father goriot-第24节
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like a man who will face three or four footpads without
flinching。
〃I will repay you in a minute；〃 returned Eugene。 He unsealed one
of the bags as he spoke； counted out a hundred and forty francs；
and pushed them towards Mme。 Vauquer。 〃Short reckonings make good
friends〃 he added； turning to the widow； 〃that clears our
accounts till the end of the year。 Can you give me change for a
five…franc piece？〃
〃Good friends make short reckonings；〃 echoed Poiret； with a
glance at Vautrin。
〃Here is your franc；〃 said Rastignac； holding out the coin to the
sphinx in the black wig。
〃Any one might think that you were afraid to owe me a trifle；〃
exclaimed this latter； with a searching glance that seemed to
read the young man's inmost thoughts； there was a satirical and
cynical smile on Vautrin's face such as Eugene had seen scores of
times already； every time he saw it； it exasperated him almost
beyond endurance。
〃Well 。 。 。 so I am；〃 he answered。 He held both the bags in his
hand； and had risen to go up to his room。
Vautrin made as if he were going out through the sitting…room；
and the student turned to go through the second door that opened
into the square lobby at the foot of the staircase。
〃Do you know； Monsieur le Marquis de Rastignacorama； that what
you were saying just now was not exactly polite？〃 Vautrin
remarked； as he rattled his sword…cane across the panels of the
sitting…room door； and came up to the student。
Rastignac looked coolly at Vautrin； drew him to the foot of the
staircase； and shut the dining…room door。 They were standing in
the little square lobby between the kitchen and the dining…room；
the place was lighted by an iron…barred fanlight above a door
that gave access into the garden。 Sylvie came out of her kitchen；
and Eugene chose that moment to say：
MONSIEUR Vautrin； I am not a marquis； and my name is not
Rastignacorama。〃
〃They will fight；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau； in an indifferent tone。
〃Fight！〃 echoed Poiret。
〃Not they；〃 replied Mme。 Vauquer； lovingly fingering her pile of
coins。
〃But there they are under the lime…trees；〃 cried Mlle。 Victorine；
who had risen so that she might see out into the garden。 〃Poor
young man！ he was in the right； after all。〃
〃We must go upstairs； my pet；〃 said Mme。 Couture； 〃it is no
business of ours。〃
At the door； however； Mme。 Couture and Victorine found their
progress barred by the portly form of Sylvie the cook。
〃What ever can have happened？〃 she said。 〃M。 Vautrin said to M。
Eugene； 'Let us have an explanation！' then he took him by the
arm； and there they are； out among the artichokes。〃
Vautrin came in while she was speaking。 〃Mamma Vauquer；〃 he said
smiling； 〃don't frighten yourself at all。 I am only going to try
my pistols under the lime…trees。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur；〃 cried Victorine； clasping her hands as she spoke；
〃why do you want to kill M。 Eugene？〃
Vautrin stepped back a pace or two； and gazed at Victorine。
〃Oh！ this is something fresh！〃 he exclaimed in a bantering tone；
that brought the color into the poor girl's face。 〃That young
fellow yonder is very nice； isn't he？〃 he went on。 〃You have
given me a notion； my pretty child； I will make you both happy。〃
Mme。 Couture laid her hand on the arm of her ward； and drew the
girl away； as she said in her ear：
〃Why； Victorine； I cannot imagine what has come over you this
morning。〃
〃I don't want any shots fired in my garden；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。
〃You will frighten the neighborhood and bring the police up here
all in a moment。〃
〃Come； keep cool； Mamma Vauquer；〃 answered Vautrin。 〃There；
there； it's all right； we will go to the shooting…gallery。〃
He went back to Rastignac； laying his hand familiarly on the
young man's arm。
〃When I have given you ocular demonstration of the fact that I
can put a bullet through the ace on a card five times running at
thirty…five paces；〃 he said； 〃that won't take away your appetite；
I suppose？ You look to me to be inclined to be a trifle
quarrelsome this morning； and as if you would rush on your death
like a blockhead。〃
〃Do you draw back？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Don't try to raise my temperature；〃 answered Vautrin； 〃it is not
cold this morning。 Let us go and sit over there；〃 he added；
pointing to the green…painted garden seats； 〃no one can overhear
us。 I want a little talk with you。 You are not a bad sort of
