oof of their affection。 Mme。 de Restaud is very fond of me too。 I know she is。 A father sees his children as God sees all of us； he looks into the very depths of their hearts； he knows their intentions； and both of them are so loving。 Oh！ if I only had good sons…in…law； I should be too happy； and I dare say there is no perfect happiness here below。 If I might live with them simply hear their voices； know that they are there； see them go and come as I used to do at home when they were still with me； why； my heart bounds at the thought。 。 。 。 Were they nicely dressed？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Eugene。 〃But； M。 Goriot； how is it that your daughters have such fine houses； while you live in such a den as this？〃
〃Dear me； why should I want anything better？〃 he replied； with seeming carelessness。 〃I can't quite explain to you how it is； I am not used to stringing words together properly； but it all lies there〃 he said； tapping his heart。 〃My real life is in my two girls； you see； and so long as they are happy； and smartly dressed； and have soft carpets under their feet； what does it matter what clothes I wear or where I lie down of a night？ I shall never feel cold so long as they are warm； I shall never feel dull if they are laughing。 I have no troubles but theirs。 When you； too； are a father； and you hear your children's little voices； you will say to yourself； 'That has all come from me。' You will feel that those little ones are akin to every drop in your veins； that they are the very flower of your life （and what else are they？）； you will cleave so closely to them that you seem to feel every movement that they make。 Everywhere I hear their voices sounding in my ears。 If they are sad； the look in their eyes freezes my blood。 Some day you will find out that there is far more happiness in another's happiness than in your own。 It is something that I cannot explain； something within that sends a glow of warmth all through you。 In short； I live my life three times over。 Shall I tell you something funny？ Well； then； since I have been a father； I have come to understand God。 He is everywhere in the world； because the whole world comes from Him。 And it is just the same with my children； monsieur。 Only； I love my daughters better than God loves the world； for the world is not so beautiful as God Himself is； but my children are more beautiful than I am。 Their lives are so bound up with mine that I felt somehow that you would see them this evening。 Great Heaven！ If any man would make my little Delphine as happy as a wife is when she is loved； I would black his boots and run on his errands。 That miserable M。 de Marsay is a cur； I know all about him from her maid。 A longing to wring his neck comes over me now and then。 He does not love her！ does not love a pearl of a woman； with a voice like a nightingale and shaped like a model。 Where can her eyes have been when she married that great lump of an Alsatian？ They ought both of them to have married young men； good…looking and good…temperedbut； after all； they had their own way。〃
Father Goriot was sublime。 Eugene had never yet seen his face light up as it did now with the passionate fervor of a father's love。 It is worthy of remark that strong feeling has a very subtle and pervasive power； the roughest nature； in the endeavor to express a deep and sincere affection； communicates to others the influence that has put resonance into the voice； and eloquence into every gesture； wrought a change in the very features of the speaker； for under the inspiration of passion the stupidest human being attains to the highest eloquence of ideas； if not of language； and seems to move in some sphere of light。 In the old man's tones and gesture there was something just then of the same spell that a great actor exerts over his audience。 But does not the poet in us find expression in our affections？
〃Well；〃 said Eugene； 〃perhaps you will not be sorry to hear that she is pretty sure to break with de Marsay before long。 That sprig of fashion has left her for the Princesse Galathionne。 For my part； I fell in love with Mme。 Delphine this evening。〃
〃Stuff！〃 said Father Goriot。
〃I did indeed； and she did not regard me with aversion。 For a whole hour we talked of love； and I am to go to call on her on Saturday； the day after to…morrow。〃
〃Oh！ how I should love you； if she should like you。 You are kind… hearted； you would never make her miserable。 If you were to forsake her； I would cut your throat at once。 A woman does not love twice； you see！ Good heavens！ what nonsense I am talking； M。 Eugene！ It is cold； you ought not to stay here。 MON DIEU！ so you have heard her speak？ What message did she give you for me？〃
〃None at all；〃 said Eugene to himself； aloud he answered； 〃She told me to tell you that your daughter sends you a good kiss。〃
〃Good…night； neighbor！ Sleep well； and pleasant dreams to you！ I have mine already made for me by that message from her。 May God grant you all your desires！ You have come in like a good angel on me to…night； and brought with you the air that my daughter breathes。〃
