father goriot- 第37部分

it　seemed　to　him　that　there　was　a　sea　of　blood　before　his　eyes。



〃Oh！　so　we　still　have　a　few　dubious　tatters　of　the　swaddling

clothes　of　virtue　about　us！〃　murmured　Vautrin。　〃But　Papa　Doliban

has　three　millions；　I　know　the　amount　of　his　fortune。　Once　have

her　dowry　in　your　hands；　and　your　character　will　be　as　white　as

the　bride's　white　dress；　even　in　your　own　eyes。〃



Rastignac　hesitated　no　longer。　He　made　up　his　mind　that　he　would

go　that　evening　to　warn　the　Taillefers；　father　and　son。　But　just

as　Vautrin　left　him；　Father　Goriot　came　up　and　said　in　his　ear；

〃You　look　melancholy；　my　boy；　I　will　cheer　you　up。　Come　with　me。〃



The　old　vermicelli　dealer　lighted　his　dip　at　one　of　the　lamps　as

he　spoke。　Eugene　went　with　him；　his　curiosity　had　been　aroused。



〃Let　us　go　up　to　your　room；〃　the　worthy　soul　remarked；　when　he

had　asked　Sylvie　for　the　law　student's　key。　〃This　morning；〃　he

resumed；　〃you　thought　that　SHE　did　not　care　about　you；　did　you

not？　Eh？　She　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　you；　and　you　went　away

out　of　humor　and　out　of　heart。　Stuff　and　rubbish！　She　wanted　you

to　go　because　she　was　expecting　ME！　Now　do　you　understand？　We

were　to　complete　the　arrangements　for　taking　some　chambers　for

you；　a　jewel　of　a　place；　you　are　to　move　into　it　in　three　days'

time。　Don't　split　upon　me。　She　wants　it　to　be　a　surprise；　but　I

couldn't　bear　to　keep　the　secret　from　you。　You　will　be　in　the　Rue

d'Artois；　only　a　step　or　two　from　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　and　you

are　to　be　housed　like　a　prince！　Any　one　might　have　thought　we

were　furnishing　the　house　for　a　bride。　Oh！　we　have　done　a　lot　of

things　in　the　last　month；　and　you　knew　nothing　about　it。　My

attorney　has　appeared　on　the　scene；　and　my　daughter　is　to　have

thirty…six　thousand　francs　a　year；　the　interest　on　her　money；　and

I　shall　insist　on　having　her　eight　hundred　thousand　invested　in

sound　securities；　landed　property　that　won't　run　away。〃



Eugene　was　dumb。　He　folded　his　arms　and　paced　up　and　down　in　his

cheerless；　untidy　room。　Father　Goriot　waited　till　the　student's

back　was　turned；　and　seized　the　opportunity　to　go　to　the　chimney…

piece　and　set　upon　it　a　little　red　morocco　case　with　Rastignac's

arms　stamped　in　gold　on　the　leather。



〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　the　kind　soul；　〃I　have　been　up　to　the　eyes　in

this　business。　You　see；　there　was　plenty　of　selfishness　on　my

part；　I　have　an　interested　motive　in　helping　you　to　change

lodgings。　You　will　not　refuse　me　if　I　ask　you　something；　will

you；　eh？〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃There　is　a　room　on　the　fifth　floor；　up　above　your　rooms；　that　is

