father goriot-第49节

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Therese　left　the　room。　The　student　took　Delphine　in　his　arms　and

held　her　in　a　tight　clasp；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　joy。

This　last　contrast　between　his　present　surroundings　and　the

scenes　he　had　just　witnessed　was　too　much　for　Rastignac's　over…

wrought　nerves；　after　the　day's　strain　and　excitement　that　had

wearied　heart　and　brain；　he　was　almost　overcome　by　it。



〃I　felt　sure　myself　that　he　loved　you；〃　murmured　Father　Goriot；

while　Eugene　lay　back　bewildered　on　the　sofa；　utterly　unable　to

speak　a　word　or　to　reason　out　how　and　why　the　magic　wand　had　been

waved　to　bring　about　this　final　transformation　scene。



〃But　you　must　see　your　rooms；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　She　took

his　hand　and　led　him　into　a　room　carpeted　and　furnished　like　her

own；　indeed；　down　to　the　smallest　details；　it　was　a　reproduction

in　miniature　of　Delphine's　apartment。



〃There　is　no　bed；〃　said　Rastignac。



〃No；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　reddening；　and　pressing　his　hand。

Eugene；　looking　at　her；　understood；　young　though　he　yet　was；　how

deeply　modesty　is　implanted　in　the　heart　of　a　woman　who　loves。



〃You　are　one　of　those　beings　whom　we　cannot　choose　but　to　adore

for　ever；〃　he　said　in　her　ear。　〃Yes；　the　deeper　and　truer　love

is；　the　more　mysterious　and　closely　veiled　it　should　be；　I　can

dare　to　say　so；　since　we　understand　each　other　so　well。　No　one

shall　learn　our　secret。〃



〃Oh！　so　I　am　nobody；　I　suppose；〃　growled　the　father。



〃You　know　quite　well　that　'we'　means　you。〃



〃Ah！　that　is　what　I　wanted。　You　will　not　mind　me；　will　you？　I

shall　go　and　come　like　a　good　fairy　who　makes　himself　felt

everywhere　without　being　seen；　shall　I　not？　Eh；　Delphinette；

Ninette；　Dedelwas　it　not　a　good　idea　of　mine　to　say　to　you；

'There　are　some　nice　rooms　to　let　in　the　Rue　d'Artois；　let　us

furnish　them　for　him？'　And　she　would　not　hear　of　it！　Ah！　your

happiness　has　been　all　my　doing。　I　am　the　author　of　your

happiness　and　of　your　existence。　Fathers　must　always　be　giving　if

they　would　be　happy　themselves；　always　givingthey　would　not　be

fathers　else。〃



〃Was　that　how　it　happened？〃　asked　Eugene。



〃Yes。　She　would　not　listen　to　me。　She　was　afraid　that　people

would　talk；　as　if　the　rubbish　that　they　say　about　you　were　to　be

compared　with　happiness！　Why；　all　women　dream　of　doing　what　she

has　done〃



Father　Goriot　found　himself　without　an　audience；　for　Mme。　de

Nucingen　had　led　Rastignac　into　the　study；　he　heard　a　kiss　given

and　taken；　low　though　the　sound　was。



The　study　was　furnished　as　elegantly　as　the　other　rooms；　and

nothing　was　wanting　there。



〃Have　we　guessed　your　wishes　rightly？〃　she　asked；　as　they

returned　to　the　drawing…room　for　dinner。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃only　too　well；　alas！　For　all　this　luxury　so　well

carried　out；　this　realization　of　pleasant　dreams；　the　elegance

that　satisfies　all　the　romantic　fancies　of　youth；　appeals　to　me

so　strongly　that　I　cannot　but　feel　that　it　is　my　rightful

possession；　but　I　cannot　accept　it　from　you；　and　I　am　too　poor　as

yet　to〃



〃Ah！　ah！　you　say　me　nay　already；〃　she　said　with　arch

imperiousness；　and　a　charming　little　pout　of　the　lips；　a　woman's

way　of　laughing　away　scruples。



But　Eugene　had　submitted　so　lately　to　that　solemn　self…

questioning；　and　Vautrin's　arrest　had　so　plainly　shown　him　the

depths　of　the　pit　that　lay　ready　to　his　feet；　that　the　instincts

of　generosity　and　honor　had　been　strengthened　in　him；　and　he

could　not　allow　himself　to　be　coaxed　into　abandoning　his　high…

minded　determinations。　Profound　melancholy　filled　his　mind。



〃Do　you　really　mean　to　refuse？〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　〃And　do

you　know　what　such　a　refusal　means？　That　you　are　not　sure　of

yourself；　that　you　do　not　dare　to　bind　yourself　to　me。　Are　you

really　afraid　of　betraying　my　affection？　If　you　love　me；　if　I

love　you；　why　should　you　shrink　back　from　such　a　slight

obligation？　If　you　but　knew　what　a　pleasure　it　has　been　to　see

after　all　the　arrangements　of　this　bachelor　establishment；　you

would　not　hesitate　any　longer；　you　would　ask　me　to　forgive　you

for　your　hesitation。　I　had　some　money　that　belonged　to　you；　and　I

have　made　good　use　of　it；　that　is　all。　You　mean　this　for

magnanimity；　but　it　is　very　little　of　you。　You　are　asking　me　for

far　more　than　this。　。　。　。　Ah！〃　she　cried；　as　Eugene's　passionate

glance　was　turned　on　her；　〃and　you　are　making　difficulties　about

the　merest　trifles。　Of；　if　you　feel　no　love　whatever　for　me；

refuse；　by　all　means。　My　fate　hangs　on　a　word　from　you。　Speak！

Father；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃make　him　listen　to　reason。　Can

