father goriot(高老头)-第51部分

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〃Into　Normandy；　to　Courcelles。　I　shall　love　and　pray　there　until　the　day　when　God　shall　take　me　from　this　world。M。　de　Rastignac！〃　called　the　Vicomtesse；　in　a　tremulous　voice；　remembering　that　the　young　man　was　waiting　there。

The　student　knelt　to　kiss　his　cousin's　hand。

〃Good…bye；　Antoinette！〃　said　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　〃May　you　be　happy。〃She　turned　to　the　student。　〃You　are　young；〃　she　said；　〃you　have　some　beliefs　still　left。　I　have　been　privileged；　like　some　dying　people；　to　find　sincere　and　reverent　feeling　in　those　about　me　as　I　take　my　leave　of　this　world。〃

It　was　nearly　five　o'clock　that　morning　when　Rastignac　came　away。　He　had　put　Mme。　de　Beauseant　into　her　traveling　carriage；　and　received　her　last　farewells；　spoken　amid　fast…falling　tears；　for　no　greatness　is　so　great　that　it　can　rise　above　the　laws　of　human　affection；　or　live　beyond　the　jurisdiction　of　pain；　as　certain　demagogues　would　have　the　people　believe。　Eugene　returned　on　foot　to　the　Maison　Vauquer　through　the　cold　and　darkness。　His　education　was　nearly　complete。

〃There　is　no　hope　for　poor　Father　Goriot；〃　said　Bianchon；　as　Rastignac　came　into　the　room。　Eugene　looked　for　a　while　at　the　sleeping　man；　then　he　turned　to　his　friend。　〃Dear　fellow；　you　are　content　with　the　modest　career　you　have　marked　out　for　yourself；　keep　to　it。　I　am　in　hell；　and　I　must　stay　there。　Believe　everything　that　you　hear　said　of　the　world；　nothing　is　too　impossibly　bad。　No　Juvenal　could　paint　the　horrors　hidden　away　under　the　covering　of　gems　and　gold。〃

At　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Bianchon　came　to　wake　Rastignac；　and　begged　him　to　take　charge　of　Goriot；　who　had　grown　worse　as　the　day　wore　on。　The　medical　student　was　obliged　to　go　out。

〃Poor　old　man；　he　has　not　two　days　to　live；　maybe　not　many　hours；〃　he　said；　〃but　we　must　do　our　utmost；　all　the　same；　to　fight　the　disease。　It　will　be　a　very　troublesome　case；　and　we　shall　want　money。　We　can　nurse　him　between　us；　of　course；　but；　for　my　own　part；　I　have　not　a　penny。　I　have　turned　out　his　pockets；　and　rummaged　through　his　drawersresult；　nix。　I　asked　him　about　it　while　his　mind　was　clear；　and　he　told　me　he　had　not　a　farthing　of　his　own。　What　have　you？〃

〃I　have　twenty　francs　left；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃but　I　will　take　them　to　the　roulette　table；　I　shall　be　sure　to　win。〃

〃And　if　you　lose？〃

〃Then　I　shall　go　to　his　sons…in…law　and　his　daughters　and　ask　them　for　money。〃

〃And　suppose　they　refuse？〃　Bianchon　retorted。　〃The　most　pressing　thing　just　now　is　not　really　money；　we　must　put　mustard　poultices；　as　hot　as　they　can　be　made；　on　his　feet　and　legs。　If　he　calls　out；　there　is　still　some　hope　for　him。　You　know　how　to　set　about　doing　it；　and　besides；　Christophe　will　help　you。　I　am　going　round　to　the　dispensary　to　persuade　them　to　let　us　have　the　things　we　want　on　credit。　It　is　a　pity　that　we　could　not　move　him　to　the　hospital；　poor　fellow；　he　would　be　better　there。　Well；　come　along；　I　leave　you　in　charge；　you　must　stay　with　him　till　I　come　back。〃

The　two　young　men　went　back　to　the　room　where　the　old　man　was　lying。　Eugene　was　startled　at　the　change　in　Goriot's　face；　so　livid；　distorted；　and　feeble。

〃How　are　you；　papa？〃　he　said；　bending　over　the　pallet…bed。　Goriot　turned　his　dull　eyes　upon　Eugene；　looked　at　him　attentively；　and　did　not　recognize　him。　It　was　more　than　the　student　could　bear；　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes。

