father goriot(高老头)-第57节

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〃MON　DIEU！〃　said　Rastignac。　〃To　think　of　those　daughters　of　his。〃

〃One　moment；　if　he　asks　for　something　to　drink；　give　him　this；〃　said　the　house　student；　pointing　to　a　large　white　jar。　〃If　he　begins　to　groan；　and　the　belly　feels　hot　and　hard　to　the　touch；　you　know　what　to　do；　get　Christophe　to　help　you。　If　he　should　happen　to　grow　much　excited；　and　begin　to　talk　a　good　deal　and　even　to　ramble　in　his　talk；　do　not　be　alarmed。　It　would　not　be　a　bad　symptom。　But　send　Christophe　to　the　Hospice　Cochin。　Our　doctor；　my　chum；　or　I　will　come　and　apply　moxas。　We　had　a　great　consultation　this　morning　while　you　were　asleep。　A　surgeon；　a　pupil　of　Gall's　came；　and　our　house　surgeon；　and　the　head　physician　from　the　Hotel…Dieu。　Those　gentlemen　considered　that　the　symptoms　were　very　unusual　and　interesting；　the　case　must　be　carefully　watched；　for　it　throws　a　light　on　several　obscure　and　rather　important　scientific　problems。　One　of　the　authorities　says　that　if　there　is　more　pressure　of　serum　on　one　or　other　portion　of　the　brain；　it　should　affect　his　mental　capacities　in　such　and　such　directions。　So　if　he　should　talk；　notice　very　carefully　what　kind　of　ideas　his　mind　seems　to　run　on；　whether　memory；　or　penetration；　or　the　reasoning　faculties　are　exercised；　whether　sentiments　or　practical　questions　fill　his　thoughts；　whether　he　makes　forecasts　or　dwells　on　the　past；　in　fact；　you　must　be　prepared　to　give　an　accurate　report　of　him。　It　is　quite　likely　that　the　extravasation　fills　the　whole　brain；　in　which　case　he　will　die　in　the　imbecile　state　in　which　he　is　lying　now。　You　cannot　tell　anything　about　these　mysterious　nervous　diseases。　Suppose　the　crash　came　here；〃　said　Bianchon；　touching　the　back　of　the　head；　〃very　strange　things　have　been　known　to　happen；　the　brain　sometimes　partially　recovers；　and　death　is　delayed。　Or　the　congested　matter　may　pass　out　of　the　brain　altogether　through　channels　which　can　only　be　determined　by　a　post…mortem　examination。　There　is　an　old　man　at　the　Hospital　for　Incurables；　an　imbecile　patient；　in　his　case　the　effusion　has　followed　the　direction　of　the　spinal　cord；　he　suffers　horrid　agonies；　but　he　lives。〃

〃Did　they　enjoy　themselves？〃　It　was　Father　Goriot　who　spoke。　He　had　recognized　Eugene。

〃Oh！　he　thinks　of　nothing　but　his　daughters；〃　said　Bianchon。　〃Scores　of　times　last　night　he　said　to　me；　'They　are　dancing　now！　She　has　her　dress。'　He　called　them　by　their　names。　He　made　me　cry；　the　devil　take　it；　calling　with　that　tone　in　his　voice；　for　'Delphine！　my　little　Delphine！　and　Nasie！'　Upon　my　word；〃　said　the　medical　student；　〃it　was　enough　to　make　any　one　burst　out　crying。〃

〃Delphine；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃she　is　there；　isn't　she？　I　knew　she　was　there；〃　and　his　eyes　sought　the　door。

〃I　am　going　down　now　to　tell　Sylvie　to　get　the　poultices　ready；〃　said　Bianchon。　〃They　ought　to　go　on　at　once。〃

Rastignac　was　left　alone　with　the　old　man。　He　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　gazed　at　the　face　before　him；　so　horribly　changed　that　it　was　shocking　to　see。

〃Noble　natures　cannot　dwell　in　this　world；〃　he　said；　〃Mme　de　Beauseant　has　fled　from　it；　and　there　he　lies　dying。　What　place　indeed　is　there　in　the　shallow　petty　frivolous　thing　called　society　for　noble　thoughts　and　feelings？〃

