father goriot(高老头)-第51节

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〃Poor　Nasie！〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　drawing　her　sister　to　a　chair。　〃We　are　the　only　two　people　in　the　world　whose　love　is　always　sufficient　to　forgive　you　everything。　Family　affection　is　the　surest；　you　see。〃

The　Countess　inhaled　the　salts　and　revived。

〃This　will　kill　me！〃　said　their　father。　〃There；〃　he　went　on；　stirring　the　smouldering　fire；　〃come　nearer；　both　of　you。　It　is　cold。　What　is　it；　Nasie？　Be　quick　and　tell　me；　this　is　enough　to〃

〃Well；　then；　my　husband　knows　everything；〃　said　the　Countess。　〃Just　imagine　it；　do　you　remember；　father；　that　bill　of　Maxime's　some　time　ago？　Well；　that　was　not　the　first。　I　had　paid　ever　so　many　before　that。　About　the　beginning　of　January　M。　de　Trailles　seemed　very　much　troubled。　He　said　nothing　to　me；　but　it　is　so　easy　to　read　the　hearts　of　those　you　love；　a　mere　trifle　is　enough；　and　then　you　feel　things　instinctively。　Indeed；　he　was　more　tender　and　affectionate　than　ever；　and　I　was　happier　than　I　had　ever　been　before。　Poor　Maxime！　in　himself　he　was　really　saying　good…bye　to　me；　so　he　has　told　me　since；　he　meant　to　blow　his　brains　out！　At　last　I　worried　him　so；　and　begged　and　implored　so　hard；　for　two　hours　I　knelt　at　his　knees　and　prayed　and　entreated；　and　at　last　he　told　methat　he　owed　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　Oh！　papa！　a　hundred　thousand　francs！　I　was　beside　myself！　You　had　not　the　money；　I　knew；　I　had　eaten　up　all　that　you　had〃

〃No；〃　said　Goriot；　〃I　could　not　have　got　it　for　you　unless　I　had　stolen　it。　But　I　would　have　done　that　for　you；　Nasie！　I　will　do　it　yet。〃

The　words　came　from　him　like　a　sob；　a　hoarse　sound　like　the　death　rattle　of　a　dying　man；　it　seemed　indeed　like　the　agony　of　death　when　the　father's　love　was　powerless。　There　was　a　pause；　and　neither　of　the　sisters　spoke。　It　must　have　been　selfishness　indeed　that　could　hear　unmoved　that　cry　of　anguish　that；　like　a　pebble　thrown　over　a　precipice；　revealed　the　depths　of　his　despair。

〃I　found　the　money；　father；　by　selling　what　was　not　mine　to　sell；〃　and　the　Countess　burst　into　tears。

Delphine　was　touched；　she　laid　her　head　on　her　sister's　shoulder；　and　cried　too。

〃Then　it　is　all　true；〃　she　said。

Anastasie　bowed　her　head；　Mme。　de　Nucingen　flung　her　arms　about　her；　kissed　her　tenderly；　and　held　her　sister　to　her　heart。

〃I　shall　always　love　you　and　never　judge　you；　Nasie；〃　she　said。

〃My　angels；〃　murmured　Goriot　faintly。　〃Oh；　why　should　it　be　trouble　that　draws　you　together？〃

This　warm　and　palpitating　affection　seemed　to　give　the　Countess　courage。

〃To　save　Maxime's　life；〃　she　said；　〃to　save　all　my　own　happiness；　I　went　to　the　money…lender　you　know　of；　a　man　of　iron　forged　in　hell…fire；　nothing　can　melt　him；　I　took　all　the　family　diamonds　that　M。　de　Restaud　is　so　proud　ofhis　and　mine　tooand　sold　them　to　that　M。　Gobseck。　SOLD　THEM！　Do　you　understand？　I　saved　Maxime；　but　I　am　lost。　Restaud　found　it　all　out。〃

