father goriot(高老头)-第31节

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riage；　and　all　her　whims；　in　fact？〃

〃Why；　here　you　are　taking　away　my　reason；　and　want　me　to　reason！〃

〃Well；　then；　Bianchon；　I　am　mad；　bring　me　to　my　senses。　I　have　two　sisters　as　beautiful　and　innocent　as　angels；　and　I　want　them　to　be　happy。　How　am　I　to　find　two　hundred　thousand　francs　apiece　for　them　in　the　next　five　years？　Now　and　then　in　life；　you　see；　you　must　play　for　heavy　stakes；　and　it　is　no　use　wasting　your　luck　on　low　play。〃

〃But　you　are　only　stating　the　problem　that　lies　before　every　one　at　the　outset　of　his　life；　and　you　want　to　cut　the　Gordian　knot　with　a　sword。　If　that　is　the　way　of　it；　dear　boy；　you　must　be　an　Alexander；　or　to　the　hulks　you　go。　For　my　own　part；　I　am　quite　contented　with　the　little　lot　I　mean　to　make　for　myself　somewhere　in　the　country；　when　I　mean　to　step　into　my　father's　shoes　and　plod　along。　A　man's　affections　are　just　as　fully　satisfied　by　the　smallest　circle　as　they　can　be　by　a　vast　circumference。　Napoleon　himself　could　only　dine　once；　and　he　could　not　have　more　mistresses　than　a　house　student　at　the　Capuchins。　Happiness；　old　man；　depends　on　what　lies　between　the　sole　of　your　foot　and　the　crown　of　your　head；　and　whether　it　costs　a　million　or　a　hundred　louis；　the　actual　amount　of　pleasure　that　you　receive　rests　entirely　with　you；　and　is　just　exactly　the　same　in　any　case。　I　am　for　letting　that　Chinaman　live。〃

〃Thank　you；　Bianchon；　you　have　done　me　good。　We　will　always　be　friends。〃

〃I　say；〃　remarked　the　medical　student；　as　they　came　to　the　end　of　a　broad　walk　in　the　Jardin　des　Plantes；　〃I　saw　the　Michonneau　and　Poiret　a　few　minutes　ago　on　a　bench　chatting　with　a　gentleman　whom　I　used　to　see　in　last　year's　troubles　hanging　about　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　he　seems　to　me；　in　fact；　to　be　a　detective　dressed　up　like　a　decent　retired　tradesman。　Let　us　keep　an　eye　on　that　couple；　I　will　tell　you　why　some　time。　Good…bye；　it　is　nearly　four　o'clock；　and　I　must　be　in　to　answer　to　my　name。〃

When　Eugene　reached　the　lodging…house；　he　found　Father　Goriot　waiting　for　him。

〃Here；〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃here　is　a　letter　from　her。　Pretty　handwriting；　eh？〃

Eugene　broke　the　seal　and　read：

〃Sir；I　have　heard　from　my　father　that　you　are　fond　of　Italian　music。　I　shall　be　delighted　if　you　will　do　me　the　pleasure　of　accepting　a　seat　in　my　box。　La　Fodor　and　Pellegrini　will　sing　on　Saturday；　so　I　am　sure　that　you　will　not　refuse　me。　M。　de　Nucingen　and　I　shall　be　pleased　if　you　will　dine　with　us；　we　shall　be　quite　by　ourselves。　If　you　will　come　and　be　my　escort；　my　husband　will　be　glad　to　be　relieved　from　his　conjugal　duties。　Do　not　answer；　but　simply　come。Yours　sincerely；　D。　DE　N。〃

〃Let　me　see　it；〃　said　Father　Goriot；　when　Eugene　had　read　the　letter。　〃You　are　going；　aren't　you？〃　he　added；　when　he　had　smelled　the　writing…paper。　〃How　nice　it　smells！　Her　fingers　have　touched　it；　that　is　certain。〃

