father goriot(高老头)-第17部分

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aw　a　sombre　picture；　the　miry　verge　beyond　these　faces；　in　which　passion　was　extinct　and　nothing　was　left　of　the　drama　but　the　cords　and　pulleys　and　bare　mechanism。　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　counsels；　the　words　uttered　in　anger　by　the　forsaken　lady；　her　petulant　offer；　came　to　his　mind；　and　poverty　was　a　ready　expositor。　Rastignac　determined　to　open　two　parallel　trenches　so　as　to　insure　success；　he　would　be　a　learned　doctor　of　law　and　a　man　of　fashion。　Clearly　he　was　still　a　child！　Those　two　lines　are　asymptotes；　and　will　never　meet。

〃You　are　very　dull；　my　lord　Marquis；〃　said　Vautrin；　with　one　of　the　shrewd　glances　that　seem　to　read　the　innermost　secrets　of　another　mind。

〃I　am　not　in　the　humor　to　stand　jokes　from　people　who　call　me　'my　lord　Marquis；'　〃　answered　Eugene。　〃A　marquis　here　in　Paris；　if　he　is　not　the　veriest　sham；　ought　to　have　a　hundred　thousand　livres　a　year　at　least；　and　a　lodger　in　the　Maison　Vauquer　is　not　exactly　Fortune's　favorite。〃

Vautrin's　glance　at　Rastignac　was　half…paternal；　half…　contemptuous。　〃Puppy！〃　it　seemed　to　say；　〃I　should　make　one　mouthful　of　him！〃　Then　he　answered：

〃You　are　in　a　bad　humor；　perhaps　your　visit　to　the　beautiful　Comtesse　de　Restaud　was　not　a　success。〃

〃She　has　shut　her　door　against　me　because　I　told　her　that　her　father　dined　at　our　table；〃　cried　Rastignac。

Glances　were　exchanged　all　round　the　room；　Father　Goriot　looked　down。

〃You　have　sent　some　snuff　into　my　eye；〃　he　said　to　his　neighbor；　turning　a　little　aside　to　rub　his　hand　over　his　face。

〃Any　one　who　molests　Father　Goriot　will　have　henceforward　to　reckon　with　me；〃　said　Eugene；　looking　at　the　old　man's　neighbor；　〃he　is　worth　all　the　rest　of　us　put　together。I　am　not　speaking　of　the　ladies；〃　he　added；　turning　in　the　direction　of　Mlle。　Taillefer。

Eugene's　remarks　produced　a　sensation；　and　his　tone　silenced　the　dinner…table。　Vautrin　alone　spoke。　〃If　you　are　going　to　champion　Father　Goriot；　and　set　up　for　his　responsible　editor　into　the　bargain；　you　had　need　be　a　crack　shot　and　know　how　to　handle　the　foils；〃　he　said；　banteringly。

〃So　I　intend；〃　said　Eugene。

〃Then　you　are　taking　the　field　today？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　Rastignac　answered。　〃But　I　owe　no　account　of　myself　to　any　one；　especially　as　I　do　not　try　to　find　out　what　other　people　do　of　a　night。〃

Vautrin　looked　askance　at　Rastignac。

〃If　you　do　not　mean　to　be　deceived　by　the　puppets；　my　boy；　you　must　go　behind　and　see　the　whole　show；　and　not　peep　through　holes　in　the　curtain。　That　is　enough；〃　he　added；　seeing　that　Eugene　was　about　to　fly　into　a　passion。　〃We　can　have　a　little　talk　whenever　you　like。〃

There　was　a　general　feeling　of　gloom　and　constraint。　Father　Goriot　was　so　deeply　dejected　by　the　student's　remark　that　he　did　not　notice　the　change　in　the　disposition　of　his　fellow…lodgers；　nor　know　that　he　had　met　with　a　champion　capable　of　putting　an　end　to　the　persecution。

〃Then；　M。　Goriot　sitting　there　is　the　father　of　a　countess；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer　in　a　low　voice。

〃And　of　a　baroness；〃　answered　Rastignac。

〃That　is　about　all　he　is　capable　of；〃　said　Bianchon　to　Rastignac；　〃I　have　taken　a　look　at　his　head；　there　is　only　one　bumpthe　bump　of　Paternity；　he　must　be　an　ETERNAL　FATHER。〃

