father goriot- 第14部分

it；　I　do　not　know　how。　And　now　I　am　going　to　spoil　my　hat　and

coat　into　the　bargain。　I　ought　to　stop　in　my　corner；　grind　away

at　law；　and　never　look　to　be　anything　but　a　boorish　country

magistrate。　How　can　I　go　into　society；　when　to　manage　properly

you　want　a　lot　of　cabs；　varnished　boots；　gold　watch　chains；　and

all　sorts　of　things；　you　have　to　wear　white　doeskin　gloves　that

cost　six　francs　in　the　morning；　and　primrose　kid　gloves　every

evening？　A　fig　for　that　old　humbug　of　a　Goriot！〃



When　he　reached　the　street　door；　the　driver　of　a　hackney　coach；

who　had　probably　just　deposited　a　wedding　party　at　their　door；

and　asked　nothing　better　than　a　chance　of　making　a　little　money

for　himself　without　his　employer's　knowledge；　saw　that　Eugene　had

no　umbrella；　remarked　his　black　coat；　white　waistcoat；　yellow

gloves；　and　varnished　boots；　and　stopped　and　looked　at　him

inquiringly。　Eugene；　in　the　blind　desperation　that　drives　a　young

man　to　plunge　deeper　and　deeper　into　an　abyss；　as　if　he　might

hope　to　find　a　fortunate　issue　in　its　lowest　depths；　nodded　in

reply　to　the　driver's　signal；　and　stepped　into　the　cab；　a　few

stray　petals　of　orange　blossom　and　scraps　of　wire　bore　witness　to

its　recent　occupation　by　a　wedding　party。



〃Where　am　I　to　drive；　sir？〃　demanded　the　man；　who；　by　this　time；

had　taken　off　his　white　gloves。



〃Confound　it！〃　Eugene　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　in　for　it　now；　and

at　least　I　will　not　spend　cab…hire　for　nothing！Drive　to　the

Hotel　Beauseant；〃　he　said　aloud。



〃Which？〃　asked　the　man；　a　portentous　word　that　reduced　Eugene　to

confusion。　This　young　man　of　fashion；　species　incerta；　did　not

know　that　there　were　two　Hotels　Beauseant；　he　was　not　aware　how

rich　he　was　in　relations　who　did　not　care　about　him。



〃The　Vicomte　de　Beauseant；　Rue〃



〃De　Grenelle；〃　interrupted　the　driver；　with　a　jerk　of　his　head。

〃You　see；　there　are　the　hotels　of　the　Marquis　and　Comte　de

Beauseant　in　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique；〃　he　added；　drawing　up　the

step。



〃I　know　all　about　that；〃　said　Eugene；　severely。〃Everybody　is

laughing　at　me　to…day；　it　seems！〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he

deposited　his　hat　on　the　opposite　seat。　〃This　escapade　will　cost

me　a　king's　ransom；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　shall　call　on　my　so…