Pictures　of　yesterday's　ball　rose　up　in　his　memory；　in　strange　contrast　to　the　deathbed　before　him。　Bianchon　suddenly　appeared。

〃I　say；　Eugene；　I　have　just　seen　our　head　surgeon　at　the　hospital；　and　I　ran　all　the　way　back　here。　If　the　old　man　shows　any　signs　of　reason；　if　he　begins　to　talk；　cover　him　with　a　mustard　poultice　from　the　neck　to　the　base　of　the　spine；　and　send　round　for　us。〃

〃Dear　Bianchon；〃　exclaimed　Eugene。

〃Oh！　it　is　an　interesting　case　from　a　scientific　point　of　view；〃　said　the　medical　student；　with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　a　neophyte。

〃So！〃　said　Eugene。　〃Am　I　really　the　only　one　who　cares　for　the　poor　old　man　for　his　own　sake？〃

〃You　would　not　have　said　so　if　you　had　seen　me　this　morning；〃　returned　Bianchon；　who　did　not　take　offence　at　this　speech。　〃Doctors　who　have　seen　a　good　deal　of　practice　never　see　anything　but　the　disease；　but；　my　dear　fellow；　I　can　see　the　patient　still。〃

He　went。　Eugene　was　left　alone　with　the　old　man；　and　with　an　apprehension　of　a　crisis　that　set　in；　in　fact；　before　very　long。

〃Ah！　dear　boy；　is　that　you？〃　said　Father　Goriot；　recognizing　Eugene。

〃Do　you　feel　better？〃　asked　the　law　student；　taking　his　hand。

〃Yes。　My　head　felt　as　if　it　were　being　screwed　up　in　a　vise；　but　now　it　is　set　free　again。　Did　you　see　my　girls？　They　will　be　here　directly；　as　soon　as　they　know　that　I　am　ill　they　will　hurry　here　at　once；　they　used　to　take　such　care　of　me　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne！　Great　Heavens！　if　only　my　room　was　fit　for　them　to　come　into！　There　has　been　a　young　man　here；　who　has　burned　up　all　my　bark　fuel。〃

〃I　can　hear　Christophe　coming　upstairs；〃　Eugene　answered。　〃He　is　bringing　up　some　firewood　that　that　young　man　has　sent　you。〃

〃Good；　but　how　am　I　to　pay　for　the　wood。　I　have　not　a　penny　left；　dear　boy。　I　have　given　everything；　everything。　I　am　a　pauper　now。　Well；　at　least　the　golden　gown　was　grand；　was　it　not？　（Ah！　what　pain　this　is！）　Thanks；　Christophe！　God　will　reward　you；　my　boy；　I　have　nothing　left　now。〃

Eugene　went　over　to　Christophe　and　whispered　in　the　man's　ear；　〃I　will　pay　you　well；　and　Sylvie　too；　for　your　trouble。〃

〃My　daughters　told　you　that　they　were　coming；　didn't　they；　Christophe？　Go　again　to　them；　and　I　will　give　you　five　francs。　Tell　them　that　I　am　not　feeling　well；　that　I　should　like　to　kiss　them　both　and　see　them　once　again　before　I　die。　Tell　them　that；　but　don't　alarm　them　more　than　you　can　help。〃

