father goriot(高老头)-第46节

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〃Then　you　haven't　heard　the　news？〃　said　Eugene。　〃Vautrin　was　an　escaped　convict；　they　have　just　arrested　him；　and　young　Taillefer　is　dead。〃

〃Very　well；　but　what　business　is　it　of　ours？〃　replied　Father　Goriot。　〃I　am　going　to　dine　with　my　daughter　in　YOUR　HOUSE；　do　you　understand？　She　is　expecting　you。　Come！〃

He　carried　off　Rastignac　with　him　by　main　force；　and　they　departed　in　as　great　a　hurry　as　a　pair　of　eloping　lovers。

〃Now；　let　us　have　dinner；〃　cried　the　painter；　and　every　one　drew　his　chair　to　the　table。

〃Well；　I　never；〃　said　the　portly　Sylvie。　〃Nothing　goes　right　to…　day！　The　haricot　mutton　has　caught！　Bah！　you　will　have　to　eat　it；　burned　as　it　is；　more's　the　pity！〃

Mme。　Vauquer　was　so　dispirited　that　she　could　not　say　a　word　as　she　looked　round　the　table　and　saw　only　ten　people　where　eighteen　should　be；　but　every　one　tried　to　comfort　and　cheer　her。　At　first　the　dinner　contingent；　as　was　natural；　talked　about　Vautrin　and　the　day's　events；　but　the　conversation　wound　round　to　such　topics　of　interest　as　duels；　jails；　justice；　prison　life；　and　alterations　that　ought　to　be　made　in　the　laws。　They　soon　wandered　miles　away　from　Jacques　Collin　and　Victorine　and　her　brother。　There　might　be　only　ten　of　them；　but　they　made　noise　enough　for　twenty；　indeed；　there　seemed　to　be　more　of　them　than　usual；　that　was　the　only　difference　between　yesterday　and　to…day。　Indifference　to　the　fate　of　others　is　a　matter　of　course　in　this　selfish　world；　which；　on　the　morrow　of　tragedy；　seeks　among　the　events　of　Paris　for　a　fresh　sensation　for　its　daily　renewed　appetite；　and　this　indifference　soon　gained　the　upper　hand。　Mme。　Vauquer　herself　grew　calmer　under　the　soothing　influence　of　hope；　and　the　mouthpiece　of　hope　was　the　portly　Sylvie。

That　day　had　gone　by　like　a　dream　for　Eugene；　and　the　sense　of　unreality　lasted　into　the　evening；　so　that；　in　spite　of　his　energetic　character　and　clear…headedness；　his　ideas　were　a　chaos　as　he　sat　beside　Goriot　in　the　cab。　The　old　man's　voice　was　full　of　unwonted　happiness；　but　Eugene　had　been　shaken　by　so　many　emotions　that　the　words　sounded　in　his　ears　like　words　spoken　in　a　dream。

〃It　was　finished　this　morning！　All　three　of　us　are　going　to　dine　there　together；　together！　Do　you　understand？　I　have　not　dined　with　my　Delphine；　my　little　Delphine；　these　four　years；　and　I　shall　have　her　for　a　whole　evening！　We　have　been　at　your　lodging　the　whole　time　since　morning。　I　have　been　working　like　a　porter　in　my　shirt　sleeves；　helping　to　carry　in　the　furniture。　Aha！　you　don't　know　what　pretty　ways　she　has；　at　table　she　will　look　after　me；　'Here；　papa；　just　try　this；　it　is　nice。'　And　I　shall　not　be　able　to　eat。　Oh；　it　is　a　long　while　since　I　have　been　with　her　in　quiet　every…day　life　as　we　shall　have　her。〃