〃Bianchon；　ought　we　to　have　the　curtains　put　up　in　the　windows？〃

〃No；　the　temperature　and　the　light　do　not　affect　him　now。　It　would　be　a　good　thing　for　him　if　he　felt　heat　or　cold；　but　we　must　have　a　fire　in　any　case　to　make　tisanes　and　heat　the　other　things。　I　will　send　round　a　few　sticks；　they　will　last　till　we　can　have　in　some　firewood。　I　burned　all　the　bark　fuel　you　had　left；　as　well　as　his；　poor　man；　yesterday　and　during　the　night。　The　place　is　so　damp　that　the　water　stood　in　drops　on　the　walls；　I　could　hardly　get　the　room　dry。　Christophe　came　in　and　swept　the　floor；　but　the　place　is　like　a　stable；　I　had　to　burn　juniper；　the　smell　was　something　horrible。

〃MON　DIEU！〃　said　Rastignac。　〃To　think　of　those　daughters　of　his。〃

〃One　moment；　if　he　asks　for　something　to　drink；　give　him　this；〃　said　the　house　student；　pointing　to　a　large　white　jar。　〃If　he　begins　to　groan；　and　the　belly　feels　hot　and　hard　to　the　touch；　you　know　what　to　do；　get　Christophe　to　help　you。　If　he　should　happen　to　grow　much　excited；　and　begin　to　talk　a　good　deal　and　even　to　ramble　in　his　talk；　do　not　be　alarmed。　It　would　not　be　a　bad　symptom。　But　send　Christophe　to　the　Hospice　Cochin。　Our　doctor；　my　chum；　or　I　will　come　and　apply　moxas。　We　had　a　great　consultation　this　morning　while　you　were　asleep。　A　surgeon；　a　pupil　of　Gall's　came；　and　our　house　surgeon；　and　the　head　physician　from　the　Hotel…Dieu。　Those　gentlemen　considered　that　the　symptoms　were　very　unusual　and　interesting；　the　case　must　be　carefully　watched；　for　it　throws　a　light　on　several　obscure　and　rather　important　scientific　problems。　One　of　the　authorities　says　that　if　there　is　more　pressure　of　serum　on　one　or　other　portion　of　the　brain；　it　should　affect　his　mental　capacities　in　such　and　such　directions。　So　if　he　should　talk；　notice　very　carefully　what　kind　of　ideas　his　mind　seems　to　run　on；　whether　memory；　or　penetration；　or　the　reasoning　faculties　are　exercised；　whether　sentiments　or　practical　questions　fill　his　thoughts；　whether　he　makes　forecasts　or　dwells　on　the　past；　in　fact；　you　must　be　prepared　to　give　an　accurate　report　of　him。　It　is　quite　likely　that　the　extravasation　fills　the　whole　brain；　in　which　case　he　will　die　in　the　imbecile　state　in　which　he　is　lying　now。　You　cannot　tell　anything　about　these　mysterious　nervous　diseases。　Suppose　the　crash　came　here；〃　said　Bianchon；　touching　the　back　of　the　head；　〃very　strange　things　have　been　known　to　happen；　the　brain　sometimes　partially　recovers；　and　death　is　delayed。　Or　the　congested　matter　may　pass　out　of　the　brain　altogether　through　channels　which　can　only　be　determined　by　a　post…mortem　examination。　There　is　an　old　man　at　the　Hospital　for　Incurables；　an　imbecile　patient；　in　his　case　the　effusion　has　followed　the　direction　of　the　spinal　cord；　he　suffers　horrid　agonies；　but　he　lives。〃

〃Did　they　enjoy　themselves？〃　It　was　Father　Goriot　who　spoke。　He　had　recognized　Eugene。

〃Oh！　he　thinks　of　nothing　but　his　daughters；〃　said　Bianchon。　〃Scores　of　times　last　night　he　said　to　me；　'They　are　dancing　now！　She　has　her　dress。'　He　called　them　by　their　names。　He　made　me　cry；　the　devil　take　it；　calling　with　that　tone　in　his　voice；　for　'Delphine！　my　little　Delphine！　and　Nasie！'　Upon　my　word；〃　said　the　medical　student；　〃it　was　enough　to　make　any　one　burst　out　crying。〃

〃Delphine；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃she　is　there；　isn't　she？　I　knew　she　was　there；〃　and　his　eyes　sought　the　door。

〃I　am　going　down　now　to　tell　Sylvie　to　get　the　poultices　ready；〃　said　Bianchon。　〃They　ought　to　go　on　at　once。〃

