father goriot-第10节
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a shabby lot！〃
〃Pooh！〃 said Sylvie； sipping her coffee； 〃our places are the best
in the Quarter； that I know。 But about that great big chap
Vautrin； Christophe； has any one told you anything about him？〃
〃Yes。 I met a gentleman in the street a few days ago； he said to
me； 'There's a gentleman in your place； isn't there？ a tall man
that dyes his whiskers？' I told him； 'No； sir； they aren't dyed。
A gay fellow like him hasn't the time to do it。' And when I told
M。 Vautrin about it afterwards； he said； 'Quite right； my boy。
That is the way to answer them。 There is nothing more unpleasant
than to have your little weaknesses known； it might spoil many a
match。' 〃
〃Well； and for my part；〃 said Sylvie； 〃a man tried to humbug me
at the market wanting to know if I had seen him put on his shirt。
Such bosh！ There；〃 she cried； interrupting herself； 〃that's a
quarter to ten striking at the Val…de…Grace； and not a soul
stirring！〃
〃Pooh！ they are all gone out。 Mme。 Couture and the girl went out
at eight o'clock to take the wafer at Saint…Etienne。 Father
Goriot started off somewhere with a parcel； and the student won't
be back from his lecture till ten o'clock。 I saw them go while I
was sweeping the stairs； Father Goriot knocked up against me； and
his parcel was as hard as iron。 What is the old fellow up to； I
wonder？ He is as good as a plaything for the rest of them； they
can never let him alone； but he is a good man； all the same； and
worth more than all of them put together。 He doesn't give you
much himself； but he sometimes sends you with a message to ladies
who fork out famous tips； they are dressed grandly； too。〃
〃His daughters； as he calls them； eh？ There are a dozen of them。〃
〃I have never been to more than twothe two who came here。〃
〃There is madame moving overhead； I shall have to go； or she will
raise a fine racket。 Just keep an eye on the milk； Christophe；
don't let the cat get at it。〃
Sylvie went up to her mistress' room。
〃Sylvie！ How is this？ It's nearly ten o'clock； and you let me
sleep like a dormouse！ Such a thing has never happened before。〃
〃It's the fog； it is that thick； you could cut it with a knife。〃
〃But how about breakfast？〃
〃Bah！ the boarders are possessed； I'm sure。 They all cleared out
before there was a wink of daylight。〃
〃Do speak properly； Sylvie；〃 Mme。 Vauquer retorted； 〃say a blink
of daylight。〃
〃Ah； well； madame； whichever you please。 Anyhow； you can have
breakfast at ten o'clock。 La Michonnette and Poiret have neither
of them stirred。 There are only those two upstairs； and they are
sleeping like the logs they are。〃
〃But； Sylvie； you put their names together as if〃
〃As if what？〃 said Sylvie； bursting into a guffaw。 〃The two of
them make a pair。〃
〃It is a strange thing； isn't it； Sylvie； how M。 Vautrin got in
last night after Christophe had bolted the door？〃
〃Not at all； madame。 Christophe heard M。 Vautrin； and went down
and undid the door。 And here are you imagining that？〃
〃Give me my bodice； and be quick and get breakfast ready。 Dish up
the rest of the mutton with the potatoes； and you can put the
stewed pears on the table； those at five a penny。〃
A few moments later Mme。 Vauquer came down； just in time to see
the cat knock down a plate that covered a bowl of milk； and begin
to lap in all haste。
〃Mistigris！〃 she cried。
The cat fled； but promptly returned to rub against her ankles。
〃Oh！ yes； you can wheedle； you old hypocrite！〃 she said。 〃Sylvie！
Sylvie！〃
〃Yes； madame； what is it？〃
〃Just see what the cat has done！〃
〃It is all that stupid Christophe's fault。 I told him to stop and
lay the table。 What has become of him？ Don't you worry； madame；
Father Goriot shall have it。 I will fill it up with water； and he
won't know the difference； he never notices anything； not even
what he eats。〃
〃I wonder where the old heathen can have gone？〃 said Mme。
Vauquer； setting the plates round the table。
〃Who knows？ He is up to all sorts of tricks。〃
〃I have overslept myself；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。
〃But madame looks as fresh as a rose； all the same。〃
The door bell rang at that moment； and Vautrin came through the
sitting…room； singing loudly：
〃 'Tis the same old story everywhere；
A roving heart and a roving glance 。 。
〃Oh！ Mamma Vauquer！ good…morning！〃 he cried at the sight of his
