gobseck-第10节

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you　would　be　bound　in　any　case　to　return　the　purchase　money。　Consent

to　an　arrangement；　with　power　to　redeem　at　the　end　of　seven　or　eight

months；　or　a　year　even；　or　any　convenient　lapse　of　time；　for　the

repayment　of　the　sum　borrowed　by　Mme。　la　Comtesse；　unless　you　would

prefer　to　repurchase　them　outright　and　give　security　for　repayment。'



〃Gobseck　dipped　his　bread　into　the　bowl　of　coffee；　and　ate　with

perfect　indifference；　but　at　the　words　'come　to　terms；'　he　looked　at

me　as　who　should　say；　'A　fine　fellow　that！　he　has　learned　something

from　my　lessons！'　And　I；　for　my　part；　riposted　with　a　glance；　which　he

understood　uncommonly　well。　The　business　was　dubious　and　shady；　there

was　pressing　need　of　coming　to　terms。　Gobseck　could　not　deny　all

knowledge　of　it；　for　I　should　appear　as　a　witness。　The　Count　thanked

me　with　a　smile　of　good…will。



〃In　the　debate　which　followed；　Gobseck　showed　greed　enough　and　skill

enough　to　baffle　a　whole　congress　of　diplomatists；　but　in　the　end　I

drew　up　an　instrument；　in　which　the　Count　acknowledged　the　receipt　of

eighty…five　thousand　francs；　interest　included；　in　consideration　of

which　Gobseck　undertook　to　return　the　diamonds　to　the　Count。



〃　'What　waste！'　exclaimed　he　as　he　put　his　signature　to　the　agreement。

'How　is　it　possible　to　bridge　such　a　gulf？'



〃　'Have　you　many　children；　sir？'　Gobseck　asked　gravely。



〃The　Count　winced　at　the　question；　it　was　as　if　the　old　money…lender；

like　an　experienced　physician；　had　put　his　finger　at　once　on　the　sore

spot。　The　Comtesse's　husband　did　not　reply。



〃　'Well；'　said　Gobseck；　taking　the　pained　silence　for　answer；　'I　know

your　story　by　heart。　The　woman　is　a　fiend；　but　perhaps　you　love　her

still；　I　can　well　believe　it；　she　made　an　impression　on　me。　Perhaps；

too；　you　would　rather　save　your　fortune；　and　keep　it　for　one　or　two　of

your　children？　Well；　fling　yourself　into　the　whirlpool　of　society；

lose　that　fortune　at　play；　come　to　Gobseck　pretty　often。　The　world

will　say　that　I　am　a　Jew；　a　Tartar；　a　usurer；　a　pirate；　will　say　that

I　have　ruined　you！　I　snap　my　fingers　at　them！　If　anybody　insults　me；　I

lay　my　man　out；　nobody　is　a　surer　shot　nor　handles　a　rapier　better

than　your　servant。　And　every　one　knows　it。　Then；　have　a　friendif　you

can　find　oneand　make　over　your　property　to　him　by　a　fictitious　sale。

You　call　that　a　fidei　commissum；　don't　you？'　he　asked；　turning　to　me。



〃The　Count　seemed　to　be　entirely　absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts。



〃　'You　shall　have　your　money　to…morrow；'　he　said；　'have　the　diamonds

in　readiness；'　and　he　went。



〃　'There　goes　one　who　looks　to　me　to　be　as　stupid　as　an　honest　man；'

Gobseck　said　coolly　when　the　Count　had　gone。



〃　'Say　rather　stupid　as　a　man　of　passionate　nature。'



〃　'The　Count　owes　you　your　fee　for　drawing　up　the　agreement！'　Gobseck

called　after　me　as　I　took　my　leave。







〃One　morning；　a　few　days　after　the　scene　which　initiated　me　into　the

terrible　depths　beneath　the　surface　of　the　life　of　a　woman　of　fashion；

the　Count　came　into　my　private　office。



〃　'I　have　come　to　consult　you　on　a　matter　of　grave　moment；'　he　said；

'and　I　begin　by　telling　you　that　I　have　perfect　confidence　in　you；　as

I　hope　to　prove　to　you。　Your　behavior　to　Mme。　de　Grandlieu　is　above

all　praise；'　the　Count　went　on。　（You　see；　madame；　that　you　have　paid

me　a　thousand　times　over　for　a　very　simple　matter。）



〃I　bowed　respectfully；　and　replied　that　I　had　done　nothing　but　the

duty　of　an　honest　man。



〃　'Well；'　the　Count　went　on；　'I　have　made　a　great　many　inquiries　about

the　singular　personage　to　whom　you　owe　your　position。　And　from　all

that　I　can　learn；　Gobseck　is　a　philosopher　of　the　Cynic　school。　What

do　you　think　of　his　probity？'



〃　'M。　le　Comte；'　said　I；　'Gobseck　is　my　benefactorat　fifteen　per

cent；'　I　added；　laughing。　'But　his　avarice　does　not　authorize　me　to

paint　him　to　the　life　for　a　stranger's　benefit。'



〃　'Speak　out；　sir。　Your　frankness　cannot　injure　Gobseck　or　yourself。　I

do　not　expect　to　find　an　angel　in　a　pawnbroker。'



