father goriot(高老头)-第47部分

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the　point　of　honor？〃

Father　Goriot　was　looking　on　and　listening　to　this　pretty　quarrel　with　a　placid　smile；　as　if　he　had　found　some　balm　for　all　the　sorrows　of　life。

〃Child　that　you　are！〃　she　cried　again；　catching　Eugene's　hand。　〃You　are　just　beginning　life；　you　find　barriers　at　the　outset　that　many　a　man　finds　insurmountable；　a　woman's　hand　opens　the　way　and　you　shrink　back！　Why；　you　are　sure　to　succeed！　You　will　have　a　brilliant　future。　Success　is　written　on　that　broad　forehead　of　yours；　and　will　you　not　be　able　to　repay　me　my　loan　of　today？　Did　not　a　lady　in　olden　times　arm　her　knight　with　sword　and　helmet　and　coat　of　mail；　and　find　him　a　charger；　so　that　he　might　fight　for　her　in　the　tournament？　Well；　then；　Eugene；　these　things　that　I　offer　you　are　the　weapons　of　this　age；　every　one　who　means　to　be　something　must　have　such　tools　as　these。　A　pretty　place　your　garret　must　be　if　it　is　like　papa's　room！　See；　dinner　is　waiting　all　this　time。　Do　you　want　to　make　me　unhappy？Why　don't　you　answer？〃　she　said；　shaking　his　hand。　〃MON　DIEU！　papa；　make　up　his　mind　for　him；　or　I　will　go　away　and　never　see　him　any　more。〃

〃I　will　make　up　your　mind；〃　said　Goriot；　coming　down　from　the　clouds。　〃Now；　my　dear　M。　Eugene；　the　next　thing　is　to　borrow　money　of　the　Jews；　isn't　it？〃

〃There　is　positively　no　help　for　it；〃　said　Eugene。

〃All　right；　I　will　give　you　credit；〃　said　the　other；　drawing　out　a　cheap　leather　pocket…book；　much　the　worse　for　wear。　〃I　have　turned　Jew　myself；　I　paid　for　everything；　here　are　the　invoices。　You　do　not　owe　a　penny　for　anything　here。　It　did　not　come　to　very　muchfive　thousand　francs　at　most；　and　I　am　going　to　lend　you　the　money　myself。　I　am　not　a　womanyou　can　refuse　me。　You　shall　give　me　a　receipt　on　a　scrap　of　paper；　and　you　can　return　it　some　time　or　other。〃

Delphine　and　Eugene　looked　at　each　other　in　amazement；　tears　sprang　to　their　eyes。　Rastignac　held　out　his　hand　and　grasped　Goriot's　warmly。

〃Well；　what　is　all　this　about？　Are　you　not　my　children？〃

〃Oh！　my　poor　father；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　〃how　did　you　do　it？〃

〃Ah！　now　you　ask　me。　When　I　made　up　my　mind　to　move　him　nearer　to　you；　and　saw　you　buying　things　as　if　they　were　wedding　presents；　I　said　to　myself；　'She　will　never　be　able　to　pay　for　them。'　The　attorney　says　that　those　law　proceedings　will　last　quite　six　months　before　your　husband　can　be　made　to　disgorge　your　fortune。　Well　and　good。　I　sold　out　my　property　in　the　funds　that　brought　in　thirteen　hundred　and　fifty　livres　a　year；　and　bought　a　safe　annuity　of　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　for　fifteen　thousand　francs。　Then　I　paid　your　tradesmen　out　of　the　rest　of　the　capital。　As　for　me；　children；　I　have　a　room　upstairs　for　which　I　pay　fifty　crowns　a　year；　I　can　live　like　a　prince　on　two　francs　a　day；　and　still　have　something　left　over。　I　shall　not　have　to　spend　anything　much　on　clothes；　for　I　never　wear　anything　out。　This　fortnight　past　I　have　been　laughing　in　my　sleeve；　thinking　to　myself；　'How　happy　they　are　going　to　be！'　andwell；　now；　are　you　not　happy？〃

