father goriot(高老头)-第8节

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lived　on　the　little　estate　of　Rastignac。　The　whole　property　brought　in　about　three　thousand　francs；　and　though　the　amount　varied　with　the　season　（as　must　always　be　the　case　in　a　vine…　growing　district）；　they　were　obliged　to　spare　an　unvarying　twelve　hundred　francs　out　of　their　income　for　him。　He　saw　how　constantly　the　poverty；　which　they　had　generously　hidden　from　him；　weighed　upon　them；　he　could　not　help　comparing　the　sisters；　who　had　seemed　so　beautiful　to　his　boyish　eyes；　with　women　in　Paris；　who　had　realized　the　beauty　of　his　dreams。　The　uncertain　future　of　the　whole　family　depended　upon　him。　It　did　not　escape　his　eyes　that　not　a　crumb　was　wasted　in　the　house；　nor　that　the　wine　they　drank　was　made　from　the　second　pressing；　a　multitude　of　small　things；　which　it　is　useless　to　speak　of　in　detail　here；　made　him　burn　to　distinguish　himself；　and　his　ambition　to　succeed　increased　tenfold。

He　meant；　like　all　great　souls；　that　his　success　should　be　owing　entirely　to　his　merits；　but　his　was　pre…eminently　a　southern　temperament；　the　execution　of　his　plans　was　sure　to　be　marred　by　the　vertigo　that　seizes　on　youth　when　youth　sees　itself　alone　in　a　wide　sea；　uncertain　how　to　spend　its　energies；　whither　to　steer　its　course；　how　to　adapt　its　sails　to　the　winds。　At　first　he　determined　to　fling　himself　heart　and　soul　into　his　work；　but　he　was　diverted　from　this　purpose　by　the　need　of　society　and　connections；　then　he　saw　how　great　an　influence　women　exert　in　social　life；　and　suddenly　made　up　his　mind　to　go　out　into　this　world　to　seek　a　protectress　there。　Surely　a　clever　and　high…　spirited　young　man；　whose　wit　and　courage　were　set　off　to　advantage　by　a　graceful　figure　and　the　vigorous　kind　of　beauty　that　readily　strikes　a　woman's　imagination；　need　not　despair　of　finding　a　protectress。　These　ideas　occurred　to　him　in　his　country　walks　with　his　sisters；　whom　he　had　once　joined　so　gaily。　The　girls　thought　him　very　much　changed。

His　aunt；　Mme。　de　Marcillac；　had　been　presented　at　court；　and　had　moved　among　the　brightest　heights　of　that　lofty　region。　Suddenly　the　young　man's　ambition　discerned　in　those　recollections　of　hers；　which　had　been　like　nursery　fairy　tales　to　her　nephews　and　nieces；　the　elements　of　a　social　success　at　least　as　important　as　the　success　which　he　had　achieved　at　the　Ecole　de　Droit。　He　began　to　ask　his　aunt　about　those　relations；　some　of　the　old　ties　might　still　hold　good。　After　much　shaking　of　the　branches　of　the　family　tree；　the　old　lady　came　to　the　conclusion　that　of　all　persons　who　could　be　useful　to　her　nephew　among　the　selfish　genus　of　rich　relations；　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　was　the　least　likely　to　refuse。　To　this　lady；　therefore；　she　wrote　in　the　old…fashioned　style；　recommending　Eugene　to　her；　pointing　out　to　her　nephew　that　if　he　succeeded　in　pleasing　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　the　Vicomtesse　would　introduce　him　to　other　relations。　A　few　days　after　his　return　to　Paris；　therefore；　Rastignac　sent　his　aunt's　letter　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　The　Vicomtesse　replied　by　an　invitation　to　a　ball　for　the　following　evening。　This　was　the　position　of　affairs　at　the　Maison　Vauquer　at　the　end　of　November　1819。

A　few　days　later；　after　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　ball；　Eugene　came　in　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　persevering　student　meant　to　make　up　for　the　lost　time　by　working　until　daylight。　It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　attempted　to　spend　the　night　in　this　way　in　that　silent　quarter。　The　spell　of　a　factitious　energy　was　upon　him；　he　had　beheld　the　pomp　and　splendor　of　the　world。　He　had　not　dined　at　the　Maison　Vauquer；　the　boarders　probably　would　think　that　he　would　walk　home　at　daybreak　from　the　dance；　as　he　had　done　sometimes　on　former　occasions；　after　a　fete　at　the　Prado；　or　a　ball　at　the　Odeon；　splashing　his　silk　stockings　thereby；　and　ruining　his　pumps。

It　so　happened　that　Christophe　took　a　look　into　the　street　before　drawing　the　bolts　of　the　door；　and　Rastignac；　coming　in　at　that　moment；　could　go　up　to　his　room　without　making　any　noise；　followed　by　Christophe；　who　made　a　great　deal。　Eugene　exchanged　his　dress　suit　for　a　shabby　overcoat　and　slippers；　kindled　a　fire　with　some　blocks　of　patent　fuel；　and　prepared　for　his　night's　work　in　such　a　sort　that　the　faint　sounds　he　made　were　drowned　by　Christophe's　heavy　tramp　on　the　stairs。

