father goriot(高老头)-第4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！


　banker's　iniquitous　conduct；　but　while　they　heaped　execrations　on　the　millionaire；　Victorine's　words　were　as　gentle　as　the　moan　of　the　wounded　dove；　and　affection　found　expression　even　in　the　cry　drawn　from　her　by　pain。

Eugene　de　Rastignac　was　a　thoroughly　southern　type；　he　had　a　fair　complexion；　blue　eyes；　black　hair。　In　his　figure；　manner；　and　his　whole　bearing　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　had　either　come　of　a　noble　family；　or　that；　from　his　earliest　childhood；　he　had　been　gently　bred。　If　he　was　careful　of　his　wardrobe；　only　taking　last　year's　clothes　into　daily　wear；　still　upon　occasion　he　could　issue　forth　as　a　young　man　of　fashion。　Ordinarily　he　wore　a　shabby　coat　and　waistcoat；　the　limp　black　cravat；　untidily　knotted；　that　students　affect；　trousers　that　matched　the　rest　of　his　costume；　and　boots　that　had　been　resoled。

Vautrin　（the　man　of　forty　with　the　dyed　whiskers）　marked　a　transition　stage　between　these　two　young　people　and　the　others。　He　was　the　kind　of　man　that　calls　forth　the　remark：　〃He　looks　a　jovial　sort！〃　He　had　broad　shoulders；　a　well…developed　chest；　muscular　arms；　and　strong　square…fisted　hands；　the　joints　of　his　fingers　were　covered　with　tufts　of　fiery　red　hair。　His　face　was　furrowed　by　premature　wrinkles；　there　was　a　certain　hardness　about　it　in　spite　of　his　bland　and　insinuating　manner。　His　bass　voice　was　by　no　means　unpleasant；　and　was　in　keeping　with　his　boisterous　laughter。　He　was　always　obliging；　always　in　good　spirits；　if　anything　went　wrong　with　one　of　the　locks；　he　would　soon　unscrew　it；　take　it　to　pieces；　file　it；　oil　and　clean　and　set　it　in　order；　and　put　it　back　in　its　place　again；　〃I　am　an　old　hand　at　it；〃　he　used　to　say。　Not　only　so；　he　knew　all　about　ships；　the　sea；　France；　foreign　countries；　men；　business；　law；　great　houses　and　prisons；there　was　nothing　that　he　did　not　know。　If　any　one　complained　rather　more　than　usual；　he　would　offer　his　services　at　once。　He　had　several　times　lent　money　to　Mme。　Vauquer；　or　to　the　boarders；　but；　somehow；　those　whom　he　obliged　felt　that　they　would　sooner　face　death　than　fail　to　repay　him；　a　certain　resolute　look；　sometimes　seen　on　his　face；　inspired　fear　of　him；　for　all　his　appearance　of　easy　good…nature。　In　the　way　he　spat　there　was　an　imperturbable　coolness　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　a　man　who　would　not　stick　at　a　crime　to　extricate　himself　from　a　false　position。　His　eyes；　like　those　of　a　pitiless　judge；　seemed　to　go　to　the　very　bottom　of　all　questions；　to　read　all　natures；　all　feelings　and　thoughts。　His　habit　of　life　was　very　regular；　he　usually　went　out　after　breakfast；　returning　in　time　for　dinner；　and　disappeared　for　the　rest　of　the　evening；　letting　himself　in　about　midnight　with　a　latch　key；　a　privilege　that　Mme。　Vauquer　accorded　to　no　other　boarder。　But　then　he　was　on　very　good　terms　with　the　widow；　he　used　to　call　her　〃mamma；〃　and　put　his　arm　round　her　waist；　a　piece　of　flattery　perhaps　not　appreciated　to　the　full！　The　worthy　woman　might　imagine　this　to　be　an　easy　feat；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　no　arm　but　Vautrin's　was　long　enough　to　encircle　her。

It　was　a　characteristic　trait　of　his　generously　to　pay　fifteen　francs　a　month　for　the　cup　of　coffee　with　a　dash　of　brandy　in　it；　which　he　took　after　dinner。　Less　superficial　observers　than　young　men　engulfed　by　the　whirlpool　of　Parisian　life；　or　old　men；　who　took　no　interest　in　anything　that　did　not　directly　concern　them；　would　not　have　stopped　short　at　the　vaguely　unsatisfactory　impression　that　Vautrin　made　upon　them。　He　knew　or　guessed　the　concerns　of　every　one　about　him；　but　none　of　them　had　been　able　to　penetrate　his　thoughts；　or　to　discover　his　occupation。　He　had　deliberately　made　his　apparent　good…nature；　his　unfailing　readiness　to　oblige；　and　his　high　spirits　into　a　barrier　between　himself　and　the　rest　of　them；　but　not　seldom　he　gave　glimpses　of　appalling　depths　of　character。　He　seemed　to　delight　in　scourging　the　upper　classes　of　society　with　the　lash　of　his　tongue；　to　take　pleasure　in　convicting　it　of　inconsistency；　in　mocking　at　law　and　order　with　some　grim　jest　worthy　of　Juvenal；　as　if　some　grudge　against　the　social　system　rankled　in　him；　as　if　there　were　some　mystery　carefully　hidden　away　in　his　life。

