father goriot-第51节

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〃God　send　it　may；　my　dear　sir！　but　bad　luck　has　come　to　lodge

here。　There'll　be　a　death　in　the　house　before　ten　days　are　out；

you'll　see；〃　and　she　gave　a　lugubrious　look　round　the　dining…

room。　〃Whose　turn　will　it　be；　I　wonder？〃



〃It　is　just　as　well　that　we　are　moving　out；〃　said　Eugene　to

Father　Goriot　in　a　low　voice。



〃Madame；〃　said　Sylvie；　running　in　with　a　scared　face；　〃I　have　not

seen　Mistigris　these　three　days。〃



〃Ah！　well；　if　my　cat　is　dead；　if　HE　has　gone　and　left　us；　I〃



The　poor　woman　could　not　finish　her　sentence；　she　clasped　her

hands　and　hid　her　face　on　the　back　of　her　armchair；　quite

overcome　by　this　dreadful　portent。



By　twelve　o'clock；　when　the　postman　reaches　that　quarter；　Eugene

received　a　letter。　The　dainty　envelope　bore　the　Beauseant　arms　on

the　seal；　and　contained　an　invitation　to　the　Vicomtesse's　great

ball；　which　had　been　talked　of　in　Paris　for　a　month。　A　little

note　for　Eugene　was　slipped　in　with　the　card。



　　〃I　think；　monsieur；　that　you　will　undertake　with　pleasure　to

　　interpret　my　sentiments　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　so　I　am　sending　the

　　card　for　which　you　asked　me　to　you。　I　shall　be　delighted　to　make

　　the　acquaintance　of　Mme。　de　Restaud's　sister。　Pray　introduce　that

　　charming　lady　to　me；　and　do　not　let　her　monopolize　all　your

　　affection；　for　you　owe　me　not　a　little　in　return　for　mine。

　　〃VICOMTESSE　DE　BEAUSEANT。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Eugene　to　himself；　as　he　read　the　note　a　second

