father goriot(高老头)-第23节

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d　fanlight　above　a　door　that　gave　access　into　the　garden。　Sylvie　came　out　of　her　kitchen；　and　Eugene　chose　that　moment　to　say：

MONSIEUR　Vautrin；　I　am　not　a　marquis；　and　my　name　is　not　Rastignacorama。〃

〃They　will　fight；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　an　indifferent　tone。

〃Fight！〃　echoed　Poiret。

〃Not　they；〃　replied　Mme。　Vauquer；　lovingly　fingering　her　pile　of　coins。

〃But　there　they　are　under　the　lime…trees；〃　cried　Mlle。　Victorine；　who　had　risen　so　that　she　might　see　out　into　the　garden。　〃Poor　young　man！　he　was　in　the　right；　after　all。〃

〃We　must　go　upstairs；　my　pet；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　〃it　is　no　business　of　ours。〃

At　the　door；　however；　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　found　their　progress　barred　by　the　portly　form　of　Sylvie　the　cook。

〃What　ever　can　have　happened？〃　she　said。　〃M。　Vautrin　said　to　M。　Eugene；　'Let　us　have　an　explanation！'　then　he　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　there　they　are；　out　among　the　artichokes。〃

Vautrin　came　in　while　she　was　speaking。　〃Mamma　Vauquer；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃don't　frighten　yourself　at　all。　I　am　only　going　to　try　my　pistols　under　the　lime…trees。〃

〃Oh！　monsieur；〃　cried　Victorine；　clasping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；　〃why　do　you　want　to　kill　M。　Eugene？〃

Vautrin　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　and　gazed　at　Victorine。

〃Oh！　this　is　something　fresh！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　bantering　tone；　that　brought　the　color　into　the　poor　girl's　face。　〃That　young　fellow　yonder　is　very　nice；　isn't　he？〃　he　went　on。　〃You　have　given　me　a　notion；　my　pretty　child；　I　will　make　you　both　happy。〃

Mme。　Couture　laid　her　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　ward；　and　drew　the　girl　away；　as　she　said　in　her　ear：

〃Why；　Victorine；　I　cannot　imagine　what　has　come　over　you　this　morning。〃

〃I　don't　want　any　shots　fired　in　my　garden；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　will　frighten　the　neighborhood　and　bring　the　police　up　here　all　in　a　moment。〃

〃Come；　keep　cool；　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃There；　there；　it's　all　right；　we　will　go　to　the　shooting…gallery。〃

He　went　back　to　Rastignac；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　on　the　young　man's　arm。

〃When　I　have　given　you　ocular　demonstration　of　the　fact　that　I　can　put　a　bullet　through　the　ace　on　a　card　five　times　running　at　thirty…five　paces；〃　he　said；　〃that　won't　take　away　your　appetite；　I　suppose？　You　look　to　me　to　be　inclined　to　be　a　trifle　quarrelsome　this　morning；　and　as　if　you　would　rush　on　your　death　like　a　blockhead。〃

〃Do　you　draw　back？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃Don't　try　to　raise　my　temperature；〃　answered　Vautrin；　〃it　is　not　cold　this　morning。　Let　us　go　and　sit　over　there；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　green…painted　garden　seats；　〃no　one　can　overhear　us。　I　want　a　little　talk　with　you。　You　are　not　a　bad　sort　of　youngster；　and　I　have　no　quarrel　with　you。　I　like　you；　take　Trump（confound　it！）take　Vautrin's　word　for　it。　What　makes　me　like　you？　I　will　tell　you　by…and…by。　Meantime；　I　can　tell　you　that　I　know　you　as　well　as　if　I　had　made　you　myself；　as　I　will　prove　to　you　in　a　minute。　Put　down　your　bags；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　the　round　table。

Rastignac　deposited　his　money　on　the　table；　and　sat　down。　He　was　consumed　with　curiosity；　which　the　sudden　change　in　the　manner　of　the　man　before　him　had　excited　to　the　highest　pitch。　Here　was　a　strange　being　who；　a　moment　ago；　had　talked　of　killing　him；　and　now　posed　as　his　protector。