〃How？　Who　told　him？　I　will　kill　him；〃　cried　Goriot。

〃Yesterday　he　sent　to　tell　me　to　come　to　his　room。　I　went。　。　。　。　'Anastasie；'　he　said　in　a　voiceoh！　such　a　voice；　that　was　enough；　it　told　me　everything'where　are　your　diamonds？''In　my　room''No；'　he　said；　looking　straight　at　me；　'there　they　are　on　that　chest　of　drawers'　and　he　lifted　his　handkerchief　and　showed　me　the　casket。　'Do　you　know　where　they　came　from？'　he　said。　I　fell　at　his　feet。　。　。　。　I　cried；　I　besought　him　to　tell　me　the　death　he　wished　to　see　me　die。〃

〃You　said　that！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃By　God　in　heaven；　whoever　lays　a　hand　on　either　of　you　so　long　as　I　am　alive　may　reckon　on　being　roasted　by　slow　fires！　Yes；　I　will　cut　him　in　pieces　like　。　。　。〃

Goriot　stopped；　the　words　died　away　in　his　throat。

〃And　then；　dear；　he　asked　something　worse　than　death　of　me。　Oh！　heaven　preserve　all　other　women　from　hearing　such　words　as　I　heard　then！〃

〃I　will　murder　that　man；〃　said　Goriot　quietly。　〃But　he　has　only　one　life；　and　he　deserves　to　die　twice。And　then；　what　next？〃　he　added；　looking　at　Anastasie。

〃Then；〃　the　Countess　resumed；　〃there　was　a　pause；　and　he　looked　at　me。　'Anastasie；'　he　said；　'I　will　bury　this　in　silence；　there　shall　be　no　separation；　there　are　the　children。　I　will　not　kill　M。　de　Trailles。　I　might　miss　him　if　we　fought；　and　as　for　other　ways　of　getting　rid　of　him；　I　should　come　into　collision　with　the　law。　If　I　killed　him　in　your　arms；　it　would　bring　dishonor　on　THOSE　children。　But　if　you　do　not　want　to　see　your　children　perish；　nor　their　father　nor　me；　you　must　first　of　all　submit　to　two　conditions。　Answer　me。　Have　I　a　child　of　my　own？'　I　answered；　'Yes；''Which？''Ernest；　our　eldest　boy。''Very　well；'　he　said；　'and　now　swear　to　obey　me　in　this　particular　from　this　time　forward。'　I　swore。　'You　will　make　over　your　property　to　me　when　I　require　you　to　do　so。'　〃

〃Do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃Aha！　M。　de　Restaud；　you　could　not　make　your　wife　happy；　she　has　looked　for　happiness　and　found　it　elsewhere；　and　you　make　her　suffer　for　your　own　ineptitude？　He　will　have　to　reckon　with　me。　Make　yourself　easy；　Nasie。　Aha！　he　cares　about　his　heir！　Good；　very　good。　I　will　get　hold　of　the　boy；　isn't　he　my　grandson？　What　the　blazes！　I　can　surely　go　to　see　the　brat！　I　will　stow　him　away　somewhere；　I　will　take　care　of　him；　you　may　be　quite　easy。　I　will　bring　Restaud　to　terms；　the　monster！　I　shall　say　to　him；　'A　word　or　two　with　you！　If　you　want　your　son　back　again；　give　my　daughter　her　property；　and　leave　her　to　do　as　she　pleases。'　〃

〃Father！〃

〃Yes。　I　am　your　father；　Nasie；　a　father　indeed！　That　rogue　of　a　great　lord　had　better　not　ill…treat　my　daughter。　Tonnerre！　What　is　it　in　my　veins？　There　is　the　blood　of　a　tiger　in　me；　I　could　tear　those　two　men　to　pieces！　Oh！　children；　children！　so　this　is　what　your　lives　are！　Why；　it　is　death！　。　。　。　What　will　become　of　you　when　I　shall　be　here　no　longer？　Fathers　ought　to　live　as　long　as　their　children。　Ah！　Lord　God　in　heaven！　how　ill　Thy　world　is　ordered！　Thou　hast　a　Son；　if　what　they　tell　us　is　true；　and　yet　Thou　leavest　us　to　suffer　so　through　our　children。　My　darlings；　my　darlings！　to　think　that　trouble　only　should　bring　you　to　me；　that　I　should　only　see　you　with　tears　on　your　faces！　Ah！　yes；　yes；　you　love　me；　I　see　that　you　love　me。　Come　to　me　and　pour　out　your　griefs　to　me；　my　heart　is　large　enough　to　hold　them　all。　Oh！　you　might　rend　my　heart　in　pieces；　and　every　fragment　would　make　a　father's　heart。　If　only　I　could　bear　all　your　sorrows　for　you！　。　。　。　Ah！　you　were　so　happy　when　you　were　little　and　still　with　me。　。　。　。〃