called　cousin　in　a　thoroughly　aristocratic　fashion。　Goriot　has

cost　me　ten　francs　already；　the　old　scoundrel。　My　word！　I　will

tell　Mme。　de　Beauseant　about　my　adventure；　perhaps　it　may　amuse

her。　Doubtless　she　will　know　the　secret　of　the　criminal　relation

between　that　handsome　woman　and　the　old　rat　without　a　tail。　It

would　be　better　to　find　favor　in　my　cousin's　eyes　than　to　come　in

contact　with　that　shameless　woman；　who　seems　to　me　to　have　very

expensive　tastes。　Surely　the　beautiful　Vicomtesse's　personal

interest　would　turn　the　scale　for　me；　when　the　mere　mention　of

her　name　produces　such　an　effect。　Let　us　look　higher。　If　you　set

yourself　to　carry　the　heights　of　heaven；　you　must　face　God。〃



The　innumerable　thoughts　that　surged　through　his　brain　might　be

summed　up　in　these　phrases。　He　grew　calmer；　and　recovered

something　of　his　assurance　as　he　watched　the　falling　rain。　He

told　himself　that　though　he　was　about　to　squander　two　of　the

precious　five…franc　pieces　that　remained　to　him；　the　money　was

well　laid　out　in　preserving　his　coat；　boots；　and　hat；　and　his

cabman's　cry　of　〃Gate；　if　you　please；〃　almost　put　him　in　spirits。

A　Swiss；　in　scarlet　and　gold；　appeared；　the　great　door　groaned　on

its　hinges；　and　Rastignac；　with　sweet　satisfaction；　beheld　his

equipage　pass　under　the　archway　and　stop　before　the　flight　of

steps　beneath　the　awning。　The　driver；　in　a　blue…and…red

greatcoat；　dismounted　and　let　down　the　step。　As　Eugene　stepped

out　of　the　cab；　he　heard　smothered　laughter　from　the　peristyle。

Three　or　four　lackeys　were　making　merry　over　the　festal

appearance　of　the　vehicle。　In　another　moment　the　law　student　was

enlightened　as　to　the　cause　of　their　hilarity；　he　felt　the　full

force　of　the　contrast　between　his　equipage　and　one　of　the

smartest　broughams　in　Paris；　a　coachman；　with　powdered　hair；

seemed　to　find　it　difficult　to　hold　a　pair　of　spirited　horses；

who　stood　chafing　the　bit。　In　Mme。　de　Restaud's　courtyard；　in　the

Chaussee　d'Antin；　he　had　seen　the　neat　turnout　of　a　young　man　of

six…and…twenty；　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　he　found　the

luxurious　equipage　of　a　man　of　rank；　thirty　thousand　francs　would

not　have　purchased　it。



〃Who　can　be　here？〃　said　Eugene　to　himself。　He　began　to

understand；　though　somewhat　tardily；　that　he　must　not　expect　to

find　many　women　in　Paris　who　were　not　already　appropriated；　and

that　the　capture　of　one　of　these　queens　would　be　likely　to　cost

something　more　than　bloodshed。　〃Confound　it　all！　I　expect　my

cousin　also　has　her　Maxime。〃



He　went　up　the　steps；　feeling　that　he　was　a　blighted　being。　The

glass　door　was　opened　for　him；　the　servants　were　as　solemn　as

jackasses　under　the　curry　comb。　So　far；　Eugene　had　only　been　in

the　ballroom　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Hotel　Beauseant；　the　fete

had　followed　so　closely　on　the　invitation；　that　he　had　not　had

time　to　call　on　his　cousin；　and　had　therefore　never　seen　Mme。　de

Beauseant's　apartments；　he　was　about　to　behold　for　the　first　time

a　great　lady　among　the　wonderful　and　elegant　surroundings　that

reveal　her　character　and　reflect　her　daily　life。　He　was　the　more

curious；　because　Mme。　de　Restaud's　drawing…room　had　provided　him

with　a　standard　of　comparison。



At　half…past　four　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　was　visible。　Five

minutes　earlier　she　would　not　have　received　her　cousin；　but

Eugene　knew　nothing　of　the　recognized　routine　of　various　houses

in　Paris。　He　was　conducted　up　the　wide；　white…painted；　crimson…

carpeted　staircase；　between　the　gilded　balusters　and　masses　of

flowering　plants；　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　apartments。　He　did　not

know　the　rumor　current　about　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　one　of　the

biographies　told；　with　variations；　in　whispers；　every　evening　in

the　salons　of　Paris。



For　three　years　past　her　name　had　been　spoken　of　in　connection

with　that　of　one　of　the　most　wealthy　and　distinguished　Portuguese

nobles；　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto。　It　was　one　of　those　innocent

liaisons　which　possess　so　much　charm　for　the　two　thus　attached　to

each　other　that　they　find　the　presence　of　a　third　person

intolerable。　The　Vicomte　de　Beauseant；　therefore；　had　himself　set

an　example　to　the　rest　of　the　world　by　respecting；　with　as　good　a

grace　as　might　be；　this　morganatic　union。　Any　one　who　came　to

call　on　the　Vicomtesse　in　the　early　days　of　this　friendship　was

sure　to　find　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto　there。　As；　under　the

