father goriot-第14节

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graceful　form　seemed　more　flexible；　her　beauty　more　luxuriant。

Her　eyes　glistened。　A　young　man　can　see　everything　at　a　glance；

he　feels　the　radiant　influence　of　woman　as　a　plant　discerns　and

absorbs　its　nutriment　from　the　air；　he　did　not　need　to　touch　her

hands　to　feel　their　cool　freshness。　He　saw　faint　rose　tints

through　the　cashmere　of　the　dressing　gown；　it　had　fallen　slightly

open；　giving　glimpses　of　a　bare　throat；　on　which　the　student's

eyes　rested。　The　Countess　had　no　need　of　the　adventitious　aid　of

corsets；　her　girdle　defined　the　outlines　of　her　slender　waist；

her　throat　was　a　challenge　to　love；　her　feet；　thrust　into

slippers；　were　daintily　small。　As　Maxime　took　her　hand　and　kissed

it；　Eugene　became　aware　of　Maxime's　existence；　and　the　Countess

saw　Eugene。



〃Oh！　is　that　you　M。　de　Rastignac？　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；〃　she

said；　but　there　was　something　in　her　manner　that　a　shrewd

observer　would　have　taken　as　a　hint　to　depart。



Maxime；　as　the　Countess　Anastasie　had　called　the　young　man　with

the　haughty　insolence　of　bearing；　looked　from　Eugene　to　the　lady；

and　from　the　lady　to　Eugene；　it　was　sufficiently　evident　that　he

wished　to　be　rid　of　the　latter。　An　exact　and　faithful　rendering

of　the　glance　might　be　given　in　the　words：　〃Look　here；　my　dear；　I

hope　you　intend　to　send　this　little　whipper…snapper　about　his

business。〃



The　Countess　consulted　the　young　man's　face　with　an　intent

submissiveness　that　betrays　all　the　secrets　of　a　woman's　heart；

and　Rastignac　all　at　once　began　to　hate　him　violently。　To　begin

with；　the　sight　of　the　fair　carefully　arranged　curls　on　the

other's　comely　head　had　convinced　him　that　his　own　crop　was

hideous；　Maxime's　boots；　moreover；　were　elegant　and　spotless；

while　his　own；　in　spite　of　all　his　care；　bore　some　traces　of　his

recent　walk；　and；　finally；　Maxime's　overcoat　fitted　the　outline

of　his　figure　gracefully；　he　looked　like　a　pretty　woman；　while

Eugene　was　wearing　a　black　coat　at　half…past　two。　The　quick…

witted　child　of　the　Charente　felt　the　disadvantage　at　which　he

was　placed　beside　this　tall；　slender　dandy；　with　the　clear　gaze

and　the　pale　face；　one　of　those　men　who　would　ruin　orphan

children　without　scruple。　Mme。　de　Restaud　fled　into　the　next　room

without　waiting　for　Eugene　to　speak；　shaking　out　the　skirts　of

her　dressing…gown　in　her　flight；　so　that　she　looked　like　a　white

butterfly；　and　Maxime　hurried　after　her。　Eugene；　in　a　fury；

followed　Maxime　and　the　Countess；　and　the　three　stood　once　more

face　to　face　by　the　hearth　in　the　large　drawing…room。　The　law

student　felt　quite　sure　that　the　odious　Maxime　found　him　in　the

way；　and　even　at　the　risk　of　displeasing　Mme。　de　Restaud；　he

meant　to　annoy　the　dandy。　It　had　struck　him　all　at　once　that　he

had　seen　the　young　man　before　at　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　ball；　he

guessed　the　relation　between　Maxime　and　Mme。　de　Restaud；　and　with

the　youthful　audacity　that　commits　prodigious　blunders　or

achieves　signal　success；　he　said　to　himself；　〃This　is　my　rival；　I

mean　to　cut　him　out。〃



Rash　resolve！　He　did　not　know　that　M。　le　Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles

would　wait　till　he　was　insulted；　so　as　to　fire　first　and　kill　his

man。　Eugene　was　a　sportsman　and　a　good　shot；　but　he　had　not　yet

hit　the　bulls's　eye　twenty　times　out　of　twenty…two。　The　young

Count　dropped　into　a　low　chair　by　the　hearth；　took　up　the　tongs；

and　made　up　the　fire　so　violently　and　so　sulkily；　that

Anastasie's　fair　face　suddenly　clouded　over。　She　turned　to

Eugene；　with　a　cool；　questioning　glance　that　asked　plainly；　〃Why

do　you　not　go？〃　a　glance　which　well…bred　people　regard　as　a　cue

to　make　their　exit。



Eugene　assumed　an　amiable　expression。



〃Madame；〃　he　began；　〃I　hastened　to　call　upon　you〃



He　stopped　short。　The　door　opened；　and　the　owner　of　the　tilbury

suddenly　appeared。　He　had　left　his　hat　outside；　and　did　not　greet

the　Countess；　he　looked　meditatively　at　Rastignac；　and　held　out

his　hand　to　Maxime　with　a　cordial　〃Good　morning；〃　that　astonished

Eugene　not　a　little。　The　young　provincial　did　not　understand　the

amenities　of　a　triple　alliance。



〃M。　de　Restaud；〃　said　the　Countess；　introducing　her　husband　to

the　law　student。



Eugene　bowed　profoundly。



〃This　gentleman；〃　she　continued；　presenting　Eugene　to　her

husband；　〃is　M。　de　Rastignac；　he　is　related　to　Mme。　la　Vicomtesse

de　Beauseant　through　the　Marcillacs；　I　had　the　pleasure　of

meeting　him　at　her　last　ball。〃



Related　to　Mme。　la　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　through　the

