father goriot(高老头)-第16部分

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　quite　understand　that　so　long　as　Bonaparte　was　Emperor；　the　two　sons…in…law　could　manage　to　put　up　with　the　old　Ninety…three；　but　after　the　restoration　of　the　Bourbons；　M。　de　Restaud　felt　bored　by　the　old　man's　society；　and　the　banker　was　still　more　tired　of　it。　His　daughters　were　still　fond　of　him；　they　wanted　'to　keep　the　goat　and　the　cabbage；'　so　they　used　to　see　Joriot　whenever　there　was　no　one　there；　under　pretence　of　affection。　'Come　to…　day；　papa；　we　shall　have　you　all　to　ourselves；　and　that　will　be　much　nicer！'　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　As　for　me；　dear；　I　believe　that　love　has　second…sight：　poor　Ninety…three；　his　heart　must　have　bled。　He　saw　that　his　daughters　were　ashamed　of　him；　that　if　they　loved　their　husbands　his　visits　must　make　mischief。　So　he　immolated　himself。　He　made　the　sacrifice　because　he　was　a　father；　he　went　into　voluntary　exile。　His　daughters　were　satisfied；　so　he　thought　that　he　had　done　the　best　thing　he　could；　but　it　was　a　family　crime；　and　father　and　daughters　were　accomplices。　You　see　this　sort　of　thing　everywhere。　What　could　this　old　Doriot　have　been　but　a　splash　of　mud　in　his　daughters'　drawing…rooms？　He　would　only　have　been　in　the　way；　and　bored　other　people；　besides　being　bored　himself。　And　this　that　happened　between　father　and　daughters　may　happen　to　the　prettiest　woman　in

Paris　and　the　man　she　loves　the　best；　if　her　love　grows　tiresome；　he　will　go；　he　will　descend　to　the　basest　trickery　to　leave　her。　It　is　the　same　with　all　love　and　friendship。　Our　heart　is　a　treasury；　if　you　pour　out　all　its　wealth　at　once；　you　are　bankrupt。　We　show　no　more　mercy　to　the　affection　that　reveals　its　utmost　extent　than　we　do　to　another　kind　of　prodigal　who　has　not　a　penny　left。　Their　father　had　given　them　all　he　had。　For　twenty　years　he　had　given　his　whole　heart　to　them；　then；　one　day；　he　gave　them　all　his　fortune　too。　The　lemon　was　squeezed；　the　girls　left　the　rest　in　the　gutter。〃

〃The　world　is　very　base；〃　said　the　Vicomtesse；　plucking　at　the　threads　of　her　shawl。　She　did　not　raise　her　head　as　she　spoke；　the　words　that　Mme。　de　Langeais　had　meant　for　her　in　the　course　of　her　story　had　cut　her　to　the　quick。

〃Base？　Oh；　no；〃　answered　the　Duchess；　〃the　world　goes　its　own　way；　that　is　all。　If　I　speak　in　this　way；　it　is　only　to　show　that　I　am　not　duped　by　it。　I　think　as　you　do；〃　she　said；　pressing　the　Vicomtesse's　hand。　〃The　world　is　a　slough；　let　us　try　to　live　on　the　heights　above　it。〃

She　rose　to　her　feet　and　kissed　Mme。　de　Beauseant　on　the　forehead　as　she　said：　〃You　look　very　charming　to…day；　dear。　I　have　never　seen　such　a　lovely　color　in　your　cheeks　before。〃

Then　she　went　out　with　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head　to　the　cousin。

〃Father　Goriot　is　sublime！〃　said　Eugene　to　himself；　as　he　remembered　how　he　had　watched　his　neighbor　work　the　silver　vessel　into　a　shapeless　mass　that　night。

Mme。　de　Beauseant　did　not　hear　him；　she　was　absorbed　in　her　own　thoughts。　For　several　minutes　the　silence　remained　unbroken　till　the　law　student　became　almost　paralyzed　with　embarrassment；　and　was　equally　afraid　to　go　or　stay　or　speak　a　word。

〃The　world　is　basely　ungrateful　and　ill…natured；〃　said　the　Vicomtesse　at　last。　〃No　sooner　does　a　trouble　befall　you　than　a　friend　is　ready　to　bring　the　tidings　and　to　probe　your　heart　with　the　point　of　a　dagger　while　calling　on　you　to　admire　the　handle。　Epigrams　and　sarcasms　already！　Ah！　I　will　defend　myself！〃