〃It　really　seems　as　if　the　world　has　been　turned　upside　down。〃

〃Upside　down？〃　repeated　Father　Goriot。　〃Why；　the　world　has　never　been　so　right…side　up。　I　see　none　but　smiling　faces　in　the　streets；　people　who　shake　hands　cordially　and　embrace　each　other；　people　who　all　look　as　happy　as　if　they　were　going　to　dine　with　their　daughter；　and　gobble　down　a　nice　little　dinner　that　she　went　with　me　to　order　of　the　chef　at　the　Cafe　des　Anglais。　But；　pshaw！　with　her　beside　you　gall　and　wormwood　would　be　as　sweet　as　honey。〃

〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　coming　back　to　life　again；〃　said　Eugene。

〃Why；　hurry　up　there！〃　cried　Father　Goriot；　letting　down　the　window　in　front。　〃Get　on　faster；　I　will　give　you　five　francs　if　you　get　to　the　place　I　told　you　of　in　ten　minutes　time。〃

With　this　prospect　before　him　the　cabman　crossed　Paris　with　miraculous　celerity。

〃How　that　fellow　crawls！〃　said　Father　Goriot。

〃But　where　are　you　taking　me？〃　Eugene　asked　him。

〃To　your　own　house；〃　said　Goriot。

The　cab　stopped　in　the　Rue　d'Artois。　Father　Goriot　stepped　out　first　and　flung　ten　francs　to　the　man　with　the　recklessness　of　a　widower　returning　to　bachelor　ways。

〃Come　along　upstairs；〃　he　said　to　Rastignac。　They　crossed　a　courtyard；　and　climbed　up　to　the　third　floor　of　a　new　and　handsome　house。　There　they　stopped　before　a　door；　but　before　Goriot　could　ring；　it　was　opened　by　Therese；　Mme。　de　Nucingen's　maid。　Eugene　found　himself　in　a　charming　set　of　chambers；　an　ante…room；　a　little　drawing…room；　a　bedroom；　and　a　study；　looking　out　upon　a　garden。　The　furniture　and　the　decorations　of　the　little　drawing…room　were　of　the　most　daintily　charming　description；　the　room　was　full　of　soft　light；　and　Delphine　rose　up　from　a　low　chair　by　the　fire　and　stood　before　him。　She　set　her　fire…screen　down　on　the　chimney…piece；　and　spoke　with　tenderness　in　every　tone　of　her　voice。

〃So　we　had　to　go　in　search　of　you；　sir；　you　who　are　so　slow　to　understand！〃

Therese　left　the　room。　The　student　took　Delphine　in　his　arms　and　held　her　in　a　tight　clasp；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　joy。　This　last　contrast　between　his　present　surroundings　and　the　scenes　he　had　just　witnessed　was　too　much　for　Rastignac's　over…　wrought　nerves；　after　the　day's　strain　and　excitement　that　had　wearied　heart　and　brain；　he　was　almost　overcome　by　it。

〃I　felt　sure　myself　that　he　loved　you；〃　murmured　Father　Goriot；　while　Eugene　lay　back　bewildered　on　the　sofa；　utterly　unable　to　speak　a　word　or　to　reason　out　how　and　why　the　magic　wand　had　been　waved　to　bring　about　this　final　transformation　scene。

〃But　you　must　see　your　rooms；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　She　took　his　hand　and　led　him　into　a　room　carpeted　and　furnished　like　her　own；　indeed；　down　to　the　smallest　details；　it　was　a　reproduction　in　miniature　of　Delphine's　apartment。

〃There　is　no　bed；〃　said　Rastignac。

〃No；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　reddening；　and　pressing　his　hand。　Eugene；　looking　at　her；　understood；　young　though　he　yet　was；　how　deeply　modesty　is　implanted　in　the　heart　of　a　woman　who　loves。

〃You　are　one　of　those　beings　whom　we　cannot　choose　but　to　adore　for　ever；〃　he　said　in　her　ear。　〃Yes；　the　deeper　and　truer　love　is；　the　more　mysterious　and　closely　veiled　it　should　be；　I　can　dare　to　say　so；　since　we　understand　each　other　so　well。　No　one　shall　learn　our　secret。〃

