father goriot(高老头)-第9节

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picious　that　Rastignac　thought　he　was　only　doing　a　piece　of　necessary　service　to　society　to　watch　the　self…styled　vermicelli　maker's　nocturnal　industries。

The　table　was　upturned；　and　Goriot　had　doubtless　in　some　way　secured　a　silver　plate　and　cup　to　the　bar　before　knotting　a　thick　rope　round　them；　he　was　pulling　at　this　rope　with　such　enormous　force　that　they　were　being　crushed　and　twisted　out　of　shape；　to　all　appearance　he　meant　to　convert　the　richly　wrought　metal　into　ingots。

〃Peste！　what　a　man！〃　said　Rastignac；　as　he　watched　Goriot's　muscular　arms；　there　was　not　a　sound　in　the　room　while　the　old　man；　with　the　aid　of　the　rope；　was　kneading　the　silver　like　dough。　〃Was　he　then；　indeed；　a　thief；　or　a　receiver　of　stolen　goods；　who　affected　imbecility　and　decrepitude；　and　lived　like　a　beggar　that　he　might　carry　on　his　pursuits　the　more　securely？〃　Eugene　stood　for　a　moment　revolving　these　questions；　then　he　looked　again　through　the　keyhole。

Father　Goriot　had　unwound　his　coil　of　rope；　he　had　covered　the　table　with　a　blanket；　and　was　now　employed　in　rolling　the　flattened　mass　of　silver　into　a　bar；　an　operation　which　he　performed　with　marvelous　dexterity。

〃Why；　he　must　be　as　strong　as　Augustus；　King　of　Poland！〃　said　Eugene　to　himself　when　the　bar　was　nearly　finished。

Father　Goriot　looked　sadly　at　his　handiwork；　tears　fell　from　his　eyes；　he　blew　out　the　dip　which　had　served　him　for　a　light　while　he　manipulated　the　silver；　and　Eugene　heard　him　sigh　as　he　lay　down　again。

〃He　is　mad；〃　thought　the　student。

〃Poor　child！〃　Father　Goriot　said　aloud。　Rastignac；　hearing　those　words；　concluded　to　keep　silence；　he　would　not　hastily　condemn　his　neighbor。　He　was　just　in　the　doorway　of　his　room　when　a　strange　sound　from　the　staircase　below　reached　his　ears；　it　might　have　been　made　by　two　men　coming　up　in　list　slippers。　Eugene　listened；　two　men　there　certainly　were；　he　could　hear　their　breathing。　Yet　there　had　been　no　sound　of　opening　the　street　door；　no　footsteps　in　the　passage。　Suddenly；　too；　he　saw　a　faint　gleam　of　light　on　the　second　story；　it　came　from　M。　Vautrin's　room。

〃There　are　a　good　many　mysteries　here　for　a　lodging…house！〃　he　said　to　himself。

He　went　part　of　the　way　downstairs　and　listened　again。　The　rattle　of　gold　reached　his　ears。　In　another　moment　the　light　was　put　out；　and　again　he　distinctly　heard　the　breathing　of　two　men；　but　no　sound　of　a　door　being　opened　or　shut。　The　two　men　went　downstairs；　the　faint　sounds　growing　fainter　as　they　went。

〃Who　is　there？〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer　out　of　her　bedroom　window。

〃I；　Mme。　Vauquer；〃　answered　Vautrin's　deep　bass　voice。　〃I　am　coming　in。〃

〃That　is　odd！　Christophe　drew　the　bolts；〃　said　Eugene；　going　back　to　his　room。　〃You　have　to　sit　up　at　night；　it　seems；　if　you　really　mean　to　know　all　that　is　going　on　about　you　in　Paris。〃

These　incidents　turned　his　thought　from　his　ambitious　dreams；　he　betook　himself　to　his　work；　but　his　thought　wandered　back　to　Father　Goriot's　suspicious　occupation；　Mme。　de　Restaud's　face　swam　again　and　again　before　his　eyes　like　a　vision　of　a　brilliant　future；　and　at　last　he　lay　down　and　slept　with　clenched　fists。　When　a　young　man　makes　up　his　mind　that　he　will　work　all　night；　the　chances　are　that　seven　times　out　of　ten　he　will　sleep　till　morning。　Such　vigils　do　not　begin　before　we　are　turned　twenty。