She　raised　her　head　like　the　great　lady　that　she　was；　and　lightnings　flashed　from　her　proud　eyes。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　as　she　saw　Eugene；　〃are　you　there？〃

〃Still；〃　he　said　piteously。

〃Well；　then；　M。　de　Rastignac；　deal　with　the　world　as　it　deserves。　You　are　determined　to　succeed？　I　will　help　you。　You　shall　sound　the　depths　of　corruption　in　woman；　you　shall　measure　the　extent　of　man's　pitiful　vanity。　Deeply　as　I　am　versed　in　such　learning；　there　were　pages　in　the　book　of　life　that　I　had　not　read。　Now　I　know　all。　The　more　cold…blooded　your　calculations；　the　further　you　will　go。　Strike　ruthlessly；　you　will　be　feared。　Men　and　women　for　you　must　be　nothing　more　than　post…horses；　take　a　fresh　relay；　and　leave　the　last　to　drop　by　the　roadside；　in　this　way　you　will　reach　the　goal　of　your　ambition。　You　will　be　nothing　here；　you　see；　unless　a　woman　interests　herself　in　you；　and　she　must　be　young　and　wealthy；　and　a　woman　of　the　world。　Yet；　if　you　have　a　heart；　lock　it　carefully　away　like　a　treasure；　do　not　let　any　one　suspect　it；　or　you　will　be　lost；　you　would　cease　to　be　the　executioner；　you　would　take　the　victim's　place。　And　if　ever　you　should　love；　never　let　your　secret　escape　you！　Trust　no　one　until　you　are　very　sure　of　the　heart　to　which　you　open　your　heart。　Learn　to　mistrust　every　one；　take　every　precaution　for　the　sake　of　the　love　which　does　not　exist　as　yet。　Listen；　Miguel〃　the　name　slipped　from　her　so　naturally　that　she　did　not　notice　her　mistake〃there　is　something　still　more　appalling　than　the　ingratitude　of　daughters　who　have　cast　off　their　old　father　and　wish　that　he　were　dead；　and　that　is　a　rivalry　between　two　sisters。　Restaud　comes　of　a　good　family；　his　wife　has　been　received　into　their　circle；　she　has　been　presented　at　court；　and　her　sister；　her　wealthy　sister；　Mme。　Delphine　de　Nucingen；　the　wife　of　a　great　capitalist；　is　consumed　with　envy；　and　ready　to　die　of　spleen。　There　is　gulf　set　between　the　sistersindeed；　they　are　sisters　no　longerthe　two　women　who　refuse　to　acknowledge　their　father　do　not　acknowledge　each　other。　So　Mme。　de　Nucingen　would　lap　up　all　the　mud　that　lies　between　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare　and　the　Rue　de　Grenelle　to　gain　admittance　to　my　salon。　She　fancied　that　she　should　gain　her　end　through　de　Marsay；　she　has　made　herself　de　Marsay's　slave；　and　she　bores　him。　De　Marsay　cares　very　little　about　her。　If　you　will　introduce　her　to　me；　you　will　be　her　darling；　her　Benjamin；　she　will　idolize　you。　If；　after　that；　you　can　love　her；　do　so；　if　not；　make　her　useful。　I　will　ask　her　to　come　once　or　twice　to　one　of　my　great　crushes；　but　I　will　never　receive　her　here　in　the　morning。　I　will　bow　to　her　when　I　see　her；　and　that　will　be　quite　sufficient。　You　have　shut　the　Comtesse　de　Restaud's　door　against　you　by　mentioning　Father　Goriot's　name。　Yes；　my　good　friend；　you　may　call　at　her　house　twenty　times；　and　every　time　out　of　the　twenty　you　will　find　that　she　is　not　at　home。　The　servants　have　their　orders；　and　will　not　admit　you。　Very　well；　then；　now　let　Father　Goriot　gain　the　right　of　entry　into　her　sister's　house　for　you。　The　beautiful　Mme。　de　Nucingen　will　give　the　signal　for　a　battle。　As　soon　as　she　singles　you　out；　other　women　will　begin　to　lose　their　heads　about　you；　and　her　enemies　and　rivals　and　intimate　friends　will　all　try　to　take　you　from　her。　There　are　women　who　will　fall　in　love　with　a　man　because　another　woman　has　chosen　him；　like　the　city　madams；　poor　things；　who　copy　our　millinery；　and　hope　thereby　to　acquire　our　manners。　You　will　have　a　success；　and　in　Paris　success　is　everything；　it　is　the　key　of　power。　If　the　women　credit　you　with　wit　and　talent；　the　men　will　follow　suit　so　long　as　you　do　not　undeceive　them　yourself。　There　will　be　nothing　you　may　not　aspire　to；　you　will　go　everywhere；　and　you　will　find　out　what　the　world　isan　assemblage　of　fools　and　knaves。　But　you　must　be　neither　the　one　nor　the　other。　I　am　giving　you　my　name　like　Ariadne's　clue　of　thread　to　take　with　you　into　the　labyrinth；　make　no　unworthy　use　of　it；〃　she　said；　with　a　queenly　glance　and　curve　of　her　throat；　〃give　it　back　to　me　unsullied。　And　now；　go；　leave　me。　We　women　also　have　our　battles　to　fight。〃

