father goriot(高老头)-第15节

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If　you　set　yourself　to　carry　the　heights　of　heaven；　you　must　face　God。〃

The　innumerable　thoughts　that　surged　through　his　brain　might　be　summed　up　in　these　phrases。　He　grew　calmer；　and　recovered　something　of　his　assurance　as　he　watched　the　falling　rain。　He　told　himself　that　though　he　was　about　to　squander　two　of　the　precious　five…franc　pieces　that　remained　to　him；　the　money　was　well　laid　out　in　preserving　his　coat；　boots；　and　hat；　and　his　cabman's　cry　of　〃Gate；　if　you　please；〃　almost　put　him　in　spirits。　A　Swiss；　in　scarlet　and　gold；　appeared；　the　great　door　groaned　on　its　hinges；　and　Rastignac；　with　sweet　satisfaction；　beheld　his　equipage　pass　under　the　archway　and　stop　before　the　flight　of　steps　beneath　the　awning。　The　driver；　in　a　blue…and…red　greatcoat；　dismounted　and　let　down　the　step。　As　Eugene　stepped　out　of　the　cab；　he　heard　smothered　laughter　from　the　peristyle。　Three　or　four　lackeys　were　making　merry　over　the　festal　appearance　of　the　vehicle。　In　another　moment　the　law　student　was　enlightened　as　to　the　cause　of　their　hilarity；　he　felt　the　full　force　of　the　contrast　between　his　equipage　and　one　of　the　smartest　broughams　in　Paris；　a　coachman；　with　powdered　hair；　seemed　to　find　it　difficult　to　hold　a　pair　of　spirited　horses；　who　stood　chafing　the　bit。　In　Mme。　de　Restaud's　courtyard；　in　the　Chaussee　d'Antin；　he　had　seen　the　neat　turnout　of　a　young　man　of　six…and…twenty；　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　he　found　the　luxurious　equipage　of　a　man　of　rank；　thirty　thousand　francs　would　not　have　purchased　it。

〃Who　can　be　here？〃　said　Eugene　to　himself。　He　began　to　understand；　though　somewhat　tardily；　that　he　must　not　expect　to　find　many　women　in　Paris　who　were　not　already　appropriated；　and　that　the　capture　of　one　of　these　queens　would　be　likely　to　cost　something　more　than　bloodshed。　〃Confound　it　all！　I　expect　my　cousin　also　has　her　Maxime。〃

He　went　up　the　steps；　feeling　that　he　was　a　blighted　being。　The　glass　door　was　opened　for　him；　the　servants　were　as　solemn　as　jackasses　under　the　curry　comb。　So　far；　Eugene　had　only　been　in　the　ballroom　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Hotel　Beauseant；　the　fete　had　followed　so　closely　on　the　invitation；　that　he　had　not　had　time　to　call　on　his　cousin；　and　had　therefore　never　seen　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　apartments；　he　was　about　to　behold　for　the　first　time　a　great　lady　among　the　wonderful　and　elegant　surroundings　that　reveal　her　character　and　reflect　her　daily　life。　He　was　the　more　curious；　because　Mme。　de　Restaud's　drawing…room　had　provided　him　with　a　standard　of　comparison。

At　half…past　four　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　was　visible。　Five　minutes　earlier　she　would　not　have　received　her　cousin；　but　Eugene　knew　nothing　of　the　recognized　routine　of　various　houses　in　Paris。　He　was　conducted　up　the　wide；　white…painted；　crimson…　carpeted　staircase；　between　the　gilded　balusters　and　masses　of　flowering　plants；　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　apartments。　He　did　not　know　the　rumor　current　about　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　one　of　the　biographies　told；　with　variations；　in　whispers；　every　evening　in　the　salons　of　Paris。

For　three　years　past　her　name　had　been　spoken　of　in　connection　with　that　of　one　of　the　most　wealthy　and　distinguished　Portuguese　nobles；　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto。　It　was　one　of　those　innocent　liaisons　which　possess　so　much　charm　for　the　two　thus　attached　to　each　other　that　they　find　the　presence　of　a　third　person　intolerable。　The　Vicomte　de　Beauseant；　therefore；　had　himself　set　an　example　to　the　rest　of　the　world　by　respecting；　with　as　good　a　grace　as　might　be；　this　morganatic　union。　Any　one　who　came　to　call　on　the　Vicomtesse　in　the　early　days　of　this　friendship　was　sure　to　find　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto　there。　As；　under　the　circumstances；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　could　not　very　well　shut　her　door　against　these　visitors；　she　gave　them　such　a　cold　reception；　and　showed　so　much　interest　in　the　study　of　the　ceiling；　that　no　one　could　fail　to　understand　how　much　he　bored　her；　and　when　it　became　known　in　Paris　that　Mme。　de　Beauseant　was　bored　by　callers　between　two　and　four　o'clock；　she　was　left　in　perfect　solitude　during　that　interval。　She　went　to　the　Bouffons　or　to　the　Opera　with　M。　de　Beauseant　and　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto；　and　M。　de　Beauseant；　like　a　well…bred　man　of　the　world；　always　left　his　wife　and　the　Portuguese　as　soon　as　he　had　installed　them。　But　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto　must　marry；　and　a　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　was　the　young　lady。　In　the　whole　fashionable　world　there　was　but　one　person　who　as　yet　knew　nothing　of　the　arrangement；　and　that　was　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　Some　of　her　friends　had　hinted　at　the　possibility；　and　she　had　laughed　at　them；　believing　that　envy　had　prompted　those　ladies　to　try　to　make　mischief。　And　now；　though　the　bans　were　about　to　be　published；　and　although　the　handsome　Portuguese　had　come　that　day　to　break　the　news　to　the　Vicomtesse；　he　had　not　found　courage　as　yet　to　say　one　word　about　his　treachery。　How　was　it？　Nothing　is　doubtless　more　difficult　than　the　notification　of　an　ultimatum　of　this　kind。　There　are　men　who　feel　more　at　their　ease　when　they　stand　up　before　another　man　who　threatens　their　lives　with　sword　or　pistol　than　in　the　presence　of　a　woman　who；　after　two　hours　of　lamentations　and　reproaches；　falls　into　a　dead　swoon　and　requires　salts。　At　this　moment；　therefore；　M。　d'Ajuda…Pinto　was　on　thorns；　and　anxious　to　take　his　leave。　He　told　himself　that　in　some　way　or　other　the　news　would　reach　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　he　would　write；　it　would　be　much　better　to　do　it　by　letter；　and　not　to　utter　the　words　that　should　stab　her　to　the　heart。

