father goriot-第52节

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

mean　to　be　perfectly　happy。〃



At　one　o'clock　that　morning　Eugene　was　still　with　Mme。　de

Nucingen。　In　the　midst　of　their　lovers'　farewell；　a　farewell　full

of　hope　of　bliss　to　come；　she　said　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃I　am

very　fearful；　superstitious。　Give　what　name　you　like　to　my

presentiments；　but　I　am　afraid　that　my　happiness　will　be　paid　for

by　some　horrible　catastrophe。〃



〃Child！〃　said　Eugene。



〃Ah！　have　we　changed　places；　and　am　I　the　child　to…night？〃　she

asked；　laughingly。



Eugene　went　back　to　the　Maison　Vauquer；　never　doubting　but　that

he　should　leave　it　for　good　on　the　morrow；　and　on　the　way　he　fell

to　dreaming　the　bright　dreams　of　youth；　when　the　cup　of　happiness

has　left　its　sweetness　on　the　lips。



〃Well？〃　cried　Goriot；　as　Rastignac　passed　by　his　door。



〃Yes；〃　said　Eugene；　〃I　will　tell　you　everything　to…morrow。〃



〃Everything；　will　you　not？〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃Go　to　bed。　To…

morrow　our　happy　life　will　begin。〃



Next　day；　Goriot　and　Rastignac　were　ready　to　leave　the　lodging…

house；　and　only　awaited　the　good　pleasure　of　a　porter　to　move　out

of　it；　but　towards　noon　there　was　a　sound　of　wheels　in　the　Rue

Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve；　and　a　carriage　stopped　before　the　door　of

the　Maison　Vauquer。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　alighted；　and　asked　if　her

father　was　still　in　the　house；　and；　receiving　an　affirmative

reply　from　Sylvie；　ran　lightly　upstairs。



It　so　happened　that　Eugene　was　at　home　all　unknown　to　his

neighbor。　At　breakfast　time　he　had　asked　Goriot　to　superintend

the　removal　of　his　goods；　saying　that　he　would　meet　him　in　the

Rue　d'Artois　at　four　o'clock；　but　Rastignac's　name　had　been

called　early　on　the　list　at　the　Ecole　de　Droit；　and　he　had　gone

back　at　once　to　the　Rue　Nueve…Sainte…Genevieve。　No　one　had　seen

him　come　in；　for　Goriot　had　gone　to　find　a　porter；　and　the

mistress　of　the　house　was　likewise　out。　Eugene　had　thought　to　pay

her　himself；　for　it　struck　him　that　if　he　left　this；　Goriot　in

his　zeal　would　probably　pay　for　him。　As　it　was；　Eugene　went　up　to

his　room　to　see　that　nothing　had　been　forgotten；　and　blessed　his

foresight　when　he　saw　the　blank　bill　bearing　Vautrin's　signature

lying　in　the　drawer　where　he　had　carelessly　thrown　it　on　the　day

when　he　had　repaid　the　amount。　There　was　no　fire　in　the　grate；　so

he　was　about　to　tear　it　into　little　pieces；　when　he　heard　a　voice

speaking　in　Goriot's　room；　and　the　speaker　was　Delphine！　He　made

no　more　noise；　and　stood　still　to　listen；　thinking　that　she

should　have　no　secrets　from　him；　but　after　the　first　few　words；

the　conversation　between　the　father　and　daughter　was　so　strange

and　interesting　that　it　absorbed　all　his　attention。



〃Ah！　thank　heaven　that　you　thought　of　asking　him　to　give　an

account　of　the　money　settled　on　me　before　I　was　utterly　ruined；

father。　Is　it　safe　to　talk？〃　she　added。



〃Yes；　there　is　no　one　in　the　house；〃　said　her　father　faintly。



〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　Mme。　de　Nucingen。



〃God　forgive　you！　you　have　just　dealt　me　a　staggering　blow；

child！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃You　cannot　know　how　much　I　love　you；