〃Poor old fellow！〃 said Eugene as he lay down。 〃It is enough to melt a heart of stone。 His daughter no more thought of him than of the Grand Turk。〃
Ever after this conference Goriot looked upon his neighbor as a friend； a confidant such as he had never hoped to find； and there was established between the two the only relationship that could attach this old man to another man。 The passions never miscalculate。 Father Goriot felt that this friendship brought him closer to his daughter Delphine； he thought that he should find a warmer welcome for himself if the Baroness should care for Eugene。 Moreover； he had confided one of his troubles to the younger man。 Mme。 de Nucingen； for whose happiness he prayed a thousand times daily； had never known the joys of love。 Eugene was certainly （to make use of his own expression） one of the nicest young men that he had ever seen； and some prophetic instinct seemed to tell him that Eugene was to give her the happiness which had not been hers。 These were the beginnings of a friendship that grew up between the old man and his neighbor； but for this friendship the catastrophe of the drama must have remained a mystery。
The affection with which Father Goriot regarded Eugene； by whom he seated himself at breakfast； the change in Goriot's face； which as a rule； looked as expressionless as a plaster cast； and a few words that passed between the two； surprised the other lodgers。 Vautrin； who saw Eugene for the first time since their interview； seemed as if he would fain read the student's very soul。 During the night Eugene had had some time in which to scan the vast field which lay before him； and now； as he remembered yesterday's proposal； the thought of Mlle。 Taillefer's dowry came； of course； to his mind； and he could not help thinking of Victorine as the most exemplary youth may think of an heiress。 It chanced that their eyes met。 The poor girl did not fail to see that Eugene looked very handsome in his new clothes。 So much was said in the glance； thus exchanged； that Eugene could not doubt but that he was associated in her mind with the vague hopes that lie dormant in a girl's heart and gather round the first attractive newcomer。 〃Eight hundred thousand francs！〃 a voice cried in his ears； but suddenly he took refuge in the memories of yesterday evening； thinking that his extemporized passion for Mme。 de Nucingen was a talisman that would preserve him from this temptation。
〃They gave Rossini's Barber of Seville at the Italiens yesterday evening；〃 he remarked。 〃I never heard such delicious music。 Good gracious！ how lucky people are to have a box at the Italiens！〃
Father Goriot drank in every word that Eugene let fall； and watched him as a dog watches his master's slightest movement。
〃You men are like fighting cocks；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； 〃you do what you like。〃
〃How did you get back？〃 inquired Vautrin。
〃I walked；〃 answered Eugene。
〃For my own part；〃 remarked the tempter； 〃I do not care about doing things by halves。 If I want to enjoy myself that way； I should prefer to go in my carriage； sit in my own box； and do the thing comfortably。 Everything or nothing； that is my motto。〃
〃And a good one； too；〃 commented Mme。 Vauquer。
〃Perhaps you will see Mme。 de Nucingen to…day；〃 said Eugene； addressing Goriot in an undertone。 〃She will welcome you with open arms； I am sure； she would want to ask you for all sorts of little details about me。 I have found out that she will do anything in the world to be known by my cousin Mme。 de Beauseant； don't forget to tell her that I love her too well not to think of trying to arrange this。〃
Rastignac went at once to the Ecole de Droit。 He had no mind to stay a moment longer than was necessary in that odious house。 He wasted his time that day； he had fallen a victim to that fever of the brain that accompanies the too vivid hopes of youth。 Vautrin's arguments had set him meditating on social life； and he was deep in these reflections when he happened on his friend Bianchon in the Jardin du Luxembourg。
〃What makes you look so solemn？〃 said the medical student； putting an arm through Eugene's as they went towards the Palais。
〃I am tormented by temptations。〃
〃What kind？ There is a cure for temptation。〃
〃What？〃
〃Yielding to it。〃
〃You laugh； but you don't know what it is all about。 Have you read Rousseau？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Do you remember that he asks the reader somewhere what he would do if he could make a fortune by killing an old mandarin somewhere in China by mere force of wishing it； and without stirring from Paris？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then？〃
〃Pshaw！ I am at my thirty…third mandarin。〃
〃Seriously； though。 Look here； suppose you were sure that you could do it； and had only to give a nod。 Would you do it？〃
〃Is he well stricken in years； this mandarin of yours？ Pshaw！ after all； young or old； paralytic； or well and sound； my word for it。 。 。 。 Well； then。 Hang it； no！〃
〃You are a good fellow； Bianchon。 But suppose you loved a woman well enough to lose your soul in hell for her； and that she wanted money for dresses and a carriage； and all her whims； in fact？〃
〃Why； here you are taking away my reason； and want me to reas