the nabob-第76章

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ersonages　of　the　first　act　of　/Revolt/；　in　elegant　modern　ball　costumes；　with　the　creaking　of　new　shoes；　the　silken　rustle　of　the　trains；　the　jingling　of　rich　bracelets　pushed　up　the　arm　while　gloves　are　being　buttoned。　All　these　people　seem　excited；　nervous；　pale　beneath　their　paint；　and　under　the　skilfully　prepared　satin…like　surface　of　the　shoulders；　tremors　flutter　like　shadows。　Dry…mouthed；　they　speak　little。　The　least　nervous；　while　affecting　to　smile；　have　in　their　eyes　and　voice　the　hesitation　that　marks　an　absent　mindthat　apprehension　of　the　battle　behind　the　foot…lights　which　is　ever　one　of　the　most　powerful　attractions　of　the　comedian's　art；　its　piquancy；　its　freshness。

The　stage　is　encumbered　by　the　passage　to　and　fro　of　machinists　and　scene…builders　hastening　about；　running　into　one　another　in　the　dim；　pallid　light　falling　from　above；　which　will　give　place　directly；　as　soon　as　the　curtain　rises；　to　the　dazzling　of　the　foot…lights。　Cardailhac　is　there　in　his　dress…coat　and　white　tie；　his　opera　hat　on　one　side；　giving　a　final　glance　to　the　arrangement　of　the　scenery；　hurrying　the　workmen；　complimenting　the　/ingenue/　who　is　waiting　dressed　and　ready；　beaming；　humming　an　air；　looking　superb。　To　see　him　no　one　would　ever　guess　the　terrible　worries　which　distract　him。　He　is　compromised　by　the　fall　of　the　Nabobwhich　entails　the　loss　of　his　directorateand　is　risking　his　all　on　the　piece　of　this　evening；　obliged；　if　it　be　not　a　success；　to　leave　the　cost　of　this　marvellous　scenery；　these　stuffs　at　a　hundred　francs　the　yard；　unpaid。　It　is　a　fourth　bankruptcy　that　stares　him　in　the　face。　But；　bah！　our　manager　is　confident。　Success；　like　all　the　monsters　that　feed　on　men；　loves　youth；　and　this　unknown　author；　whose　name　is　appearing　for　the　first　time　on　a　theatre　bill；　flatters　the　gambler's　superstitions。

Andre　Maranne　feels　less　confident。　As　the　hour　for　the　production　of　the　piece　approaches　he　loses　faith　in　his　work；　terrified　by　the　sight　of　the　house；　at　which　he　looks　through　the　hole　in　the　curtain　as　through　the　narrow　lens　of　a　stereoscope。

A　splendid　house；　crammed　to　the　roof；　notwithstanding　the　late　period　of　the　spring　and　the　fashionable　taste　for　early　departure　to　the　country；　a　house　that　Cardailhac；　a　declared　enemy　of　nature　and　the　country；　endeavouring　always　to　keep　Parisians　in　Paris　till　the　latest　possible　date；　has　succeeded　in　crowding　and　making　as　brilliant　as　in　midwinter。　Fifteen　hundred　heads　are　swarming　beneath　the　great　central　chandelier；　erectbent　forwardturning　round　questioning　amid　a　great　play　of　shadows　and　reflections；　some　massed　in　the　obscure　corners　of　the　floor；　others　in　a　bright　light　reflected　through　the　open　doors　of　the　boxes　from　the　white　walls　of　the　corridor；　the　first…night　public　which　is　always　the　same；　that　brigand…like　/tout　Paris/　which　goes　everywhere；　carrying　those　envied　places　by　storm　when　a　favour　or　a　claim　by　right　of　some　official　position　fails　to　secure　them。