Eugene　was　too　intent　on　his　thoughts　to　laugh　at　Bianchon's　joke。　He　determined　to　profit　by　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　counsels；　and　was　asking　himself　how　he　could　obtain　the　necessary　money。　He　grew　grave。　The　wide　savannas　of　the　world　stretched　before　his　eyes；　all　things　lay　before　him；　nothing　was　his。　Dinner　came　to　an　end；　the　others　went；　and　he　was　left　in　the　dining…room。

〃So　you　have　seen　my　daughter？〃　Goriot　spoke　tremulously；　and　the　sound　of　his　voice　broke　in　upon　Eugene's　dreams。　The　young　man　took　the　elder's　hand；　and　looked　at　him　with　something　like　kindness　in　his　eyes。

〃You　are　a　good　and　noble　man；〃　he　said。　〃We　will　have　some　talk　about　your　daughters　by　and　by。〃

He　rose　without　waiting　for　Goriot's　answer；　and　went　to　his　room。　There　he　wrote　the　following　letter　to　his　mother：

〃My　Dear　Mother；Can　you　nourish　your　child　from　your　breast　again？　I　am　in　a　position　to　make　a　rapid　fortune；　but　I　want　twelve　hundred　francsI　must　have　them　at　all　costs。　Say　nothing　about　this　to　my　father；　perhaps　he　might　make　objections；　and　unless　I　have　the　money；　I　may　be　led　to　put　an　end　to　myself；　and　so　escape　the　clutches　of　despair。　I　will　tell　you　everything　when　I　see　you。　I　will　not　begin　to　try　to　describe　my　present　situation；　it　would　take　volumes　to　put　the　whole　story　clearly　and　fully。　I　have　not　been　gambling；　my　kind　mother；　I　owe　no　one　a　penny；　but　if　you　would　preserve　the　life　that　you　gave　me；　you　must　send　me　the　sum　I　mention。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　go　to　see　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant；　she　is　using　her　influence　for　me；　I　am　obliged　to　go　into　society；　and　I　have　not　a　penny　to　lay　out　on　clean　gloves。　I　can　manage　to　exist　on　bread　and　water；　or　go　without　food；　if　need　be；　but　I　cannot　do　without　the　tools　with　which　they　cultivate　the　vineyards　in　this　country。　I　must　resolutely　make　up　my　mind　at　once　to　make　my　way；　or　stick　in　the　mire　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　I　know　that　all　your　hopes　are　set　on　me；　and　I　want　to　realize　them　quickly。　Sell　some　of　your　old　jewelry；　my　kind　mother；　I　will　give　you　other　jewels　very　soon。　I　know　enough　of　our　affairs　at　home　to　know　all　that　such　a　sacrifice　means；　and　you　must　not　think　that　I　would　lightly　ask　you　to　make　it；　I　should　be　a　monster　if　I　could。　You　must　think　of　my　entreaty　as　a　cry　forced　from　me　by　imperative　necessity。　Our　whole　future　lies　in　the　subsidy　with　which　I　must　begin　my　first　campaign；　for　life　in　Paris　is　one　continual　battle。　If　you　cannot　otherwise　procure　the　whole　of　the　money；　and　are　forced　to　sell　our　aunt's　lace；　tell　her　that　I　will　send　her　some　still　handsomer；〃　and　so　forth。

He　wrote　to　ask　each　of　his　sisters　for　their　savingswould　they　despoil　themselves　for　him；　and　keep　the　sacrifice　a　secret　from　the　family？　To　his　request　he　knew　that　they　would　not　fail　to　respond　gladly；　and　he　added　to　it　an　appeal　to　their　delicacy　by　touching　the　chord　of　honor　that　vibrates　so　loudly　in　young　and　high…strung　natures。

Yet　when　he　had　written　the　letters；　he　could　not　help　feeling　misgivings　in　spite　of　his　youthful　ambition；　his　heart　beat　fast；　and　he　trembled。　He　knew　the　spotless　nobleness　of　the　lives　buried　away　in　the　lonely　manor　house；　he　knew　what　trouble　and　what　joy　his　request　would　cause　his　sisters；　and　how　happy　they　would　be　as　they　talked　at　the　bottom　of　the　orchard　of　that　dear　brother　of　theirs　in　Paris。　Visions　rose　before　his　eyes；　a　sudden　strong　light　revealed　his　sisters　secretly　counting　over　their　little　store；　devising　some　girlish　stratagem　by　which　the　money　could　be　sent　to　him　incognito；　essaying；　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives；　a　piece　of　deceit　that　reached　the　sublime　in　its　unselfishness。

