gobseck-第12节

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should　not　be　allowed　to　go　near　the　dying　man。　I　augured　ill　of　all

this；　and　earnestly　wished　for　an　interview；　for　I　was　not　easy　in　my

mind　about　the　fate　of　the　counter…deed。　If　it　should　fall　into　the

Countess'　hands；　she　might　turn　it　to　her　own　account；　and　that　would

be　the　beginning　of　a　series　of　interminable　lawsuits　between　her　and

Gobseck。　I　knew　the　usurer　well　enough　to　feel　convinced　that　he　would

never　give　up　the　property　to　her；　there　was　room　for　plenty　of　legal

quibbling　over　a　series　of　transfers；　and　I　alone　knew　all　the　ins　and

outs　of　the　matter。　I　was　minded　to　prevent　such　a　tissue　of

misfortune；　so　I　went　to　the　Countess　a　second　time。



〃I　have　noticed；　madame；〃　said　Derville；　turning　to　the　Vicomtesse；

and　speaking　in　a　confidential　tone；　〃certain　moral　phenomena　to　which

we　do　not　pay　enough　attention。　I　am　naturally　an　observer　of　human

nature；　and　instinctively　I　bring　a　spirit　of　analysis　to　the　business

that　I　transact　in　the　interest　of　others；　when　human　passions　are

called　into　lively　play。　Now；　I　have　often　noticed；　and　always　with

new　wonder；　that　two　antagonists　almost　always　divine　each　other's

inmost　thoughts　and　ideas。　Two　enemies　sometimes　possess　a　power　of

clear　insight　into　mental　processes；　and　read　each　other's　minds　as

two　lovers　read　in　either　soul。　So　when　we　came　together；　the　Countess

and　I；　I　understood　at　once　the　reason　of　her　antipathy　for　me；

disguised　though　it　was　by　the　most　gracious　forms　of　politeness　and

civility。　I　had　been　forced　to　be　her　confidant；　and　a　woman　cannot

but　hate　the　man　before　whom　she　is　compelled　to　blush。　And　she　on　her

side　knew　that　if　I　was　the　man　in　whom　her　husband　placed　confidence；

that　husband　had　not　as　yet　given　up　his　fortune。



〃I　will　spare　you　the　conversation；　but　it　abides　in　my　memory　as　one

of　the　most　dangerous　encounters　in　my　career。　Nature　had　bestowed　on

her　all　the　qualities　which；　combined；　are　irresistibly　fascinating；

she　could　be　pliant　and　proud　by　turns；　and　confiding　and　coaxing　in

her　manner；　she　even　went　so　far　as　to　try　to　subjugate　me。　It　was　a

failure。　As　I　took　my　leave　of　her；　I　caught　a　gleam　of　hate　and　rage

in　her　eyes　that　made　me　shudder。　We　parted　enemies。　She　would　fain

have　crushed　me　out　of　existence；　and　for　my　own　part；　I　felt　pity　for

her；　and　for　some　natures　pity　is　the　deadliest　of　insults。　This

feeling　pervaded　the　last　representations　I　put　before　her；　and　when　I

left　her；　I　left；　I　think；　dread　in　the　depths　of　her　soul；　by

declaring　that；　turn　which　way　she　would；　ruin　lay　inevitably　before

her。



〃　'If　I　were　to　see　M。　le　Comte；　your　children's　property　at　any　rate

would'



〃　'I　should　be　at　your　mercy；'　she　said；　breaking　in　upon　me；　disgust

in　her　gesture。



〃Now　that　we　had　spoken　frankly；　I　made　up　my　mind　to　save　the　family

from　impending　destitution。　I　resolved　to　strain　the　law　at　need　to

gain　my　ends；　and　this　was　what　I　did。　I　sued　the　Comte　de　Restaud　for

a　sum　of　money；　ostensibly　due　to　Gobseck；　and　gained　judgment。　The

Countess；　of　course；　did　not　allow　him　to　know　of　this；　but　I　had

gained　on　my　point；　I　had　a　right　to　affix　seals　to　everything　on　the

death　of　the　Count。　I　bribed　one　of　the　servants　in　the　housethe　man

undertook　to　let　me　know　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night　if　his　master

