father goriot(高老头)-第48部分

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oes　and　takes　Poiret　with　her！　What　can　she　have　done　to　make　him　so　fond　of　her？　He　runs　about　after　her　like　a　little　dog。〃

〃Lord！〃　said　Sylvie；　flinging　up　her　head；　〃those　old　maids　are　up　to　all　sorts　of　tricks。〃

〃There's　that　poor　M。　Vautrin　that　they　made　out　to　be　a　convict；〃　the　widow　went　on。　〃Well；　you　know　that　is　too　much　for　me；　Sylvie；　I　can't　bring　myself　to　believe　it。　Such　a　lively　man　as　he　was；　and　paid　fifteen　francs　a　month　for　his　coffee　of　an　evening；　paid　you　very　penny　on　the　nail　too。〃

〃And　open…handed　he　was！〃　said　Christophe。

〃There　is　some　mistake；〃　said　Sylvie。

〃Why；　no　there　isn't！　he　said　so　himself！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃And　to　think　that　all　these　things　have　happened　in　my　house；　and　in　a　quarter　where　you　never　see　a　cat　go　by。　On　my　word　as　an　honest　woman；　it's　like　a　dream。　For；　look　here；　we　saw　Louis　XVI。　meet　with　his　mishap；　we　saw　the　fall　of　the　Emperor；　and　we　saw　him　come　back　and　fall　again；　there　was　nothing　out　of　the　way　in　all　that；　but　lodging…houses　are　not　liable　to　revolutions。　You　can　do　without　a　king；　but　you　must　eat　all　the　same；　and　so　long　as　a　decent　woman；　a　de　Conflans　born　and　bred；　will　give　you　all　sorts　of　good　things　for　dinner；　nothing　short　of　the　end　of　the　world　ought　tobut　there；　it　is　the　end　of　the　world；　that　is　just　what　it　is！〃

〃And　to　think　that　Mlle。　Michonneau　who　made　all　this　mischief　is　to　have　a　thousand　crowns　a　year　for　it；　so　I　hear；〃　cried　Sylvie。

〃Don't　speak　of　her；　she　is　a　wicked　woman！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃She　is　going　to　the　Buneaud；　who　charges　less　than　cost。　But　the　Buneaud　is　capable　of　anything；　she　must　have　done　frightful　things；　robbed　and　murdered　people　in　her　time。　SHE　ought　to　be　put　in　jail　for　life　instead　of　that　poor　dear〃

Eugene　and　Goriot　rang　the　door…bell　at　that　moment。

〃Ah！　here　are　my　two　faithful　lodgers；〃　said　the　widow；　sighing。

But　the　two　faithful　lodgers；　who　retained　but　shadowy　recollections　of　the　misfortunes　of　their　lodging…house；　announced　to　their　hostess　without　more　ado　that　they　were　about　to　remove　to　the　Chaussee　d'Antin。

〃Sylvie！〃　cried　the　widow；　〃this　is　the　last　straw。Gentlemen；　this　will　be　the　death　of　me！　It　has　quite　upset　me！　There's　a　weight　on　my　chest！　I　am　ten　years　older　for　this　day！　Upon　my　word；　I　shall　go　out　of　my　senses！　And　what　is　to　be　done　with　the　haricots！Oh；　well；　if　I　am　to　be　left　here　all　by　myself；　you　shall　go　to…morrow；　Christophe。Good…night；　gentlemen；〃　and　she　went。

〃What　is　the　matter　now？〃　Eugene　inquired　of　Sylvie。

〃Lord！　everybody　is　going　about　his　business；　and　that　has　addled　her　wits。　There！　she　is　crying　upstairs。　It　will　do　her　good　to　snivel　a　bit。　It's　the　first　time　she　has　cried　since　I've　been　with　her。〃