〃　'Daddy　Gobseck；'　I　began；　'is　intimately　convinced　of　the　truth　of

the　principle　which　he　takes　for　a　rule　of　life。　In　his　opinion；　money

is　a　commodity　which　you　may　sell　cheap　or　dear；　according　to

circumstances；　with　a　clear　conscience。　A　capitalist；　by　charging　a

high　rate　of　interest；　becomes　in　his　eyes　a　secured　partner　by

anticipation。　Apart　from　the　peculiar　philosophical　views　of　human

nature　and　financial　principles；　which　enable　him　to　behave　like　a

usurer；　I　am　fully　persuaded　that；　out　of　his　business；　he　is　the　most

loyal　and　upright　soul　in　Paris。　There　are　two　men　in　him；　he　is　petty

and　greata　miser　and　a　philosopher。　If　I　were　to　die　and　leave　a

family　behind　me；　he　would　be　the　guardian　whom　I　should　appoint。　This

was　how　I　came　to　see　Gobseck　in　this　light；　monsieur。　I　know　nothing

of　his　past　life。　He　may　have　been　a　pirate；　may；　for　anything　I　know；

have　been　all　over　the　world；　trafficking　in　diamonds；　or　men；　or

women；　or　State　secrets；　but　this　I　affirm　of　himnever　has　human

soul　been　more　thoroughly　tempered　and　tried。　When　I　paid　off　my　loan；

I　asked　him；　with　a　little　circumlocution　of　course；　how　it　was　that

he　had　made　me　pay　such　an　exorbitant　rate　of　interest；　and　why；

seeing　that　I　was　a　friend；　and　he　meant　to　do　me　a　kindness；　he

should　not　have　yielded　to　the　wish　and　made　it　complete。〃My　son；〃

he　said；　〃I　released　you　from　all　need　to　feel　any　gratitude　by　giving

you　ground　for　the　belief　that　you　owed　me　nothing。〃So　we　are　the

best　friends　in　the　world。　That　answer；　monsieur；　gives　you　the　man

better　than　any　amount　of　description。'



〃　'I　have　made　up　my　mind　once　and　for　all；'　said　the　Count。　'Draw　up

the　necessary　papers；　I　am　going　to　transfer　my　property　to　Gobseck。　I

have　no　one　but　you　to　trust　to　in　the　draft　of　the　counter…deed；

which　will　declare　that　this　transfer　is　a　simulated　sale；　and　that

Gobseck　as　trustee　will　administer　my　estate　（as　he　knows　how　to

administer）；　and　undertakes　to　make　over　my　fortune　to　my　eldest　son

when　he　comes　of　age。　Now；　sir；　this　I　must　tell　you：　I　should　be

afraid　to　have　that　precious　document　in　my　own　keeping。　My　boy　is　so

fond　of　his　mother；　that　I　cannot　trust　him　with　it。　So　dare　I　beg　of

you　to　keep　it　for　me？　In　case　of　death；　Gobseck　would　make　you

legatee　of　my　property。　Every　contingency　is　provided　for。'



〃The　Count　paused　for　a　moment。　He　seemed　greatly　agitated。



〃　'A　thousand　pardons；'　he　said　at　length；　'I　am　in　great　pain；　and

have　very　grave　misgivings　as　to　my　health。　Recent　troubles　have

disturbed　me　very　painfully；　and　forced　me　to　take　this　great　step。'



〃　'Allow　me　first　to　thank　you；　monsieur；'　said　I；　'for　the　trust　you

place　me　in。　But　I　am　bound　to　deserve　it　by　pointing　out　to　you　that

you　are　disinheriting　yourother　children。　They　bear　your　name。

Merely　as　the　children　of　a　once…loved　wife；　now　fallen　from　her

position；　they　have　a　claim　to　an　assured　existence。　I　tell　you

plainly　that　I　cannot　accept　the　trust　with　which　you　propose　to　honor

me　unless　their　future　is　secured。'



〃The　Count　trembled　violently　at　the　words；　and　tears　came　into　his

eyes　as　he　grasped　my　hand；　saying；　'I　did　not　know　my　man　thoroughly。

You　have　made　me　both　glad　and　sorry。　We　will　make　provision　for　the

children　in　the　counter…deed。'



〃I　went　with　him　to　the　door；　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　a　glow　of

satisfaction　in　his　face　at　the　thought　of　this　act　of　justice。



〃Now；　Camille；　this　is　how　a　young　wife　takes　the　first　step　to　the

brink　of　a　precipice。　A　quadrille；　a　ballad；　a　picnic　party　is

sometimes　cause　sufficient　of　frightful　evils。　You　are　hurried　on　by

the　presumptuous　voice　of　vanity　and　pride；　on　the　faith　of　a　smile；

or　through　giddiness　and　folly！　Shame　and　misery　and　remorse　are　three

Furies　awaiting　every　woman　the　moment　she　oversteps　the　limits〃



〃Poor　Camille　can　hardly　keep　awake；〃　the　Vicomtesse　hastily　broke　in。

〃Go　to　bed；　child；　you　have　no　need　of　appalling　pictures　to　keep

you　pure　in　heart　and　conduct。〃



Camille　de　Grandlieu　took　the　hint　and　went。



〃You　were　going　rather　too　far；　dear　M。　Derville；〃　said　the

Vicomtesse；　〃an　attorney　is　not　a　mother　of　daughters　nor　yet　a

preacher。〃



〃But　any　newspaper　is　a　thousand　times〃



〃Poor　Derville！〃　exclaimed　the　Vicomtesse；　〃what　has　come　over　you？　Do

you　really　imagine　that　I　allow　a　daughter　of　mine　to　read　the

newspapers？Go　on；〃　she　added　after　a　pause。



〃Three　months　after　everything　was　signed　and　sealed　between　the　Count

and　Gobseck〃



〃You　can　call　him　the　Comte　de　Restaud；　now　that　Camille　is　not　here；〃

said　the　Vicomtesse。



〃So　be　it！　Well；　time　went　by；　and　I　saw　nothing　of　the　counter…deed；

which　by　rights　should　have　been　in　my　hands。　An　attorney　in　Paris

lives　in　such　a　whirl　of　business　that　with　certain　exceptions　which

we　make　for　ourselves；　we　have　not　the　time　to　give　eac