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the nabob-第13章

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sted at once a Marseilles hairdresser and the strong man at a fair; a masseur; pedicure; manicure; and something of a dentist; sat with elbows on the table with the coolness of a charlatan whom one receives in the morning and knows the little infirmities; the intimate distresses of the abode in which he chances to find himself。 M。 Bompain completed this array of subordinates; all alike in one respect at any rate; Bompain; the secretary; the steward; the confidential agent; through whose hands the entire business of the house passed; and it sufficed to observe that solemnly stupid attitude; that indefinite manner; the Turkish fez placed awkwardly on a head suggestive of a village school…master; in order to understand to what manner of people interests like those of the Nabob had been abandoned。

Finally; to fill the gaps among these figures I have sketched; the Turkish crowdTunisians; Moors; Egyptians; Levantines; and; mingled with this exotic element; a whole variegated Parisian Bohemia of ruined nobleman; doubtful traders; penniless journalists; inventors of strange products; people arrived from the south without a farthing; all the lost ships needing revictualling; or flocks of birds wandering aimlessly in the night; which were drawn by this great fortune as by the light of a beacon。 The Nabob admitted this miscellaneous collection of individuals to his table out of kindness; out of generosity; out of weakness; by reason of his easy…going manners; joined to an absolute ignorance and a survival of that loneliness of the exile; of that need for expansion which; down yonder in Tunis; in his splendid palace of the Bardo; had caused him to welcome everybody who hailed from France; from the small tradesman exporting Parisian wares to the famous pianist on tour and the consul…general himself。

As one listened to those various accents; those foreign intonations; gruff or faltering; as one gazed upon those widely different physiognomies; some violent; barbarous; vulgar; others hyper… civilized; worn; suggestive only of the Boulevard and as it were flaccid; one noted that the same diversity was evident also among the servants who; some apparently lads just out of an office; insolent in manner; with heads of hair like a dentist's or a bath…attendant's; busied themselves among Ethiopians standing motionless and shining like candelabra of black marble; and it was impossible to say exactly where one was; in any case; you would never have imagined yourself to be in the Place Vendome; right in the beating heart and very centre of the life of our modern Paris。 Upon the table there was a like importation of exotic dishes; saffron or anchovy sauces; spices mixed up with Turkish delicacies; chickens with fried almonds; and all this taken together with the banality of the interior; the gilding of the panels; the shrill ringing of the new bells; gave the impression of a /table d'hote/ in some big hotel in Smyrna or Calcutta; or of a luxurious dining…saloon on board a transatlantic liner; the 〃Pereire〃 or the 〃Sinai。〃

It might seem that this diversity among the guestsI was about to say among the passengersought to have caused the meal to be animated and noisy。 Far otherwise。 They all ate nervously; watching each other out of eye…corners; and even those most accustomed to society; those who appeared the most at their ease; had in their glance the wandering look and the distraction of a fixed idea; a feverish anxiety which caused them to speak without relevance and to listen without understanding a word of what was being said to them。

Suddenly the door of the dining…room opened。

〃Ah; here comes Jenkins!〃 exclaimed the Nabob delightedly。 〃Welcome; welcome; doctor。 How are you; my friend?〃

A smile to those around; a hearty shake of his host's hand; and Jenkins sat down opposite him; next to Monpavon; before a place at the table which a servant had just prepared in all haste and without having received any order; exactly as at a /table d'hote/。 Among those preoccupied and feverish faces; this one at any rate stood out in contrast by its good humour; its cheerfulness; and that loquacious and flattering benevolence which makes the Irish in a way the Gascons of England。 And what a splendid appetite! With what heartiness; what ease of conscience he used his white teeth as he talked!

〃Well; Jansoulet; you have read it?〃

〃What?〃

〃How; then! you do not know? You have not read what the /Messenger/ says about you this morning?〃

Beneath the dark tan of his cheeks the Nabob blushed like a child; and; his eyes shining with pleasure:

〃Is it possiblethe /Messenger/ has spoken of me?〃

〃Through two columns。 How is it that Moessard has not shown it to you?〃

〃Oh;〃 put in Moessard modestly; 〃it was not worth the trouble。〃

He was a little journalist; with a fair complexion and smart in his dress; sufficiently good…looking; but with a face which presented that worn appearance noticeable as the special mark of waiters in night… restaurants; actors; and light women; and produced by conventional grimacing and the wan reflection of gaslight。 He was reputed to be the paid lover of an exiled and profligate queen。 The rumour was whispered around him; and; in his own world; secured him an envied and despicable position。

Jansoulet insisted on reading the article; impatient to know what had been said of him。 Unfortunately Jenkins had left his copy at the duke's。

〃Let some one go fetch me a /Messenger/ quickly;〃 said the Nabob to the servant behind him。

Moessard intervened。

〃It is needless。 I must have the thing on me somewhere。〃

And with the absence of ceremony of the tavern /habitue/; of the reporter who scribbles his paragraph with his glass beside him; the journalist drew out a pocket…book; crammed full of notes; stamped papers; newspaper cuttings; notes written on glazed paper with crests; which he proceeded to litter over the table; pushing away his plate in order to search for the proof of his article。

〃There you are。〃 He passed it over to Jansoulet; but Jenkins besought him:

〃No; no; read it aloud。〃

The company having echoed the request in chorus; Moessard took back his proof and commenced to read in a loud voice; 〃The Bethlehem Society and Mr。 Bernard Jansoulet;〃 a long dithyramb in favour of artificial lactation; written from notes made by Jenkins; which were recognisable through certain fine phrases much affected by the Irishman; such as 〃the long martyrology of childhood;〃 〃the sordid traffic in the breast;〃 〃the beneficent nanny…goat as foster…mother;〃 and finishing; after a pompous description of the splendid establishment at Nanterre; with a eulogy of Jenkins and a glorification of Jansoulet: 〃O Bernard Jansoulet; benefactor of childhood!〃 It was a sight to see the vexed; scandalized faces of the guests。 What an intriguer was this Moessard! What an impudent piece of sycophantry! And the same envious; disdainful smile quivered on every mouth。 And the deuce of it was that a man had to applaud; to appear charmed; the master of the house not being weary as yet of incense; and taking everything very seriously; both the article and the applause it provoked。 His big face shone during the reading。 Often; down yonder; 
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