father goriot(高老头)-第12章

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ur　countess　is　called　Anastasie　de　Restaud；　and　she　lives　in　the　Rue　du　Helder。〃

The　student　stared　hard　at　Vautrin。　Father　Goriot　raised　his　head　at　the　words；　and　gave　the　two　speakers　a　glance　so　full　of　intelligence　and　uneasiness　that　the　lodgers　beheld　him　with　astonishment。

〃Then　Christophe　was　too　late；　and　she　must　have　gone　to　him！〃　cried　Goriot；　with　anguish　in　his　voice。

〃It　is　just　as　I　guessed；〃　said　Vautrin；　leaning　over　to　whisper　in　Mme。　Vauquer's　ear。

Goriot　went　on　with　his　breakfast；　but　seemed　unconscious　of　what　he　was　doing。　He　had　never　looked　more　stupid　nor　more　taken　up　with　his　own　thoughts　than　he　did　at　that　moment。

〃Who　the　devil　could　have　told　you　her　name；　M。　Vautrin？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃Aha！　there　you　are！〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃Old　Father　Goriot　there　knew　it　quite　well！　and　why　should　I　not　know　it　too？〃

〃M。　Goriot？〃　the　student　cried。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　old　man。　〃So　she　was　very　beautiful；　was　she；　yesterday　night？〃

〃Who？〃

〃Mme。　de　Restaud。〃

〃Look　at　the　old　wretch；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　speaking　to　Vautrin；　〃how　his　eyes　light　up！〃

〃Then　does　he　really　keep　her？〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　a　whisper　to　the　student。

〃Oh！　yes；　she　was　tremendously　pretty；〃　Eugene　answered。　Father　Goriot　watched　him　with　eager　eyes。　〃If　Mme。　de　Beauseant　had　not　been　there；　my　divine　countess　would　have　been　the　queen　of　the　ball；　none　of　the　younger　men　had　eyes　for　any　one　else。　I　was　the　twelfth　on　her　list；　and　she　danced　every　quadrille。　The　other　women　were　furious。　She　must　have　enjoyed　herself；　if　ever　creature　did！　It　is　a　true　saying　that　there　is　no　more　beautiful　sight　than　a　frigate　in　full　sail；　a　galloping　horse；　or　a　woman　dancing。〃

〃So　the　wheel　turns；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃yesterday　night　at　a　duchess'　ball；　this　morning　in　a　money…lender's　office；　on　the　lowest　rung　of　the　ladderjust　like　a　Parisienne！　If　their　husbands　cannot　afford　to　pay　for　their　frantic　extravagance；　they　will　sell　themselves。　Or　if　they　cannot　do　that；　they　will　tear　out　their　mothers'　hearts　to　find　something　to　pay　for　their　splendor。　They　will　turn　the　world　upside　down。　Just　a　Parisienne　through　and　through！〃

Father　Goriot's　face；　which　had　shone　at　the　student's　words　like　the　sun　on　a　bright　day；　clouded　over　all　at　once　at　this　cruel　speech　of　Vautrin's。

〃Well；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃but　where　is　your　adventure？　Did　you　speak　to　her？　Did　you　ask　her　if　she　wanted　to　study　law？〃

〃She　did　not　see　me；〃　said　Eugene。　〃But　only　think　of　meeting　one　of　the　prettiest　women　in　Paris　in　the　Rue　des　Gres　at　nine　o'clock！　She　could　not　have　reached　home　after　the　ball　till　two　o'clock　this　morning。　Wasn't　it　queer？　There　is　no　place　like　Paris　for　this　sort　of　adventures。〃

〃Pshaw！　much　funnier　things　than　THAT　happen　here！〃　exclaimed　Vautrin。

Mlle。　Taillefer　had　scarcely　heeded　the　talk；　she　was　so　absorbed　by　the　thought　of　the　new　attempt　that　she　was　about　to　make。　Mme。　Couture　made　a　sign　that　it　was　time　to　go　upstairs　and　dress；　the　two　ladies　went　out；　and　Father　Goriot　followed　their　example。

〃Well；　did　you　see？〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　addressing　Vautrin　and　the　rest　of　the　circle。　〃He　is　ruining　himself　for　those　women；　that　is　plain。〃

〃Nothing　will　ever　make　me　believe　that　that　beautiful　Comtesse　de　Restaud　is　anything　to　Father　Goriot；〃　cried　the　student。

〃Well；　and　if　you　don't；〃　broke　in　Vautrin；　〃we　are　not　set　on　convincing　you。　You　are　too　young　to　know　Paris　thoroughly　yet；　later　on　you　will　find　out　that　there　are　what　we　call　men　with　a　passion〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　gave　Vautrin　a　quick　glance　at　these　words。　They　seemed　to　be　like　the　sound　of　a　trumpet　to　a　trooper's　horse。　〃Aha！〃　said　Vautrin；　stopping　in　his　speech　to　give　her　a　searching　glance；　〃so　we　have　had　our　little　experiences；　have　we？〃