So　when　the　servant　announced　M。　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto　trembled　with　joy。　To　be　sure；　a　loving　woman　shows　even　more　ingenuity　in　inventing　doubts　of　her　lover　than　in　varying　the　monotony　of　his　happiness；　and　when　she　is　about　to　be　forsaken；　she　instinctively　interprets　every　gesture　as　rapidly　as　Virgil's　courser　detected　the　presence　of　his　companion　by　snuffing　the　breeze。　It　was　impossible；　therefore；　that　Mme。　de　Beauseant　should　not　detect　that　involuntary　thrill　of　satisfaction；　slight　though　it　was；　it　was　appalling　in　its　artlessness。

Eugene　had　yet　to　learn　that　no　one　in　Paris　should　present　himself　in　any　house　without　first　making　himself　acquainted　with　the　whole　history　of　its　owner；　and　of　its　owner's　wife　and　family；　so　that　he　may　avoid　making　any　of　the　terrible　blunders　which　in　Poland　draw　forth　the　picturesque　exclamation；　〃Harness　five　bullocks　to　your　cart！〃　probably　because　you　will　need　them　all　to　pull　you　out　of　the　quagmire　into　which　a　false　step　has　plunged　you。　If；　down　to　the　present　day；　our　language　has　no　name　for　these　conversational　disasters；　it　is　probably　because　they　are　believed　to　be　impossible；　the　publicity　given　in　Paris　to　every　scandal　is　so　prodigious。　After　the　awkward　incident　at　Mme。　de　Restaud's；　no　one　but　Eugene　could　have　reappeared　in　his　character　of　bullock…driver　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　drawing…room。　But　if　Mme。　de　Restaud　and　M。　de　Trailles　had　found　him　horribly　in　the　way；　M。　d'Ajuda　hailed　his　coming　with　relief。

〃Good…bye；〃　said　the　Portuguese；　hurrying　to　the　door；　as　Eugene　made　his　entrance　into　a　dainty　little　pink…and…gray　drawing…　room；　where　luxury　seemed　nothing　more　than　good　taste。

〃Until　this　evening；〃　said　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　turning　her　head　to　give　the　Marquis　a　glance。　〃We　are　going　to　the　Bouffons；　are　we　not？〃

〃I　cannot　go；〃　he　said；　with　his　fingers　on　the　door　handle。

Mme。　de　Beauseant　rose　and　beckoned　to　him　to　return。　She　did　not　pay　the　slightest　attention　to　Eugene；　who　stood　there　dazzled　by　the　sparkling　marvels　around　him；　he　began　to　think　that　this　was　some　story　out　of　the　Arabian　Nights　made　real；　and　did　not　know　where　to　hide　himself；　when　the　woman　before　him　seemed　to　be　unconscious　of　his　existence。　The　Vicomtesse　had　raised　the　forefinger　of　her　right　hand；　and　gracefully　signed　to　the　Marquis　to　seat　himself　beside　her。　The　Marquis　felt　the　imperious　sway　of　passion　in　her　gesture；　he　came　back　towards　her。　Eugene　watched　him；　not　without　a　feeling　of　envy。

〃That　is　the　owner　of　the　brougham！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃But　is　it　necessary　to　have　a　pair　of　spirited　horses；　servants　in　livery；　and　torrents　of　gold　to　draw　a　glance　from　a　woman　here　in　Paris？〃

The　demon　of　luxury　gnawed　at　his　heart；　greed　burned　in　his　veins；　his　throat　was　parched　with　the　thirst　of　gold。

He　had　a　hundred　and　thirty　francs　every　quarter。　His　father；　mother；　brothers；　sisters；　and　aunt　did　not　spend　two　hundred　francs　a　month　among　them。　This　swift　comparison　between　his　present　condition　and　the　aims　he　had　in　view　helped　to　benumb　his　faculties。

〃Why　not？〃　the　Vicomtesse　was　saying；　as　she　smiled　at　the　Portuguese。　〃Why　cannot　you　come　to　the　Italiens？〃

〃Affairs！　I　am　to　dine　with　the　English　Ambassador。〃

〃Throw　him　over。〃

When　a　man　once　enters　on　a　course　of　deception；　he　is　compelled　to　add　lie　to　lie。　M。　d'Ajuda　therefore　said；　smiling；　〃Do　you　lay　your　commands　on　me？〃

〃Yes；　certainly。〃

〃That　was　what　I　wanted　to　have　you　say　to　me；〃　he　answered；　dissembling　his　feelings　in　a　glance　which　would　have　reassured　any　other　woman。

He　took　the　Vicomtesse's　hand；　kissed　it；　and　went。

Eugene　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair；　and　const