youngster； and I have no quarrel with you。 I like you； take
Trump（confound it！）take Vautrin's word for it。 What makes me
like you？ I will tell you by…and…by。 Meantime； I can tell you
that I know you as well as if I had made you myself； as I will
prove to you in a minute。 Put down your bags；〃 he continued；
pointing to the round table。
Rastignac deposited his money on the table； and sat down。 He was
consumed with curiosity； which the sudden change in the manner of
the man before him had excited to the highest pitch。 Here was a
strange being who； a moment ago； had talked of killing him； and
now posed as his protector。
〃You would like to know who I really am； what I was； and what I
do now；〃 Vautrin went on。 〃You want to know too much； youngster。
Come！ come！ keep cool！ You will hear more astonishing things than
that。 I have had my misfortunes。 Just hear me out first； and you
shall have your turn afterwards。 Here is my past in three words。
Who am I？ Vautrin。 What do I do？ Just what I please。 Let us
change the subject。 You want to know my character。 I am good…
natured to those who do me a good turn； or to those whose hearts
speak to mine。 These last may do anything they like with me； they
may bruise my shins； and I shall not tell them to 'mind what they
are about'； but； nom d'une pipe； the devil himself is not an
uglier customer than I can be if people annoy me； or if I don't
happen to take to them； and you may just as well know at once
that I think no more of killing a man than of that；〃 and he spat
before him as he spoke。 〃Only when it is absolutely necessary to
do so； I do my best to kill him properly。 I am what you call an
artist。 I have read Benvenuto Cellini's Memoirs； such as you see
me； and； what is more； in Italian： A fine…spirited fellow he was！
From him I learned to follow the example set us by Providence；
who strikes us down at random； and to admire the beautiful
whenever and wherever it is found。 And； setting other questions
aside； is it not a glorious part to play； when you pit yourself
against mankind； and the luck is on your side？ I have thought a
good deal about the constitution of your present social Dis…
order。 A duel is downright childish； my boy！ utter nonsense and
folly！ When one of two living men must be got out of the way；
none but an idiot would leave chance to decide which it is to be；
and in a duel it is a toss…upheads or tailsand there you are！
Now I； for instance； can hit the ace in the middle of a card five
times running； send one bullet after another through the same
hole； and at thirty…five paces； moreover！ With that little
accomplishment you might think yourself certain of killing your
man； mightn't you。 Well； I have fired； at twenty paces； and
missed； and the rogue who had never handled a pistol in his life
look here！〃（he unbuttoned his waistcoat and exposed his chest；
covered； like a bear's back； with a shaggy fell； the student gave
a startled shudder）〃he was a raw lad； but he made his mark on
me；〃 the extraordinary man went on； drawing Rastignac's fingers
over a deep scar on his breast。 But that happened when I myself
was a mere boy； I was one…and…twenty then （your age）； and I had
some beliefs leftin a woman's love； and in a pack of rubbish
that you will be over head and ears in directly。 You and I were
to have fought just now； weren't we？ You might have killed me。
Suppose that I were put under the earth； where would you be？ You
would have to clear out of this； go to Switzerland； draw on
papa's purseand he has none too much in it as it is。 I mean to
open your eyes to your real position； that is what I am going to
do： but I shall do it from the point of view of a man who； after
studying the world very closely； sees that there are but two
alternativesstupid obedience or revolt。 I obey nobody； is that
clear？ Now； do you know how much you will want at the pace you
are going？ A million； and promptly； too； or that little head of
ours will be swaying to and fro in the drag…nets at Saint…Cloud；
while we are gone to find out whether or no there is a Supreme
Being。 I will put you in the way of that million。〃
He stopped for a moment and looked at Eugene。
〃Aha！ you do not look so sourly at papa Vautrin now！ At the
mention of the million you look like a young girl when somebody
has said； 'I will come for you this evening！' and she betakes
herself to her toilette as a cat licks its whiskers over a saucer
of milk。 All right。 Come； now； let us go into
