father goriot-第46节

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and　then　he　thought　of　his　letter；　and　read　it　again　and　kissed

it。



〃Such　a　love　is　my　anchor　of　safety；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃How

the　old　man's　heart　must　have　been　wrung！　He　says　nothing　about

all　that　he　has　been　through；　but　who　could　not　guess？　Well；

then；　I　will　be　like　a　son　to　him；　his　life　shall　be　made　happy。

If　she　cares　for　me；　she　will　often　come　to　spend　the　day　with

him。　That　grand　Comtesse　de　Restaud　is　a　heartless　thing；　she

would　make　her　father　into　her　hall　porter。　Dear　Delphine！　she　is

kinder　to　the　old　man；　she　is　worthy　to　be　loved。　Ah！　this

evening　I　shall　be　very　happy！〃



He　took　out　his　watch　and　admired　it。



〃I　have　had　nothing　but　success！　If　two　people　mean　to　love　each

other　for　ever；　they　may　help　each　other；　and　I　can　take　this。

Besides；　I　shall　succeed；　and　I　will　pay　her　a　hundredfold。　There

is　nothing　criminal　in　this　liaison；　nothing　that　could　cause　the

most　austere　moralist　to　frown。　How　many　respectable　people

contract　similar　unions！　We　deceive　nobody；　it　is　deception　that

makes　a　position　humiliating。　If　you　lie；　you　lower　yourself　at

once。　She　and　her　husband　have　lived　apart　for　a　long　while。

Besides；　how　if　I　called　upon　that　Alsatian　to　resign　a　wife　whom

he　cannot　make　happy？〃



Rastignac's　battle　with　himself　went　on　for　a　long　while；　and

though　the　scruples　of　youth　inevitably　gained　the　day；　an

irresistible　curiosity　led　him；　about　half…past　four；　to　return

to　the　Maison　Vauquer　through　the　gathering　dusk。



Bianchon　had　given　Vautrin　an　emetic；　reserving　the　contents　of

the　stomach　for　chemical　analysis　at　the　hospital。　Mlle。

Michonneau's　officious　alacrity　had　still　further　strengthened

his　suspicions　of　her。　Vautrin；　moreover；　had　recovered　so

quickly　that　it　was　impossible　not　to　suspect　some　plot　against

the　leader　of　all　frolics　at　the　lodging…house。　Vautrin　was

standing　in　front　of　the　stove　in　the　dining…room　when　Rastignac

came　in。　All　the　lodgers　were　assembled　sooner　than　usual　by　the

news　of　young　Taillefer's　duel。　They　were　anxious　to　hear　any

detail　about　the　affair；　and　to　talk　over　the　probable　change　in

Victorine's　prospects。　Father　Goriot　alone　was　absent；　but　the

rest　were　chatting。　No　sooner　did　Eugene　come　into　the　room；　than

his　eyes　met　the　inscrutable　gaze　of　Vautrin。　It　was　the　same

look　that　had　read　his　thoughts　beforethe　look　that　had　such

power　to　waken　evil　thoughts　in　his　heart。　He　shuddered。



〃Well；　dear　boy；〃　said　the　escaped　convict；　〃I　am　likely　to　cheat

death　for　a　good　while　yet。　According　to　these　ladies；　I　have　had

a　stroke　that　would　have　felled　an　ox；　and　come　off　with　flying

colors。〃



〃A　bull　you　might　say；〃　cried　the　widow。



〃You　really　might　be　sorry　to　see　me　still　alive；〃　said　Vautrin

in　Rastignac's　ear；　thinking　that　he　guessed　the　student's

thoughts。　〃You　must　be　mighty　sure　of　yourself。〃



〃Mlle。　Michonneau　was　talking　the　day　before　yesterday　about　a

gentleman　named　Trompe…la…Mort；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃and；　upon　my