〃Oh！　so　I　am　nobody；　I　suppose；〃　growled　the　father。

〃You　know　quite　well　that　'we'　means　you。〃

〃Ah！　that　is　what　I　wanted。　You　will　not　mind　me；　will　you？　I　shall　go　and　come　like　a　good　fairy　who　makes　himself　felt　everywhere　without　being　seen；　shall　I　not？　Eh；　Delphinette；　Ninette；　Dedelwas　it　not　a　good　idea　of　mine　to　say　to　you；　'There　are　some　nice　rooms　to　let　in　the　Rue　d'Artois；　let　us　furnish　them　for　him？'　And　she　would　not　hear　of　it！　Ah！　your　happiness　has　been　all　my　doing。　I　am　the　author　of　your　happiness　and　of　your　existence。　Fathers　must　always　be　giving　if　they　would　be　happy　themselves；　always　givingthey　would　not　be　fathers　else。〃

〃Was　that　how　it　happened？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃Yes。　She　would　not　listen　to　me。　She　was　afraid　that　people　would　talk；　as　if　the　rubbish　that　they　say　about　you　were　to　be　compared　with　happiness！　Why；　all　women　dream　of　doing　what　she　has　done〃

Father　Goriot　found　himself　without　an　audience；　for　Mme。　de　Nucingen　had　led　Rastignac　into　the　study；　he　heard　a　kiss　given　and　taken；　low　though　the　sound　was。

The　study　was　furnished　as　elegantly　as　the　other　rooms；　and　nothing　was　wanting　there。

〃Have　we　guessed　your　wishes　rightly？〃　she　asked；　as　they　returned　to　the　drawing…room　for　dinner。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃only　too　well；　alas！　For　all　this　luxury　so　well　carried　out；　this　realization　of　pleasant　dreams；　the　elegance　that　satisfies　all　the　romantic　fancies　of　youth；　appeals　to　me　so　strongly　that　I　cannot　but　feel　that　it　is　my　rightful　possession；　but　I　cannot　accept　it　from　you；　and　I　am　too　poor　as　yet　to〃

〃Ah！　ah！　you　say　me　nay　already；〃　she　said　with　arch　imperiousness；　and　a　charming　little　pout　of　the　lips；　a　woman's　way　of　laughing　away　scruples。

But　Eugene　had　submitted　so　lately　to　that　solemn　self…　questioning；　and　Vautrin's　arrest　had　so　plainly　shown　him　the　depths　of　the　pit　that　lay　ready　to　his　feet；　that　the　instincts　of　generosity　and　honor　had　been　strengthened　in　him；　and　he　could　not　allow　himself　to　be　coaxed　into　abandoning　his　high…　minded　determinations。　Profound　melancholy　filled　his　mind。

〃Do　you　really　mean　to　refuse？〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　〃And　do　you　know　what　such　a　refusal　means？　That　you　are　not　sure　of　yourself；　that　you　do　not　dare　to　bind　yourself　to　me。　Are　you　really　afraid　of　betraying　my　affection？　If　you　love　me；　if　I　love　you；　why　should　you　shrink　back　from　such　a　slight　obligation？　If　you　but　knew　what　a　pleasure　it　has　been　to　see　after　all　the　arrangements　of　this　bachelor　establishment；　you　would　not　hesitate　any　longer；　you　would　ask　me　to　forgive　you　for　your　hesitation。　I　had　some　money　that　belonged　to　you；　and　I　have　made　good　use　of　it；　that　is　all。　You　mean　this　for　magnanimity；　but　it　is　very　little　of　you。　You　are　asking　me　for　far　more　than　this。　。　。　。　Ah！〃　she　cried；　as　Eugene's　passionate　glance　was　turned　on　her；　〃and　you　are　making　difficulties　about　the　merest　trifles。　Of；　if　you　feel　no　love　whatever　for　me；　refuse；　by　all　means。　My　fate　hangs　on　a　word　from　you。　Speak！　Father；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃make　him　listen　to　reason。　Can　he　imagine　that　I　am　less　nice　than　he　is　on　the　point　of　honor？〃

Father　Goriot