to　let　along　with　them；　that　is　where　I　am　going　to　live；　isn't

that　so？　I　am　getting　old：　I　am　too　far　from　my　girls。　I　shall

not　be　in　the　way；　but　I　shall　be　there；　that　is　all。　You　will

come　and　talk　to　me　about　her　every　evening。　It　will　not　put　you

about；　will　it？　I　shall　have　gone　to　bed　before　you　come　in；　but

I　shall　hear　you　come　up；　and　I　shall　say　to　myself；　'He　has　just

seen　my　little　Delphine。　He　has　been　to　a　dance　with　her；　and　she

is　happy；　thanks　to　him。'　If　I　were　ill；　it　would　do　my　heart

good　to　hear　you　moving　about　below；　to　know　when　you　leave　the

house　and　when　you　come　in。　It　is　only　a　step　to　the　Champs…

Elysees；　where　they　go　every　day；　so　I　shall　be　sure　of　seeing

them；　whereas　now　I　am　sometimes　too　late。　And　thenperhaps　she

may　come　to　see　you！　I　shall　hear　her；　I　shall　see　her　in　her

soft　quilted　pelisse　tripping　about　as　daintily　as　a　kitten。　In

this　one　month　she　has　become　my　little　girl　again；　so　light…

hearted　and　gay。　Her　soul　is　recovering；　and　her　happiness　is

owing　to　you！　Oh！　I　would　do　impossibilities　for　you。　Only　just

now　she　said　to　me；　'I　am　very　happy；　papa！'　When　they　say

'father'　stiffly；　it　sends　a　chill　through　me；　but　when　they　call

me　'papa；'　it　brings　all　the　old　memories　back。　I　feel　most　their

father　then；　I　even　believe　that　they　belong　to　me；　and　to　no　one

else。〃



The　good　man　wiped　his　eyes；　he　was　crying。



〃It　is　a　long　while　since　I　have　heard　them　talk　like　that；　a

long；　long　time　since　she　took　my　arm　as　she　did　to…day。　Yes；

indeed；　it　must　be　quite　ten　years　since　I　walked　side　by　side

with　one　of　my　girls。　How　pleasant　it　was　to　keep　step　with　her；

to　feel　the　touch　of　her　gown；　the　warmth　of　her　arm！　Well；　I

took　Delphine　everywhere　this　morning；　I　went　shopping　with　her；

and　I　brought　her　home　again。　Oh！　you　must　let　me　live　near　you。

You　may　want　some　one　to　do　you　a　service　some　of　these　days；　and

I　shall　be　on　the　spot　to　do　it。　Oh！　if　only　that　great　dolt　of

an　Alsatian　would　die；　if　his　gout　would　have　the　sense　to　attack

his　stomach；　how　happy　my　poor　child　would　be！　You　would　be　my

son…in…law；　you　would　be　her　husband　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。