Mlle。　Taillefer　felt　attracted；　perhaps　unconsciously；　by　the　strength　of　the　one　man；　and　the　good　looks　of　the　other；　her　stolen　glances　and　secret　thoughts　were　divided　between　them；　but　neither　of　them　seemed　to　take　any　notice　of　her；　although　some　day　a　chance　might　alter　her　position；　and　she　would　be　a　wealthy　heiress。　For　that　matter；　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　house　who　took　any　trouble　to　investigate　the　various　chronicles　of　misfortunes；　real　or　imaginary；　related　by　the　rest。　Each　one　regarded　the　others　with　indifference；　tempered　by　suspicion；　it　was　a　natural　result　of　their　relative　positions。　Practical　assistance　not　one　could　give；　this　they　all　knew；　and　they　had　long　since　exhausted　their　stock　of　condolence　over　previous　discussions　of　their　grievances。　They　were　in　something　the　same　position　as　an　elderly　couple　who　have　nothing　left　to　say　to　each　other。　The　routine　of　existence　kept　them　in　contact；　but　they　were　parts　of　a　mechanism　which　wanted　oil。　There　was　not　one　of　them　but　would　have　passed　a　blind　man　begging　in　the　street；　not　one　that　felt　moved　to　pity　by　a　tale　of　misfortune；　not　one　who　did　not　see　in　death　the　solution　of　the　all…　absorbing　problem　of　misery　which　left　them　cold　to　the　most　terrible　anguish　in　others。

The　happiest　of　these　hapless　beings　was　certainly　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　reigned　supreme　over　this　hospital　supported　by　voluntary　contributions。　For　her；　the　little　garden；　which　silence；　and　cold；　and　rain；　and　drought　combined　to　make　as　dreary　as　an　Asian　steppe；　was　a　pleasant　shaded　nook；　the　gaunt　yellow　house；　the　musty　odors　of　a　back　shop　had　charms　for　her；　and　for　her　alone。　Those　cells　belonged　to　her。　She　fed　those　convicts　condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　life；　and　her　authority　was　recognized　among　them。　Where　else　in　Paris　would　they　have　found　wholesome　food　in　sufficient　quantity　at　the　prices　she　charged　them；　and　rooms　which　they　were　at　liberty　to　make；　if　not　exactly　elegant　or　comfortable；　at　any　rate　clean　and　healthy？　If　she　had　committed　some　flagrant　act　of　injustice；　the　victim　would　have　borne　it　in　silence。

Such　a　gathering　contained；　as　might　have　been　expected；　the　elements　out　of　which　a　complete　society　might　be　constructed。　And；　as　in　a　school；　as　in　the　world　itself；　there　was　among　the　eighteen　men　and　women　who　met　round　the　dinner　table　a　poor　creature；　despised　by　all　the　others；　condemned　to　be　the　butt　of　all　their　jokes。　At　the　beginning　of　Eugene　de　Rastignac's　second　twelvemonth；　this　figure　suddenly　started　out　into　bold　relief　against　the　background　of　human　forms　and　faces　among　which　the　law　student　was　yet　to　live　for　another　two　years　to　come。　This　laughing…stock　was　the　retired　vermicelli…merchant；　Father　Goriot；　upon　whose　face　a　painter；　like　the　historian；　would　have　concentrated　all　the　light　in　his　picture。

How　had　it　come　about　that　the　boarders　regarded　him　with　a　half…　malignant　contempt？　Why　did　they　subject　the　oldest　among　their　number　to　a　kind　of　persecution；　in　which　there　was　mingled　some　pity；　but　no　respect　for　his　misfortunes？　Had　he　brought　it　on　himself　by　some　eccentricity　or　absurdity；　which　is　less　easily　forgiven　or　forgotten　than　more　serious　defects？　The　question　strikes　at　the　root　of　many　a　social　injustice。　Perhaps　it　is　only　human　nature　to　inflict　suffering　on　anything　that　will　endure　suffering；　whether　by　reason　of　its　genuine　humility；　or　indifference；　or　sheer　helplessness。　Do　we　not；　one　and　all；　like　to　feel　our　strength　even　at　the　expense　of　some　one　or　of　something？　The　poorest　sample　of　humanity；　the　street　arab；　will　pull　the　bell　handle　at　every　street　door　in　bitter　weather；　and　scramble　up　to　write　his　name　on　the　unsullied　marble　of　a　monument。

In　the　year　1813；　at　the　age　of　sixty…nine　or　thereabouts；　〃Father　Goriot〃　had　sold　his　business　and　retiredto　Mme。　Vauquer's　boarding　house。　When　he　first　came　there　he　had　taken　the　rooms　now　occupied　by　Mme。　Couture；　he　had　paid　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　like　a　man　to　whom　five　louis　more　or　less　was　a　mere　trifle。　For　him　Mme。　Vauquer　had　made　various　improvements　in　the　three　rooms　destined　for　his　use；　in　consideration　of　a　certain　sum　paid　in　advance；　so　it　was　said；　for　the　miserable　furniture；　that　is　to　say；　for　some　yellow　cotton　curtains；　a　few　chairs　of　stained　wood　covered　with　Utrecht　velvet；　several　wretched　colored　prints　in　frames；　and　wall　papers　that　a　little　suburban　tavern　would　have　disdained。　Possibly　it　was　the　careless　generosity　with　which　Father　Goriot　allowed　himself　to　be　overreached　at　this　period　of　his　life　（they　called　him　Monsieur　Goriot　very　respectfully　then）　that　gave　Mme。　Vauquer　the　meanest　opinion　of　his　business　abilities；　she　looked　on　him　as　an　imbecile　where　money　was　concerned。

Goriot　had　brought　with　him　a　considerable　wardrobe；　the　gorgeous　outfit　of　a　retired　tradesman　who　denies　himself　nothing。　Mme。　Vauquer's　astonished　eyes　beheld　no　less　than　eighteen　cambric…　fronted　shirts；　the　splendor　of　their　fineness　being　enhanced　by　a　pai