father goriot(高老头)-第40节

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〃I　am　always　in　spirits　after　I　have　made　a　good　bargain。〃

〃Bargain？〃　said　Eugene。

〃Well；　yes；　bargain。　I　have　just　delivered　a　lot　of　goods；　and　I　shall　be　paid　a　handsome　commission　on　themMlle。　Michonneau；〃　he　went　on；　seeing　that　the　elderly　spinster　was　scrutinizing　him　intently；　〃have　you　any　objection　to　some　feature　in　my　face；　that　you　are　making　those　lynx　eyes　at　me？　Just　let　me　know；　and　I　will　have　it　changed　to　oblige　you　。　。　。　We　shall　not　fall　out　about　it；　Poiret；　I　dare　say？〃　he　added；　winking　at　the　superannuated　clerk。

〃Bless　my　soul；　you　ought　to　stand　as　model　for　a　burlesque　Hercules；〃　said　the　young　painter。

〃I　will；　upon　my　word！　if　Mlle。　Michonneau　will　consent　to　sit　as　the　Venus　of　Pere…Lachaise；〃　replied　Vautrin。

〃There's　Poiret；〃　suggested　Bianchon。

〃Oh！　Poiret　shall　pose　as　Poiret。　He　can　be　a　garden　god！〃　cried　Vautrin；　〃his　name　means　a　pear〃

〃A　sleepy　pear！〃　Bianchon　put　in。　〃You　will　come　in　between　the　pear　and　the　cheese。〃

〃What　stuff　are　you　all　talking！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃you　would　do　better　to　treat　us　to　your　Bordeaux；　I　see　a　glimpse　of　a　bottle　there。　It　would　keep　us　all　in　a　good　humor；　and　it　is　good　for　the　stomach　besides。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃the　Lady　President　calls　us　to　order。　Mme。　Couture　and　Mlle。　Victorine　will　take　your　jokes　in　good　part；　but　respect　the　innocence　of　the　aged　Goriot。　I　propose　a　glass　or　two　of　Bordeauxrama；　rendered　twice　illustrious　by　the　name　of　Laffite；　no　political　allusions　intended。Come；　you　Turk！〃　he　added；　looking　at　Christophe；　who　did　not　offer　to　stir。　〃Christophe！　Here！　What；　you　don't　answer　to　your　own　name？　Bring　us　some　liquor；　Turk！〃

〃Here　it　is；　sir；〃　said　Christophe；　holding　out　the　bottle。

Vautrin　filled　Eugene's　glass　and　Goriot's　likewise；　then　he　deliberately　poured　out　a　few　drops　into　his　own　glass；　and　sipped　it　while　his　two　neighbors　drank　their　wine。　All　at　once　he　made　a　grimace。

〃Corked！〃　he　cried。　〃The　devil！　You　can　drink　the　rest　of　this；　Christophe；　and　go　and　find　another　bottle；　take　from　the　right…　hand　side；　you　know。　There　are　sixteen　of　us；　take　down　eight　bottles。〃

〃If　you　are　going　to　stand　treat；〃　said　the　painter；　〃I　will　pay　for　a　hundred　chestnuts。〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃

〃Booououh！〃

〃Prrr！〃

These　exclamations　came　from　all　parts　of　the　table　like　squibs　from　a　set　firework。

〃Come；　now；　Mama　Vauquer；　a　couple　of　bottles　of　champagne；〃　called　Vautrin。

〃Quien！　just　like　you！　Why　not　ask　for　the　whole　house　at　once。　A　couple　of　bottles　of　champagne；　that　means　twelve　francs！　I　shall　never　see　the　money　back　again；　I　know！　But　if　M。　Eugene　has　a　mind　to　pay　for　it；　I　have　some　currant　cordial。〃

〃That　currant　cordial　of　hers　is　as　bad　as　a　black　draught；〃　muttered　the　medical　student。

〃Shut　up；　Bianchon；〃　exclaimed　Rastignac；　〃the　very　mention　of　black　draught　makes　me　feel。　Yes；　champagne；　by　all　means；　I　will　pay　for　it；〃　he　added。