Eugene　sat　absorbed　in　thought　for　a　few　moments　before　plunging　into　his　law　books。　He　had　just　become　aware　of　the　fact　that　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　was　one　of　the　queens　of　fashion；　that　her　house　was　thought　to　be　the　pleasantest　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain。　And　not　only　so；　she　was；　by　right　of　her　fortune；　and　the　name　she　bore；　one　of　the　most　conspicuous　figures　in　that　aristocratic　world。　Thanks　to　the　aunt；　thanks　to　Mme。　de　Marcillac's　letter　of　introduction；　the　poor　student　had　been　kindly　received　in　that　house　before　he　knew　the　extent　of　the　favor　thus　shown　to　him。　It　was　almost　like　a　patent　of　nobility　to　be　admitted　to　those　gilded　salons；　he　had　appeared　in　the　most　exclusive　circle　in　Paris；　and　now　all　doors　were　open　for　him。　Eugene　had　been　dazzled　at　first　by　the　brilliant　assembly；　and　had　scarcely　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　Vicomtesse；　he　had　been　content　to　single　out　a　goddess　among　this　throng　of　Parisian　divinities；　one　of　those　women　who　are　sure　to　attract　a　young　man's　fancy。

The　Comtesse　Anastasie　de　Restaud　was　tall　and　gracefully　made；　she　had　one　of　the　prettiest　figures　in　Paris。　Imagine　a　pair　of　great　dark　eyes；　a　magnificently　moulded　hand；　a　shapely　foot。　There　was　a　fiery　energy　in　her　movements；　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　had　called　her　〃a　thoroughbred；〃　〃a　pure　pedigree；〃　these　figures　of　speech　have　replaced　the　〃heavenly　angel〃　and　Ossianic　nomenclature；　the　old　mythology　of　love　is　extinct；　doomed　to　perish　by　modern　dandyism。　But　for　Rastignac；　Mme。　Anastasie　de　Restaud　was　the　woman　for　whom　he　had　sighed。　He　had　contrived　to　write　his　name　twice　upon　the　list　of　partners　upon　her　fan；　and　had　snatched　a　few　words　with　her　during　the　first　quadrille。

〃Where　shall　I　meet　you　again；　Madame？〃　he　asked　abruptly；　and　the　tones　of　his　voice　were　full　of　the　vehement　energy　that　women　like　so　well。

〃Oh；　everywhere！〃　said　she；　〃in　the　Bois；　at　the　Bouffons；　in　my　own　house。〃

With　the　impetuosity　of　his　adventurous　southern　temper；　he　did　all　he　could　to　cultivate　an　acquaintance　with　this　lovely　countess；　making　the　best　of　his　opportunities　in　the　quadrille　and　during　a　waltz　that　she　gave　him。　When　he　told　her　that　he　was　a　cousin　of　Mme。　de　Beauseant's；　the　Countess；　whom　he　took　for　a　great　lady；　asked　him　to　call　at　her　house；　and　after　her　parting　smile；　Rastignac　felt　convinced　that　he　must　make　this　visit。　He　was　so　lucky　as　to　light　upon　some　one　who　did　not　laugh　at　his　ignorance；　a　fatal　defect　among　the　gilded　and　insolent　youth　of　that　period；　the　coterie　of　Maulincourts；　Maximes　de　Trailles；　de　Marsays；　Ronquerolles；　Ajuda…Pintos；　and　Vandenesses　who　shone　there　in　all　the　glory　of　coxcombry　among　the　best…dressed　women　of　fashion　in　ParisLady　Brandon；　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais；　the　Comtesse　de　Kergarouet；　Mme。　de　Serizy；　the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano；　the　Comtesse　Ferraud；　Mme。　de　Lanty；　the　Marquise　d'Aiglemont；　Mme。　Firmiani；　the　Marquise　de　Listomere　and　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　and　the　Grandlieus。　Luckily；　therefore；　for　him；　the　novice　happened　upon　the　Marquis　de　Montriveau；　the　lover　of　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais；　a　general　as　simple　as　a　child；　from　him　Rastignac　learned　that　the　Comtesse　lived　in　the　Rue　du　Helder。

Ah；　what　it　is　to　be　young；　eager　to　see　the　world；　greedily　on　the　watch　for　any　chance　that　brings　you　nearer　the　woman　of　your　dreams；　and　behold　two　houses　open　their　doors　to　you！　To　set　foot　in　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant's　house　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　to　fall　on　your　knees　before　a　Comtesse　de　Restaud　in　the　Chaussee　d'Antin；　to　look　at　one　glance　across　a　vista　of　Paris　drawing…rooms；　conscious　that；　possessing　sufficient　good　looks；　you　may　hope　to　find　aid　and　protection　there　in　a　feminine　heart！　To　feel　ambitious　enough　to　spurn　the　tight…rope　on　which　you　must　walk　with　the　steady　head　of　an　acrobat　for　whom　a　fall　is　impossible；　and　to　find　in　a　charming　woman　the　best　of　all　balancing　poles。

He　sat　there　with　his　thoughts　for　a　while；　Law　on　the　one　hand；　and　Poverty　on　the　other；　beholding　a　radiant　vision　of　a　woman　rise　above　the　dull；　smouldering　fire。　Who　would　not　have　paused　and　questioned　the　future　as　Eugene　was　doing？　who　would　not　have　pictured　it　full　of　success？　His　wondering　thoughts　took　wings；　he　was　transported　out　of　the　present　into　that　blissful　future；　he　was　sitting　by　Mme。　de　Restaud's　side；　when　a　sort　of　sigh；　like　the　grunt　of　an　overburdened　St。　Joseph；　broke　the　silence　of　the　night。　It　vibrated　through　the　student；　who　took　the　sound　for　a　death　groan。　He　opened　his　door　noiselessly；　went　out　upon　the　landing；　and　saw　a　thin　streak　of　light　under　Father　Goriot's　door。　Eugene　feared　that　his　neighbor　had　been　taken　ill；　he　went　over　and　looked　through　the　keyhole；　the　old　man　was　busily　engaged　in　an　occupation　so　singular　and　so　suspicious　that　Rastignac　thought　he　was　only　doing　a　piece　of　necessary　service　to　society　to　watch　th