〃A　woman　does　not　fling　herself　at　a　man's　head　in　this　way；〃　the　student　was　thinking。　〃She　wants　to　use　me　to　bring　back　de　Marsay；　nothing　but　pique　makes　a　woman　do　a　thing　like　this。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Father　Goriot；　〃what　are　you　thinking　about？〃

Eugene　did　not　know　the　fever　or　vanity　that　possessed　some　women　in　those　days；　how　should　he　imagine　that　to　open　a　door　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　a　banker's　wife　would　go　to　almost　any　length。　For　the　coterie　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　was　a　charmed　circle；　and　the　women　who　moved　in　it　were　at　that　time　the　queens　of　society；　and　among　the　greatest　of　these　Dames　du　Petit…Chateau；　as　they　were　called；　were　Mme。　de　Beauseant　and　her　friends　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneause。　Rastignac　was　alone　in　his　ignorance　of　the　frantic　efforts　made　by　women　who　lived　in　the　Chausee…d'Antin　to　enter　this　seventh　heaven　and　shine　among　the　brightest　constellations　of　their　sex。　But　his　cautious　disposition　stood　him　in　good　stead；　and　kept　his　judgment　cool；　and　the　not　altogether　enviable　power　of　imposing　instead　of　accepting　conditions。

〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　he　replied。

So　it　was　curiosity　that　drew　him　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　while；　if　she　had　treated　him　disdainfully；　passion　perhaps　might　have　brought　him　to　her　feet。　Still　he　waited　almost　impatiently　for　to…morrow；　and　the　hour　when　he　could　go　to　her。　There　is　almost　as　much　charm　for　a　young　man　in　a　first　flirtation　as　there　is　in　first　love。　The　certainty　of　success　is　a　source　of　happiness　to　which　men　do　not　confess；　and　all　the　charm　of　certain　women　lies　in　this。　The　desire　of　conquest　springs　no　less　from　the　easiness　than　from　the　difficulty　of　triumph；　and　every　passion　is　excited　or　sustained　by　one　or　the　other　of　these　two　motives　which　divide　the　empire　of　love。　Perhaps　this　division　is　one　result　of　the　great　question　of　temperaments；　which；　after　all；　dominates　social　life。　The　melancholic　temperament　may　stand　in　need　of　the　tonic　of　coquetry；　while　those　of　nervous　or　sanguine　complexion　withdraw　if　they　meet　with　a　too　stubborn　resistance。　In　other　words；　the　lymphatic　temperament　is　essentially　despondent；　and　the　rhapsodic　is　bilious。

Eugene　lingered　over　his　toilette　with　an　enjoyment　of　all　its　little　details　that　is　grateful　to　a　young　man's　self…love；　though　he　will　not　own　to　it　for　fear　of　being　laughed　at。　He　thought；　as　he　arranged　his　hair；　that　a　pretty　woman's　glances　would　wander　through　the　dark　curls。　He　indulged　in　childish　tricks　like　any　young　girl　dressing　for　a　dance；　and　gazed　complacently　at　his　graceful　figure　while　he　smoothed　out　the　creases　of　his　coat。

〃There　are　worse　figures；　that　is　certain；〃　he　said　to　himself。

Then　he　went　downstairs；　just　as　the　rest　of　the　household　were　sitting　down　to　dinner；　and　took　with　good　humor　the　boisterous　applause　excited　by　his　elegant　appearance。　The　amazement　with　which　any　attention　to　dress　is　regarded　in　a　lodging…house　is　a　very　characteristic　trait。　No　one　can　put　on　a　new　coat　but　every　one　else　must　say　his　say　about　it。

〃Clk！　clk！　clk！〃　cried　Bianchon；　making　the　sound　with　his　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　like　a　driver　urging　on　a　horse。

〃He　holds　himself　like　a　duke　and　a　peer　of　France；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。

〃Are　you　going　a…courting？〃　inquired　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Cock…a…doodle…doo！〃　cried　the　artist。