In　the　stalls　are　low…cut　waistcoats；　clubmen；　shining　bald　heads；　wide　partings　in　scanty　hair；　light…coloured　gloves；　big　opera…glasses　raised　and　directed　towards　various　points。　In　the　galleries　a　mixture　of　different　social　sets　and　all　kinds　of　dress；　all　the　people　well　known　as　figuring　at　this　kind　of　solemnity；　and　the　embarrassing　promiscuity　which　places　the　modest　smile　of　the　virtuous　woman　along…　side　of　the　black…ringed　eyes；　the　vermilion…painted　lips　of　her　who　belongs　to　another　category。　White　hats；　pink　hats；　diamonds　and　paint。　Above；　the　boxes　present　the　same　confusion；　actresses　and　women　of　the　demi…monde；　ministers；　ambassadors；　famous　authors；　criticsthese　last　wearing　a　grave　air　and　frowning　brow；　sitting　crosswise　in　their　/fauteuils/　with　the　impassive　haughtiness　of　judges　whom　nothing　can　corrupt。　The　boxes　near　the　stage　especially　stand　out　in　the　general　picture　brilliantly　lighted；　occupied　by　celebrities　of　the　financial　world；　the　women　/decollete/　and　with　bare　arms；　glittering　with　jewels　like　the　Queen　of　Sheba　on　her　visit　to　the　King　of　Judea。　But　on　the　left；　one　of　these　large　boxes；　entirely　empty；　attracts　attention　by　reason　of　its　curious　decoration；　lighted　from　the　back　by　a　Moorish　lantern。　Over　the　whole　assembly　is　an　impalpable　and　floating　dust；　the　flickering　of　the　gas；　that　odour　that　mingles　with　all　the　pleasures　of　Paris；　its　little　sputterings；　sharp　and　quick　like　the　breaths　drawn　by　a　consumptive；　accompanying　the　movement　of　opened　fans。　And　then；　too；　/ennui/；　a　gloomy　/ennui/；　the　/ennui/　of　seeing　the　same　faces　always　in　the　same　places；　with　their　defects　or　their　poses；　that　uniformity　of　fashionable　gatherings　which　ends　by　establishing　in　Paris　each　winter　a　spiteful　and　gossiping　provincialism　more　petty　than　that　of　the　provinces　themselves。

Maranne　observed　this　ill…humour；　this　lassitude　of　the　public；　and　thinking　of　all　the　changes　which　the　success　of　his　play　might　bring　about　in　his　simple　life；　he　asked　himself；　full　of　a　great　anxiety；　what　he　could　do　to　bring　his　ideas　home　to　those　thousands　of　people；　to　pluck　them　away　from　their　preoccupation；　and　to　send　through　this　crowd　a　single　current　which　should　draw　to　himself　those　absent　glances；　those　minds　of　every　different　calibre；　so　difficult　to　move　to　unison。　Instinctively　his　eyes　sought　friendly　faces；　a　box　facing　the　stage　occupied　by　the　Joyeuse　family；　Elise　and　the　younger　girls　seated　in　the　front；　Aline　and　the　father　in　the　row　behinda　charming　family　group；　like　a　bouquet　wet　with　dew　amid　a　display　of　artificial　flowers。　And　while　all　Paris　was　disdainfully　asking；　〃Who　are　those　people　there？〃　the　poet　instrusted　his　fate　to　those　little　fairy　hands；　new　gloved　for　the　occasion；　which　very　soon　would　boldly　give　the　signal　for　applause。

The　curtain　is　going　up！　Maranne　has　barely　time　to　spring　into　the　wings；　and　suddenly　he　hears　as　from　far；　very　far　away；　the　first　words　of　his　play；　which　rise；　like　a　flight　of　timid　birds；　into　the　silence　and　immensity　of　the　theatre。　A　terrible　moment。　Where　should　he　go？　What　should　he　do？　Remain　there　leaning　against　a　wing；　with　straining　ear　and　beating　heart？　Encourage　the　actors　when　he　himself　stood　in　so　much　need　of　encouragement？　He　prefers　rather　to　look　the　peril　in　the　face；　and　by　the　little　door　communicating　with　the　corridor　behind　the　boxes　he　slips　out　to　a　corner　box；　which　he　orders　to　be　opened　for　him　softly。　〃Sh！　It　is　I。〃　Some　one　is　seated　in　the　shadowa　woman；　she　whom　all　Paris　knows　and　who　is　hiding　herself　from　the　public　gaze。　Andre　sits　down　by　her　side；　and　so；　close　to　one　another；　mother　and　son　tremblingly　watch　the　progress　of　the　play。

It　astonished　the　audience　at　first。　This　Theatre　des　Nouveautes；　situated　in　the　very　heart　of　the　boulevard；　where　its　portico　glitters　all　illuminated　among　the　great　restaurants　of　the　smart　clubs；　this　theatre；　to　which　people　were　accustomed　to　come　in　parties　after　a　luxurious　dinner　to　listen　until　supper…time　to　an　act　or　two　of　some　suggestive　piece；　had　become　in　the　hands　of　its　clever　manager　the　most　fashionable　of　all　Parisian　entertainments；　without　any　very　precise　character　of　its　own；　and　partaking　something　of　all；　from　the　fairy…operetta　which　exhibits　undressed　women；　to　the　serious　modern　drama。　Cardailhac　was　especially　anxious　to　justify　his　title　of　〃Manager　of　the　Nouveautes；〃　and；　since　the　Nabob's　millions　had　been　at　the　back　of　the　undertaking；　had　made　a　point　of　preparing　for　the　boulevardiers　the　most　dazzling　surprises。　That　of　this　evening　surpassed　them　all；　the　piece　was　in　verseand　moral。