The　next　morning　Paris　was　wrapped　in　one　of　the　dense　fogs　that　throw　the　most　punctual　people　out　in　their　calculations　as　to　the　time；　even　the　most　business…like　folk　fail　to　keep　their　appointments　in　such　weather；　and　ordinary　mortals　wake　up　at　noon　and　fancy　it　is　eight　o'clock。　On　this　morning　it　was　half…　past　nine；　and　Mme。　Vauquer　still　lay　abed。　Christophe　was　late；　Sylvie　was　late；　but　the　two　sat　comfortably　taking　their　coffee　as　usual。　It　was　Sylvie's　custom　to　take　the　cream　off　the　milk　destined　for　the　boarders'　breakfast　for　her　own；　and　to　boil　the　remainder　for　some　time；　so　that　madame　should　not　discover　this　illegal　exaction。

〃Sylvie；〃　said　Christophe；　as　he　dipped　a　piece　of　toast　into　the　coffee；　〃M。　Vautrin；　who　is　not　such　a　bad　sort；　all　the　same；　had　two　people　come　to　see　him　again　last　night。　If　madame　says　anything；　mind　you　say　nothing　about　it。〃

〃Has　he　given　you　something？〃

〃He　gave　me　a　five…franc　piece　this　month；　which　is　as　good　as　saying；　'Hold　your　tongue。'　〃

〃Except　him　and　Mme。　Couture；　who　doesn't　look　twice　at　every　penny；　there's　no　one　in　the　house　that　doesn't　try　to　get　back　with　the　left　hand　all　that　they　give　with　the　right　at　New　Year；〃　said　Sylvie。

〃And；　after　all；〃　said　Christophe；　〃what　do　they　give　you？　A　miserable　five…franc　piece。　There　is　Father　Goriot；　who　has　cleaned　his　shoes　himself　these　two　years　past。　There　is　that　old　beggar　Poiret；　who　goes　without　blacking　altogether；　he　would　sooner　drink　it　than　put　it　on　his　boots。　Then　there　is　that　whipper…snapper　of　a　student；　who　gives　me　a　couple　of　francs；　Two　francs　will　not　pay　for　my　brushes；　and　he　sells　his　old　clothes；　and　gets　more　for　them　than　they　are　worth。　Oh！　they're　a　shabby　lot！〃

〃Pooh！〃　said　Sylvie；　sipping　her　coffee；　〃our　places　are　the　best　in　the　Quarter；　that　I　know。　But　about　that　great　big　chap　Vautrin；　Christophe；　has　any　one　told　you　anything　about　him？〃

〃Yes。　I　met　a　gentleman　in　the　street　a　few　days　ago；　he　said　to　me；　'There's　a　gentleman　in　your　place；　isn't　there？　a　tall　man　that　dyes　his　whiskers？'　I　told　him；　'No；　sir；　they　aren't　dyed。　A　gay　fellow　like　him　hasn't　the　time　to　do　it。'　And　when　I　told　M。　Vautrin　about　it　afterwards；　he　said；　'Quite　right；　my　boy。　That　is　the　way　to　answer　them。　There　is　nothing　more　unpleasant　than　to　have　your　little　weaknesses　known；　it　might　spoil　many　a　match。'　〃

〃Well；　and　for　my　part；〃　said　Sylvie；　〃a　man　tried　to　humbug　me　at　the　market　wanting　to　know　if　I　had　seen　him　put　on　his　shirt。　Such　bosh！　There；〃　she　cried；　interrupting　herself；　〃that's　a　quarter　to　ten　striking　at　the　Val…de…Grace；　and　not　a　soul　stirring！〃