〃Oh　papa！　papa！〃　cried　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　springing　to　her　father；　who　took　her　on　his　knee。　She　covered　him　with　kisses；　her　fair　hair　brushed　his　cheek；　her　tears　fell　on　the　withered　face　that　had　grown　so　bright　and　radiant。

〃Dear　father；　what　a　father　you　are！　No；　there　is　not　another　father　like　you　under　the　sun。　If　Eugene　loved　you　before；　what　must　he　feel　for　you　now？〃

〃Why；　children；　why　Delphinette！〃　cried　Goriot；　who　had　not　felt　his　daughter's　heart　beat　against　his　breast　for　ten　years；　〃do　you　want　me　to　die　of　joy？　My　poor　heart　will　break！　Come；　Monsieur　Eugene；　we　are　quits　already。〃　And　the　old　man　strained　her　to　his　breast　with　such　fierce　and　passionate　force　that　she　cried　out。

〃Oh！　you　are　hurting　me！〃　she　said。

〃I　am　hurting　you！〃　He　grew　pale　at　the　words。　The　pain　expressed　in　his　face　seemed　greater　than　it　is　given　to　humanity　to　know。　The　agony　of　this　Christ　of　paternity　can　only　be　compared　with　the　masterpieces　of　those　princes　of　the　palette　who　have　left　for　us　the　record　of　their　visions　of　an　agony　suffered　for　a　whole　world　by　the　Saviour　of　men。　Father　Goriot　pressed　his　lips　very　gently　against　the　waist　than　his　fingers　had　grasped　too　roughly。

〃Oh！　no；　no；〃　he　cried。　〃I　have　not　hurt　you；　have　I？〃　and　his　smile　seemed　to　repeat　the　question。　〃YOU　have　hurt　me　with　that　cry　just　now。The　things　cost　rather　more　than　that；〃　he　said　in　her　ear；　with　another　gentle　kiss；　〃but　I　had　to　deceive　him　about　it；　or　he　would　have　been　angry。〃

Eugene　sat　dumb　with　amazement　in　the　presence　of　this　inexhaustible　love；　he　gazed　at　Goriot；　and　his　face　betrayed　the　artless　admiration　which　shapes　the　beliefs　of　youth。

〃I　will　be　worthy　of　all　this；〃　he　cried。

〃Oh！　my　Eugene；　that　is　nobly　said；〃　and　Mme。　de　Nucingen　kissed　the　law　student　on　the　forehead。

〃He　gave　up　Mlle。　Taillefer　and　her　millions　for　you；〃　said　Father　Goriot。　〃Yes；　the　little　thing　was　in　love　with　you；　and　now　that　her　brother　is　dead　she　is　as　rich　as　Croesus。〃

〃Oh！　why　did　you　tell　her？〃　cried　Rastignac。

〃Eugene；〃　Delphine　said　in　his　ear；　〃I　have　one　regret　now　this　evening。　Ah！　how　I　will　love　you！　and　for　ever！〃

〃This　is　the　happiest　day　I　have　had　since　you　two　were　married！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃God　may　send　me　any　suffering；　so　long　as　I　do　not　suffer　through　you；　and　I　can　still　say；　'In　this　short　month　of　February　I　had　more　happiness　than　other　men　have　in　their　whole　lives。'Look　at　me；　Fifine！〃　he　said　to　his　daughter。　〃She　is　very　beautiful；　is　she　not？　Tell　me；　now；　have　you　seen　many　women　with　that　pretty　soft　colorthat　little　dimple　of　hers？　No；　I　thought　not。　Ah；　well；　and　but　for　me　this　lovely　woman　would　never　have　been。　And　very　soon　happiness　will　make　her　a　thousand　times　lovelier；　happiness　through　you。　I　could　give　up　my　place　in　heaven　to　you；　neighbor；　if　needs　be；　and　go　down　to　hell　instead。　Come；　let　us　have　dinner；〃　he　added；　scarcely　knowing　what　he　said；　〃everything　is　ours。〃