circumstances；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　could　not　very　well　shut　her

door　against　these　visitors；　she　gave　them　such　a　cold　reception；

and　showed　so　much　interest　in　the　study　of　the　ceiling；　that　no

one　could　fail　to　understand　how　much　he　bored　her；　and　when　it

became　known　in　Paris　that　Mme。　de　Beauseant　was　bored　by　callers

between　two　and　four　o'clock；　she　was　left　in　perfect　solitude

during　that　interval。　She　went　to　the　Bouffons　or　to　the　Opera

with　M。　de　Beauseant　and　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto；　and　M。　de　Beauseant；

like　a　well…bred　man　of　the　world；　always　left　his　wife　and　the

Portuguese　as　soon　as　he　had　installed　them。　But　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto

must　marry；　and　a　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　was　the　young　lady。　In　the

whole　fashionable　world　there　was　but　one　person　who　as　yet　knew

nothing　of　the　arrangement；　and　that　was　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　Some

of　her　friends　had　hinted　at　the　possibility；　and　she　had　laughed

at　them；　believing　that　envy　had　prompted　those　ladies　to　try　to

make　mischief。　And　now；　though　the　bans　were　about　to　be

published；　and　although　the　handsome　Portuguese　had　come　that　day

to　break　the　news　to　the　Vicomtesse；　he　had　not　found　courage　as

yet　to　say　one　word　about　his　treachery。　How　was　it？　Nothing　is

doubtless　more　difficult　than　the　notification　of　an　ultimatum　of

this　kind。　There　are　men　who　feel　more　at　their　ease　when　they

stand　up　before　another　man　who　threatens　their　lives　with　sword

or　pistol　than　in　the　presence　of　a　woman　who；　after　two　hours　of

lamentations　and　reproaches；　falls　into　a　dead　swoon　and　requires

salts。　At　this　moment；　therefore；　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto　was　on　thorns；

and　anxious　to　take　his　leave。　He　told　himself　that　in　some　way

or　other　the　news　would　reach　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　he　would　write；

it　would　be　much　better　to　do　it　by　letter；　and　not　to　utter　the

words　that　should　stab　her　to　the　heart。



So　when　the　servant　announced　M。　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　the　Marquis

d'Ajuda…Pinto　trembled　with　joy。　To　be　sure；　a　loving　woman　shows

even　more　ingenuity　in　inventing　doubts　of　her　lover　than　in

varying　the　monotony　of　his　happiness；　and　when　she　is　about　to

be　forsaken；　she　instinctively　interprets　every　gesture　as

rapidly　as　Virgil's　courser　detected　the　presence　of　his

companion　by　snuffing　the　breeze。　It　was　impossible；　therefore；

that　Mme。　de　Beauseant　should　not　detect　that　involuntary　thrill

of　satisfaction；　slight　though　it　was；　it　was　appalling　in　its

artlessness。



Eugene　had　yet　to　learn　that　no　one　in　Paris　should　present

himself　in　any　house　without　first　making　himself　acquainted　with

the　whole　history　of　its　owner；　and　of　its　owner's　wife　and

family；　so　that　he　may　avoid　making　any　of　the　terrible　blunders

which　in　Poland　draw　forth　the　picturesque　exclamation；　〃Harness

five　bullocks　to　your　cart！〃　probably　because　you　will　need　them

all　to　pull　you　out　of　the　quagmire　into　which　a　false　step　has

plunged　you。　If；　down　to　the　present　day；　our　language　has　no

name　for　these　conversational　disasters；　it　is　probably　because

they　are　believed　to　be　impossible；　the　publicity　given　in　Paris

to　every　scandal　is　so　prodigious。　After　the　awkward　incident　at

Mme。　de　Restaud's；　no　one　but　Eugene　could　have　reappeared　in　his

character　of　bullock…driver　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　drawing…room。

But　if　Mme。　de　Restau