〃My　compliments　to　my　lady　your　wife；〃　from　the　employe　at　the　Museum。

〃Your　wife；　have　you　a　wife？〃　asked　Poiret。

〃Yes；　in　compartments；　water…tight　and　floats；　guaranteed　fast　color；　all　prices　from　twenty…five　to　forty　sous；　neat　check　patterns　in　the　latest　fashion　and　best　taste；　will　wash；　half…　linen；　half…cotton；　half…wool；　a　certain　cure　for　toothache　and　other　complaints　under　the　patronage　of　the　Royal　College　of　Physicians！　children　like　it！　a　remedy　for　headache；　indigestion；　and　all　other　diseases　affecting　the　throat；　eyes；　and　ears！〃　cried　Vautrin；　with　a　comical　imitation　of　the　volubility　of　a　quack　at　a　fair。　〃And　how　much　shall　we　say　for　this　marvel；　gentlemen？　Twopence？　No。　Nothing　of　the　sort。　All　that　is　left　in　stock　after　supplying　the　Great　Mogul。　All　the　crowned　heads　of　Europe；　including　the　Gr…r…rand　Duke　of　Baden；　have　been　anxious　to　get　a　sight　of　it。　Walk　up！　walk　up！　gentlemen！　Pay　at　the　desk　as　you　go　in！　Strike　up　the　music　there！　Brooum；　la；　la；　trinn！　la；　la；　boum！　boum！　Mister　Clarinette；　there　you　are　out　of　tune！〃　he　added　gruffly；　〃I　will　rap　your　knuckles　for　you！〃

〃Goodness！　what　an　amusing　man！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer　to　Mme。　Couture；　〃I　should　never　feel　dull　with　him　in　the　house。〃

This　burlesque　of　Vautrin's　was　the　signal　for　an　outburst　of　merriment；　and　under　cover　of　jokes　and　laughter　Eugene　caught　a　glance　from　Mlle。　Taillefer；　she　had　leaned　over　to　say　a　few　words　in　Mme。　Couture's　ear。

〃The　cab　is　at　the　door；〃　announced　Sylvie。

〃But　where　is　he　going　to　dine？〃　asked　Bianchon。

〃With　Madame　la　Baronne　de　Nucingen。〃

〃M。　Goriot's　daughter；〃　said　the　law　student。

At　this；　all　eyes　turned　to　the　old　vermicelli　maker；　he　was　gazing　at　Eugene　with　something　like　envy　in　his　eyes。

Rastignac　reached　the　house　in　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　one　of　those　many…windowed　houses　with　a　mean…looking　portico　and　slender　columns；　which　are　considered　the　thing　in　Paris；　a　typical　banker's　house；　decorated　in　the　most　ostentatious　fashion；　the　walls　lined　with　stucco；　the　landings　of　marble　mosaic。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　was　sitting　in　a　little　drawing…room；　the　room　was　painted　in　the　Italian　fashion；　and　decorated　like　a　restaurant。　The　Baroness　seemed　depressed。　The　effort　that　she　made　to　hide　her　feelings　aroused　Eugene's　interest；　it　was　plain　that　she　was　not　playing　a　part。　He　had　expected　a　little　flutter　of　excitement　at　his　coming；　and　he　found　her　dispirited　and　sad。　The　disappointment　piqued　his　vanity。

〃My　claim　to　your　confidence　is　very　small；　madame；〃　he　said；　after　rallying　her　on　her　abstracted　mood；　〃but　if　I　am　in　the　way；　please　tell　me　so　frankly；　I　count　on　your　good　faith。〃

〃No；　stay　with　me；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　be　all　alone　if　you　go。　Nucingen　is　dining　in　town；　and　I　do　not　want　to　be　alone；　I　want　to　be　taken　out　of　myself。〃

〃But　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃You　are　the　very　last　person　whom　I　should　tell；〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Then　I　am　connected　in　some　way　in　this　secret。　I　won