〃And　if　you　should　ever　need　some　one　who　would　gladly　set　a　match　to　a　train　for　you〃

〃Well？〃　she　asked。

He　tapped　his　heart；　smiled　in　answer　to　his　cousin's　smile；　and　went。

It　was　five　o'clock；　and　Eugene　was　hungry；　he　was　afraid　lest　he　should　not　be　in　time　for　dinner；　a　misgiving　which　made　him　feel　that　it　was　pleasant　to　be　borne　so　quickly　across　Paris。　This　sensation　of　physical　comfort　left　his　mind　free　to　grapple　with　the　thoughts　that　assailed　him。　A　mortification　usually　sends　a　young　man　of　his　age　into　a　furious　rage；　he　shakes　his　fist　at　society；　and　vows　vengeance　when　his　belief　in　himself　is　shaken。　Just　then　Rastignac　was　overwhelmed　by　the　words；　〃You　have　shut　the　Countess'　door　against　you。〃

〃I　shall　call！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃and　if　Mme。　de　Beauseant　is　right；　if　I　never　find　her　at　homeI　。　。　。　well；　Mme。　de　Restaud　shall　meet　me　in　every　salon　in　Paris。　I　will　learn　to　fence　and　have　some　pistol　practice；　and　kill　that　Maxime　of　hers！〃

〃And　money？〃　cried　an　inward　monitor。　〃How　about　money；　where　is　that　to　come　from？〃　And　all　at　once　the　wealth　displayed　in　the　Countess　de　Restaud's　drawing…room　rose　before　his　eyes。　That　was　the　luxury　which　Goriot's　daughter　had　loved　too　well；　the　gilding；　the　ostentatious　splendor；　the　unintelligent　luxury　of　the　parvenu；　the　riotous　extravagance　of　a　courtesan。　Then　the　attractive　vision　suddenly　went　under　an　eclipse　as　he　remembered　the　stately　grandeur　of　the　Hotel　de　Beauseant。　As　his　fancy　wandered　among　these　lofty　regions　in　the　great　world　of　Paris；　innumerable　dark　thoughts　gathered　in　his　heart；　his　ideas　widened；　and　his　conscience　grew　more　elastic。　He　saw　the　world　as　it　is；　saw　how　the　rich　lived　beyond　the　jurisdiction　of　law　and　public　opinion；　and　found　in　success　the　ultima　ratio　mundi。

〃Vautrin　is　right；　success　is　virtue！〃　he　said　to　himself。



Arrived　in　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve；　he　rushed　up　to　his　room　for　ten　francs　wherewith　to　satisfy　the　demands　of　the　cabman；　and　went　in　to　dinner。　He　glanced　round　the　squalid　room；　saw　the　eighteen　poverty…stricken　creatures　about　to　feed　like　cattle　in　their　stalls；　and　the　sight　filled　him　with　loathing。　The　transition　was　too　sudden；　and　the　contrast　was　so　violent　that　it　could　not　but　act　as　a　powerful　stimulant；　his　ambition　developed　and　grew　beyond　all　social　bounds。　On　the　one　hand；　he　beheld　a　vision　of　social　life　in　its　most　charming　and　refined　forms；　of　quick…pulsed　youth；　of　fair；　impassioned　faces　invested　with　all　the　charm　of　poetry；　framed　in　a　marvelous　setting　of　luxury　or　art；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　he　saw　a　sombre　picture；　the　miry　verge　beyond　these　faces；　in　which　passion　was　extinct　and　nothing　was