time；　〃Mme。　de　Beauseant　says　pretty　plainly　that　she　does　not

want　the　Baron　de　Nucingen。〃



He　went　to　Delphine　at　once　in　his　joy。　He　had　procured　this

pleasure　for　her；　and　doubtless　he　would　receive　the　price　of　it。

Mme。　de　Nucingen　was　dressing。　Rastignac　waited　in　her　boudoir；

enduring　as　best　he　might　the　natural　impatience　of　an　eager

temperament　for　the　reward　desired　and　withheld　for　a　year。　Such

sensations　are　only　known　once　in　a　life。　The　first　woman　to　whom

a　man　is　drawn；　if　she　is　really　a　womanthat　is　to　say；　if　she

appears　to　him　amid　the　splendid　accessories　that　form　a

necessary　background　to　life　in　the　world　of　Pariswill　never

have　a　rival。



Love　in　Paris　is　a　thing　distinct　and　apart；　for　in　Paris　neither

men　nor　women　are　the　dupes　of　the　commonplaces　by　which　people

seek　to　throw　a　veil　over　their　motives；　or　to　parade　a　fine

affectation　of　disinterestedness　in　their　sentiments。　In　this

country　within　a　country；　it　is　not　merely　required　of　a　woman

that　she　should　satisfy　the　senses　and　the　soul；　she　knows

perfectly　well　that　she　has　still　greater　obligations　to

discharge；　that　she　must　fulfil　the　countless　demands　of　a　vanity

that　enters　into　every　fibre　of　that　living　organism　called

society。　Love；　for　her；　is　above　all　things；　and　by　its　very

nature；　a　vainglorious；　brazen…fronted；　ostentatious；　thriftless

charlatan。　If　at　the　Court　of　Louis　XIV。　there　was　not　a　woman

but　envied　Mlle。　de　la　Valliere　the　reckless　devotion　of　passion

that　led　the　grand　monarch　to　tear　the　priceless　ruffles　at　his

wrists　in　order　to　assist　the　entry　of　a　Duc　de　Vermandois　into

the　worldwhat　can　you　expect　of　the　rest　of　society？　You　must

have　youth　and　wealth　and　rank；　nay；　you　must；　if　possible；　have

more　than　these；　for　the　more　incense　you　bring　with　you　to　burn

at　the　shrine　of　the　god；　the　more　favorably　will　he　regard　the

worshiper。　Love　is　a　religion；　and　his　cult　must　in　the　nature　of

things　be　more　costly　than　those　of　all　other　deities；　Love　the

Spoiler　stays　for　a　moment；　and　then　passes　on；　like　the　urchin

of　the　streets；　his　course　may　be　traced　by　the　ravages　that　he

has　made。　The　wealth　of　feeling　and　imagination　is　the　poetry　of

the　garret；　how　should　love　exist　there　without　that　wealth？



If　there　are　exceptions　who　do　not　subscribe　to　these　Draconian

laws　of　the　Parisian　code；　they　are　solitary　examples。　Such　souls

live　so　far　out　of　the　main　current　that　they　are　not　borne　away

by　the　doctrines　of　society；　they　dwell　beside　some　clear　spring

of　everflowing　water；　without　seeking　to　leave　the　green　shade；

happy　to　listen　to　the　echoes　of　the　infinite　in　everything

around　them　and　in　their　own　souls；　waiting　in　patience　to　take

their　flight　for　heaven；　while　they　look　with　pity　upon　those　of

earth。



Rastignac；　like　most　young　men　who　have　been　early　impressed　by

the　circumstances　of　power　and　grandeur；　meant　to　enter　the　lists

fully　armed；　the　burning　ambition　of　conquest　possessed　him

already；　perhaps　he　was　conscious　of　his　powers；　but　as　yet　he

knew　neither　the　end　to　which　his　ambition　was　to　be　directed；

nor　the　means　of　attaining　it。　In　default　of　the　pure　and　sacred

love　that　fills　a　life；　ambition　may　become　something　very　noble；

subduing　to　itself　every　thought　of　personal　interest；　and

setting　as　the　endthe　greatness；　not　of　one　man；　but　of　a　whole

nation。



But　the　student　had　not　yet　reached　the　time　of　life　when　a　man

surveys　the　whole　course　of　existence　and　judges　it　soberly。

Hitherto　he　had　scarcely　so　much　as　shaken　off　the　spell　of　the

fresh　and　gracious　influences　that　envelop　a　childhood　in　the

country；　like　green　leaves　and　grass。　He　had　hesitated　on　the

brink　of　the　Parisian　Rubicon；　and　in　spite　of　the　prickings　of

ambition；　he　still　clung　to　a　lingering　tradition　of　an　old

idealthe　peaceful　life　of　the　noble　in　his　chateau。　But

yesterday　evening；　at　the　sight　of　his　rooms；　those　scruples　had

vanished。　He　had　learned　what　it　was　to　enjoy　the　material

advantages　of　fortune；　as　he　had　already　enjoyed　the　social

advantages　of　birth；　he　ceased　to　be　a　provincial　from　that

moment；　and　slipped　naturally　and　easily　into　a　position　which

opened　up　a　prospect　of　a　brilliant　future。



So；　as　he　waited　for　Delphine；　in　the　pretty　boudoir；　where　he

felt　that　he　had　a　certain　right　to　be；　he　felt　himself　so　far

away　from　the　Rastignac　who　came　back　to　Paris　a　year　ago；　that；

turning　some　power　of　inner　vision　upon　this　latter；　he　asked

himself　whether　that　past　self　bore　any　resemblance　to　the

Rastignac　of　that　moment。



〃Madame　is　in　her　room；〃　Therese　came　to　tell　him。　The　woman's

voice　made　him　start。



He　found　Delphine　lying　back　in　her　low　chair　by　the　fireside；

looking　fresh　and　bright。　The　sight　of　her　among　the　flowing

draperies　of　muslin　suggested　some　beautiful　tropical　flower；

where　the　fruit　is　set　amid　the　blossom。



〃Well；〃　she　said；　with　a　tremor　in　her　voice；　〃here　you　are。〃



〃Guess　what　I　bring　for　you；〃　said　Eugene；　sitting　down　beside

her。　He　took　possession　of　her　arm　to　kiss　her　hand



Mme。　de　Nucingen　gave　a　joyful　start　as　she　saw　the　card。　She

turned　to　Eugene；　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes　as　she　flung　her

arms　about　his　neck；　and　drew　him　towards　her　in　a　frenzy　of

gratified　vanity。



〃And　I　owe　this　happiness　to　youto　THEE〃　（she　whispered　the

more　intimate　word　in　his　ear）；　〃but　Therese　is　in　my　dressing…

room；　let　us　be　prudent。This　happinessyes；　for　I　may　call　it

so；　when　it　comes　to　me　through　YOUis　surely　more　than　a

triumph　for　self…love？　No　one　has　been　willing　to　introduce　me

into　that　set。　Perhaps　just　now　I　may　seem　to　you　to　be

frivolous；　petty；　shallow；　like　a　Parisienne；　but　remember；　my

friend；　that　I　am　ready　to　give　up　all　for　you；　and　that　if　I

long　more　than　ever　for　an　entrance　into　the　Faubourg　Saint…

Germain；　it　is　because　I　shall　meet　you　there。〃



〃Mme。　de　Beauseant's　note　seems　to　say　very　plainly　that　she　does

not　expect　to　see　the　BARON　de　Nucingen　at　her　ball；　don't　you

think　so？〃　said　Eugene。



〃Why；　yes；〃　said　the　Baroness　as　she　returned　the　letter。　〃Those

women　have　a　talent　for　insolence。　But　it　is　of　no　consequence；　I

shall　go。　My　sister　is　sure　to　be　there；　and　sure　to　be　very

beautifully　dressed。Eugene；〃　she　went　on；　lowering　her　voice；

〃she　will　go　to　dispel　ugly　suspicions。　You　do　not　know　the

things　that　people　are　saying　about　her。　Only　this　morning

Nucingen　came　to　tell　me　that　they　had　been　discussing　her　at　the

club。　Great　heavens！　on　what　does　a　woman's　character　and　the

honor　of　a　whole　family　depend！　I　feel　that　I　am　nearly　touched

and　wounded　in　my　poor　sister。　According　to　some　people；　M。　de

Trailles　must　have　put　his　name　to　bills　for　a　hundred　thousand

francs；　nearly　all　of　them　are　overdue；　and　proceedings　are

threatened。　In　this　predicament；　it　seems　that　my　sister　sold　her

diamonds　to　a　Jewthe　beautiful　diamonds　that　belonged　to　her

husband's　mother；　Mme。　de　Restaud　the　elder；you　have　seen　her

wearing　them。　In　fact；　nothing　else　has　been　talked　about　for　the

last　two　days。　So　I　can　see　that　Anastasie　is　sure　to　come　to

Mme。　de　Beauseant's　ball　in　tissue　of　gold；　and　ablaze　with

diamonds；　to　draw　all　eyes　upon　her；　and　I　will　not　be　outshone。

She　has　tried　to　eclipse　me　all　her　life；　she　has　never　been　kind

to　me；　and　I　have　helped　her　so　often；　and　always　had　money　for

her　when　she　had　none。But　never　mind　other　people　now；　to…day　I

mea