father goriot-第28节

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Eugene　felt　a　thrill　of　pleasure　at　the　thought　of　appearing

before　the　Vicomtesse；　dressed　as　henceforward　he　always　meant　to

be。　The　〃abysses　of　the　human　heart；〃　in　the　moralists'　phrase；

are　only　insidious　thoughts；　involuntary　promptings　of　personal

interest。　The　instinct　of　enjoyment　turns　the　scale；　those　rapid

changes　of　purpose　which　have　furnished　the　text　for　so　much

rhetoric　are　calculations　prompted　by　the　hope　of　pleasure。

Rastignac　beholding　himself　well　dressed　and　impeccable　as　to

gloves　and　boots；　forgot　his　virtuous　resolutions。　Youth；

moreover；　when　bent　upon　wrongdoing　does　not　dare　to　behold

himself　in　the　mirror　of　consciousness；　mature　age　has　seen

itself；　and　therein　lies　the　whole　difference　between　these　two

phases　of　life。



A　friendship　between　Eugene　and　his　neighbor；　Father　Goriot；　had

been　growing　up　for　several　days　past。　This　secret　friendship　and

the　antipathy　that　the　student　had　begun　to　entertain　for　Vautrin

arose　from　the　same　psychological　causes。　The　bold　philosopher

who　shall　investigate　the　effects　of　mental　action　upon　the

physical　world　will　doubtless　find　more　than　one　proof　of　the

material　nature　of　our　sentiments　in　other　animals。　What

physiognomist　is　as　quick　to　discern　character　as　a　dog　is　to

discover　from　a　stranger's　face　whether　this　is　a　friend　or　no？

Those　by…words〃atoms；〃　〃affinities〃are　facts　surviving　in

modern　languages　for　the　confusion　of　philosophic　wiseacres　who

amuse　themselves　by　winnowing　the　chaff　of　language　to　find　its

grammatical　roots。　We　FEEL　that　we　are　loved。　Our　sentiments　make

themselves　felt　in　everything；　even　at　a　great　distance。　A　letter

is　a　living　soul；　and　so　faithful　an　echo　of　the　voice　that

speaks　in　it；　that　finer　natures　look　upon　a　letter　as　one　of

love's　most　precious　treasures。　Father　Goriot's　affection　was　of

the　instinctive　order；　a　canine　affection　raised　to　a　sublime

pitch；　he　had　scented　compassion　in　the　air；　and　the　kindly

respect　and　youthful　sympathy　in　the　student's　heart。　This

friendship　had；　however；　scarcely　reached　the　stage　at　which

confidences　are　made。　Though　Eugene　had　spoken　of　his　wish　to

meet　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　it　was　not　because　he　counted　on　the　old

man　to　introduce　him　to　her　house；　for　he　hoped　that　his　own

audacity　might　stand　him　in　good　stead。　All　that　Father　Goriot

had　said　as　yet　about　his　daughters　had　referred　to　the　remarks

that　the　student　had　made　so　freely　in　public　on　that　day　of　the

two　visits。



〃How　could　you　think　that　Mme。　de　Restaud　bore　you　a　grudge　for

mentioning　my　name？〃　he　had　said　on　the　day　following　that　scene

at　dinner。　〃My　daughters　are　very　fond　of　me；　I　am　a　happy

father；　but　my　sons…in…law　have　behaved　badly　to　me；　and　rather

than　make　trouble　between　my　darlings　and　their　husbands；　I

choose　to　see　my　daughters　secretly。　Fathers　who　can　see　their

daughters　at　any　time　have　no　idea　of　all　the　pleasure　that　all

this　mystery　gives　me；　I　cannot　always　see　mine　when　I　wish；　do

you　understand？　So　when　it　is　fine　I　walk　out　in　the　Champs…

Elysees；　after　finding　out　from　their　waiting…maids　whether　my

daughters　mean　to　go　out。　I　wait　near　the　entrance；　my　heart

beats　fast　when　the　carriages　begin　to　come；　I　admire　them　in

their　dresses；　and　as　they　pass　they　give　me　a　little　smile；　and

it　seems　as　if　everything　was　lighted　up　for　me　by　a　ray　of

bright　sunlight。　I　wait；　for　they　always　go　back　the　same　way；

and　then　I　see　them　again；　the　fresh　air　has　done　them　good　and

brought　color　into　their　cheeks；　all　about　me　people　say；　'What　a

beautiful　woman　that　is！'　and　it　does　my　heart　good　to　hear　them。



〃Are　they　not　my　own　flesh　and　blood？　I　love　the　very　horses　that

draw　them；　I　envy　the　little　lap…dog　on　their　knees。　Their

happiness　is　my　life。　Every　one　loves　after　his　own　fashion；　and

mine　does　no　one　any　harm；　why　should　people　trouble　their　heads

about　me？　I　am　happy　in　my　own　way。　Is　there　any　law　against

going　to　see　my　girls　in　the　evening　when　they　are　going　out　to　a

ball？　And　what　a　disappointment　it　is　when　I　get　there　too　late；

and　am　told　that　'Madame　has　gone　out！'　Once　I　waited　till　three

o'clock　in　the　morning　for　Nasie；　I　had　not　seen　her　for　two

whole　days。　I　was　so　pleased；　that　it　was　almost　too　much　for　me！

Please　do　not　speak　of　me　unless　it　is　to　say　how　good　my

daughters　are　to　me。　They　are　always　wanting　to　heap　presents

upon　me；　but　I　will　not　have　it。　'Just　keep　your　money；'　I　tell

them。　'What　should　I　do　with　it？　I　want　nothing。'　And　what　am　I；

sir；　after　all？　An　old　carcase；　whose　soul　is　always　where　my

daughters　are。　When　you　have　seen　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　tell　me　which