〃Sylvie；〃　called　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃bring　in　some　biscuits；　and　the　little　cakes。〃

〃Those　little　cakes　are　mouldy　graybeards；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃But　trot　out　the　biscuits。〃

The　Bordeaux　wine　circulated；　the　dinner　table　became　a　livelier　scene　than　ever；　and　the　fun　grew　fast　and　furious。　Imitations　of　the　cries　of　various　animals　mingled　with　the　loud　laughter；　the　Museum　official　having　taken　it　into　his　head　to　mimic　a　cat…call　rather　like　the　caterwauling　of　the　animal　in　question；　eight　voices　simultaneously　struck　up　with　the　following　variations：

〃Scissors　to　grind！〃

〃Chick…weeds　for　singing　bir…ds！〃

〃Brandy…snaps；　ladies！〃

〃China　to　mend！〃

〃Boat　ahoy！〃

〃Sticks　to　beat　your　wives　or　your　clothes！〃

〃Old　clo'！〃

〃Cherries　all　ripe！〃

But　the　palm　was　awarded　to　Bianchon　for　the　nasal　accent　with　which　he　rendered　the　cry　of　〃Umbrellas　to　me…end！〃

A　few　seconds　later；　and　there　was　a　head…splitting　racket　in　the　room；　a　storm　of　tomfoolery；　a　sort　of　cats'　concert；　with　Vautrin　as　conductor　of　the　orchestra；　the　latter　keeping　an　eye　the　while　on　Eugene　and　Father　Goriot。　The　wine　seemed　to　have　gone　to　their　heads　already。　They　leaned　back　in　their　chairs；　looking　at　the　general　confusion　with　an　air　of　gravity；　and　drank　but　little；　both　of　them　were　absorbed　in　the　thought　of　what　lay　before　them　to　do　that　evening；　and　yet　neither　of　them　felt　able　to　rise　and　go。　Vautrin　gave　a　side　glance　at　them　from　time　to　time；　and　watched　the　change　that　came　over　their　faces；　choosing　the　moment　when　their　eyes　drooped　and　seemed　about　to　close；　to　bend　over　Rastignac　and　to　say　in　his　ear：

〃My　little　lad；　you　are　not　quite　shrewd　enough　to　outwit　Papa　Vautrin　yet；　and　he　is　too　fond　of　you　to　let　you　make　a　mess　of　your　affairs。　When　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　do　a　thing；　no　one　short　of　Providence　can　put　me　off。　Aha！　we　were　for　going　round　to　warn　old　Taillefer；　telling　tales　out　of　school！　The　oven　is　hot；　the　dough　is　kneaded；　the　bread　is　ready　for　the　oven；　to…　morrow　we　will　eat　it　up　and　whisk　away　the　crumbs；　and　we　are　not　going　to　spoil　the　baking？　。　。　。　No；　no；　it　is　all　as　good　as　done！　We　may　suffer　from　a　few　conscientious　scruples；　but　they　will　be　digested　along　with　the　bread。　While　we　are　having　our　forty　winks；　Colonel　Count　Franchessini　will　clear　the　way　to　Michel　Taillefer's　inheritance　with　the　point　of　his　sword。　Victorine　will　come　in　for　her　brother's　money；　a　snug　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　I　have　made　inquiries　already；　and　I　know　that　her　late　mother's　property　amounts　to　more　than　three　hundred　thousand〃

Eugene　heard　all　this；　and　could　not　answer　a　word；　his　tongue　seemed　to　be　glued　to　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　an　irresistible　drowsiness　was　creeping　over　him。　He　still　saw　the　table　and　the　faces　round　it；　but　it　was　through　a　bright　mist。　Soon　the　noise　began　to　subside；　one　by　one　the　boarders　went。　At　last；　when　their　numbers　had　so　dwindled　that　the　party　consisted　of　Mme。　Vauquer；　Mme。　Couture；　Mlle。　Victorine；　Vautrin；　and　Father　Goriot；　Rastignac　watched　as　though　in　a　dream　how　Mme。　Vauquer　busied　herself　by　collecting　the　bottles；　and　drained　the　remainder　of　the　wine　out　of　each　to　fill　others。