By　the　morning；　Mme。　Vauquer；　to　use　her　own　expression；　had　〃made　up　her　mind　to　it。〃　True；　she　still　wore　a　doleful　countenance；　as　might　be　expected　of　a　woman　who　had　lost　all　her　lodgers；　and　whose　manner　of　life　had　been　suddenly　revolutionized；　but　she　had　all　her　wits　about　her。　Her　grief　was　genuine　and　profound；　it　was　real　pain　of　mind；　for　her　purse　had　suffered；　the　routine　of　her　existence　had　been　broken。　A　lover's　farewell　glance　at　his　lady…love's　window　is　not　more　mournful　than　Mme。　Vauquer's　survey　of　the　empty　places　round　her　table。　Eugene　administered　comfort；　telling　the　widow　that　Bianchon；　whose　term　of　residence　at　the　hospital　was　about　to　expire；　would　doubtless　take　his　（Rastignac's）　place；　that　the　official　from　the　Museum　had　often　expressed　a　desire　to　have　Mme。　Couture's　rooms；　and　that　in　a　very　few　days　her　household　would　be　on　the　old　footing。

〃God　send　it　may；　my　dear　sir！　but　bad　luck　has　come　to　lodge　here。　There'll　be　a　death　in　the　house　before　ten　days　are　out；　you'll　see；〃　and　she　gave　a　lugubrious　look　round　the　dining…　room。　〃Whose　turn　will　it　be；　I　wonder？〃

〃It　is　just　as　well　that　we　are　moving　out；〃　said　Eugene　to　Father　Goriot　in　a　low　voice。

〃Madame；〃　said　Sylvie；　running　in　with　a　scared　face；　〃I　have　not　seen　Mistigris　these　three　days。〃

〃Ah！　well；　if　my　cat　is　dead；　if　HE　has　gone　and　left　us；　I〃

The　poor　woman　could　not　finish　her　sentence；　she　clasped　her　hands　and　hid　her　face　on　the　back　of　her　armchair；　quite　overcome　by　this　dreadful　portent。

By　twelve　o'clock；　when　the　postman　reaches　that　quarter；　Eugene　received　a　letter。　The　dainty　envelope　bore　the　Beauseant　arms　on　the　seal；　and　contained　an　invitation　to　the　Vicomtesse's　great　ball；　which　had　been　talked　of　in　Paris　for　a　month。　A　little　note　for　Eugene　was　slipped　in　with　the　card。

　　〃I　think；　monsieur；　that　you　will　undertake　with　pleasure　to　　　interpret　my　sentiments　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　so　I　am　sending　the　　　card　for　which　you　asked　me　to　you。　I　shall　be　delighted　to　make　　　the　acquaintance　of　Mme。　de　Restaud's　sister。　Pray　introduce　that　　　charming　lady　to　me；　and　do　not　let　her　monopolize　all　your　　　affection；　for　you　owe　me　not　a　little　in　return　for　mine。　　　〃VICOMTESSE　DE　BEAUSEANT。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Eugene　to　himself；　as　he　read　the　note　a　second　time；　〃Mme。　de　Beauseant　says　pretty　plainly　that　she　does　not　want　the　Baron　de　Nucingen。〃

He　went　to　Delphine　at　once　in　his　joy。　He　had　procured　this　pleasure　for　her；　and　doubtless　he　would　receive　the　price　of　it。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　was　dressing。　Rastignac　waited　in　her　boudoir；　enduring　as　best　he　might　the　natural　impatience　of　an　eager　temperament　for　the　reward　desired　and　withheld　for　a　year。　Such　sensations　are　only　known　once　in　a　life。　The　first　woman　to　whom　a　man　is　drawn；　if　she　is　really　a　womanthat　is　to　say；　if　she　appears　to　him　amid　the　splendid　accessories　that　form　a　necessary　background　to　life　in　the　world　of　Pariswill　never　have　a　rival。