The　old　maid　lowered　her　eyes　like　a　nun　who　sees　a　statue。

〃Well；〃　he　went　on；　〃when　folk　of　that　kind　get　a　notion　into　their　heads；　they　cannot　drop　it。　They　must　drink　the　water　from　some　particular　springit　is　stagnant　as　often　as　not；　but　they　will　sell　their　wives　and　families；　they　will　sell　their　own　souls　to　the　devil　to　get　it。　For　some　this　spring　is　play；　or　the　stock…exchange；　or　music；　or　a　collection　of　pictures　or　insects；　for　others　it　is　some　woman　who　can　give　them　the　dainties　they　like。　You　might　offer　these　last　all　the　women　on　earththey　would　turn　up　their　noses；　they　will　have　the　only　one　who　can　gratify　their　passion。　It　often　happens　that　the　woman　does　not　care　for　them　at　all；　and　treats　them　cruelly；　they　buy　their　morsels　of　satisfaction　very　dear；　but　no　matter；　the　fools　are　never　tired　of　it；　they　will　take　their　last　blanket　to　the　pawnbroker's　to　give　their　last　five…franc　piece　to　her。　Father　Goriot　here　is　one　of　that　sort。　He　is　discreet；　so　the　Countess　exploits　himjust　the　way　of　the　gay　world。　The　poor　old　fellow　thinks　of　her　and　of　nothing　else。　In　all　other　respects　you　see　he　is　a　stupid　animal；　but　get　him　on　that　subject；　and　his　eyes　sparkle　like　diamonds。　That　secret　is　not　difficult　to　guess。　He　took　some　plate　himself　this　morning　to　the　melting…pot；　and　I　saw　him　at　Daddy　Gobseck's　in　the　Rue　des　Gres。　And　now；　mark　what　followshe　came　back　here；　and　gave　a　letter　for　the　Comtesse　de　Restaud　to　that　noodle　of　a　Christophe；　who　showed　us　the　address；　there　was　a　receipted　bill　inside　it。　It　is　clear　that　it　was　an　urgent　matter　if　the　Countess　also　went　herself　to　the　old　money　lender。　Father　Goriot　has　financed　her　handsomely。　There　is　no　need　to　tack　a　tale　together；　the　thing　is　self…evident。　So　that　shows　you；　sir　student；　that　all　the　time　your　Countess　was　smiling；　dancing；　flirting；　swaying　her　peach…flower　crowned　head；　with　her　gown　gathered　into　her　hand；　her　slippers　were　pinching　her；　as　they　say；　she　was　thinking　of　her　protested　bills；　or　her　lover's　protested　bills。〃

〃You　have　made　me　wild　to　know　the　truth；〃　cried　Eugene；　〃I　will　go　to　call　on　Mme。　de　Restaud　to…morrow。〃

〃Yes；〃　echoed　Poiret；　〃you　must　go　and　call　on　Mme。　de　Restaud。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　will　find　Father　Goriot　there；　who　will　take　payment　for　the　assistance　he　politely　rendered。〃

Eugene　looked　disgusted。　〃Why；　then；　this　Paris　of　yours　is　a　slough。〃

〃And　an　uncommonly　queer　slough；　too；〃　replied　Vautrin。　〃The　mud　splashes　you　as　you　drive　through　it　in　your　carriageyou　are　a　respectable　person；　you　go　afoot　and　are　splashedyou　are　a　scoundrel。　You　are　so　unlucky　as　to　walk　off　with　something　or　other　belonging　to　somebody　else；　and　they　exhibit　you　as　a　curiosity　in　the　Place　du　Palais…de…Justice；　you　steal　a　million；　and　you　are　pointed　out　in　every　salon　as　a　model　of　virtue。　And　you　pay　thirty　millions　for　the　police　and　the　courts　of　justice；　for　the　maintenance　of　law　and　order！　A　pretty　slate　of　things　it　is！〃

〃What；〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃has　Father　Goriot　really　melted　down　his　silver　posset…dish？〃

〃There　were　two　turtle…doves　on　the　lid；　were　there　not？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃Yes；　that　there　were。〃

〃Then；　was　he　fond　of　it？〃　said　Eugene。　〃He　cried　while　he　was　breaking　up　the　cup　and　plate。　I　happened　to　see　him　by　accident。〃

〃It　was　dear　to　him　as　his　own　life；〃　answered　the　widow。

〃There！　you　see　how　infatuated　the　old　fellow　is！〃　cried　Vautrin。　〃The　woman　yonder　can　coax　the　soul　out　of　him〃

The　student　went　up　to　his　room。　Vautrin　went　out；　and　a　few　moments　later　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　drove　away　in　a　cab　which　Sylvie　had　called　for　them。　Poiret　gave　his　arm　to　Mlle。　Michonneau；　and　they　went　together　to　spend　the　two　sunniest　hours　of　the　day　in　the　Jardin　des　Plantes。

〃Well；　those　two　are　as　good　as　married；〃　was　the　portly　Sylvie's　comment。　〃They　are　going　out　together　to…day　for　the　first　time。　They　are　such　a　couple　of　dry　sticks　that　if　they　happen　to　strike　against　each　other　they　will　draw　sparks　like　flint　and　steel。〃

〃Keep　clear　of　Mlle。　Michonneau's　shawl；　then；　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　laughing；　〃it　would　flare　up　like　tinder。〃

At　four　o'clock　that　evening；　when　Goriot　came　in；　he　saw；　by　the　light　of　two　smoky　lamps；　that　Victorine's　eyes　were　red。　Mme。　Vauquer　was　listening　to　the　history　of　the　visit　made　that　morning　to　M。　Taillefer；　it　had　been　made　in　vain。　Taill