hostess； and he put his arm gaily round her waist。
〃There！ have done〃
〃 'Impertinence！' Say it！〃 he answered。 〃Come； say it！ Now；
isn't that what you really mean？ Stop a bit； I will help you to
set the table。 Ah！ I am a nice man； am I not？
〃For the locks of brown and the golden hair
A sighing lover 。 。 。
〃Oh！ I have just seen something so funny
。 。 。 。 led by chance。〃
〃What？〃 asked the widow。
〃Father Goriot in the goldsmith's shop in the Rue Dauphine at
half…past eight this morning。 They buy old spoons and forks and
gold lace there； and Goriot sold a piece of silver plate for a
good round sum。 It had been twisted out of shape very neatly for
a man that's not used to the trade。〃
〃Really？ You don't say so？〃
〃Yes。 One of my friends is expatriating himself； I had been to
see him off on board the Royal Mail steamer； and was coming back
here。 I waited after that to see what Father Goriot would do； it
is a comical affair。 He came back to this quarter of the world；
to the Rue des Gres； and went into a money…lender's house；
everybody knows him； Gobseck； a stuck…up rascal； that would make
dominoes out of his father's bones； a Turk； a heathen； an old
Jew； a Greek； it would be a difficult matter to rob HIM； for he
puts all his coin into the Bank。〃
〃Then what was Father Goriot doing there？〃
〃Doing？〃 said Vautrin。 〃Nothing； he was bent on his own undoing。
He is a simpleton； stupid enough to ruin himself by running
after〃
〃There he is！〃 cried Sylvie。
〃Christophe；〃 cried Father Goriot's voice； 〃come upstairs with
me。〃
Christophe went up； and shortly afterwards came down again。
〃Where are you going？〃 Mme。 Vauquer asked of her servant。
〃Out on an errand for M。 Goriot。〃
〃What may that be？〃 said Vautrin； pouncing on a letter in
Christophe's hand。 〃Mme。 la Comtesse Anastasie de Restaud；〃 he
read。 〃Where are you going with it？〃 he added； as he gave the
letter back to Christophe。
〃To the Rue du Helder。 I have orders to give this into her hands
myself。〃
〃What is there inside it？〃 said Vautrin； holding the letter up to
the light。 〃A banknote？ No。〃 He peered into the envelope。 〃A
receipted account！〃 he cried。 〃My word！ 'tis a gallant old
dotard。 Off with you； old chap；〃 he said； bringing down a hand on
Christophe's head； and spinning the man round like a thimble；
〃you will have a famous tip。〃
By this time the table was set。 Sylvie was boiling the milk； Mme。
Vauquer was lighting a fire in the stove with some assistance
from Vautrin； who kept humming to himself：
〃The same old story everywhere；
A roving heart and a roving glance。〃
When everything was ready； Mme。 Couture and Mlle。 Taillefer came
in。
〃Where have you been this morning； fair lady？〃 said Mme。 Vauquer；
turning to Mme。 Couture。
〃We have just been to say our prayers at Saint…Etienne du Mont。
To…day is the day when we must go to see M。 Taillefer。 Poor
little thing！ She is trembling like a leaf；〃 Mme。 Couture went
on； as she seated herself before the fire and held the steaming
soles of her boots to the blaze。
〃Warm yourself； Victorine；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。
〃It is quite right and proper； mademoiselle； to pray to Heaven to
soften your father's heart；〃 said Vautrin； as he drew a chair
nearer to the orphan girl； 〃but that is not enough。 What you want
is a friend who will give the monster a piece of his mind； a
barbarian that has three millions （so they say）； and will not
give you a dowry； and a pretty girl needs a dowry nowadays。〃
〃Poor child！〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。 〃Never mind； my pet； your wretch
of a father is going just the way to bring trouble upon himself。〃
Victorine's eyes filled with tears at the words； and the widow
checked herself at a sign from Mme。 Couture。
〃If we could only see him！〃 said the Commissary…General's widow；
〃if I could speak to him myself and give him his wife's last
letter！ I have never dared to run the risk of sending it by post；
he knew my handwriting〃
〃 'Oh woman； persecuted and injured innocent！' 〃 exclaimed
Vautrin； breaking in upon her。 〃So that is how you are； is it？ In
a few days' time I will look into your affairs； and it will be
all right； you shall see。〃
〃Oh！ sir；〃 said Victorine； with a tearful but eager glance at
Vautrin； who showed no sign of being touched by it； 〃if you know
of any way of communicating with my father； please be sure and
tell him that his affectio
