father goriot(高老头)-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Vauquer　had　caught　the　infection　from　a　young　artist　among　the　boarders。

〃Well；　Monsieur…r…r　Poiret；〃　said　the　employe　from　the　Museum；　〃how　is　your　health…orama？〃　Then；　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　turned　to　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　with　a　〃Ladies；　you　seem　melancholy。〃

〃Is　dinner　ready？〃　cried　Horace　Bianchon；　a　medical　student；　and　a　friend　of　Rastignac's；　〃my　stomach　is　sinking　usque　ad　talones。〃

〃There　is　an　uncommon　frozerama　outside；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃Make　room　there；　Father　Goriot！　Confound　it；　your　foot　covers　the　whole　front　of　the　stove。〃

〃Illustrious　M。　Vautrin；〃　put　in　Bianchon；　〃why　do　you　say　frozerama？　It　is　incorrect；　it　should　be　frozenrama。〃

〃No；　it　shouldn't；〃　said　the　official　from　the　Museum；　〃frozerama　is　right　by　the　same　rule　that　you　say　'My　feet　are　froze。'　〃

〃Ah！　ah！〃

〃Here　is　his　Excellency　the　Marquis　de　Rastignac；　Doctor　of　the　Law　of　Contraries；〃　cried　Bianchon；　seizing　Eugene　by　the　throat；　and　almost　throttling　him。

〃Hallo　there！　hallo！〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　came　noiselessly　in；　bowed　to　the　rest　of　the　party；　and　took　her　place　beside　the　three　women　without　saying　a　word。

〃That　old　bat　always　makes　me　shudder；〃　said　Bianchon　in　a　low　voice；　indicating　Mlle。　Michonneau　to　Vautrin。　〃I　have　studied　Gall's　system；　and　I　am　sure　she　has　the　bump　of　Judas。〃

〃Then　you　have　seen　a　case　before？〃　said　Vautrin。

〃Who　has　not？〃　answered　Bianchon。　〃Upon　my　word；　that　ghastly　old　maid　looks　just　like　one　of　the　long　worms　that　will　gnaw　a　beam　through；　give　them　time　enough。〃

〃That　is　the　way；　young　man；〃　returned　he　of　the　forty　years　and　the　dyed　whiskers：

　　〃The　rose　has　lived　the　life　of　a　rose　　　A　morning's　space。〃

〃Aha！　here　is　a　magnificent　soupe…au…rama；〃　cried　Poiret　as　Christophe　came　in　bearing　the　soup　with　cautious　heed。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃it　is　soupe　aux　choux。〃

All　the　young　men　roared　with　laughter。

〃Had　you　there；　Poiret！〃

〃Poir…r…r…rette！　she　had　you　there！〃

〃Score　two　points　to　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　said　Vautrin。

〃Did　any　of　you　notice　the　fog　this　morning？〃　asked　the　official。

〃It　was　a　frantic　fog；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃a　fog　unparalleled；　doleful；　melancholy；　sea…green；　asthmaticala　Goriot　of　a　fog！〃

〃A　Goriorama；〃　said　the　art　student；　〃because　you　couldn't　see　a　thing　in　it。〃

〃Hey！　Milord　Gaoriotte；　they　air　talking　about　yoo…o…ou！〃

Father　Goriot；　seated　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　close　to　the　door　through　which　the　servant　entered；　raised　his　face；　he　had　smelt　at　a　scrap　of　bread　that　lay　under　his　table　napkin；　an　old　trick　acquired　in　his　commercial　capacity；　that　still　showed　itself　at　times。

〃Well；〃　Madame　Vauquer　cried　in　sharp　tones；　that　rang　above　the　rattle　of　spoons　and　plates　and　the　sound　of　other　voices；　〃and　is　there　anything　the　matter　with　the　bread？〃

〃Nothing　whatever；　madame；〃　he　answered；　〃on　the　contrary；　it　is　made　of　the　best　quality　of　corn；　flour　from　Etampes。〃

〃How　could　you　tell？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃By　the　color；　by　the　flavor。〃

