；　they　were　beautiful　still；　for　the　arm　is　the　beauty　that　fades　last。

〃Look　at　my　/kuchen/；　dearie；　they　are　such　a　success　this　time。　Oh！　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　did　not　see　you　had　friends。　And　it　is　M。　Paul！　How　are　you　M。　Paul？　Taste　one　of　my　cakes。〃

And　the　charming　old　lady；　whose　dress　seemed　to　lend　her　an　extraordinary　vivacity；　came　towards　him；　balancing　the　plate　on　the　tips　of　her　tiny　fingers。

〃Don't　bother　him。　You　can　give　him　some　at　dinner；〃　said　Felicia　quietly。

〃At　dinner？〃

The　dancer　was　so　astonished　that　she　almost　upset　her　pretty　pastries；　which　looked　as　light　and　airy　and　delicious　as　herself。

〃Yes；　he　is　staying　to　dine　with　us。　Oh！　I　beg　it　of　you；〃　she　added；　with　a　particular　insistence　as　she　saw　he　was　going　to　refuse；　〃I　beg　you　to　stay。　Don't　say　no。　You　will　be　rendering　me　a　real　service　by　staying　to…night。　ComeI　didn't　hesitate　a　few　minutes　ago。〃

She　had　taken　his　hand；　and　in　truth　might　have　been　struck　by　a　strange　disproportion　between　her　request　and　the　supplicating；　anxious　tone　in　which　it　was　made。　Paul　still　attempted　to　excuse　himself。　He　was　not　dressed。　How　could　she　propose　it！a　dinner　at　which　she　would　have　other　guests。

〃My　dinner？　But　I　will　countermand　it！　That　is　the　kind　of　person　I　am。　We　shall　be　alone；　just　the　three　of　us；　with　Constance。〃

〃But；　Felicia；　my　child；　you　can't　really　think　of　such　a　thing。　Ah；　well！　And　thethe　other　who　will　be　coming　directly。

〃I　am　going　to　write　to　him　to　stay　at　home；　/parbleu/！〃

〃You　unlucky　being；　it　is　too　late。〃

〃Not　at　all。　It　is　striking　six　o'clock。　The　dinner　was　for　half　past　seven。　You　must　have　this　sent　to　him　quickly。

She　was　writing　hastily　at　a　corner　of　the　table。

〃What　a　strange　girl；　/mon　Dieu！　mon　Dieu！/〃　murmured　the　dancer　in　bewilderment；　while　Felicia；　delighted；　transfigured；　was　joyously　sealing　her　letter。

〃There！　my　excuse　is　made。　Headaches　have　not　been　invented　for　Kadour。〃

Then；　the　letter　having　been　despatched：

〃Oh；　how　pleased　I　am！　What　a　jolly　evening　we　shall　have！　Do　kiss　me；　Constance！　It　will　not　prevent　us　from　doing　honour　to　your　/kuchen/；　and　we　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　in　a　pretty　toilette　which　makes　you　look　younger　than　I　do。〃

This　was　more　than　was　required　to　cause　the　dancer　to　forgive　this　new　caprice　of　her　dear　demon；　and　the　crime　of　/lese…majeste/　in　which　she　had　just　been　involved　against　her　will。　To　treat　so　great　a　personage　so　cavalierly！　There　was　no　one　like　her　in　the　worldthere　was　no　one　like　her。　As　for　Paul　de　Gery；　he　no　longer　tried　to　resist；　under　the　spell　once　more　of　that　attraction　from　which　he　had　been　able　to　fancy　himself　released　by　absence；　but　which；　from　the　moment　he　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　studio；　had　put　chains　on　his　will；　delivered　him　over；　bound　and　vanquished；　to　the　sentiment　which　he　was　quite　resolved　to　combat。

Evidently　the　dinnera　repast　for　a　veritable　/gourmet/；　superintended　by　the　Austrian　lady　in　its　least　detailshad　been　prepared　for　a　guest　of　great　mark。　From　the　lofty　Kabyle　chandelier　with　its　seven　branches　of　carved　wood；　which　cast　its　light　over　the　table…cloth　covered　with　embroidery；　to　the　long…necked　decanters　holding　the　wines　within　their　strange　and　exquisite　form；　the　sumptuous　magnificence　of　the　service；　the　delicacy　of　the　meats；　to　which　edge　was　given　by　a　certain　unusualness　in　their　selection；　revealed　the　importance　of　the　expected　visitor；　the　anxiety　which　there　had　been　to　please　him。　The　table　was　certainly　that　of　an　artist。　Little　silver；　but　superb　china；　much　unity　of　effect；　without　the　least　attempt　at　matching。　The　old　Rouen；　the　pink　Sevres；　the　Dutch　glass　mounted　in　old　filigree　pewter　met　on　this　table　as　on　a　sideboard　devoted　to　the　display　of　rare　curios　collected　by　a　connoisseur　exclusively　for　the　satisfaction　of　his　taste。　A　little　disorder　naturally；　in　this　household　equipped　at　hazard；　as　choice　things　could　be　picked　up。　The　wonderful　cruet…stand　had　lost　its　stoppers。　The　chipped　salt…cellar　allowed　its　contents　to　escape　on　the　table…cloth；　and　at　every　moment　you　would　hear；　〃Why！　what　is　become　of　the　mustard…pot？〃　〃What　has　happened　to　this　fork？〃　This　embarrassed　de　Gery　a　little　on　account　of　the　young　mistress　of　the　house；　who　for　her　part　took　no　notice　of　it。

But　something　made　Paul　feel　still　more　ill　at　easehis　anxiety；　namely；　to　know　who　the　privileged　guest　might　be　whom　he　was　replacing　at　this　table；　who　could　be　treated　at　once　with　so　much　magnificence　and　so　complete　an　informality。　In　spite　of　everything；　he　felt　him　present；　an　offence　to　his　personal　dignity；　that　visitor　whose　invitation　had　been　cancelled。　It　was　in　vain　that　he　tried　to　forget　him；　everything　brought　him　back　to　his　mind；　even　the　fine　dress　of　the　good　fairy　sitting　opposite　him；　who　still　maintained　some　of　the　grand　airs　with　which　she　had　equipped　herself　in　advance　for　the　solemn　occasion。　This　thought　troubled　him；　spoiled　for　him　the　pleasure　of　being　there。

On　the　other　hand；　by　contrast；　as　it　happens　in　all　friendships　between　two　people　who　meet　very　rarely；　never　had　he　seen　Felicia　so　affectionate；　in　such　happy　temper。　It　was　an　overflowing　gaiety　that　was　almost　childish；　one　of　those　warm　expansions　of　feeling　that　are　experienced　when　a　danger　has　been　passed；　the　reaction　of　a　bright　roaring　fire　after　the　emotion　of　a　shipwreck。　She　laughed　heartily；　teased　Paul　about　his　accent　and　what　she　called　his　/bourgeois/　ideas。　〃For　you　are　a　terrible　/bourgeois/；　you　know。　But　it　is　that　that　I　like　in　you。　It　is　an　effect　of　contraries；　doubtless；　it　is　because　I　myself　was　born　under　a　bridge；　in　a　gust　of　wind；　that　I　have　always　liked　sedate；　reasonable　natures。〃

〃Oh；　my　child；　what　are　you　going