or　you　would　not　have　burst　in　upon　me　like　this；　with　such　news；

especially　if　all　is　not　lost。　Has　something　so　important

happened　that　you　must　come　here　about　it？　In　a　few　minutes　we

should　have　been　in　the　Rue　d'Artois。〃



〃Eh！　does　one　think　what　one　is　doing　after　a　catastrophe？　It　has

turned　my　head。　Your　attorney　has　found　out　the　state　of　things

now；　but　it　was　bound　to　come　out　sooner　or　later。　We　shall　want

your　long　business　experience；　and　I　come　to　you　like　a　drowning

man　who　catches　at　a　branch。　When　M。　Derville　found　that　Nucingen

was　throwing　all　sorts　of　difficulties　in　his　way；　he　threatened

him　with　proceedings；　and　told　him　plainly　that　he　would　soon

obtain　an　order　from　the　President　of　the　Tribunal。　So　Nucingen

came　to　my　room　this　morning；　and　asked　if　I　meant　to　ruin　us

both。　I　told　him　that　I　knew　nothing　whatever　about　it；　that　I

had　a　fortune；　and　ought　to　be　put　into　possession　of　my　fortune；

and　that　my　attorney　was　acting　for　me　in　the　matter；　I　said

again　that　I　knew　absolutely　nothing　about　it；　and　could　not

possibly　go　into　the　subject　with　him。　Wasn't　that　what　you　told

me　to　tell　him？〃



〃Yes；　quite　right；〃　answered　Goriot。



〃Well；　then；〃　Delphine　continued；　〃he　told　me　all　about　his

affairs。　He　had　just　invested　all　his　capital　and　mine　in

business　speculations；　they　have　only　just　been　started；　and　very

large　sums　of　money　are　locked　up。　If　I　were　to　compel　him　to

refund　my　dowry　now；　he　would　be　forced　to　file　his　petition；　but

if　I　will　wait　a　year；　he　undertakes；　on　his　honor；　to　double　or

treble　my　fortune；　by　investing　it　in　building　land；　and　I　shall

be　mistress　at　last　of　the　whole　of　my　property。　He　was　speaking

the　truth；　father　dear；　he　frightened　me！　He　asked　my　pardon　for

his　conduct；　he　has　given　me　my　liberty；　I　am　free　to　act　as　I

please　on　condition　that　I　leave　him　to　carry　on　my　business　in

my　name。　To　prove　his　sincerity；　he　promised　that　M。　Derville

might　inspect　the　accounts　as　often　as　I　pleased；　so　that　I　might

be　assured　that　everything　was　being　conducted　properly。　In

short；　he　put　himself　in　my　power；　bound　hand　and　foot。　He　wishes

the　present　arrangements　as　to　the　expenses　of　housekeeping　to

continue　for　two　more　years；　and　entreated　me　not　to　exceed　my

allowance。　He　showed　me　plainly　that　it　was　all　that　he　could　do

to　keep　up　appearances；　he　has　broken　with　his　opera　dancer；　he

will　be　compelled　to　practise　the　most　strict　economy　（in　secret）

if　he　is　to　bide　his　time　with　unshaken　credit。　I　scolded；　I　did

all　I　could　to　drive　him　to　desperation；　so　as　to　find　out　more。

He　showed　me　his　ledgershe　broke　down　and　cried　at　last。　I

never　saw　a　man　in　such　a　state。　He　lost　his　head　completely；

talked　of　killing　himself；　and　raved　till　I　felt　quite　sorry　for

him。〃



〃Do　you　really　believe　that　silly　rubbish？〃　。　。　。　cried　her

father。　〃It　was　all　got　up　for　your　benefit！　I　have　had　to　do

with　Germans　in　the　way　of　business；　honest　and　straightforward

they　are　pretty　sure　to　be；　but　when　with　their　simplicity　and

frankness　they　are　sharpers　and　humbugs　as　well；　they　are　the

worst　rogues　of　all。　Your　husband　is　taking　advantage　of　you。　As

soon　as　pressure　is　brought　to　bear　on　him　he　shams　dead；　he

means　to　be　more　the　master　under　your　name　than　in　his　own。　He

will　take　advantage　of　the　position　to　secure　himself　against　the

risks　of　business。　He　is　as　sharp　as　he　is　treacherous；　he　is　a

bad　lot！　No；　no；　I　am　not　going　to　leave　my　girls　behind　me

without　a　penny　when　I　go　to　Pere…Lachaise。　I　know　something

about　business　still。　He　has　sunk　his　money　in　speculation；　he

says；　very　well　then；　there　is　something　to　show　for　itbills；

receipts；　papers　of　some　sort。　Let　him　produce　them；　and　come　to

an　arrangement　with　you。　We　will　choose　the　most　promising　of　his

speculations；　take　them　over　at　our　own　risk；　and　have　the

securities　transferred　into　your　name；　they　shall　represent　the

separate　estate　of　Delphine　Goriot；　wife　of　the　Baron　de

Nucingen。　Does　that　fellow　really　take　us　for　idiots？　Does　he

imagine　that　I　could　stand　the　idea　of　your　being　without

fortune；　without　bread；　for　forty…eight　hours？　I　would　not　stand

it　a　dayno；　not　a　night；　not　a　couple　of　hours！　If　there　had

been　any　foundation　for　the　idea；　I　should　never　get　over　it。

What！　I　have　worked　hard　for　forty　years；　carried　sacks　on　my

back；　and　sweated　and　pinched　and　saved　all　my　life　for　you；　my

darlings；　for　you　who　made　the　toil　and　every　burden　borne　for

you　seem　light；　and　now；　my　fortune；　my　whole　life；　is　to　vanish

in　smoke！　I　should　die　raving　mad　if　I　believed　a　word　of　it。　By

all　that's　holiest　in　heaven　and　earth；　we　will　have　this　cleared

up　at　once；　go　through　the　books；　have　the　whole　business　looked

thoroughly　into！　I　will　not　sleep；　nor　rest；　nor　eat　until　I　have

satisfied　myself　that　all　your　fortune　is　in　existence。　Your

money　is　settled　upon　you；　God　be　thanked！　and；　luckily；　your

attorney；　Maitre　Derville；　is　an　honest　man。　Good　Lord！　you　shall

have　your　snug　little　million；　your　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；

as　long　as　you　live；　or　I　will　raise　a　racket　in　Paris；　I　will

so！　If　the　Tribunals　put　upon　us；　I　will　appeal　to　the　Chambers。

If　I　knew　that　you　were　well　and　comfortably　off　as　far　as　money

is　concerned；　that　thought　would　keep　me　easy　in　spite　of　bad

health　and　troubles。　Money？　why；　it　is　life！　Money　does

everything。　That　great　dolt　of　an　Alsatian　shall　sing　to　another

tune！　Look　here；　Delphine；　don't　give　way；　don't　make　a

concession　of　half　a　quarter　of　a　farthing　to　that　fathead；　who

has　ground　you　down　and　made　you　miserable。　If　he　can't　do

without　you；　we　will　give　him　a　good　cudgeling；　and　keep　him　in

order。　Great　heavens！　my　brain　is　on　fire；　it　is　as　if　there　were

something　red