word；　that　name　would　do　very　well　for　you。〃



Vautrin　seemed　thunderstruck。　He　turned　pale；　and　staggered　back。

He　turned　his　magnetic　glance；　like　a　ray　of　vivid　light；　on

Mlle。　Michonneau；　the　old　maid　shrank　and　trembled　under　the

influence　of　that　strong　will；　and　collapsed　into　a　chair。　The

mask　of　good…nature　had　dropped　from　the　convict's　face；　from　the

unmistakable　ferocity　of　that　sinister　look；　Poiret　felt　that　the

old　maid　was　in　danger；　and　hastily　stepped　between　them。　None　of

the　lodgers　understood　this　scene　in　the　least；　they　looked　on　in

mute　amazement。　There　was　a　pause。　Just　then　there　was　a　sound　of

tramping　feet　outside；　there　were　soldiers　there；　it　seemed；　for

there　was　a　ring　of　several　rifles　on　the　pavement　of　the　street。

Collin　was　mechanically　looking　round　the　walls　for　a　way　of

escape；　when　four　men　entered　by　way　of　the　sitting…room。



〃In　the　name　of　the　King　and　the　Law！〃　said　an　officer；　but　the

words　were　almost　lost　in　a　murmur　of　astonishment。



Silence　fell　on　the　room。　The　lodgers　made　way　for　three　of　the

men；　who　had　each　a　hand　on　a　cocked　pistol　in　a　side　pocket。　Two

policemen；　who　followed　the　detectives；　kept　the　entrance　to　the

sitting…room；　and　two　more　men　appeared　in　the　doorway　that　gave

access　to　the　staircase。　A　sound　of　footsteps　came　from　the

garden；　and　again　the　rifles　of　several　soldiers　rang　on　the

cobblestones　under　the　window。　All　chance　of　salvation　by　flight

was　cut　off　for　Trompe…la…Mort；　to　whom　all　eyes　instinctively

turned。　The　chief　walked　straight　up　to　him；　and　commenced

operations　by　giving　him　a　sharp　blow　on　the　head；　so　that　the

wig　fell　off；　and　Collin's　face　was　revealed　in　all　its　ugliness。

There　was　a　terrible　suggestion　of　strength　mingled　with　cunning

in　the　short；　brick…red　crop　of　hair；　the　whole　head　was　in

harmony　with　his　powerful　frame；　and　at　that　moment　the　fires　of

hell　seemed　to　gleam　from　his　eyes。　In　that　flash　the　real

Vautrin　shone　forth；　revealed　at　once　before　them　all；　they

understood　his　past；　his　present；　and　future；　his　pitiless

doctrines；　his　actions；　the　religion　of　his　own　good　pleasure；

the　majesty　with　which　his　cynicism　and　contempt　for　mankind

invested　him；　the　physical　strength　of　an　organization　proof

against　all　trials。　The　blood　flew　to　his　face；　and　his　eyes

glared　like　the　eyes　of　a　wild　cat。　He　started　back　with　savage

energy　and　a　fierce　growl　that　drew　exclamations　of　alarm　from

the　lodgers。　At　that　leonine　start　the　police　caught　at　their

pistols　under　cover　of　the　general　clamor。　Collin　saw　the

gleaming　muzzles　of　the　weapons；　saw　his　danger；　and　instantly

gave　proof　of　a　power　of　the　highest　order。　There　was　something

horrible　and　majestic　in　the　spectacle　of　the　sudden

transformation　in　his　face；　he　could　only　be　compared　to　a

cauldron　full　of　the　steam　that　can　send　mountains　flying；　a

terrific　force　dispelled　in　a　moment　by　a　drop　of　cold　water。　The

drop　of　water　that　cooled　his　wrathful　fury　was　a　reflection　that

flashed　across　his　brain　like　lightning。　He　began　to　smile；　and

looked　down　at　his　wig。



〃You　are　not　in　the　politest　of　humors　to…day；〃　he　remarked　to

the　chief；　and　he　held　out　his　hands　to　the　policemen　with　a　jerk

of　his　head。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃put　on　the　bracelets　or　the　handcuffs。　I

call　on　those　present　to　witness　that　I　make　no　resistance。〃



A　murmur　of　admiration　ran　through　the　room　at　the　sudden

outpouring　like　fire　and　lava　flood　from　this　human　volcano；　and

its　equally　sudden　cessation。



〃There's　a　sell　for　you；　master　crusher；〃　the　convict　added；

looking　at　the　famous　director　of　police。



〃Come；　strip！〃　said　he　of　the　Petite　Rue　Saint…Anne；

contemptuously。



〃Why？〃　asked　Collin。　〃There　are　ladies　present；　I　deny　nothing；

and　surrender。〃



He　paused；　and　looked　round　the　room　like　an　orator　who　is　about

to　overwhelm　his　audience。



〃Take　this　down；　Daddy　Lachapelle；〃　he　went　on；　addressing　a

little；　white…haired　old　man　who　had　seated　himself　at　the　end　of

the　table；　and　after　drawing　a　printed　form　from　the　portfolio；

was　proceeding　to　draw　up　a　document。　〃I　acknowledge　myself　to　be

Jacques　Collin；　otherwise　known　as　Trompe…la…Mort；　condemned　to

twenty　years'　penal　servitude；　and　I　have　just　proved　that　I　have

come　fairly　by　my　nickname。If　I　had　as　much　as　raised　my　hand；〃

he　went　on；　addressing　the　other　lodgers；　〃those　three　sneaking

wretches　yonder　would　have　drawn　claret　on　Mamma　Vauquer's

domestic　hearth。　The　rogues　have　laid　their　heads　together　to　set

a　trap　for　me。〃



Mme。　Vauquer　felt　sick　and　faint　at　these　words。



〃Good　Lord！〃　she　cried；　〃this　does　give　one　a　turn；　and　me　at　the

Gaite　with　him　only　last　night！〃　she　said　to　Sylvie。



〃Summon　your　philosophy；　mamma；〃　Collin　resumed。　〃Is　it　a

misfortune　to　have　sat　in　my　box　at　the　Gaite　yesterday　evening？

After　all；　are　you　better　than　we　are？　The　brand　upon　our

shoulders　is　less　shameful　than　the　brand　set　on　your　hearts；　you

flabby　members　of　a　society　rotten　to　the　core。　Not　the　best　man

among　you　could　stand　up　to　me。〃　His　eyes　rested　upon　Rastignac；

to　whom　he　spoke　with　a　pleasant　smile　that　seemed　strangely　at

variance　with　the　savage　expression　in　his　eyes。〃Our　little

bargain　still　holds　good；　dear　boy；　you　can　accept　any　time　you

like！　Do　you　understand？〃　And　he　sang：



　　〃A　charming　girl　is　my　Fanchette

　　In　her　simplicity。〃



〃Don't　you　trouble　yourself；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　can　get　in　my　money。

They　are　too　much　afraid　of　me　to　swindle　me。〃



The　convicts'　prison；　its　language　and　customs；　its　sudden　sharp

transitions　from　the　humorous　to　the　horrible；　its　appalling

grandeur；　its　triviality　and　its　dark　depths；　were　all　revealed

in　turn　by　the　speaker's　discourse；　he　seemed　to　be　no　longer　a

man；　but　the　type　and　mouthpiece　of　a　degenerate　race；　a　brutal；

supple；　clear…headed　race　of　savages。　In　one　moment　Collin