father goriot-第12节

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〃And　perhaps　you　will　find　Father　Goriot　there；　who　will　take

payment　for　the　assistance　he　politely　rendered。〃



Eugene　looked　disgusted。　〃Why；　then；　this　Paris　of　yours　is　a

slough。〃



〃And　an　uncommonly　queer　slough；　too；〃　replied　Vautrin。　〃The　mud

splashes　you　as　you　drive　through　it　in　your　carriageyou　are　a

respectable　person；　you　go　afoot　and　are　splashedyou　are　a

scoundrel。　You　are　so　unlucky　as　to　walk　off　with　something　or

other　belonging　to　somebody　else；　and　they　exhibit　you　as　a

curiosity　in　the　Place　du　Palais…de…Justice；　you　steal　a　million；

and　you　are　pointed　out　in　every　salon　as　a　model　of　virtue。　And

you　pay　thirty　millions　for　the　police　and　the　courts　of　justice；

for　the　maintenance　of　law　and　order！　A　pretty　slate　of　things　it

is！〃



〃What；〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃has　Father　Goriot　really　melted　down

his　silver　posset…dish？〃



〃There　were　two　turtle…doves　on　the　lid；　were　there　not？〃　asked

Eugene。



〃Yes；　that　there　were。〃



〃Then；　was　he　fond　of　it？〃　said　Eugene。　〃He　cried　while　he　was

breaking　up　the　cup　and　plate。　I　happened　to　see　him　by

accident。〃



〃It　was　dear　to　him　as　his　own　life；〃　answered　the　widow。



〃There！　you　see　how　infatuated　the　old　fellow　is！〃　cried　Vautrin。

〃The　woman　yonder　can　coax　the　soul　out　of　him〃



The　student　went　up　to　his　room。　Vautrin　went　out；　and　a　few

moments　later　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　drove　away　in　a　cab

which　Sylvie　had　called　for　them。　Poiret　gave　his　arm　to　Mlle。

Michonneau；　and　they　went　together　to　spend　the　two　sunniest

hours　of　the　day　in　the　Jardin　des　Plantes。



〃Well；　those　two　are　as　good　as　married；〃　was　the　portly　Sylvie's

comment。　〃They　are　going　out　together　to…day　for　the　first　time。

They　are　such　a　couple　of　dry　sticks　that　if　they　happen　to

strike　against　each　other　they　will　draw　sparks　like　flint　and

steel。〃



〃Keep　clear　of　Mlle。　Michonneau's　shawl；　then；　said　Mme。　Vauquer；

laughing；　〃it　would　flare　up　like　tinder。〃



At　four　o'clock　that　evening；　when　Goriot　came　in；　he　saw；　by　the

light　of　two　smoky　lamps；　that　Victorine's　eyes　were　red。　Mme。

Vauquer　was　listening　to　the　history　of　the　visit　made　that

morning　to　M。　Taillefer；　it　had　been　made　in　vain。　Taillefer　was

tired　of　the　annual　application　made　by　his　daughter　and　her

elderly　friend；　he　gave　them　a　personal　interview　in　order　to

arrive　at　an　understanding　with　them。



〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　addressing　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃just