〃Pooh！　they　are　all　gone　out。　Mme。　Couture　and　the　girl　went　out　at　eight　o'clock　to　take　the　wafer　at　Saint…Etienne。　Father　Goriot　started　off　somewhere　with　a　parcel；　and　the　student　won't　be　back　from　his　lecture　till　ten　o'clock。　I　saw　them　go　while　I　was　sweeping　the　stairs；　Father　Goriot　knocked　up　against　me；　and　his　parcel　was　as　hard　as　iron。　What　is　the　old　fellow　up　to；　I　wonder？　He　is　as　good　as　a　plaything　for　the　rest　of　them；　they　can　never　let　him　alone；　but　he　is　a　good　man；　all　the　same；　and　worth　more　than　all　of　them　put　together。　He　doesn't　give　you　much　himself；　but　he　sometimes　sends　you　with　a　message　to　ladies　who　fork　out　famous　tips；　they　are　dressed　grandly；　too。〃

〃His　daughters；　as　he　calls　them；　eh？　There　are　a　dozen　of　them。〃

〃I　have　never　been　to　more　than　twothe　two　who　came　here。〃

〃There　is　madame　moving　overhead；　I　shall　have　to　go；　or　she　will　raise　a　fine　racket。　Just　keep　an　eye　on　the　milk；　Christophe；　don't　let　the　cat　get　at　it。〃

Sylvie　went　up　to　her　mistress'　room。

〃Sylvie！　How　is　this？　It's　nearly　ten　o'clock；　and　you　let　me　sleep　like　a　dormouse！　Such　a　thing　has　never　happened　before。〃

〃It's　the　fog；　it　is　that　thick；　you　could　cut　it　with　a　knife。〃

〃But　how　about　breakfast？〃

〃Bah！　the　boarders　are　possessed；　I'm　sure。　They　all　cleared　out　before　there　was　a　wink　of　daylight。〃

〃Do　speak　properly；　Sylvie；〃　Mme。　Vauquer　retorted；　〃say　a　blink　of　daylight。〃

〃Ah；　well；　madame；　whichever　you　please。　Anyhow；　you　can　have　breakfast　at　ten　o'clock。　La　Michonnette　and　Poiret　have　neither　of　them　stirred。　There　are　only　those　two　upstairs；　and　they　are　sleeping　like　the　logs　they　are。〃

〃But；　Sylvie；　you　put　their　names　together　as　if〃

〃As　if　what？〃　said　Sylvie；　bursting　into　a　guffaw。　〃The　two　of　them　make　a　pair。〃

〃It　is　a　strange　thing；　isn't　it；　Sylvie；　how　M。　Vautrin　got　in　last　night　after　Christophe　had　bolted　the　door？〃

〃Not　at　all；　madame。　Christophe　heard　M。　Vautrin；　and　went　down　and　undid　the　door。　And　here　are　you　imagining　that？〃

〃Give　me　my　bodice；　and　be　quick　and　get　breakfast　ready。　Dish　up　the　rest　of　the　mutton　with　the　potatoes；　and　you　can　put　the　stewed　pears　on　the　table；　those　at　five　a　penny。〃

A　few　moments　later　Mme。　Vauquer　came　down；　just　in　time　to　see　the　cat　knock　down　a　plate　that　covered　a　bowl　of　milk；　and　begin　to　lap　in　all　haste。

〃Mistigris！〃　she　cried。

The　cat　fled；　but　promptly　returned　to　rub　against　her　ankles。

〃Oh！　yes；　you　can　wheedle；　you　old　hypocrite！〃　she　said。　〃Sylvie！　Sylvie！〃

〃Yes；　madame；　what　is　it？〃

〃Just　see　what　the　cat　has　done！〃

〃It　is　all　that　stupid　Christophe's　fault。　I　told　him　to　stop　and　lay　the　table。　What　has　become　of　him？　Don't　you　worry；　madame；　Father　Goriot　shall　have　it。　I　will　fill　it　up　with　water；　and　he　won't　know　the　difference；　he　never　notices　anything；　not　even　what　he　eats。〃

〃I　wonder　where　the　old　heathen　can　have　gone？〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　setting　the　plates　round　the　table。

〃Who　knows？　He　is　up　to　all　sorts　of　tricks。〃

〃I　have　overslept　myself；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。

〃But　madame　looks　as　fresh　as　a　rose；　all　the　same。〃

The　door　bell　rang　at　that　moment；　and　Vautrin　came　through　the　sitting…room；　singing　loudly：

　　〃　'Tis　the　same　old