father goriot-第57节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



as　I　begin　to　talk　to　him　he　pretends　not　to　hear；　and　lies　as　if

he　were　asleep　instead　of　answering；　or　if　he　opens　his　eyes　he

begins　to　groan。　Some　time　this　morning　he　went　out　on　foot　in

the　streets；　nobody　knows　where　he　went；　and　he　took　everything

that　he　had　of　any　value　with　him。　He　has　been　driving　some

confounded　bargain；　and　it　has　been　too　much　for　his　strength。

One　of　his　daughters　has　been　here。〃



〃Was　it　the　Countess？〃　asked　Eugene。　〃A　tall；　dark…haired　woman；

with　large　bright　eyes；　slender　figure；　and　little　feet？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Leave　him　to　me　for　a　bit；〃　said　Rastignac。　〃I　will　make　him

confess；　he　will　tell　me　all　about　it。〃



〃And　meanwhile　I　will　get　my　dinner。　But　try　not　to　excite　him；

there　is　still　some　hope　left。〃



〃All　right。〃



〃How　they　will　enjoy　themselves　to…morrow；〃　said　Father　Goriot

when　they　were　alone。　〃They　are　going　to　a　grand　ball。〃



〃What　were　you　doing　this　morning；　papa；　to　make　yourself　so

poorly　this　evening　that　you　have　to　stop　in　bed？〃



〃Nothing。〃



〃Did　not　Anastasie　come　to　see　you？〃　demanded　Rastignac。



〃Yes；〃　said　Father　Goriot。



〃Well；　then；　don't　keep　anything　from　me。　What　more　did　she　want

of　you？〃



〃Oh；　she　was　very　miserable；〃　he　answered；　gathering　up　all　his

strength　to　speak。　〃It　was　this　way；　my　boy。　Since　that　affair　of

the　diamonds；　Nasie　has　not　had　a　penny　of　her　own。　For　this　ball

she　had　ordered　a　golden　gown　like　a　setting　for　a　jewel。　Her

mantuamaker；　a　woman　without　a　conscience；　would　not　give　her

credit；　so　Nasie's　waiting…woman　advanced　a　thousand　francs　on

account。　Poor　Nasie！　reduced　to　such　shifts！　It　cut　me　to　the

heart　to　think　of　it！　But　when　Nasie's　maid　saw　how　things　were

between　her　master　and　mistress；　she　was　afraid　of　losing　her

money；　and　came　to　an　understanding　with　the　dressmaker；　and　the

woman　refuses　to　send　the　ball…dress　until　the　money　is　paid。　The

gown　is　ready；　and　the　ball　is　to…morrow　night！　Nasie　was　in

despair。　She　wanted　to　borrow　my　forks　and　spoons　to　pawn　them。

Her　husband　is　determined　that　she　shall　go　and　wear　the

diamonds；　so　as　to　contradict　the　stories　that　are　told　all　over

Paris。　How　can　she　go　to　that　heartless　scoundrel　and　say；　'I　owe

a　thousand　francs　to　my　dressmaker；　pay　her　for　me！'　She　cannot。

I　saw　that　myself。　Delphine　will　be　there　too　in　a　superb

toilette；　and　Anastasie　ought　not　to　be　outshone　by　her　younger

sister。　And　thenshe　was　drowned　in　tears；　poor　girl！　I　felt　so

humbled　yesterday　when　I　had　not　the　twelve　thousand　francs；　that

I　would　have　given　the　rest　of　my　miserable　life　to　wipe　out　that

wrong。　You　see；　I　could　have　borne　anything　once；　but　latterly

this　want　of　money　has　broken　my　heart。　Oh！　I　did　not　do　it　by

halves；　I　titivated　myself　up　a　bit；　and　went　out　and　sold　my

spoons　and　forks　and　buckles　for　six　hundred　francs；　then　I　went

to　old　Daddy　Gobseck；　and　sold　a　year's　interest　on　my　annuity

for　four　hundred　francs　down。　Pshaw！　I　can　live　on　dry　bread；　as

I　did　when　I　was　a　young　man；　if　I　have　done　it　before；　I　can　do

it　again。　My　Nasie　shall　have　one　happy　evening；　at　any　rate。　She

shall　be　smart。　The　banknote　for　a　thousand　francs　is　under　my

pillow；　it　warms　me　to　have　it　lying　there　under　my　head；　for　it

is　going　to　make　my　poor　Nasie　happy。　She　can　turn　that　bad　girl

Victoire　out　of　the　house。　A　servant　that　cannot　trust　her

mistress；　did　any　one　ever　hear　the　like！　I　shall　be　quite　well

to…morrow。　Nasie　is　coming　at　ten　o'clock。　They　must　not　think

that　I　am　ill；　or　they　will　not　go　to　the　ball；　they　will　stop

and　take　care　of　me。　To…morrow　Nasie　will　come　and　hold　me　in　her

arms　as　if　I　were　one　of　her　children；　her　kisses　will　make　me

well　again。　After　all；　I　might　have　spent　the　thousand　francs　on

physic；　I　would　far　rather　give　them　to　my　little　Nasie；　who　can

charm　all　the　pain　away。　At　any　rate；　I　am　some　comfort　to　her　in

her　misery；　and　that　makes　up　for　my　unkindness　in　buying　an

annuity。　She　is　in　the　depths；　and　I　cannot　draw　her　out　of　them

now。　Oh！　I　will　go　into　business　again；　I　will　buy　wheat　in

Odessa；　out　there；　wheat　fetches　a　quarter　of　the　price　it　sells

for　here。　There　is　a　law　against　the　importation　of　grain；　but

the　good　folk　who　made　the　law　forgot　to　prohibit　the

introduction　of　wheat　products　and　food　stuffs　made　from　corn。

Hey！　hey！　。　。　。　That　struck　me　this　morning。　There　is　a　fine

trade　to　be　done　in　starch。〃



Eugene；　watching　the　old　man's　face；　thought　that　his　friend　was

light…headed。



〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　talk　any　more；　you　must　rest〃　Just

