father goriot-第48节
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entreaty。
〃She can go and dine where she likes；〃 shouted several voices。
〃Turn her out； the spy！〃
〃Turn them both out！ Spies！〃
〃Gentlemen；〃 cried Poiret； his heart swelling with the courage
that love gives to the ovine male； 〃respect the weaker sex。〃
〃Spies are of no sex！〃 said the painter。
〃A precious sexorama！〃
〃Turn her into the streetorama！〃
〃Gentlemen； this is not manners！ If you turn people out of the
house； it ought not to be done so unceremoniously and with no
notice at all。 We have paid our money； and we are not going；〃
said Poiret； putting on his cap； and taking a chair beside Mlle。
Michonneau； with whom Mme。 Vauquer was remonstrating。
〃Naughty boy！〃 said the painter； with a comical look； 〃run away；
naughty little boy！〃
〃Look here；〃 said Bianchon； 〃if you do not go； all the rest of us
will；〃 and the boarders； to a man； made for the sitting…room…
door。
〃Oh！ mademoiselle； what is to be done？〃 cried Mme。 Vauquer。 〃I am
a ruined woman。 You can't stay here； they will go further； do
something violent。〃
Mlle。 Michonneau rose to her feet。
〃She is going！She is not going！She is going！No； she isn't。〃
These alternate exclamations； and a suggestion of hostile
intentions； borne out by the behavior of the insurgents；
compelled Mlle。 Michonneau to take her departure。 She made some
stipulations； speaking in a low voice in her hostess' ear； and
then〃I shall go to Mme。 Buneaud's；〃 she said； with a
threatening look。
〃Go where you please； mademoiselle；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer； who
regarded this choice of an opposition establishment as an
atrocious insult。 〃Go and lodge with the Buneaud； the wine would
give a cat the colic； and the food is cheap and nasty。〃
The boarders stood aside in two rows to let her pass； not a word
was spoken。 Poiret looked so wistfully after Mlle。 Michonneau；
and so artlessly revealed that he was in two minds whether to go
or stay； that the boarders； in their joy at being quit of Mlle。
Michonneau； burst out laughing at the sight of him。
〃Hist！st！st！ Poiret；〃 shouted the painter。 〃Hallo！ I say；
Poiret； hallo！〃 The employe from the Museum began to sing：
〃Partant pour la Syrie；
Le jeune et beau Dunois 。 。 。〃
〃Get along with you； you must be dying to go； trahit sua quemque
voluptas！〃 said Bianchon。
〃Every one to his tastefree rendering from Virgil；〃 said the
tutor。
Mlle。 Michonneau made a movement as if to take Poiret's arm； with
an appealing glance that he could not resist。 The two went out
together； the old maid leaning upon him； and there was a burst of
applause； followed by peals of laughter。
〃Bravo； Poiret！〃
〃Who would have thought it of old Poiret！〃
〃Apollo Poiret！〃
〃Mars Poiret！〃
〃Intrepid Poiret！〃
A messenger came in at that moment with a letter for Mme。
Vauquer； who read it through； and collapsed in her chair。
〃The house might as well be burned down at once；〃 cried she； 〃if
there are to be any more of these thunderbolts！ Young Taillefer
died at three o'clock this afternoon。 It serves me right for
wishing well to those ladies at that poor man's expense。 Mme。
Couture and Victorine want me to send their things； because they
are going to live with her father。 M。 Taillefer allows his
daughter to keep old Mme。 Couture as her lady companion。 Four
rooms to let！ and five lodgers gone！ 。 。 。〃
She sat up； and seemed about to burst into tears。
〃Bad luck has come to lodge here； I think；〃 she cried。
Once more there came a sound of wheels from the street outside。
〃What！ another windfall for somebody！〃 was Sylvie's comment。
But it was Goriot who came in； looking so radiant； so flushed
with happiness； that he seemed to have grown young again。
〃Goriot in a cab！〃 cried the boarders； 〃the world is coming to an
end。〃
The good soul made straight for Eugene； who was standing wrapped
in thought in a corner； and laid a hand on the young man's arm。
〃Come；〃 he said； with gladness in his eyes。
〃Then you haven't heard the news？〃 said Eugene。 〃Vautrin was an
escaped convict； they have just arrested him； and young Taillefer
is dead。〃
〃Very well； but what business is it of ours？〃 replied Father
Goriot。 〃I am going to dine with my daughter in YOUR HOUSE； do
you understand？ She is expecting you。 Come！〃
He carried off Rastignac with him by main force； and they
departed in as great a hurry as a pair of eloping lovers。