〃Oh！　how　uproarious　they　are！　what　a　thing　it　is　to　be　young！〃　said　the　widow。

These　were　the　last　words　that　Eugene　heard　and　understood。

〃There　is　no　one　like　M。　Vautrin　for　a　bit　of　fun　like　this；〃　said　Sylvie。　〃There；　just　hark　at　Christophe；　he　is　snoring　like　a　top。〃

〃Good…bye；　mamma；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃I　am　going　to　a　theatre　on　the　boulevard　to　see　M。　Marty　in　Le　Mont　Sauvage；　a　fine　play　taken　from　Le　Solitaire。　。　。　。　If　you　like；　I　will　take　you　and　these　two　ladies〃

〃Thank　you；　I　must　decline；〃　said　Mme。　Couture。

〃What！　my　good　lady！〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃decline　to　see　a　play　founded　on　the　Le　Solitaire；　a　work　by　Atala　de　Chateaubriand？　We　were　so　fond　of　that　book　that　we　cried　over　it　like　Magdalens　under　the　line…trees　last　summer；　and　then　it　is　an　improving　work　that　might　edify　your　young　lady。〃

〃We　are　forbidden　to　go　to　the　play；〃　answered　Victorine。

〃Just　look；　those　two　yonder　have　dropped　off　where　they　sit；〃　said　Vautrin；　shaking　the　heads　of　the　two　sleepers　in　a　comical　way。

He　altered　the　sleeping　student's　position；　settled　his　head　more　comfortably　on　the　back　of　his　chair；　kissed　him　warmly　on　the　forehead；　and　began　to　sing：

　　〃Sleep；　little　darlings；　　　I　watch　while　you　slumber。〃

〃I　am　afraid　he　may　be　ill；〃　said　Victorine。

〃Then　stop　and　take　care　of　him；〃　returned　Vautrin。　〃　'Tis　your　duty　as　a　meek　and　obedient　wife；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。　〃the　young　fellow　worships　you；　and　you　will　be　his　little　wife　there's　your　fortune　for　you。　In　short；〃　he　added　aloud；　〃they　lived　happily　ever　afterwards；　were　much　looked　up　to　in　all　the　countryside；　and　had　a　numerous　family。　That　is　how　all　the　romances　end。Now；　mamma；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　turned　to　Madame　Vauquer　and　put　his　arm　round　her　waist；　〃put　on　your　bonnet；　your　best　flowered　silk；　and　the　countess'　scarf；　while　I　go　out　and　call　a　caball　my　own　self。〃

And　he　started　out；　singing　as　he　went：

　　〃Oh！　sun！　divine　sun！　　　Ripening　the　pumpkins　every　one。〃

〃My　goodness！　Well；　I'm　sure！　Mme。　Couture；　I　could　live　happily　in　a　garret　with　a　man　like　that。There；　now！〃　she　added；　looking　round　for　the　old　vermicelli　maker；　〃there　is　that　Father　Goriot　half　seas　over。　HE　never　thought　of　taking　me　anywhere；　the　old　skinflint。　But　he　will　measure　his　length　somewhere。　My　word！　it　is　disgraceful　to　lose　his　senses　like　that；　at　his　age！　You　will　be　telling　me　that　he　couldn't　lose　what　he　hadn't　got　Sylvie；　just　take　him　up　to　his　room！〃

Sylvie　took　him　by　the　arm；　supported　him　upstairs；　and　flung　him　just　as　he　was；　like　a　package；　across　the　bed。

〃Poor　young　fellow！〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　putting　back　Eugene's　hair　that　had　fallen　over　his　eyes；　〃he　is　like　a　young　girl；　he　does　not　know　what　dissipation　is。〃

〃Well；　I　can　tell　you　this；　I　know；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃I　have　taken　lodgers　these　thirty　years；　and　a　good　many　have　passed　through　my　hands；　as　the　saying　is；　but　I　have　never　seen　a　nicer　nor　a　more　aristocratic　looking　young　man　than　M。　Eugene。　How　handsome　he　looks　sleeping！　Just　let　his　head　rest　on　your　shoulder；　Mme。　Coutur