he　imagine　that　I　am　less　nice　than　he　is　on　the　point　of　honor？〃



Father　Goriot　was　looking　on　and　listening　to　this　pretty　quarrel

with　a　placid　smile；　as　if　he　had　found　some　balm　for　all　the

sorrows　of　life。



〃Child　that　you　are！〃　she　cried　again；　catching　Eugene's　hand。

〃You　are　just　beginning　life；　you　find　barriers　at　the　outset

that　many　a　man　finds　insurmountable；　a　woman's　hand　opens　the

way　and　you　shrink　back！　Why；　you　are　sure　to　succeed！　You　will

have　a　brilliant　future。　Success　is　written　on　that　broad

forehead　of　yours；　and　will　you　not　be　able　to　repay　me　my　loan

of　today？　Did　not　a　lady　in　olden　times　arm　her　knight　with　sword

and　helmet　and　coat　of　mail；　and　find　him　a　charger；　so　that　he

might　fight　for　her　in　the　tournament？　Well；　then；　Eugene；　these

things　that　I　offer　you　are　the　weapons　of　this　age；　every　one

who　means　to　be　something　must　have　such　tools　as　these。　A　pretty

place　your　garret　must　be　if　it　is　like　papa's　room！　See；　dinner

is　waiting　all　this　time。　Do　you　want　to　make　me　unhappy？Why

don't　you　answer？〃　she　said；　shaking　his　hand。　〃MON　DIEU！　papa；

make　up　his　mind　for　him；　or　I　will　go　away　and　never　see　him　any

more。〃



〃I　will　make　up　your　mind；〃　said　Goriot；　coming　down　from　the

clouds。　〃Now；　my　dear　M。　Eugene；　the　next　thing　is　to　borrow

money　of　the　Jews；　isn't　it？〃



〃There　is　positively　no　help　for　it；〃　said　Eugene。



〃All　right；　I　will　give　you　credit；〃　said　the　other；　drawing　out

a　cheap　leather　pocket…book；　much　the　worse　for　wear。　〃I　have

turned　Jew　myself；　I　paid　for　everything；　here　are　the　invoices。

You　do　not　owe　a　penny　for　anything　here。　It　did　not　come　to　very

muchfive　thousand　francs　at　most；　and　I　am　going　to　lend　you

the　money　myself。　I　am　not　a　womanyou　can　refuse　me。　You　shall

give　me　a　receipt　on　a　scrap　of　paper；　and　you　can　return　it　some

time　or　other。〃



Delphine　and　Eugene　looked　at　each　other　in　amazement；　tears

sprang　to　their　eyes。　Rastignac　held　out　his　hand　and　grasped

Goriot's　warmly。



〃Well；　what　is　all　this　about？　Are　you　not　my　children？〃



〃Oh！　my　poor　father；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　〃how　did　you　do

it？〃



〃Ah！　now　you　ask　me。　When　I　made　up　my　mind　to　move　him　nearer　to

you；　and　saw　you　buying　things　as　if　they　were　wedding　presents；

I　said　to　myself；　'She　will　never　be　able　to　pay　for　them。'　The

attorney　says　that　those　law　proceedings　will　last　quite　six

months　before　your　husband　can　be　made　to　disgorge　your　fortune。

Well　and　good。　I　sold　out　my　property　in　the　funds　that　brought

in　thirteen　hundred　and　fifty　livres　a　year；　and　bought　a　safe

annuity　of　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　for　fifteen　thousand

francs。　Then　I　paid　your　tradesmen　out　of　the　rest　of　the

capital。　As　for　me；　children；　I　have　a　room　upstairs　for　which　I

pay　fifty　crowns　a　year；　I　can　live　like　a　prince　on　two　francs　a

day；　and　still　have　something　left　over。　I　shall　not　have　to

spend　anything　much　on　clothes；　for　I　never　wear　anything　out。

This　fortnight　past　I　have　been　laughing　in　my　sleeve；　thinking

to　myself；　'How　happy　they　are　going　to　be！'　andwell；　now；　are

you　not　happy？〃



〃Oh　papa！　papa！〃　cried　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　springing　to　her　father；

who　took　her　on　his　knee。　She　covered　him　with　kisses；　her　fair

hair　brushed　his　cheek；　her　tears　fell　on　the　withered　face　that

had　grown　so　bright　and　radiant。



〃Dear　father；　what　a　father　you　are！　No；　there　is　not　another

father　like　you　under　the　sun。　If　Eugene　loved　you　before；　what

must　he　feel　for　you　now？〃



〃Why；　children；　why　Delphinette！〃　cried　Goriot；　who　had　not　felt

his　daughter's　heart　beat　against　his　breast　for　ten　years；　〃do

you　want　me　to　die　of　joy？　My　poor　heart　will　break！　Come；

Monsieur　Eugene；　we　are　quits　already。〃　And　the　old　man　strained

her　to　his　breast　with　such　fierce　and　passionate　force　that　she

cried　out。



〃Oh！　you　are　hurting　me！〃　she　said。



〃I　am　hurting　you！〃　He　grew　pale　at　the　words。　The　pain　expressed

in　his　face　seemed　greater　than　it　is　given　to　humanity　to　know。

The　agony　of　this　Christ　of　paternity　can　only　be　compared　with

the　masterpieces　of　those　princes　of　the　palette　who　have　left

for　us　the　record　of　their　visions　of　an　agony　suffered　for　a

whole　world　by　the　Saviour　of　men。　Father　Goriot　pressed　his　lips

very　gently　against　the　waist　than　his　fingers　had　grasped　too

roughly。