you　like　the　most；〃　said　the　old　man　after　a　moment's　pause；

while　Eugene　put　the　last　touches　to　his　toilette。　The　student

was　about　to　go　out　to　walk　in　the　Garden　of　the　Tuileries　until

the　hour　when　he　could　venture　to　appear　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's

drawing…room。



That　walk　was　a　turning…point　in　Eugene's　career。　Several　women

noticed　him；　he　looked　so　handsome；　so　young；　and　so　well

dressed。　This　almost　admiring　attention　gave　a　new　turn　to　his

thoughts。　He　forgot　his　sisters　and　the　aunt　who　had　robbed

herself　for　him；　he　no　longer　remembered　his　own　virtuous

scruples。　He　had　seen　hovering　above　his　head　the　fiend　so　easy

to　mistake　for　an　angel；　the　Devil　with　rainbow　wings；　who

scatters　rubies；　and　aims　his　golden　shafts　at　palace　fronts；　who

invests　women　with　purple；　and　thrones　with　a　glory　that　dazzles

the　eyes　of　fools　till　they　forget　the　simple　origins　of　royal

dominion；　he　had　heard　the　rustle　of　that　Vanity　whose　tinsel

seems　to　us　to　be　the　symbol　of　power。　However　cynical　Vautrin's

words　had　been；　they　had　made　an　impression　on　his　mind；　as　the

sordid　features　of　the　old　crone　who　whispers；　〃A　lover；　and　gold

in　torrents；〃　remain　engraven　on　a　young　girl's　memory。



Eugene　lounged　about　the　walks　till　it　was　nearly　five　o'clock；

then　he　went　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　and　received　one　of　the

terrible　blows　against　which　young　hearts　are　defenceless。

Hitherto　the　Vicomtesse　had　received　him　with　the　kindly

urbanity；　the　bland　grace　of　manner　that　is　the　result　of　fine

breeding；　but　is　only　complete　when　it　comes　from　the　heart。



Today　Mme。　de　Beauseant　bowed　constrainedly；　and　spoke　curtly：



〃M。　de　Rastignac；　I　cannot　possibly　see　you；　at　least　not　at　this

moment。　I　am　engaged　。　。　。〃



An　observer；　and　Rastignac　instantly　became　an　observer；　could

read　the　whole　history；　the　character　and　customs　of　caste；　in

the　phrase；　in　the　tones　of　her　voice；　in　her　glance　and　bearing。

He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　iron　hand　beneath　the　velvet　glove

the　personality；　the　egoism　beneath　the　manner；　the　wood　beneath

the　varnish。　In　short；　he　heard　that　unmistakable　I　THE　KING　that

issues　from　the　plumed　canopy　of　the　throne；　and　finds　its　last

echo　under　the　crest　of　the　simplest　gentleman。



Eugene　had　trusted　too　implicitly　to　the　generosity　of　a　woman；

he　could　not　believe　in　her　haughtiness。　Like　all　the

unfortunate；　he　had　subscribed；　in　all　good　faith；　the　generous

compact　which　should　bind　the　benefactor　to　the　recipient；　and

the　first　article　in　that　bond；　between　two　large…hearted

natures；　is　a　perfect　equality。　The　kindness　which　knits　two

souls　together　is　as　rare；　as　divine；　and　as　little　understood　as

the　passion　of　love；　for　both　love　and　kindness　are　the　lavish

generosity　of　noble　natures。　Rastignac　was　set　upon　going　to　the

Duchesse　de　Carigliano's　ball；　so　he　swallowed　down　this　rebuff。



〃Madame；〃　he　faltered　out；　〃I　would　not　have　come　to　trouble　you

about　a　trifling　matter；　be　so　kind　as　to　permit　me　to　see　you

later；　I　can　wait。〃



〃Very　well；　come　and　dine　with　me；〃　she　said；　a　little　confused

by　the　harsh　way　in　which　she　had　spoken；　for　this　lady　was　as

genuinely　kind…hearted　as　she　was　high…born。



Eugene　was　touched　by　this　sudden　relenting；　but　none　the　less　he

said　to　himself　as　he　went　away；　〃Crawl　in　the　dust；　put　up　with

every　kind　of　treatment。　What　must　the　rest　of　the　world　be　like

when　one　of　the　kindest　of　women　forgets　all　her　promises　of

befriending　me　in　a　moment；　and　tosses　me　aside　like　an　old　shoe？

So　it　is　every　one　for　himself？　It　is　true　that　her　house　is　not

a　shop；　and　I　have　put　myself　in　the　wrong　by　needing　her　help。

You　should　cut　your　way　through　the　world　like　a　cannon　ball；　as

Vautrin　said。〃



But　the　student's　bitter　thoughts　were　soon　dissipated　by　the

pleasure　which　he　promised　himself　in　this　dinner　with　the

Vicomtesse。　Fate　seemed　to　determine　that　the　smallest　accidents

in　his　life　should　combine　to　urge　him　into　a　career；　which　the

terrible　sphinx　of　the　Maison　Vauquer　had　described　as　a　field　of

battle　where　you　must　either　slay　or　be　slain；　and　cheat　to　avoid

being　cheated。　You　leave　your　conscience　and　your　heart　at　the

barriers；　and　wear　a　mask　on　entering　into　this　game　of　grim

earnest；　wh