father goriot-第4节

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year；　he　had　further　taken　measures　to　disinherit　his　daughter；

and　had　converted　all　his　real　estate　into　personalty；　that　he

might　leave　it　undivided　to　his　son。　Victorine's　mother　had　died

broken…hearted　in　Mme。　Couture's　house；　and　the　latter；　who　was　a

near　relation；　had　taken　charge　of　the　little　orphan。　Unluckily；

the　widow　of　the　commissary…general　to　the　armies　of　the　Republic

had　nothing　in　the　world　but　her　jointure　and　her　widow's

pension；　and　some　day　she　might　be　obliged　to　leave　the　helpless；

inexperienced　girl　to　the　mercy　of　the　world。　The　good　soul；

therefore；　took　Victorine　to　mass　every　Sunday；　and　to　confession

once　a　fortnight；　thinking　that；　in　any　case；　she　would　bring　up

her　ward　to　be　devout。　She　was　right；　religion　offered　a　solution

of　the　problem　of　the　young　girl's　future。　The　poor　child　loved

the　father　who　refused　to　acknowledge　her。　Once　every　year　she

tried　to　see　him　to　deliver　her　mother's　message　of　forgiveness；

but　every　year　hitherto　she　had　knocked　at　that　door　in　vain；　her

father　was　inexorable。　Her　brother；　her　only　means　of

communication；　had　not　come　to　see　her　for　four　years；　and　had

sent　her　no　assistance；　yet　she　prayed　to　God　to　unseal　her

father's　eyes　and　to　soften　her　brother's　heart；　and　no

accusations　mingled　with　her　prayers。　Mme。　Couture　and　Mme。

Vauquer　exhausted　the　vocabulary　of　abuse；　and　failed　to　find

words　that　did　justice　to　the　banker's　iniquitous　conduct；　but

while　they　heaped　execrations　on　the　millionaire；　Victorine's

words　were　as　gentle　as　the　moan　of　the　wounded　dove；　and

affection　found　expression　even　in　the　cry　drawn　from　her　by

pain。



Eugene　de　Rastignac　was　a　thoroughly　southern　type；　he　had　a　fair

complexion；　blue　eyes；　black　hair。　In　his　figure；　manner；　and　his

whole　bearing　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　had　either　come　of　a

noble　family；　or　that；　from　his　earliest　childhood；　he　had　been

gently　bred。　If　he　was　careful　of　his　wardrobe；　only　taking　last

year's　clothes　into　daily　wear；　still　upon　occasion　he　could

issue　forth　as　a　young　man　of　fashion。　Ordinarily　he　wore　a

shabby　coat　and　waistcoat；　the　limp　black　cravat；　untidily

knotted；　that　students　affect；　trousers　that　matched　the　rest　of

his　costume；　and　boots　that　had　been　resoled。



Vautrin　（the　man　of　forty　with　the　dyed　whiskers）　marked　a

transition　stage　between　these　two　young　people　and　the　others。

He　was　the　kind　of　man　that　calls　forth　the　remark：　〃He　looks　a

jovial　sort！〃　He　had　broad　shoulders；　a　well…developed　chest；

muscular　arms；　and　strong　square…fisted　hands；　the　joints　of　his

fingers　were　covered　with　tufts　of　fiery　red　hair。　His　face　was

furrowed　by　premature　wrinkles；　there　was　a　certain　hardness

about　it　in　spite　of　his　bland　and　insinuating　manner。　His　bass

voice　was　by　no　means　unpleasant；　and　was　in　keeping　with　his

boisterous　laughter。　He　was　always　obliging；　always　in　good

spirits；　if　anything　went　wrong　with　one　of　the　locks；　he　would

soon　unscrew　it；　take　it　to　pieces；　file　it；　oil　and　clean　and

set　it　in　order；　and　put　it　back　in　its　place　again；　〃I　am　an　old

hand　at　it；〃　he　used　to　say。　Not　only　so；　he　knew　all　about

ships；　the　sea；　France；　foreign　countries；　men；　business；　law；

great　houses　and　prisons；there　was　nothing　that　he　did　not

know。　If　any　one　complained　rather　more　than　usual；　he　would

offer　his　services　at　once。　He　had　several　times　lent　money　to

Mme。　Vauquer；　or　to　the　boarders；　but；　somehow；　those　whom　he

obliged　felt　that　they　would　sooner　face　death　than　fail　to　repay

him；　a　certain　resolute　look；　sometimes　seen　on　his　face；

inspired　fear　of　him；　for　all　his　appearance　of　easy　good…nature。

In　the　way　he　spat　there　was　an　imperturbable　coolness　which

seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　a　man　who　would　not　stick　at　a