〃You　would　like　to　know　who　I　really　am；　what　I　was；　and　what　I　do　now；〃　Vautrin　went　on。　〃You　want　to　know　too　much；　youngster。　Come！　come！　keep　cool！　You　will　hear　more　astonishing　things　than　that。　I　have　had　my　misfortunes。　Just　hear　me　out　first；　and　you　shall　have　your　turn　afterwards。　Here　is　my　past　in　three　words。　Who　am　I？　Vautrin。　What　do　I　do？　Just　what　I　please。　Let　us　change　the　subject。　You　want　to　know　my　character。　I　am　good…　natured　to　those　who　do　me　a　good　turn；　or　to　those　whose　hearts　speak　to　mine。　These　last　may　do　anything　they　like　with　me；　they　may　bruise　my　shins；　and　I　shall　not　tell　them　to　'mind　what　they　are　about'；　but；　nom　d'une　pipe；　the　devil　himself　is　not　an　uglier　customer　than　I　can　be　if　people　annoy　me；　or　if　I　don't　happen　to　take　to　them；　and　you　may　just　as　well　know　at　once　that　I　think　no　more　of　killing　a　man　than　of　that；〃　and　he　spat　before　him　as　he　spoke。　〃Only　when　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　do　so；　I　do　my　best　to　kill　him　properly。　I　am　what　you　call　an　artist。　I　have　read　Benvenuto　Cellini's　Memoirs；　such　as　you　see　me；　and；　what　is　more；　in　Italian：　A　fine…spirited　fellow　he　was！　From　him　I　learned　to　follow　the　example　set　us　by　Providence；　who　strikes　us　down　at　random；　and　to　admire　the　beautiful　whenever　and　wherever　it　is　found。　And；　setting　other　questions　aside；　is　it　not　a　glorious　part　to　play；　when　you　pit　yourself　against　mankind；　and　the　luck　is　on　your　side？　I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　the　constitution　of　your　present　social　Dis…　order。　A　duel　is　downright　childish；　my　boy！　utter　nonsense　and　folly！　When　one　of　two　living　men　must　be　got　out　of　the　way；　none　but　an　idiot　would　leave　chance　to　decide　which　it　is　to　be；　and　in　a　duel　it　is　a　toss…upheads　or　tailsand　there　you　are！　Now　I；　for　instance；　can　hit　the　ace　in　the　middle　of　a　card　five　times　running；　send　one　bullet　after　another　through　the　same　hole；　and　at　thirty…five　paces；　moreover！　With　that　little　accomplishment　you　might　think　yourself　certain　of　killing　your　man；　mightn't　you。　Well；　I　have　fired；　at　twenty　paces；　and　missed；　and　the　rogue　who　had　never　handled　a　pistol　in　his　life　look　here！〃（he　unbuttoned　his　waistcoat　and　exposed　his　chest；　covered；　like　a　bear's　back；　with　a　shaggy　fell；　the　student　gave　a　startled　shudder）〃he　was　a　raw　lad；　but　he　made　his　mark　on　me；〃　the　extraordinary　man　went　on；　drawing　Rastignac's　fingers　over　a　deep　scar　on　his　breast。　But　that　happened　when　I　myself　was　a　mere　boy；　I　was　one…and…twenty　then　（your　age）；　and　I　had　some　beliefs　leftin　a　woman's　love；　and　in　a　pack　of　rubbish　that　you　will　be　over　head　and　ears　in　directly。　You　and　I　were　to　have　fought　just　now；　weren't　we？　You　might　have　killed　me。　Suppose　that　I　were　put　under　the　earth；　where　would　you　be？　You　would　have　to　clear　out　of　this；　go　to　Switzerland；　draw　on　papa's　purseand　he　has　none　too　much　in　it　as　it　is。　I　mean　to　open　your　eyes　to　your　real　position；　that　is　what　I　am　going　to　do：　but　I　shall　do　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　a　man　who；　after　studying　the　world　very　closely；　sees　that　there　are　but　two　alternativesstupid　obedience　or　revolt。　I　obey　nobody；　is　that　clear？　Now；　do　you　know　how　much　you　will　want　at　the　pace　you　are　going？　A　million；　and　promptly；　too；　or　that　little　head　of　ours　will　be　swaying　to　and　fro　in　the　drag…nets　at　Saint…Cloud；　while　we　are　gone　to　find　out　whether　or　no　there　is　a　Supreme　Being。　I　will　put　you　in　the　way　of　that　million。〃