then　Bianchon　came　up；　and　Eugene　went　down　to　dinner。



The　two　students　sat　up　with　him　that　night；　relieving　each　other

in　turn。　Bianchon　brought　up　his　medical　books　and　studied；

Eugene　wrote　letters　home　to　his　mother　and　sisters。　Next　morning

Bianchon　thought　the　symptoms　more　hopeful；　but　the　patient's

condition　demanded　continual　attention；　which　the　two　students

alone　were　willing　to　givea　task　impossible　to　describe　in　the

squeamish　phraseology　of　the　epoch。　Leeches　must　be　applied　to

the　wasted　body；　the　poultices　and　hot　foot…baths；　and　other

details　of　the　treatment　required　the　physical　strength　and

devotion　of　the　two　young　men。　Mme。　de　Restaud　did　not　come；　but

she　sent　a　messenger　for　the　money。



〃I　expected　she　would　come　herself；　but　it　would　have　been　a　pity

for　her　to　come；　she　would　have　been　anxious　about　me；〃　said　the

father；　and　to　all　appearances　he　was　well　content。



At　seven　o'clock　that　evening　Therese　came　with　a　letter　from

Delphine。



　　〃What　are　you　doing；　dear　friend？　I　have　been　loved　for　a　very

　　little　while；　and　I　am　neglected　already？　In　the　confidences　of

　　heart　and　heart；　I　have　learned　to　know　your　soulyou　are　too

　　noble　not　to　be　faithful　for　ever；　for　you　know　that　love　with

　　all　its　infinite　subtle　changes　of　feeling　is　never　the　same。

　　Once　you　said；　as　we　were　listening　to　the　Prayer　in　Mose　in

　　Egitto；　'For　some　it　is　the　monotony　of　a　single　note；　for

　　others；　it　is　the　infinite　of　sound。'　Remember　that　I　am

　　expecting　you　this　evening　to　take　me　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's

　　ball。　Every　one　knows　now　that　the　King　signed　M。　d'Ajuda's

　　marriage…contract　this　morning；　and　the　poor　Vicomtesse　knew

　　nothing　of　it　until　two　o'clock　this　afternoon。　All　Paris　will

　　flock　to　her　house；　of　course；　just　as　a　crowd　fills　the　Place　de

　　Greve　to　see　an　execution。　It　is　horrible；　is　it　not；　to　go　out

　　of　curiosity　to　see　if　she　will　hide　her　anguish；　and　whether　she

　　will　die　courageously？　I　certainly　should　not　go；　my　friend；　if　I

　　had　been　at　her　house　before；　but；　of　course；　she　will　not

　　receive　society　any　more　after　this；　and　all　my　efforts　would　be

　　in　vain。　My　position　is　a　very　unusual　one；　and　besides；　I　am

　　going　there　partly　on　your　account。　I　am　waiting　for　you。　If　you

　　are　not　beside　me　in　less　than　two　hours；　I　do　not　know　whether　I

　　could　forgive　such　treason。〃



Rastignac　took　up　a　pen　and　wrote：



　　〃I　am　waiting　till　the　doctor　comes　to　know　if　there　is　any　hope

　　of　your　father's　life。　He　is　lying　dangerously　ill。　I　will　come

　　and　bring　you　the　news；　but　I　am　afraid　it　may　be　a　sentence　of

　　death。　When　I　come　you　can　decide　whether　you　can　go　to　the

　　ball。Yours　a　thousand　times。〃



At　half…past　eight　the　doctor　arrived。　He　did　not　take　a　very

hopeful　view　of　the　case；　but　thought　that　there　was　no　immediate

danger。　Improvements　and　relapses　might　be　expected；　and　the　good

man's　life　and　reason　hung　in　the　balance。



〃It　would　be　better　for　him　to　die　at　once；〃　the　doctor　said　as

he　took　leave。



Eugene　left　Goriot　to　Bianchon's　care；　and　went　to　carry　the　sad

news　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　Family　feeling　lingered　in　her；　and

this　must　put　an　end　for　the　present　to　her　plans　of　amusement。



〃Tell　her　to　enjoy　her　evening　as　if　nothing　had　happened；〃　cried

Goriot。　He　had　been　lying　in　a　sort　of　stupor；　but　he　suddenly

sat　upright　as　Eugene　went　out。



Eugene；　half　heartbroken；　entered　Delphine's。　Her　hair　had　been

dressed；　she　wore　her　dancing　slippers；　she　had　only　to　put　on

her　ball…dress；　but　when　the　artist　is　giving　the　finishing

stroke　to　his　creation；　the　last　touches　require　more　time　than

the　whole　groundwork　of　the　picture。



〃Why；　you　are　not　dressed！〃　she　cried。



〃Madame；　your　father〃



〃My　father　again！〃　she　exclaimed；　breaking　in　upon　him。　〃You　need

not　teach　me　what　is　due　to　my　father；　I　have　known　my　father

this　long　while。　Not　a　word；　Eugene。　I　will　hear　what　you　have　to

say　when　you　are　dressed。　My　carriage　is　waiting；　take　it；　go

round　to　your　rooms　and　dress；　Therese　has　put　out　everything　in

readiness　for　you。　Come　back　as　soon　as　you　can；　we　will　talk

about　my　father　on　the　way　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's。　We　must　go

early；　if　we　have　to　wait　our　turn　in　a　row　of　carriages；　we

shall　be　lucky　if　we　get　there　by　eleven　o'cl