〃A　sister's　heart　is　a　diamond　for　purity；　a　deep　sea　of　tenderness！〃　he　said　to　himself。　He　felt　ashamed　of　those　letters。

What　power　there　must　be　in　the　petitions　put　up　by　such　hearts；　how　pure　the　fervor　that　bears　their　souls　to　Heaven　in　prayer！　What　exquisite　joy　they　would　find　in　self…sacrifice！　What　a　pang　for　his　mother's　heart　if　she　could　not　send　him　all　that　he　asked　for！　And　this　noble　affection；　these　sacrifices　made　at　such　terrible　cost；　were　to　serve　as　the　ladder　by　which　he　meant　to　climb　to　Delphine　de　Nucingen。　A　few　tears；　like　the　last　grains　of　incense　flung　upon　the　sacred　alter　fire　of　the　hearth；　fell　from　his　eyes。　He　walked　up　and　down；　and　despair　mingled　with　his　emotion。　Father　Goriot　saw　him　through　the　half…open　door。

〃What　is　the　matter；　sir？〃　he　asked　from　the　threshold。

〃Ah！　my　good　neighbor；　I　am　as　much　a　son　and　brother　as　you　are　a　father。　You　do　well　to　fear　for　the　Comtesse　Anastasie；　there　is　one　M。　Maxime　de　Trailles；　who　will　be　her　ruin。〃

Father　Goriot　withdrew；　stammering　some　words；　but　Eugene　failed　to　catch　their　meaning。

The　next　morning　Rastignac　went　out　to　post　his　letters。　Up　to　the　last　moment　he　wavered　and　doubted；　but　he　ended　by　flinging　them　into　the　box。　〃I　shall　succeed！〃　he　said　to　himself。　So　says　the　gambler；　so　says　the　great　captain；　but　the　three　words　that　have　been　the　salvation　of　some　few；　have　been　the　ruin　of　many　more。

A　few　days　after　this　Eugene　called　at　Mme。　de　Restaud's　house；　she　was　not　at　home。　Three　times　he　tried　the　experiment；　and　three　times　he　found　her　doors　closed　against　him；　though　he　was　careful　to　choose　an　hour　when　M。　de　Trailles　was　not　there。　The　Vicomtesse　was　right。

The　student　studied　no　longer。　He　put　in　an　appearance　at　lectures　simply　to　answer　to　his　name；　and　after　thus　attesting　his　presence；　departed　forthwith。　He　had　been　through　a　reasoning　process　familiar　to　most　students。　He　had　seen　the　advisability　of　deferring　his　studies　to　the　last　moment　before　going　up　for　his　examinations；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　cram　his　second　and　third　years'　work　into　the　third　year；　when　he　meant　to　begin　to　work　in　earnest；　and　to　complete　his　studies　in　law　with　one　great　effort。　In　the　meantime　he　had　fifteen　months　in　which　to　navigate　the　ocean　of　Paris；　to　spread　the　nets　and　set　the　lines　that　would　bring　him　a　protectress　and　a　fortune。　Twice　during　that　week　he　saw　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　he　did　not　go　to　her　house　until　he　had　seen　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda　drive　away。

Victory　for　yet　a　few　more　days　was　with　the　great　lady；　the　most　poetic　figure　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　and　the　marriage　of　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto　with　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　was　postponed。　The　dread　of　losing　her　happiness　filled　those　days　with　a　fever　of　joy　unknown　before；　but　the　end　was　only　so　much　the　nearer。　The　Marquis　d'Ajuda　and　the　Rochefides　agreed　that　this　quarrel　and　reconciliation　was　a　very　fortunate　thing；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　（so　they　hoped）　would　gradually　become　reconciled　to　the　idea　of　the　marriage；　and　in　the　end　would　be　brought　to　sacrifice　d'Ajuda's　morning　visits　to　the　exigencies　of　a　man's　career；　exigencies　which　she　must　have　foreseen。　In　spite　of　the　most　solemn　promises；　daily　renewed；　M。　d'Ajuda　was　playing　a　part；　and　the　Vicomtesse　was　eager　to　be　deceived。　〃Instead　of　taking　a　leap　heroically　from　the　windo