A　moral　play！

The　old　rogue　had　realized　that　the　moment　had　arrived　to　try　that　effect；　and　he　was　trying　it。　After　the　astonishment　of　the　first　minutes；　a　few　disappointed　exclamations　here　and　there　in　the　boxes；　〃Why；　it　is　in　verse！〃　the　house　began　to　feel　the　charm　of　this　invigorating　and　healthy　piece；　as　if　there　had　been　sprinkled　on　it；　in　its　rarefied　atmosphere；　some　fresh　and　pungent　essence；　an　elixir　of　life　perfumed　with　thyme　from　the　hillside。

〃Ah！　this　is　niceit　is　restful。〃

Such　was　the　general　sense；　a　thrill　of　ease；　a　spasm　of　pleasure　accompanying　each　line。　That　fat　old　Hemerlingue　found　it　restful；　puffing　in　his　stage…box　on　the　ground　floor　as　in　a　trough　of　cerise　satin。　It　was　restful　also　to　that　tall　Suzanne　Bloch；　her　hair　dressed　in　the　antique　way；　ringlets　flowing　over　a　diadem　of　gold；　and　near　her；　Amy　Ferat；　all　in　white　like　a　bride　and　with　sprigs　of　orange…blossom　in　her　fluffy　hair；　it　was　restful　to　her　also；　you　may　be　sure。

A　crowd　of　demi…mondaines　were　present；　some　very　fat；　with　a　dirty　greasiness　acquired　in　a　hundred　seraglios；　three　chins；　and　an　air　of　stupidity；　others　absolutely　green　in　spite　of　their　paint；　as　if　they　had　been　dipped　in　a　bath　of　that　arsenate　of　copper　which　is　called　in　the　shops　〃Paris　green。〃　These　were　wrinkled；　faded　to　such　a　degree　that　they　hid　in　the　back　of　their　boxes；　only　allowing　a　portion　of　a　white　arm　to　be　seen；　a　rounded　shoulder　protruding。　Then　there　were　young　men　about　town；　flabby　and　without　backbone；　those　who　at　that　time　used　to　be　called　/petits　creves/；　creatures　worn　out　by　dissipation；　with　stooping　necks　and　drooping　lids；　incapable　of　standing　erect　or　of　articulating　a　single　word　perfectly。　And　all　these　people　exclaimed　with　one　accord：　〃This　is　niceit　is　restful。〃　The　handsome　Moessard　murmured　it　like　a　refrain　beneath　his　little　fair　mustache；　while　his　queen　in　the　stage…box　translated　it　into　the　barbarism　of　her　foreign　tongue。　Positively　they　found　it　restful。　They　did　not　say　after　whatafter　what　heart…breaking　labour；　after　what　forced；　idle　and　useless　task。

All　these　friendly　murmurs；　united　and　mingled；　began　to　give　to　the　house　an　eventful　appearance。　Success　was　felt　in　the　air；　faces　became　serene　again；　the　women　seemed　the　more　beautiful　for　reflecting　enthusiasm；　for　being　moved　to　glances　that　were　as　exciting　as　applause。　Andre；　at　his　mother's　side；　thrilled　with　such　an　unknown　pleasure；　with　that　proud　delight　which　a　man　feels　when　he　stirs　the　multitude；　be　he　only　a　singer　in　a　suburban　back…yard；　with　a　patriotic　refrain　and　two　pathetic　notes　in　his　voice。　Suddenly　the　whisperings　redoubled；　were　transformed　into　a　tumult。　People　were　chuckling　and　fidgeting　with　excitement。　What　had　happened？　Some　accident　on　the　stage？　Andre；　leaning　terrified　towards　the　actors　as　astonished　as　himself；　saw　every　opera…glass　turned　towards　the　big　stage…box　which　had　remained　empty　until　then；　and　which　some　one　had　just　entered；　who　sat　down　immediately　with　both　his　elbows　on　the　velvet　ledge；　and　with　his　opera…glass　drawn　from　its　case；　taking　his　place　in　gloomy　solitude。

In　ten　days　the　Nabob　had　aged　twenty　years。　Violent　southern　natures　like　his；　if　they　are　rich　in　enthusiasms；　become　also　more　utterly　prostrate　than　others。　Since　his　unseating　the　unfortunate　man　had　shut　himself　up　in　his　bedroom；　with　drawn　curtains；　no　longer　wishing　even　to　see　the　light　of　day　nor　to　cross　over　the　threshold　beyond　which　life　was　waiting　for　him；　with　the　engagements　he　had　undertaken；　the　promises　he　had　made；　a　mass　of　protested　bills　and　writs。　The