Bah！　she　has　known　no　happiness；　that　excuses　everything。　Our

Father　in　heaven　is　surely　on　the　side　of　fathers　on　earth　who

love　their　children。　How　fond　of　you　she　is！〃　he　said；　raising

his　head　after　a　pause。　〃All　the　time　we　were　going　about

together　she　chatted　away　about　you。　'He　is　so　nice…looking；

papa；　isn't　he？　He　is　kind…hearted！　Does　he　talk　to　you　about

me？'　Pshaw！　she　said　enough　about　you　to　fill　whole　volumes；

between　the　Rue　d'Artois　and　the　Passage　des　Panoramas　she　poured

her　heart　out　into　mine。　I　did　not　feel　old　once　during　that

delightful　morning；　I　felt　as　light　as　a　feather。　I　told　her　how

you　had　given　the　banknote　to　me；　it　moved　my　darling　to　tears。

But　what　can　this　be　on　your　chimney…piece？〃　said　Father　Goriot

at　last。　Rastignac　had　showed　no　sign；　and　he　was　dying　of

impatience。



Eugene　stared　at　his　neighbor　in　dumb　and　dazed　bewilderment。　He

thought　of　Vautrin；　of　that　duel　to　be　fought　to…morrow　morning；

and　of　this　realization　of　his　dearest　hopes；　and　the　violent

contrast　between　the　two　sets　of　ideas　gave　him　all　the　sensations

of　nightmare。　He　went　to　the　chimney…piece；　saw　the　little　square

case；　opened　it；　and　found　a　watch　of　Breguet's　make　wrapped　in

paper；　on　which　these　words　were　written：



　　〃I　want　you　to　think　of　me　every　hour；　BECAUSE　。　。　。

　　〃DELPHINE。〃



That　last　word　doubtless　contained　an　allusion　to　some　scene　that

had　taken　place　between　them。　Eugene　felt　touched。　Inside　the

gold　watch…case　his　arms　had　been　wrought　in　enamel。　The　chain；

the　key；　the　workmanship　and　design　of　the　trinket　were　all　such

as　he　had　imagined；　for　he　had　long　coveted　such　a　possession。

Father　Goriot　was　radiant。　Of　course　he　had　promised　to　tell　his

daughter　every　little　detail　of　the　scene　and　of　the　effect

produced　upon　Eugene　by　her　present；　he　shared　in　the　pleasure

and　excitement　of　the　young　people；　and　seemed　to　be　not　the

least　happy　of　the　three。　He　loved　Rastignac　already　for　his　own

as　well　as　for　his　daughter's　sake。



〃You　must　go　and　see　her；　she　is　expecting　you　this　evening。　That

great　lout　of　an　Alsatian　is　going　to　have　supper　with　his　opera…

dancer。　Aha！　he　looked　very　foolish　when　my　attorney　let　him　know

where　he　was。　He　says　he　idolizes　my　daughter；　does　he？　He　had

better　let　her　alone；　or　I　will　kill　him。　To　think　that　my

Delphine　is　his〃he　heaved　a　sigh〃it　is　enough　to　make　me

murder　him；　but　it　would　not　be　manslaughter　to　kill　that　animal；

he　is　a　pig　with　a　calf's　brains。You　will　take　me　with　you；

will　you　not？〃



〃Yes；　dear　Father　Goriot；　you　know　very　well　how　fond　I　am　of

you〃



〃Yes；　I　do　know　very　well。　You　are　not　ashamed　of　me；　are　you？

Not　you！　Let　me　embrace　you；〃　and　he　flung　his　arms　around　the

student's　neck。



〃You　will　make　her　very　happy；　promise　me　that　you　will！　You　will

go　to　her　this　evening；　will　you　not？〃



〃Oh！　yes。　I　must　go　out；　I　have　some　urgent　business　on　hand。〃



〃Can　I　be　of　any　use？〃



〃My　word；　yes！　Will　you　go　to　old　Taillefer's　while　I　go　to　Mme。

de　Nucingen？　Ask　him　to　make　an　appointment　with　me　some　time

this　evening；　it　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death。〃



〃Really；　young　man！〃　cried　Father　Goriot；　with　a　change　of

countenance；　〃are　you　really　paying　court　to　his　daughter；　as

those　simpletons　were　saying　down　below？　。　。　。　TONNERRE　DE　DIEU！

you　have　no　notion　what　a　tap　A　LA　GORIOT　is　like；　and　if　you　are

playing　a　double　game；　I　shall　put　a　stop　to　it　by　one　blow　of

the　fist。　。　。　Oh！　the　thing　is　impossible！〃



〃I　swear　to　you　that　I　love　but　one　woman　in　the　world；〃　said　the

student。　〃I　only　knew　it　a　moment　ago。〃



〃Oh！　what　happiness！〃　cried　Goriot。



〃But　young　Taillefer　has　been　called　out；　the　duel　comes　off　to…

morrow　morning；　and　I　have　heard　it　said　that　he　may　lose　his

life　in　it。〃



〃But　what　business　is　it　of　yours？〃　said　Goriot。



〃Why；　I　ought　to　tell　him　so；　that　he　may　prevent　his　son　from

putting　in　an　appearance〃



Just　at　that　moment　Vautrin's　voice　broke　in　upon　them；　he　was

standing　at　the　threshold　of　his　door　and　singing：



　　〃Oh！　Richard；　oh　my　king！

　　All　the　world　abandons　thee！

　　Broum！　broum！　broum！　broum！　broum！



　　The　same　old　story　everywhere；

　　A　roving　heart　and　a　。　。　。　tra　la　la。〃



〃Gentlemen！〃　shouted　Christophe；　〃the　soup　is　ready；　and　every

one　is　waiting　for　you。〃



〃Here；〃　Vautrin　called　down　to　him；　〃come　and　take　a　bottle　of　my

Bordeaux。〃



〃Do　you　think　your　watch　is　pretty？〃　asked　Goriot。　〃She　has　good

taste；　hasn't　she？　Eh？〃



Vautrin；　Father　Goriot；　and　Rastignac　came　downstairs　in　company；

and；　all　three　of　them　being　late；　were　obliged　to　sit　together。



Eugene　was　as　distant　as　possible　in　his　manner　to　Vautrin　during

dinner；　but　the　other；　so　charming　in　Mme。　Vauquer's　opinion；　had

never　been　so　witty。　His　lively　sallies　and　sparkling　talk　put

the　whole　table　in　good　humor。　His　assurance　and　coolness　filled

Eugene　with　consternation。



〃Why；　what　has　come　to　you　to…day？〃　inquired　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You

are　as　merry　as　a　skylark。〃



〃I　am　always　in　spirits　after　I　have　made　a　good　bargain。〃



〃Bargain？〃　said　Eugene。