Rastignac　was　left　alone　with　the　old　man。　He　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　gazed　at　the　face　before　him；　so　horribly　changed　that　it　was　shocking　to　see。

〃Noble　natures　cannot　dwell　in　this　world；〃　he　said；　〃Mme　de　Beauseant　has　fled　from　it；　and　there　he　lies　dying。　What　place　indeed　is　there　in　the　shallow　petty　frivolous　thing　called　society　for　noble　thoughts　and　feelings？〃

Pictures　of　yesterday's　ball　rose　up　in　his　memory；　in　strange　contrast　to　the　deathbed　before　him。　Bianchon　suddenly　appeared。

〃I　say；　Eugene；　I　have　just　seen　our　head　surgeon　at　the　hospital；　and　I　ran　all　the　way　back　here。　If　the　old　man　shows　any　signs　of　reason；　if　he　begins　to　talk；　cover　him　with　a　mustard　poultice　from　the　neck　to　the　base　of　the　spine；　and　send　round　for　us。〃

〃Dear　Bianchon；〃　exclaimed　Eugene。

〃Oh！　it　is　an　interesting　case　from　a　scientific　point　of　view；〃　said　the　medical　student；　with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　a　neophyte。

〃So！〃　said　Eugene。　〃Am　I　really　the　only　one　who　cares　for　the　poor　old　man　for　his　own　sake？〃

〃You　would　not　have　said　so　if　you　had　seen　me　this　morning；〃　returned　Bianchon；　who　did　not　take　offence　at　this　speech。　〃Doctors　who　have　seen　a　good　deal　of　practice　never　see　anything　but　the　disease；　but；　my　dear　fellow；　I　can　see　the　patient　still。〃

He　went。　Eugene　was　left　alone　with　the　old　man；　and　with　an　apprehension　of　a　crisis　that　set　in；　in　fact；　before　very　long。

〃Ah！　dear　boy；　is　that　you？〃　said　Father　Goriot；　recognizing　Eugene。

〃Do　you　feel　better？〃　asked　the　law　student；　taking　his　hand。

〃Yes。　My　head　felt　as　if　it　were　being　screwed　up　in　a　vise；　but　now　it　is　set　free　again。　Did　you　see　my　girls？　They　will　be　here　directly；　as　soon　as　they　know　that　I　am　ill　they　will　hurry　here　at　once；　they　used　to　take　such　care　of　me　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne！　Great　Heavens！　if　only　my　room　was　fit　for　them　to　come　into！　There　has　been　a　young　man　here；　who　has　burned　up　all　my　bark　fuel。〃

〃I　can　hear　Christophe　coming　upstairs；〃　Eugene　answered。　〃He　is　bringing　up　some　firewood　that　that　young　man　has　sent　you。〃

〃Good；　but　how　am　I　to　pay　for　the　wood。　I　have　not　a　penny　left；　dear　boy。　I　have　given　everything；　everything。　I　am　a　pauper　now。　Well；　at　least　the　golden　gown　was　grand；　was　it　not？　（Ah！　what　pain　this　is！）　Thanks；　Christophe！　God　will　reward　you；　my　boy；　I　have　nothing　left　now。〃

Eugene　went　over　to　Christophe　and　whispered　in　the　man's　ear；　〃I　will　pay　you　well；　and　Sylvie　too；　for　your　trouble。〃

〃My　daughters　told　you　that　they　were　coming；　didn't　they；　Christophe？　Go　again　to　them；　and　I　will　give　you　five　francs。　Tell　them　that　I　am　not　feeling　well；　that　I　should　like　to　kiss　them　both　and　see　them　once　again　before　I　die。　Tell　them　that；　but　don't　alarm　them　more　than　you　can　help。〃

Rastignac　signed　to　Christophe　to　go；　and　the　man　went。

〃They　will　come　before　long；〃　the　old　man　went　on。　〃I　know　them　so　well。　My　tender…hearted　Delphine！　If　I　am　going　to　die；　she　will　feel　it　so　much！　And　so　will　Nasie。　I　do　not　want　to　die；　they　will　cry　if　I　die；　and　if　I　die；　dear　Eugene；　I　shall　not　see　them　any　more。　It　will　be　very　dreary　there　where　I　am　going。　For　a　father　it　is　hell　to　be　without　your　children；　I　have　served　my　apprenticeship　already　since　they　married。　My　heaven　was　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne。　Eugene；　do　you　think　that　if　I　go　to　heaven　I　can　come　back