crime　to　extricate　himself　from　a　false　position。　His　eyes；　like

those　of　a　pitiless　judge；　seemed　to　go　to　the　very　bottom　of　all

questions；　to　read　all　natures；　all　feelings　and　thoughts。　His

habit　of　life　was　very　regular；　he　usually　went　out　after

breakfast；　returning　in　time　for　dinner；　and　disappeared　for　the

rest　of　the　evening；　letting　himself　in　about　midnight　with　a

latch　key；　a　privilege　that　Mme。　Vauquer　accorded　to　no　other

boarder。　But　then　he　was　on　very　good　terms　with　the　widow；　he

used　to　call　her　〃mamma；〃　and　put　his　arm　round　her　waist；　a

piece　of　flattery　perhaps　not　appreciated　to　the　full！　The　worthy

woman　might　imagine　this　to　be　an　easy　feat；　but；　as　a　matter　of

fact；　no　arm　but　Vautrin's　was　long　enough　to　encircle　her。



It　was　a　characteristic　trait　of　his　generously　to　pay　fifteen

francs　a　month　for　the　cup　of　coffee　with　a　dash　of　brandy　in　it；

which　he　took　after　dinner。　Less　superficial　observers　than　young

men　engulfed　by　the　whirlpool　of　Parisian　life；　or　old　men；　who

took　no　interest　in　anything　that　did　not　directly　concern　them；

would　not　have　stopped　short　at　the　vaguely　unsatisfactory

impression　that　Vautrin　made　upon　them。　He　knew　or　guessed　the

concerns　of　every　one　about　him；　but　none　of　them　had　been　able

to　penetrate　his　thoughts；　or　to　discover　his　occupation。　He　had

deliberately　made　his　apparent　good…nature；　his　unfailing

readiness　to　oblige；　and　his　high　spirits　into　a　barrier　between

himself　and　the　rest　of　them；　but　not　seldom　he　gave　glimpses　of

appalling　depths　of　character。　He　seemed　to　delight　in　scourging

the　upper　classes　of　society　with　the　lash　of　his　tongue；　to　take

pleasure　in　convicting　it　of　inconsistency；　in　mocking　at　law　and

order　with　some　grim　jest　worthy　of　Juvenal；　as　if　some　grudge

against　the　social　system　rankled　in　him；　as　if　there　were　some

mystery　carefully　hidden　away　in　his　life。



Mlle。　Taillefer　felt　attracted；　perhaps　unconsciously；　by　the

strength　of　the　one　man；　and　the　good　looks　of　the　other；　her

stolen　glances　and　secret　thoughts　were　divided　between　them；　but

neither　of　them　seemed　to　take　any　notice　of　her；　although　some

day　a　chance　might　alter　her　position；　and　she　would　be　a　wealthy

heiress。　For　that　matter；　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　house　who

took　any　trouble　to　investigate　the　various　chronicles　of

misfortunes；　real　or　imaginary；　related　by　the　rest。　Each　one

regarded　the　others　with　indifference；　tempered　by　suspicion；　it

was　a　natural　result　of　their　relative　positions。　Practical

assistance　not　one　could　give；　this　they　all　knew；　and　they　had

long　since　exhausted　their　stock　of　condolence　over　previous

discussions　of　their　grievances。　They　were　in　something　the　same

position　as　an　elderly　couple　who　have　nothing　left　to　say　to

each　other。　The　routine　of　existence　kept　them　in　contact；　but

they　were　parts　of　a　mechanism　which　wanted　oil。　There　was　not

one　of　them　but　would　have　passed　a　blind　man　begging　in　the

street；　not　one　that　felt　moved　to　pity　by　a　tale　of　misfortune；

not　one　who　did　not　see　in　death　the　solution　of　the　all…

absorbing　problem　of　misery　which　left　them　cold　to　the　most

terrible　anguish　in　others。



The　happiest　of　these　hapless　beings　was　certainly　Mme。　Vauquer；

who　reigned　supreme　over　this　hospital　supported　by　voluntary

contributions。　For　her；　the　little　garden；　which　silence；　and

cold；　and　rain；　and　drought　combined　to　make　as　dreary　as　an

Asian　steppe；　was　a　pleasant　shaded　nook；　the　gaunt　yellow　house；

the　musty　odors　of　a　back　shop　had　charms　for　her；　and　for　her

alone。　Those　cells　belonged　to　her。　She　fed　those　convicts

condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　life；　and　her　authority　was

recognized　among　them。　Where　else　in　Paris　would　they　have　found

wholesome　food　in　sufficient　quantity　at　the　prices　she　charged

them；　and　rooms　which　they　were　at　liberty　to　make；　if　not

exactly　elegant　or　comfortable；　at　any　rate　clean　and　healthy？　If

she　had　committed　some　flagrant　act　of　injustice；　the　victim

would　have　borne　it　in　silence。



Such　a　gathering　contained；　as　might　have　been　expected；　the

elements　out　of　which　a　complete　society　might　be　constructed。

And；　as　in　a　school；　as　in　the　world　itself；　there　was　among　the

eighteen　men　and　women　who　met　round　the　dinner　table　a　poor

creature；　despised　by　all　the　others；　condemned　to　be　the　butt　of

all　their　jokes。　At　the　beginning　of　Eugene　de　Rastignac's　second

twelvemonth；　this　figure　suddenly　started　out　into　bold　relief

against　the　background　of　human　forms　and　faces　among　which　the

law　student　was　yet　to　live　for　another　two　years　to　come。　This

laughing…stock　was　the　retired　vermicelli…merchant；　Father

Goriot；　upon　whose　face　a　painter；　like　the　historian；　would　have

concentrated　all　the　light　in　his　picture。



How　had　it　come　about　that　the　boarders　regarded　him　with　a　half…

malignant　contempt？　Why　did　they　subject　the　oldest　among　their

number　to　a　kind　of　persecution；　in　which　there　was　mingled　some

pity；　but　no　respect　for　his　misfortunes？　Had　he　brought　it　on

himself　by　some　eccentricity　or　absurdity；　which　is　less　easily

forgiven　or　forgotten　than　more　s