imagine　it；　he　did　not　even　ask　Victorine　to　sit　down；　she　was

standing　the　whole　time。　He　said　to　me　quite　coolly；　without

putting　himself　in　a　passion；　that　we　might　spare　ourselves　the

trouble　of　going　there；　that　the　young　lady　（he　would　not　call

her　his　daughter）　was　injuring　her　cause　by　importuning　him

（IMPORTUNING！　once　a　year；　the　wretch！）；　that　as　Victorine's

mother　had　nothing　when　he　married　her；　Victorine　ought　not　to

expect　anything　from　him；　in　fact；　he　said　the　most　cruel　things；

that　made　the　poor　child　burst　out　crying。　The　little　thing　threw

herself　at　her　father's　feet　and　spoke　up　bravely；　she　said　that

she　only　persevered　in　her　visits　for　her　mother's　sake；　that　she

would　obey　him　without　a　murmur；　but　that　she　begged　him　to　read

her　poor　dead　mother's　farewell　letter。　She　took　it　up　and　gave

it　to　him；　saying　the　most　beautiful　things　in　the　world；　most

beautifully　expressed；　I　do　not　know　where　she　learned　them；　God


must　have　put　them　into　her　head；　for　the　poor　child　was　inspired

to　speak　so　nicely　that　it　made　me　cry　like　a　fool　to　hear　her

talk。　And　what　do　you　think　the　monster　was　doing　all　the　time？

Cutting　his　nails！　He　took　the　letter　that　poor　Mme。　Taillefer

had　soaked　with　tears；　and　flung　it　on　to　the　chimney…piece。

'That　is　all　right；'　he　said。　He　held　out　his　hands　to　raise　his

daughter；　but　she　covered　them　with　kisses；　and　he　drew　them　away

again。　Scandalous；　isn't　it？　And　his　great　booby　of　a　son　came　in

and　took　no　notice　of　his　sister。〃



〃What　inhuman　wretches　they　must　be！〃　said　Father　Goriot。



〃And　then　they　both　went　out　of　the　room；〃　Mme。　Couture　went　on；

without　heeding　the　worthy　vermicelli　maker's　exclamation；

〃father　and　son　bowed　to　me；　and　asked　me　to　excuse　them　on

account　of　urgent　business！　That　is　the　history　of　our　call。

Well；　he　has　seen　his　daughter　at　any　rate。　How　he　can　refuse　to

acknowledge　her　I　cannot　think；　for　they　are　as　alike　as　two

peas。〃



The　boarders　dropped　in　one　after　another；　interchanging

greetings　and　empty　jokes　that　certain　classes　of　Parisians

regard　as　humorous　and　witty。　Dulness　is　their　prevailing

ingredient；　and　the　whole　point　consists　in　mispronouncing　a　word

or　a　gesture。　This　kind　of　argot　is　always　changing。　The　essence

of　the　jest　consists　in　some　catchword　suggested　by　a　political

event；　an　incident　in　the　police　courts；　a　street　song；　or　a　bit

of　burlesque　at　some　theatre；　and　forgotten　in　a　month。　Anything

and　everything　serves　to　keep　up　a　game　of　battledore　and

shuttlecock　with　words　and　ideas。　The　diorama；　a　recent

invention；　which　carried　an　optical　illusion　a　degree　further

than　panoramas；　had　given　rise　to　a　mania　among　art　students　for

ending　every　word　with　RAMA。　The　Maison　Vauquer　had　caught　the

infection　from　a　young　artist　among　the　boarders。



〃Well；　Monsieur…r…r　Poiret；〃　said　the　employe　from　the　Museum；

〃how　is　your　health…orama？〃　Then；　without　waiting　for　an　answer；

he　turned　to　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　with　a　〃Ladies；　you　seem

melancholy。〃



〃Is　dinner　ready？〃　cried　Horace　Bianchon；　a　medical　student；　and

a　friend　of　Rastignac's；　〃my　stomach　is　sinking　usque　ad

talones。〃



〃There　is　an　uncommon　frozerama　outside；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃Make

room　there；　Father　Goriot！　Confound　it；　your　foot　covers　the

whole　front　of　the　stove。〃



〃Illustrious　M。　Vautrin；〃　put　in　Bianchon；　〃why　do　you　say

frozerama？　It　is　incorrect；　it　should　be　frozenrama。〃



〃No；　it　shouldn't；〃　said　the　official　from　the　Museum；　〃frozerama

is　right　by　the　same　rule　that　you　say　'My　feet　are　froze。'　〃



〃Ah！　ah！〃



〃Here　is　his　Excellency　the　Marquis　de　Rastignac；　Doctor　of　the

Law　of　Contraries；〃　cried　Bianchon；　seizing　Eugene　by　the　throat；

and　almost　throttling　him。



〃Hallo　there！　hallo！〃



Mlle。　Michonneau　came　noiselessly　in；　bowed　to　the　rest　of　the

party；　and　took　her　place　beside　the　three　women　without　saying　a

word。



〃That　old　bat　always　makes　me　shudder；〃　said　Bianchon　in　a　low

voice；　indicating　Mlle。　Michonneau　to　Vautrin。　〃I　have　studied

Gall's　system；　and　I　am　sure　she　has　the　bump　of　Judas。〃



〃Then　you　have　seen　a　case　before？〃　said　Vautrin。



〃Who　has　not？〃　answered　Bianchon。　〃Upon　my　word；　that　ghastly　old

maid　looks　just　like　one　of　the　long　worms　that　will　gnaw　a　beam

through；　give　them　time　enough。〃



〃That　is　the　way；　young　man；〃　returned　he　of　the　forty　years　and

the　dyed　whiskers：



　　〃The　rose　has　lived　the　life　of　a　rose

　　A　morning's　space。〃



〃Aha！　here　is　a　magnificent　soupe…au…rama；〃　cried　Poiret　as

Christophe　came　in　bearing　the　soup　with　cautious　heed。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃it　is　soupe　aux

choux。〃



All　the　young　men　roared　with　laughter。



〃Had　you　there；　Poiret！〃



〃Poir…r…r…rette！　she　had　you　there！〃



〃Score　two　points　to　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　said　Vautrin。



〃Did　any　of　you　notice　the　fog　this　morning？〃　asked　the　official。



〃It　was　a　frantic　fog；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃a　fog　unparalleled；

doleful；　melancholy；　sea…green；　asthmaticala　Goriot　of　a　fog！〃



〃A　Goriorama；〃　said　the　art　student；　〃because　you　couldn't　see　a

thing　in　it。〃



〃Hey！　Milord　Gaoriotte；　they　air　talking　about　yoo…o…ou！〃



Father　Goriot；　seated　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　close　to　the

door　through　which　the　servant　entered；　raised　his　face；　he　had

smelt　at　a　scrap　of　bread　that　lay　under　his　table　napkin；　an　old

trick　acquired　in　his　commercial　capacity；　that　still　showed

itself　at　times。



〃Well；〃　Madame　Vauquer　cried　in　sharp　tones；　that　rang　above　the

rattle　of　spoons　and　plates　and　the　sound　of　other　voices；　〃and

is　there　anything　the　matter　with　the　bread？〃



〃Nothing　whatever；　madame；〃　he　answered；　〃on　the　contrary；　it　is

made　of　the　best　quality　of　corn；　flour　from　Etampes。〃



〃How　could　you　tell？〃　asked　Eugene。



〃By　the　color；　by　the　flavor。〃



〃You　knew　the　flavor　by　the　smell；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。

〃You　have　grown　so　economical；　you　will　find　out　how　to　live　on

the　smell　of　cooking　at　last。〃



〃Take　out　a　patent　for　it；　then；〃　cried　the　Museum　official；　〃you

would　make　a　handsome　fortune。〃



〃Never　mind　him；〃　said　the　artist；　〃he　does　that　sort　of　thing　to

delude　us　into　thinking　that　he　was　a　vermicelli　maker。〃



〃Your　nose　is　a　corn…sampler；　it　appears？〃　inquired　the　official。



〃Corn　WHAT？〃　asked　Bianchon。



〃Corn…el。〃



〃Corn…et。〃



〃Corn…elian。〃



〃Corn…ice