〃We　have　never　been　happy　since；〃　said　Delphine。　〃Where　are　the　old　days　when　we　slid　down　the　sacks　in　the　great　granary？〃

〃That　is　not　all；　father；〃　said　Anastasie　in　Goriot's　ear。　The　old　man　gave　a　startled　shudder。　〃The　diamonds　only　sold　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　Maxime　is　hard　pressed。　There　are　twelve　thousand　francs　still　to　pay。　He　has　given　me　his　word　that　he　will　be　steady　and　give　up　play　in　future。　His　love　is　all　that　I　have　left　in　the　world。　I　have　paid　such　a　fearful　price　for　it　that　I　should　die　if　I　lose　him　now。　I　have　sacrificed　my　fortune；　my　honor；　my　peace　of　mind；　and　my　children　for　him。　Oh！　do　something；　so　that　at　the　least　Maxime　may　be　at　large　and　live　undisgraced　in　the　world；　where　he　will　assuredly　make　a　career　for　himself。　Something　more　than　my　happiness　is　at　stake；　the　children　have　nothing；　and　if　he　is　sent　to　Sainte…Pelagie　all　his　prospects　will　be　ruined。〃

〃I　haven't　the　money；　Nasie。　I　have　NOTHINGnothing　left。　This　is　the　end　of　everything。　Yes；　the　world　is　crumbling　into　ruin；　I　am　sure。　Fly！　Save　yourselves！　Ah！I　have　still　my　silver　buckles　left；　and　half…a…dozen　silver　spoons　and　forks；　the　first　I　ever　had　in　my　life。　But　I　have　nothing　else　except　my　life　annuity；　twelve　hundred　francs　。　。　。〃

〃Then　what　has　become　of　your　money　in　the　funds？〃

〃I　sold　out；　and　only　kept　a　trifle　for　my　wants。　I　wanted　twelve　thousand　francs　to　furnish　some　rooms　for　Delphine。〃

〃In　your　own　house？〃　asked　Mme。　de　Restaud；　looking　at　her　sister。

〃What　does　it　matter　where　they　were？〃　asked　Goriot。　〃The　money　is　spent　now。〃

〃I　see　how　it　is；〃　said　the　Countess。　〃Rooms　for　M。　de　Rastignac。　Poor　Delphine；　take　warning　by　me！〃

〃M。　de　Rastignac　is　incapable　of　ruining　the　woman　he　loves；　dear。〃

〃Thanks！　Delphine。　I　thought　you　would　have　been　kinder　to　me　in　my　troubles；　but　you　never　did　love　me。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　she　loves　you；　Nasie；〃　cried　Goriot；　〃she　was　saying　so　only　just　now。　We　were　talking　about　you；　and　she　insisted　that　you　were　beautiful；　and　that　she　herself　was　only　pretty！〃

〃Pretty！〃　said　the　Countess。　〃She　is　as　hard　as　a　marble　statue。〃

〃And　if　I　am？〃　cried　Delphine；　flushing　up；　〃how　have　you　treated　me？　You　would　not　recognize　me；　you　closed　the　doors　of　every　house　against　me；　you　have　never　let　an　opportunity　of　mortifying　me　slip　by。　And　when　did　I　come；　as　you　were　always　doing；　to　drain　our　poor　father；　a　thousand　francs　at　a　time；　till　he　is　left　as　you　see　him　now？　That　is　all　your　doing；　sister！　I　myself　have　seen　my　father　as　often　as　I　could。　I　have　not　turned　him　out　of　the　house；　and　then　come　and　fawned　upon　him　when　I　wanted　money。　I　did　not　so　much　as　know　that　he　had　spent　those　twelve　thousand　francs　on　me。　I　am　economical；　as　you　know；　and　when　papa　has　mad