should　be　at　the　point　of　death；　so　that　I　could　intervene　at　once；

scare　the　Countess　with　a　threat　of　affixing　seals；　and　so　secure　the

counter…deed。



〃I　learned　later　on　that　the　woman　was　studying　the　Code；　with　her

husband's　dying　moans　in　her　ears。　If　we　could　picture　the　thoughts　of

those　who　stand　about　a　deathbed；　what　fearful　sights　should　we　not

see？　Money　is　always　the　motive…spring　of　the　schemes　elaborated；　of

all　the　plans　that　are　made　and　the　plots　that　are　woven　about　it！　Let

us　leave　these　details；　nauseating　in　the　nature　of　them；　but　perhaps

they　may　have　given　you　some　insight　into　all　that　this　husband　and

wife　endured；　perhaps　too　they　may　unveil　much　that　is　passing　in

secret　in　other　houses。



〃For　two　months　the　Comte　de　Restaud　lay　on　his　bed；　alone；　and

resigned　to　his　fate。　Mortal　disease　was　slowly　sapping　the　strength

of　mind　and　body。　Unaccountable　and　grotesque　sick　fancies　preyed　upon

him；　he　would　not　suffer　them　to　set　his　room　in　order；　no　one　could

nurse　him；　he　would　not　even　allow　them　to　make　his　bed。　All　his

surroundings　bore　the　marks　of　this　last　degree　of　apathy；　the

furniture　was　out　of　place；　the　daintiest　trifles　were　covered　with

dust　and　cobwebs。　In　health　he　had　been　a　man　of　refined　and　expensive

tastes；　now　he　positively　delighted　in　the　comfortless　look　of　the

room。　A　host　of　objects　required　in　illnessrows　of　medicine　bottles；

empty　and　full；　most　of　them　dirty；　crumpled　linen；　and　broken　plates；

littered　the　writing…table；　chairs；　and　chimney…piece。　An　open

warming…pan　lay　on　the　floor　before　the　grate；　a　bath；　still　full　of

mineral　water　had　not　been　taken　away。　The　sense　of　coming　dissolution

pervaded　all　the　details　of　an　unsightly　chaos。　Signs　of　death

appeared　in　things　inanimate　before　the　Destroyer　came　to　the　body　on

the　bed。　The　Comte　de　Restaud　could　not　bear　the　daylight；　the

Venetian　shutters　were　closed；　darkness　deepened　the　gloom　in　the

dismal　chamber。　The　sick　man　himself　had　wasted　greatly。　All　the　life

in　him　seemed　to　have　taken　refuge　in　the　still　brilliant　eyes。　The

livid　whiteness　of　his　face　was　something　horrible　to　see；　enhanced　as

it　was　by　the　long　dank　locks　of　hair　that　straggled　along　his　cheeks；

for　he　would　never　suffer　them　to　cut　it。　He　looked　like　some

religious　fanatic　in　the　desert。　Mental　suffering　was　extinguishing

all　human　instincts　in　this　man　of　scarce　fifty　years　of　age；　whom　all

Paris　had　known　as　so　brilliant　and　so　successful。



〃One　morning　at　the　beginning　of　December　1824；　he　looked　up　at

Ernest；　who　sat　at　the　foot　of　his　bed　gazing　at　his　father　with

wistful　eyes。



〃　'Are　you　in　pain？'　the　little　Vicomte　asked。



〃　'No；'　said　the　Count；　with　a　ghastly　smile；　'it　all　lies　HERE　AND

ABOUT　MY　HEART！'



〃He　pointed　to　his　forehead；　and　then　laid　his　wasted　fingers　on　his

hollow　chest。　Ernest　began　to　cry　at　the　sight。



〃　'How　is　it　that　M。　Derville　does　not　come　to　me？'　the　Count　asked

his　servant　（he　thought　that　Maurice　was　really　attached　to　him；　but

the　man　was　entirely　in　the　Countess'　interest）'What！　Maurice！'　and

the　dying　man　suddenly　sat　upright　in　his　bed；　and　seemed　to　recover

all　his　presence　of　mind；　'I　have　sent　for　my　attorney　seven　or　eight

times　during　the　last　fortnight；　and　he　does　not　come！'　he　cried。　'Do

you　imagine　that　I　am　to　be　trifled　with？　Go　for　him；　at　once；　this

very　instant；　and　bring　him　back　with　you。　If　you　do　not　carry　out　my

orders；　I　shall　get　up　and　go　myself。'



〃　'Madame；'　said　the　man　as　he　came　into　the　salon；　'you　heard　M。　le

Comte；　what　ought　I　to　do？'



〃　'Pretend　to　go　to　the　attorney；　and　when　you　come　back　tell　your

master　that　his　man　of　business　is　forty　leagues　away　from　Paris　on　an

important　lawsuit。　Say　that　he　is　expected　back　at　the　end　of　the

week。Sick　people　never　know　how　ill　they　are；'　thought　the　Countess；

'he　will　wait　till　the　man　comes　home。'



〃The　doctor　had　said　on　the　previous　evening　that　the　Count　could

scarcely　live　through　the　day。　When　the　servant　came　back　two　hours

later　to　give　that　hopeless　answer；　the　dying　man　seemed　to　be　greatly

agitated。



〃　'Oh　God！'　he　cried　again　and　again；　'I　put　my　trust　in　none　but

Thee。'



〃For　a　long　while　he　lay　and　gazed　at　his　son；　and　spoke　in　a　feeble

voice　at　last。



〃　'Ernest；　my　boy；　you　are　very　young；　but　you　have　a　good　heart；　you

can　understand；　no　doubt；　that　a　promise　given　to　a　dying　man　is

sacred；　a　promise　to　a　father　。　。　。　Do　you　feel　that　you　can　be

trusted　with　a　secret；　and　keep　it　so　well　and　so　closely　that　even

your　mother　herself　shall　not　know　that　you　have　a　secret　to　keep？

There　is　no　one　else　in　this　house　whom　I　can　trust　to…day。　You　will

not　betray　my　trust；　will　you？'



〃　'No；　father。'



〃　'Very　well；　then；　Ernest；　in　a　minute　or　two　I　will　give　you　a

sealed　packet　that　belongs　to　M。　Derville；　you　must　take　such　care　of

it　that　no　one　can　know　that　you　have　it；　then　you　must　slip　out　of

the　house　and　put　the　letter　into　the　post…box　at　the　corner。'



〃　'Yes；　father。'



〃　'Can　I　depend　upon　you？'



〃　'Yes；　father。'



〃　'Come　and　kiss　me。　You　have　made　death　less　bitter　to　me；　dear　boy。

In　six　or　seven　years'　time　you　will　understand　the　importance　of　this

secret；　and　you　will　be　well　rewarded　then　for　your　quickness　and

obedience；　you　will　know　then　how　much　I　love　you。　Leave　me　alone　for

a　minute；　and　let　no　oneno　matter　whomcome　in　meanwhile。'



〃Ernest　went　out　and　saw　his　mother　standing　in　the　next　room。



〃　'Ernest；'　said　she；　'come　here。'



〃She　sat　down；　drew　her　son　to　he