Marcillacs！　These　words；　on　which　the　countess　threw　ever　so

slight　an　emphasis；　by　reason　of　the　pride　that　the　mistress　of　a

house　takes　in　showing　that　she　only　receives　people　of

distinction　as　visitors　in　her　house；　produced　a　magical　effect。

The　Count's　stiff　manner　relaxed　at　once　as　he　returned　the

student's　bow。



〃Delighted　to　have　an　opportunity　of　making　your　acquaintance；〃

he　said。



Maxime　de　Trailles　himself　gave　Eugene　an　uneasy　glance；　and

suddenly　dropped　his　insolent　manner。　The　mighty　name　had　all　the

power　of　a　fairy's　wand；　those　closed　compartments　in　the

southern　brain　flew　open　again；　Rastignac's　carefully　drilled

faculties　returned。　It　was　as　if　a　sudden　light　had　pierced　the

obscurity　of　this　upper　world　of　Paris；　and　he　began　to　see；

though　everything　was　indistinct　as　yet。　Mme。　Vauquer's　lodging…

house　and　Father　Goriot　were　very　far　remote　from　his　thoughts。



〃I　thought　that　the　Marcillacs　were　extinct；〃　the　Comte　de

Restaud　said；　addressing　Eugene。



〃Yes；　they　are　extinct；〃　answered　the　law　student。　〃My　great…

uncle；　the　Chevalier　de　Rastignac；　married　the　heiress　of　the

Marcillac　family。　They　had　only　one　daughter；　who　married　the

Marechal　de　Clarimbault；　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　grandfather　on　the

mother's　side。　We　are　the　younger　branch　of　the　family；　and　the

younger　branch　is　all　the　poorer　because　my　great…uncle；　the

Vice…Admiral；　lost　all　that　he　had　in　the　King's　service。　The

Government　during　the　Revolution　refused　to　admit　our　claims　when

the　Compagnie　des　Indes　was　liquidated。〃



〃Was　not　your　great…uncle　in　command　of　the　Vengeur　before　1789？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　he　would　be　acquainted　with　my　grandfather；　who　commanded

the　Warwick。〃



Maxime　looked　at　Mme。　de　Restaud　and　shrugged　his　shoulders；　as

who　should　say；　〃If　he　is　going　to　discuss　nautical　matters　with

that　fellow；　it　is　all　over　with　us。〃　Anastasie　understood　the

glance　that　M。　de　Trailles　gave　her。　With　a　woman's　admirable

tact；　she　began　to　smile　and　said：



〃Come　with　me；　Maxime；　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。　We　will

leave　you　two　gentlemen　to　sail　in　company　on　board　the　Warwick

and　the　Vengeur。〃



She　rose　to　her　feet　and　signed　to　Maxime　to　follow　her；　mirth

and　mischief　in　her　whole　attitude；　and　the　two　went　in　the

direction　of　the　boudoir。　The　morganatic　couple　（to　use　a

convenient　German　expression　which　has　no　exact　equivalent）　had

reached　the　door；　when　the　Count　interrupted　himself　in　his　talk

with　Eugene。



〃Anastasie！〃　he　cried　pettishly；　〃just　stay　a　moment；　dear；　you

know　very　well　that〃



〃I　am　coming　back　in　a　minute；〃　she　interrupted；　〃I　have　a

commission　for　Maxime　to　execute；　and　I　want　to　tell　him　about

it。〃



She　came　back　almost　immediately。　She　had　noticed　the　inflection

in　her　husband's　voice；　and　knew　that　it　would　not　be　safe　to

retire　to　the　boudoir；　like　all　women　who　are　compelled　to　study

their　husbands'　characters　in　order　to　have　their　own　way；　and

whose　business　it　is　to　know　exactly　how　far　they　can　go　without

endangering　a　good　understanding；　she　was　very　careful　to　avoid

petty　collisions　in　domestic　life。　It　was　Eugene　who　had　brought

about　this　untoward　incident；　so　the　Countess　looked　at　Maxime

and　indicated　the　law　student　with　an　air　of　exasperation。　M。　de

Trailles　addressed　the　Count；　the　Countess；　and　Eugene　with　the

pointed　remark；　〃You　are　busy；　I　do　not　want　to　interrupt　you；

good…day；〃　and　he　went。



〃Just　wait　a　moment；　Maxime！〃　the　Count　called　after　him。



〃Come　and　dine　with　us；〃　said　the　Countess；　leaving　Eugene　and

her　husband　together　once　more。　She　followed　Maxime　into　the

little　drawing…room；　where　they　sat　together　sufficiently　long　to

feel　sure　that　Rastignac　had　taken　his　leave。



The　law　student　heard　their　laughter；　and　their　voices；　and　the

pauses　in　their　talk；　he　grew　malicious；　exerted　his

conversational　powers　for　M。　de　Restaud；　flattered　him；　and　drew

him　into　discussions；　to　the　end　that　he　might　see　the　Countess

again　and　discover　the　nature　of　her　relations　with　Father

Goriot。　This　Countess　with　a　husband　and　a　lover；　for　Maxime

clearly　was　her　lover；　was　a　mystery。　What　was　the　secret　tie

that　bound　her　to　the　old　tradesman？　This　mystery　he　meant　to

penetrate；　hoping　by　its　means　to　gain　a　sovereign　ascendency

over　this　fair　typical　Parisian。



〃Anastasie！〃　the　Count　called　again　to　his　wife。



〃Poor　Maxime！〃　she　said；　addre