father goriot- 第29部分

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　reason！〃



〃Well；　then；　Bianchon；　I　am　mad；　bring　me　to　my　senses。　I　have

two　sisters　as　beautiful　and　innocent　as　angels；　and　I　want　them

to　be　happy。　How　am　I　to　find　two　hundred　thousand　francs　apiece

for　them　in　the　next　five　years？　Now　and　then　in　life；　you　see；

you　must　play　for　heavy　stakes；　and　it　is　no　use　wasting　your

luck　on　low　play。〃



〃But　you　are　only　stating　the　problem　that　lies　before　every　one

at　the　outset　of　his　life；　and　you　want　to　cut　the　Gordian　knot

with　a　sword。　If　that　is　the　way　of　it；　dear　boy；　you　must　be　an

Alexander；　or　to　the　hulks　you　go。　For　my　own　part；　I　am　quite

contented　with　the　little　lot　I　mean　to　make　for　myself　somewhere

in　the　country；　when　I　mean　to　step　into　my　father's　shoes　and

plod　along。　A　man's　affections　are　just　as　fully　satisfied　by　the

smallest　circle　as　they　can　be　by　a　vast　circumference。　Napoleon

himself　could　only　dine　once；　and　he　could　not　have　more

mistresses　than　a　house　student　at　the　Capuchins。　Happiness；　old

man；　depends　on　what　lies　between　the　sole　of　your　foot　and　the

crown　of　your　head；　and　whether　it　costs　a　million　or　a　hundred

louis；　the　actual　amount　of　pleasure　that　you　receive　rests

entirely　with　you；　and　is　just　exactly　the　same　in　any　case。　I　am

for　letting　that　Chinaman　live。〃



〃Thank　you；　Bianchon；　you　have　done　me　good。　We　will　always　be

friends。〃



〃I　say；〃　remarked　the　medical　student；　as　they　came　to　the　end　of

a　broad　walk　in　the　Jardin　des　Plantes；　〃I　saw　the　Michonneau　and

Poiret　a　few　minutes　ago　on　a　bench　chatting　with　a　gentleman

whom　I　used　to　see　in　last　year's　troubles　hanging　about　the

Chamber　of　Deputies；　he　seems　to　me；　in　fact；　to　be　a　detective

dressed　up　like　a　decent　retired　tradesman。　Let　us　keep　an　eye　on

that　couple；　I　will　tell　you　why　some　time。　Good…bye；　it　is

nearly　four　o'clock；　and　I　must　be　in　to　answer　to　my　name。〃



When　Eugene　reached　the　lodging…house；　he　found　Father　Goriot

waiting　for　him。



〃Here；〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃here　is　a　letter　from　her。　Pretty

handwriting；　eh？〃



Eugene　broke　the　seal　and　read：



〃Sir；I　have　heard　from　my　father　that　you　are　fond　of　Italian

music。　I　shall　be　delighted　if　you　will　do　me　the　pleasure　of

accepting　a　seat　in　my　box。　La　Fodor　and　Pellegrini　will　sing　on

Saturday；　so　I　am　sure　that　you　will　not　refuse　me。　M。　de

Nucingen　and　I　shall　be　pleased　if　you　will　dine　with　us；　we

shall　be　quite　by　ourselves。　If　you　will　come　and　be　my　escort；

my　husband　will　be　glad　to　be　relieved　from　his　conjugal　duties。

Do　not　answer；　but　simply　come。Yours　sincerely；

D。　DE　N。〃



〃Let　me　see　it；〃　said　Father　Goriot；　when　Eugene　had　read　the

letter。　〃You　are　going；　aren't　you？〃　he　added；　when　he　had

smelled　the　writing…paper。　〃How　nice　it　smells！　Her　fingers　have

touched　it；　that　is　certain。〃



〃A　woman　does　not　fling　herself　at　a　man's　head　in　this　way；〃　the

student　was　thinking。　〃She　wants　to　use　me　to　bring　back　de

Marsay；　nothing　but　pique　makes　a　woman　do　a　thing　like　this。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Father　Goriot；　〃what　are　you　thinking　about？〃



Eugene　did　not　know　the　fever　or　vanity　that　possessed　some　women

in　those　days；　how　should　he　imagine　that　to　open　a　door　in　the

Faubourg　Saint…Germain　a　banker's　wife　would　go　to　almost　any

length。　For　the　coterie　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　was　a

charmed　circle；　and　the　women　who　moved　in　it　were　at　that　time

the　queens　of　society；　and　among　the　greatest　of　these　Dames　du

Petit…Chateau；　as　they　were　called；　were　Mme。　de　Beauseant　and

her　friends　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　the　Duchesse　de

Maufrigneause。　Rastignac　was　alone　in　his　ignorance　of　the

frantic　efforts　made　by　women　who　lived　in　the　Chausee…d'Antin　to

enter　this　seventh　heaven　and　shine　among　the　brightest

constellations　of　their　sex。　But　his　cautious　disposition　stood

him　in　good　stead；　and　kept　his　judgment　cool；　and　the　not

altogether　enviable　power　of　imposing　instead　of　accepting

conditions。



〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　he　replied。



So　it　was　curiosity　that　drew　him　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　while；　if

she　had　treated　him　disdainfully；　passion　perhaps　might　have

brought　him　to　her　feet。　Still　he　waited　almost　impatiently　for

to…morrow；　and　the　hour　when　he　could　go　to　her。　There　is　almost

as　much　charm　for　a　young　man　in　a　first　flirtation　as　there　is

in　first　love。　The　certainty　of　success　is　a　source　of　happiness

to　which　men　do　not　confess；　and　all　the　charm　of　certain　women

lies　in　this。　The　desire　of　conquest　springs　no　less　from　the

easiness　than　from　the　difficulty　of　triumph；　and　every　passion

is　excited　or　sustained　by　one　or　the　other　of　these　two　motives

which　divide　the　empire　of　love。　Perhaps　this　division　is　one

result　of　the　great　question　of　temperaments；　which；　after　all；

dominates　social　life。　The　melancholic　temperament　may　stand　in

need　of　the　tonic　of　coquetry；　while　those　of　nervous　or　sanguine

complexion　withdraw　if　they　meet　with　a　too　stubborn　resistance。

In　other　words；　the　lymphatic　temperament　is　essentially

despondent；　and　the　rhapsodic　is　bilious。



Eugene　lingered　over　his　toilette　with　an　enjoyment　of　all　its

little　details　that　is　grateful　to　a　young　man's　self…love；

though　he　will　not　own　to　it　for　fear　of　being　laughed　at。　He

thought；　as　he　arranged　his　hair；　that　a　pretty　woman's　glances

would　wand