〃Poor　dear　father！〃

He　rose　and　went　over　to　her；　and　took　her　face　in　his　hands；　and　set　a　kiss　on　the　plaits　of　hair。　〃If　you　only　knew；　little　one；　how　happy　you　can　make　mehow　little　it　takes　to　make　me　happy！　Will　you　come　and　see　me　sometimes？　I　shall　be　just　above；　so　it　is　only　a　step。　Promise　me；　say　that　you　will！〃

〃Yes；　dear　father。〃

〃Say　it　again。〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　my　kind　father。〃

〃Hush！　hush！　I　should　make　you　say　it　a　hundred　times　over　if　I　followed　my　own　wishes。　Let　us　have　dinner。〃

The　three　behaved　like　children　that　evening；　and　Father　Goriot's　spirits　were　certainly　not　the　least　wild。　He　lay　at　his　daughter's　feet；　kissed　them；　gazed　into　her　eyes；　rubbed　his　head　against　her　dress；　in　short；　no　young　lover　could　have　been　more　extravagant　or　more　tender。

〃You　see！〃　Delphine　said　with　a　look　at　Eugene；　〃so　long　as　my　father　is　with　us；　he　monopolizes　me。　He　will　be　rather　in　the　way　sometimes。〃

Eugene　had　himself　already　felt　certain　twinges　of　jealousy；　and　could　not　blame　this　speech　that　contained　the　germ　of　all　ingratitude。

〃And　when　will　the　rooms　be　ready？〃　asked　Eugene；　looking　round。　〃We　must　all　leave　them　this　evening；　I　suppose。〃

〃Yes；　but　to…morrow　you　must　come　and　dine　with　me；〃　she　answered；　with　an　eloquent　glance。　〃It　is　our　night　at　the　Italiens。〃

〃I　shall　go　to　the　pit；〃　said　her　father。

It　was　midnight。　Mme。　de　Nucingen's　carriage　was　waiting　for　her；　and　Father　Goriot　and　the　student　walked　back　to　the　Maison　Vauquer；　talking　of　Delphine；　and　warming　over　their　talk　till　there　grew　up　a　curious　rivalry　between　the　two　violent　passions。　Eugene　could　not　help　seeing　that　the　father's　self…less　love　was　deeper　and　more　steadfast　than　his　own。　For　this　worshiper　Delphine　was　always　pure　and　fair；　and　her　father's　adoration　drew　its　fervor　from　a　whole　past　as　well　as　a　future　of　love。

They　found　Mme。　Vauquer　by　the　stove；　with　Sylvie　and　Christophe　to　keep　her　company；　the　old　landlady；　sitting　like　Marius　among　the　ruins　of　Carthage；　was　waiting　for　the　two　lodgers　that　yet　remained　to　her；　and　bemoaning　her　lot　with　the　sympathetic　Sylvie。　Tasso's　lamentations　as　recorded　in　Byron's　poem　are　undoubtedly　eloquent；　but　for　sheer　force　of　truth　they　fall　far　short　of　the　widow's　cry　from　the　depths。

〃Only　three　cups　of　coffee　in　the　morning；　Sylvie！　Oh　dear！　to　have　your　house　emptied　in　this　way　is　enough　to　break　your　heart。　What　is　life；　now　my　lodgers　are　gone？　Nothing　at　all。　Just　think　of　it！　It　is　just　as　if　all　the　furniture　had　been　taken　out　of　the　house；　and　your　furniture　is　your　life。　How　have　I　offended　heaven　to　draw　down　all　this　trouble　upon　me？　And　haricot　beans　and　potatoes　laid　in　for　twenty　people！　The　police　in　my　house　too！　We　shall　have　to　live　on　potatoes　now；　and　Christophe　will　have　to　go！〃

The　Savoyard；　who　was　fast　asleep；　suddenly　woke　up　at　this；　and　said；　〃Madame；〃　questioningly。

〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　Sylvie；　〃he　is　like　a　dog。〃

〃In　the　dead　season；　too！　Nobody　is　moving　now。　I　would　like　to　know　where　the　lodgers　are　to　drop　down　from。　It　drives　me　distracted。　And　that　old　witch　of　a　Michonneau　goes　and　takes　Poiret　with　her！　What　can　she　have　done　to　make　him　so　fond　of　her？　He　runs　about　afte