He　stopped　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　Eugene。

〃Aha！　you　do　not　look　so　sourly　at　papa　Vautrin　now！　At　the　mention　of　the　million　you　look　like　a　young　girl　when　somebody　has　said；　'I　will　come　for　you　this　evening！'　and　she　betakes　herself　to　her　toilette　as　a　cat　licks　its　whiskers　over　a　saucer　of　milk。　All　right。　Come；　now；　let　us　go　into　the　question；　young　man；　all　between　ourselves；　you　know。　We　have　a　papa　and　mamma　down　yonder；　a　great…aunt；　two　sisters　（aged　eighteen　and　seventeen）；　two　young　brothers　（one　fifteen；　and　the　other　ten）；　that　is　about　the　roll…call　of　the　crew。　The　aunt　brings　up　the　two　sisters；　the　cure　comes　and　teaches　the　boys　Latin。　Boiled　chestnuts　are　oftener　on　the　table　than　white　bread。　Papa　makes　a　suit　of　clothes　last　a　long　while；　if　mamma　has　a　different　dress　winter　and　summer；　it　is　about　as　much　as　she　has；　the　sisters　manage　as　best　they　can。　I　know　all　about　it；　I　have　lived　in　the　south。

〃That　is　how　things　are　at　home。　They　send　you　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year；　and　the　whole　property　only　brings　in　three　thousand　francs　all　told。　We　have　a　cook　and　a　manservant；　papa　is　a　baron；　and　we　must　keep　up　appearances。　Then　we　have　our　ambitions；　we　are　connected　with　the　Beauseants；　and　we　go　afoot　through　the　streets；　we　want　to　be　rich；　and　we　have　not　a　penny；　we　eat　Mme。　Vauquer's　messes；　and　we　like　grand　dinners　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　we　sleep　on　a　truckle…bed；　and　dream　of　a　mansion！　I　do　not　blame　you　for　wanting　these　things。　What　sort　of　men　do　the　women　run　after？　Men　of　ambition。　Men　of　ambition　have　stronger　frames；　their　blood　is　richer　in　iron；　their　hearts　are　warmer　than　those　of　ordinary　men。　Women　feel　that　when　their　power　is　greatest；　they　look　their　best；　and　that　those　are　their　happiest　hours；　they　like　power　in　men；　and　prefer　the　strongest　even　if　it　is　a　power　that　may　be　their　own　destruction。　I　am　going　to　make　an　inventory　of　your　desires　in　order　to　put　the　question　at　issue　before　you。　Here　it　is：

〃We　are　as　hungry　as　a　wolf；　and　those　newly…cut　teeth　of　ours　are　sharp；　what　are　we　to　do　to　keep　the　pot　boiling？　In　the　first　place；　we　have　the　Code　to　browse　upon；　it　is　not　amusing；　and　we　are　none　the　wiser　for　it；　but　that　cannot　be　helped。　So　far　so　good。　We　mean　to　make　an　advocate　of　ourselves　with　a　prospect　of　one　day　being　made　President　of　a　Court　of　Assize；　when　we　shall　send　poor　devils；　our　betters；　to　the　galleys　with　a　T。F。*　＇*Travaux　forces。＇　on　their　shoulders；　so　that　the