Love　in　Paris　is　a　thing　distinct　and　apart；　for　in　Paris　neither　men　nor　women　are　the　dupes　of　the　commonplaces　by　which　people　seek　to　throw　a　veil　over　their　motives；　or　to　parade　a　fine　affectation　of　disinterestedness　in　their　sentiments。　In　this　country　within　a　country；　it　is　not　merely　required　of　a　woman　that　she　should　satisfy　the　senses　and　the　soul；　she　knows　perfectly　well　that　she　has　still　greater　obligations　to　discharge；　that　she　must　fulfil　the　countless　demands　of　a　vanity　that　enters　into　every　fibre　of　that　living　organism　called　society。　Love；　for　her；　is　above　all　things；　and　by　its　very　nature；　a　vainglorious；　brazen…fronted；　ostentatious；　thriftless　charlatan。　If　at　the　Court　of　Louis　XIV。　there　was　not　a　woman　but　envied　Mlle。　de　la　Valliere　the　reckless　devotion　of　passion　that　led　the　grand　monarch　to　tear　the　priceless　ruffles　at　his　wrists　in　order　to　assist　the　entry　of　a　Duc　de　Vermandois　into　the　worldwhat　can　you　expect　of　the　rest　of　society？　You　must　have　youth　and　wealth　and　rank；　nay；　you　must；　if　possible；　have　more　than　these；　for　the　more　incense　you　bring　with　you　to　burn　at　the　shrine　of　the　god；　the　more　favorably　will　he　regard　the　worshiper。　Love　is　a　religion；　and　his　cult　must　in　the　nature　of　things　be　more　costly　than　those　of　all　other　deities；　Love　the　Spoiler　stays　for　a　moment；　and　then　passes　on；　like　the　urchin　of　the　streets；　his　course　may　be　traced　by　the　ravages　that　he　has　made。　The　wealth　of　feeling　and　imagination　is　the　poetry　of　the　garret；　how　should　love　exist　there　without　that　wealth？

If　there　are　exceptions　who　do　not　subscribe　to　these　Draconian　laws　of　the　Parisian　code；　they　are　solitary　examples。　Such　souls　live　so　far　out　of　the　main　current　that　they　are　not　borne　away　by　the　doctrines　of　society；　they　dwell　beside　some　clear　spring　of　everflowing　water；　without　seeking　to　leave　the　green　shade；　happy　to　listen　to　the　echoes　of　the　infinite　in　everything　around　them　and　in　their　own　souls；　waiting　in　patience　to　take　their　flight　for　heaven；　while　they　look　with　pity　upon　those　of　earth。

Rastignac；　like　most　young　men　who　have　been　early　impressed　by　the　circumstances　of　power　and　grandeur；　meant　to　enter　the　lists　fully　armed；　the　burning　ambition　of　conquest　possessed　him　already；　perhaps　he　was　conscious　of　his　powers；　but　as　yet　he　knew　neither　the　end　to　which　his　ambition　was　to　be　directed；　nor　the　means　of　attaining　it。　In　default　of　the　pure　and　sacred　love　that　fills　a　life；　ambition　may　become　something　very　noble；　subduing　to　itself　every　thought　of　personal　interest；　and　setting　as　the　endthe　greatness；　not　of　one　man；　but　of　a　whole　nation。

But　the　student　had　not　yet　reached　the　time　of　life　when　a　man　surveys　the　whole　course　of　existence　and　judges　it　soberly。　Hitherto　he　had　scarcely　so　much　as　shaken　off　the　spell　of　the　fresh　and　gracious　influences　that　envelop　a　childhood　in　the　country；　like　green　leaves　and　grass。　He　had　hesitated　on　the　brink　of　the　Parisian　Rubicon；　and　in　spite　of　the　prickings　of　ambition；　he　still　clung　to　a　lingering　tradition　of　an　old　idealthe　peaceful　life　of　the　noble　in　his　chateau。　But　yesterday　evening；　at　the　sight　of　his　rooms；　those　scruples　had　vanished。　He　had　learned　what　it　was　to　enjoy　the　material　advantages　of　fortune；　as　he　had　already　enjoyed　the　social　advantages　of　birth；　he　ceased　to　be　a　provincial　from　that　moment；　and　slipped　naturally　and　easily　into　a　position　which　opened　up　a　prospect　of　a　brilliant　fu