〃You　knew　the　flavor　by　the　smell；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　have　grown　so　economical；　you　will　find　out　how　to　live　on　the　smell　of　cooking　at　last。〃

〃Take　out　a　patent　for　it；　then；〃　cried　the　Museum　official；　〃you　would　make　a　handsome　fortune。〃

〃Never　mind　him；〃　said　the　artist；　〃he　does　that　sort　of　thing　to　delude　us　into　thinking　that　he　was　a　vermicelli　maker。〃

〃Your　nose　is　a　corn…sampler；　it　appears？〃　inquired　the　official。

〃Corn　WHAT？〃　asked　Bianchon。

〃Corn…el。〃

〃Corn…et。〃

〃Corn…elian。〃

〃Corn…ice。〃

〃Corn…ucopia。〃

〃Corn…crake。〃

〃Corn…cockle。〃

〃Corn…orama。〃

The　eight　responses　came　like　a　rolling　fire　from　every　part　of　the　room；　and　the　laughter　that　followed　was　the　more　uproarious　because　poor　Father　Goriot　stared　at　the　others　with　a　puzzled　look；　like　a　foreigner　trying　to　catch　the　meaning　of　words　in　a　language　which　he　does　not　understand。

〃Corn？　。　。　。〃　he　said；　turning　to　Vautrin；　his　next　neighbor。

〃Corn　on　your　foot；　old　man！〃　said　Vautrin；　and　he　drove　Father　Goriot's　cap　down　over　his　eyes　by　a　blow　on　the　crown。

The　poor　old　man　thus　suddenly　attacked　was　for　a　moment　too　bewildered　to　do　anything。　Christophe　carried　off　his　plate；　thinking　that　he　had　finished　his　soup；　so　that　when　Goriot　had　pushed　back　his　cap　from　his　eyes　his　spoon　encountered　the　table。　Every　one　burst　out　laughing。　〃You　are　a　disagreeable　joker；　sir；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃and　if　you　take　any　further　liberties　with　me〃

〃Well；　what　then；　old　boy？〃　Vautrin　interrupted。

〃Well；　then；　you　shall　pay　dearly　for　it　some　day〃

〃Down　below；　eh？〃　said　the　artist；　〃in　the　little　dark　corner　where　they　put　naughty　boys。〃

〃Well；　mademoiselle；〃　Vautrin　said；　turning　to　Victorine；　〃you　are　eating　nothing。　So　papa　was　refractory；　was　he？〃

〃A　monster！〃　said　Mme。　Couture。

〃Mademoiselle　might　make　application　for　aliment　pending　her　suit；　she　is　not　eating　anything。　Eh！　eh！　just　see　how　Father　Goriot　is　staring　at　Mlle。　Victorine。〃

The　old　man　had　forgotten　his　dinner；　he　was　so　absorbed　in　gazing　at　the　poor　girl；　the　sorrow　in　her　face　was　unmistakable；the　slighted　love　of　a　child　whose　father　would　not　recognize　her。

〃We　are　mistaken　about　Father　Goriot；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　Eugene　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　is　not　an　idiot；　nor　wanting　in　energy。　Try　your　Gall　system　on　him；　and　let　me　know　what　you　think。　I　saw　him　crush　a　silver　dish　last　night　as　if　it　had　been　made　of　wax；　there　seems　to　be　something　extra…ordinary　going　on　in　his　mind　just　now；　to　judge　by　his　face。　His　life　is　so　mysterious　that　it　must　be　worth　studying。　Oh！　you　may　laugh；　Bianchon；　I　am　not　joking。〃

〃The　man　is　a　subject；　is　he？〃　said　Bianchon；　〃all　right！　I　will　dissect　him；　if　he　will　give　me　the　chance。〃