Rastignac　signed　to　Christophe　to　go；　and　the　man　went。

〃They　will　come　before　long；〃　the　old　man　went　on。　〃I　know　them　so　well。　My　tender…hearted　Delphine！　If　I　am　going　to　die；　she　will　feel　it　so　much！　And　so　will　Nasie。　I　do　not　want　to　die；　they　will　cry　if　I　die；　and　if　I　die；　dear　Eugene；　I　shall　not　see　them　any　more。　It　will　be　very　dreary　there　where　I　am　going。　For　a　father　it　is　hell　to　be　without　your　children；　I　have　served　my　apprenticeship　already　since　they　married。　My　heaven　was　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne。　Eugene；　do　you　think　that　if　I　go　to　heaven　I　can　come　back　to　earth；　and　be　near　them　in　spirit？　I　have　heard　some　such　things　said。　It　is　true？　It　is　as　if　I　could　see　them　at　this　moment　as　they　used　to　be　when　we　all　lived　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne。　They　used　to　come　downstairs　of　a　morning。　'Good…morning；　papa！'　they　used　to　say；　and　I　would　take　them　on　my　knees；　we　had　all　sorts　of　little　games　of　play　together；　and　they　had　such　pretty　coaxing　ways。　We　always　had　breakfast　together；　too；　every　morning；　and　they　had　dinner　with　mein　fact；　I　was　a　father　then。　I　enjoyed　my　children。　They　did　not　think　for　themselves　so　long　as　they　lived　in　the　Rue　de　la　Jussienne；　they　knew　nothing　of　the　world；　they　loved　me　with　all　their　hearts。　MON　DIEU！　why　could　they　not　always　be　little　girls？　（Oh！　my　head！　this　racking　pain　in　my　head！）　Ah！　ah！　forgive　me；　children；　this　pain　is　fearful；　it　must　be　agony　indeed；　for　you　have　used　me　to　endure　pain。　MON　DIEU！　if　only　I　held　their　hands　in　mine；　I　should　not　feel　it　at　all。Do　you　think　that　they　are　on　the　way？　Christophe　is　so　stupid；　I　ought　to　have　gone　myself。　HE　will　see　them。　But　you　went　to　the　ball　yesterday；　just　tell　me　how　they　looked。　They　did　not　know　that　I　was　ill；　did　they；　or　they　would　not　have　been　dancing；　poor　little　things？　Oh！　I　must　not　be　ill　any　longer。　They　stand　too　much　in　need　of　me；　their　fortunes　are　in　danger。　And　such　husbands　as　they　are　bound　to！　I　must　get　well！　（Oh！　what　pain　this　is！　what　pain　this　is！　。　。　。　ah！　ah！）I　must　get　well；　you　see；　for　they　MUST　have　money；　and　I　know　how　to　set　about　making　some。　I　will　go　to　Odessa　and　manufacture　starch　there。　I　am　an　old　hand；　I　will　make　millions。　（Oh！　this　is　agony！）〃

Goriot　was　silent　for　a　moment；　it　seemed　to　require　his　whole　strength　to　endure　the　pain。

〃If　they　were　here；　I　should　not　complain；〃　he　said。　〃So　why　should　I　complain　now？〃

He　seemed　to　grow　drowsy　with　exhaustion；　and　lay　quietly　for　a　long　time。　Christophe　came　back；　and　Rastignac；　thinking　that　Goriot　was　asleep；　allowed　the　man　to　give　his　story　aloud。

〃First　of　all；　sir；　I　went　to　Madame　la　Comtesse；〃　he　said；　〃but　she　and　her　husband　were　so　busy　that　I　couldn't　get　to　speak　to　her。　When　I　insisted　that　I　must　see　her；　M。　de　Restaud　came　out　to　me　himself；　and　went　on　like　this：　'M。　Goriot　is　dying；　is　he？　Very　well；　it　is　the　best　thing　he　can　do。　I　want　Mme。　de　Restaud　to　transact　some　important　business；　when　it　is　all　finished　she　can　go。'　The　gentleman　looked　angry；　I　thought。　I　was　just　going　away　when　Mme。　de　Restaud　came　out　into　an　ante…chamber　through　a　door　that　I　did　not　notice；　and　said；　'Christophe；　tell　my　father　that　my　husband　wants　me　to　discuss　some　matters　with　him；　and　I　cannot　leave　the　house；　the　life　or　death　of　my　children　is　at　stake；　but　as　soon　as　it　is　over；　I　will　come。'　As　for　Madame　la　Baronne；　that　is　another　story！　I　could　not　speak　to　her　either；　and　I　did　not　even　see　her。　Her　waiting…woman　said；　'Ah　yes；　but　madame　only　came　back　from　a　ball　at　a　quarter　to　five　this　morning；　she　is　a