〃Now； let us have dinner；〃 cried the painter； and every one drew
his chair to the table。
〃Well； I never；〃 said the portly Sylvie。 〃Nothing goes right to…
day！ The haricot mutton has caught！ Bah！ you will have to eat it；
burned as it is； more's the pity！〃
Mme。 Vauquer was so dispirited that she could not say a word as
she looked round the table and saw only ten people where eighteen
should be； but every one tried to comfort and cheer her。 At first
the dinner contingent； as was natural； talked about Vautrin and
the day's events； but the conversation wound round to such topics
of interest as duels； jails； justice； prison life； and
alterations that ought to be made in the laws。 They soon wandered
miles away from Jacques Collin and Victorine and her brother。
There might be only ten of them； but they made noise enough for
twenty； indeed； there seemed to be more of them than usual； that
was the only difference between yesterday and to…day。
Indifference to the fate of others is a matter of course in this
selfish world； which； on the morrow of tragedy； seeks among the
events of Paris for a fresh sensation for its daily renewed
appetite； and this indifference soon gained the upper hand。 Mme。
Vauquer herself grew calmer under the soothing influence of hope；
and the mouthpiece of hope was the portly Sylvie。
That day had gone by like a dream for Eugene； and the sense of
unreality lasted into the evening； so that； in spite of his
energetic character and clear…headedness； his ideas were a chaos
as he sat beside Goriot in the cab。 The old man's voice was full
of unwonted happiness； but Eugene had been shaken by so many
emotions that the words sounded in his ears like words spoken in
a dream。
〃It was finished this morning！ All three of us are going to dine
there together； together！ Do you understand？ I have not dined
with my Delphine； my little Delphine； these four years； and I
shall have her for a whole evening！ We have been at your lodging
the whole time since morning。 I have been working like a porter
in my shirt sleeves； helping to carry in the furniture。 Aha！ you
don't know what pretty ways she has； at table she will look after
me； 'Here； papa； just try this； it is nice。' And I shall not be
able to eat。 Oh； it is a long while since I have been with her in
quiet every…day life as we shall have her。〃
〃It really seems as if the world has been turned upside down。〃
〃Upside down？〃 repeated Father Goriot。 〃Why； the world has never
been so right…side up。 I see none but smiling faces in the
streets； people who shake hands cordially and embrace each other；
people who all look as happy as if they were going to dine with
their daughter； and gobble down a nice little dinner that she
went with me to order of the chef at the Cafe des Anglais。 But；
pshaw！ with her beside you gall and wormwood would be as sweet as
honey。〃
〃I feel as if I were coming back to life again；〃 said Eugene。
〃Why； hurry up there！〃 cried Father Goriot； letting down the
window in front。 〃Get on faster； I will give you five francs if
you get to the place I told you of in ten minutes time。〃
With this prospect before him the cabman crossed Paris with
miraculous celerity。
〃How that fellow crawls！〃 said Father Goriot。
〃But where are you taking me？〃 Eugene asked him。
〃To your own house；〃 said Goriot。
The cab stopped in the Rue d'Artois。 Father Goriot stepped out
first and flung ten francs to the man with the recklessness of a
widower returning to bachelor ways。
〃Come along upstairs；〃 he said to Rastignac。 They crossed a
courtyard； and climbed up to the third floor of a new and
handsome house。 There they stopped before a door； but before
Goriot could ring； it was opened by Therese； Mme。 de Nucingen's
maid。 Eugene found himself in a charming set of chambers； an
ante…room； a little drawing…room； a bedroom； and a study； looking
out upon a garden。 The furniture and the decorations of the
little drawing…room were of the most daintily charming
description； the room was full of soft light； and Delphine rose
up from a low chair by the fire and stood before him。 She set her
fire…screen down on the chimney…piece； and spoke with tenderness
in every tone of her voice。
〃So we had to go in search of you； sir； you who are so slow to
understand！〃
Therese left the room。 The student took Delphine in his arms and
held her in a tight