〃No；　feel　his　bumps。〃

〃Hm！his　stupidity　might　perhaps　be　contagious。〃



The　next　day　Rastignac　dressed　himself　very　elegantly；　and　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　went　to　call　on　Mme。　de　Restaud。　On　the　way　thither　he　indulged　in　the　wild　intoxicating　dreams　which　fill　a　young　head　so　full　of　delicious　excitement。　Young　men　at　his　age　take　no　account　of　obstacles　nor　of　dangers；　they　see　success　in　every　direction；　imagination　has　free　play；　and　turns　their　lives　into　a　romance；　they　are　saddened　or　discouraged　by　the　collapse　of　one　of　the　visionary　schemes　that　have　no　existence　save　in　their　heated　fancy。　If　youth　were　not　ignorant　and　timid；　civilization　would　be　impossible。

Eugene　took　unheard…of　pains　to　keep　himself　in　a　spotless　condition；　but　on　his　way　through　the　streets　he　began　to　think　about　Mme。　de　Restaud　and　what　he　should　say　to　her。　He　equipped　himself　with　wit；　rehearsed　repartees　in　the　course　of　an　imaginary　conversation；　and　prepared　certain　neat　speeches　a　la　Talleyrand；　conjuring　up　a　series　of　small　events　which　should　prepare　the　way　for　the　declaration　on　which　he　had　based　his　future；　and　during　these　musings　the　law　student　was　bespattered　with　mud；　and　by　the　time　he　reached　the　Palais　Royal　he　was　obliged　to　have　his　boots　blacked　and　his　trousers　brushed。

〃If　I　were　rich；〃　he　said；　as　he　changed　the　five…franc　piece　he　had　brought　with　him　in　case　anything　might　happen；　〃I　would　take　a　cab；　then　I　could　think　at　my　ease。〃

At　last　he　reached　the　Rue　du　Helder；　and　asked　for　the　Comtesse　de　Restaud。　He　bore　the　contemptuous　glances　of　the　servants；　who　had　seen　him　cross　the　court　on　foot；　with　the　cold　fury　of　a　man　who　knows　that　he　will　succeed　some　day。　He　understood　the　meaning　of　their　glances　at　once；　for　he　had　felt　his　inferiority　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　court；　where　a　smart　cab　was　waiting。　All　the　delights　of　life　in　Paris　seemed　to　be　implied　by　this　visible　and　manifest　sign　of　luxury　and　extravagance。　A　fine　horse；　in　magnificent　harness；　was　pawing　the　ground；　and　all　at　once　the　law　student　felt　out　of　humor　with　himself。　Every　compartment　in　his　brain　which　he　had　thought　to　find　so　full　of　wit　was　bolted　fast；　he　grew　positively　stupid。　He　sent　up　his　name　to　the　Countess；　and　waited　in　the　ante…chamber；　standing　on　one　foot　before　a　window　that　looked　out　upon　the　court；　mechanically　he　leaned　his　elbow　against　the　sash；　and　stared　before　him。　The　time　seemed　long；　he　would　have　left　the　house　but　for　the　southern　tenacity　of　purpose　which　works　miracles　when　it　is　single…minded。

〃Madame　is　in　her　boudoir；　and　cannot　see　any　one　at　present；　sir；〃　said　the　servant。　〃She　gave　me　no　answer；　but　if　you　will　go　into　the　dining…room；　there　is　some　one　already　there。〃

Rastignac　was　impressed　with　a　sense　of　the　formidable　power　of　the　lackey　who　can　accuse　or　condemn　his　masters　by　a　word；　he　coolly　opened　the　door　by　which　the　man　had　just　entered　the　ante…chamber；　meaning；　no　doubt；　to　show　these　insolent　flunkeys　that　he　was　familiar　with　the　house；　but　he　found　that　he　had　thoughtlessly　precipitated　himself　into　a　small　room　full　of　dressers；　where　lamps　were　standing；　and　hot…water　pipes；　on　which　towels　were　being　dried；　a　dark　passage　and　a　back　staircase　lay　beyond　it。　Stifled　laughter　from　the　ante…chamber　added　to　his　confusion。

〃This　way　to　the　drawing…room；　sir；〃　said　the　servant；　with　the　exaggerated　respect　which　see