father goriot(高老头)-第23章
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hange at once； and did not return for several days afterwards； he was ill in consequence of the shock and the subsequent relief on discovering that it was a false alarm。 This time； however； the offender did not escape with a bruised shoulder； at a critical moment in the man's affairs； Goriot drove him into bankruptcy； and forced him to disappear from the Corn Exchange。
As might have been expected； the two girls were spoiled。 With an income of sixty thousand francs； Goriot scarcely spent twelve hundred on himself； and found all his happiness in satisfying the whims of the two girls。 The best masters were engaged； that Anastasie and Delphine might be endowed with all the accomplishments which distinguish a good education。 They had a chaperonluckily for them； she was a woman who had good sense and good taste；they learned to ride； they had a carriage for their use； they lived as the mistress of a rich old lord might live； they had only to express a wish； their father would hasten to give them their most extravagant desires； and asked nothing of them in return but a kiss。 Goriot had raised the two girls to the level of the angels； and； quite naturally； he himself was left beneath them。 Poor man！ he loved them even for the pain that they gave him。
When the girls were old enough to be married； they were left free to choose for themselves。 Each had half her father's fortune as her dowry； and when the Comte de Restaud came to woo Anastasie for her beauty； her social aspirations led her to leave her father's house for a more exalted sphere。 Delphine wished for money； she married Nucingen； a banker of German extraction； who became a Baron of the Holy Roman Empire。 Goriot remained a vermicelli maker as before。 His daughters and his sons…in…law began to demur； they did not like to see him still engaged in trade； though his whole life was bound up with his business。 For five years he stood out against their entreaties； then he yielded； and consented to retire on the amount realized by the sale of his business and the savings of the last few years。 It was this capital that Mme。 Vauquer； in the early days of his residence with her； had calculated would bring in eight or ten thousand livres in a year。 He had taken refuge in her lodging… house； driven there by despair when he knew that his daughters were compelled by their husbands not only to refuse to receive him as an inmate in their houses； but even to see him no more except in private。
This was all the information which Rastignac gained from a M。 Muret who had purchased Goriot's business； information which confirmed the Duchesse de Langeais' suppositions； and herewith the preliminary explanation of this obscure but terrible Parisian tragedy comes to an end。
Towards the end of the first week in December Rastignac received two lettersone from his mother； and one from his eldest sister。 His heart beat fast； half with happiness； half with fear； at the sight of the familiar handwriting。 Those two little scraps of paper contained life or death for his hopes。 But while he felt a shiver of dread as he remembered their dire poverty at home； he knew their love for him so well that he could not help fearing that he was draining their very life…blood。 His mother's letter ran as follows：
〃My Dear Child；I am sending you the money that you asked for。 Make a good use of it。 Even to save your life I could not raise so large a sum a second time without your father's knowledge； and there would be trouble about it。 We should be obliged to mortgage the land。 It is impossible to judge of the merits of schemes of which I am ignorant； but what sort of schemes can they be； that you should fear to tell me about them？ Volumes of explanation would not have been needed； we mothers can understand at a word； and that word would have spared me the anguish of uncertainty。 I do not know how to hide the painful impression that your letter has made upon me； my dear son。 What can you have felt when you were moved to send this chill of dread through my heart？ It must have been very painful to you to write the letter that gave me so much pain as I read it。 To what courses are you committed？ You are going to appear to be something that you are not； and your whole life and success depends upon this？ You are about to see a society into which you cannot enter without rushing into expense that you cannot afford； without losing precious time that is needed for your studies。 Ah！ my dear Eugene； believe your mother； crooked ways cannot lead to great ends。 Patience and endurance are the two qualities most needed in your position。 I am not scolding you； I do not want any tinge of bitterness to spoil our offering。 I am only talking like a mother whose trust in you is as great as her foresight for you。 You know the steps that you must take； and I； for my part； know the purity of heart； and how good your intentions are； so I can say to you without a doubt； 'Go forward； beloved！' If I tremble； it is because I am a mother； but my prayers and blessings will be with you at every step。 Be very careful； dear boy。 You must have a man's prudence； for it lies with you to shape the destinies of five others who are dear to you； and must look to you。 Yes； our fortunes depend upon you； and your success is ours。 We all pray to God to be with you in all that you do。 Your aunt Marcillac has been most generous beyond words in this matter； she saw at once how it was； even down to your gloves。 'But I have a weakness for the eldest！' she said gaily。 You must love your aunt very much； dear Eugene。 I shall wait till you have succeeded before telling you all that she has done for you； or her money would burn your fingers。 You； who are young； do not know what it is to part with something that is a piece of your past！ But what would we not sacrifice for your sakes？ Your aunt says that I am to send you a kiss on the forehead from her； and that kiss is to bring you luck again and again； she says。 She would have written you herself； the dear kind…hearted woman； but she is troubled with the gout in her fingers just now。 Your father is very well。 The vintage of 1819 has turned out better than we expected。 Good…bye； dear boy； I will say nothing about your sisters； because Laure is writing to you； and I must let her have the pleasure of giving you all the home news。 Heaven send that you may succeed！ Oh！ yes； dear Eugene； you must succeed。 I have come； through you； to a knowledge of a pain so sharp that I do not think I could endure it a second time。 I have come to know what it is to be poor； and to long for money for my children's sake。 There； good…bye！ Do not leave us for long without news of you； and here； at the last； take a kiss from your mother。〃
By the time Eugene had finished the letter he was in tears。 He thought of Father Goriot crushing his silver keepsake into a shapeless mass before he sold it to meet his daughter's bill of exchange。
〃Your mother has broken up her jewels for you；〃 he said to himself； 〃your aunt shed tears over those relics of hers before she sold them for your sake。 What right have you to heap execrations on Anastasie？ You have followed her example； you have selfishly sacrificed others to your own future； and she sacrifices her father to her lover； and of you two； which is the worse？〃
He was ready to renounce his attempts； he could not bear to take that money。 The fires of remorse burned in his heart； and gave him intolerable pain； the generous secret remorse which men seldom take into account when they sit in judgment upon their fellow…men； but perhaps the angels in heaven； beholding it； pardon the criminal whom our justice condemns。 Rastignac opened his sister's letter； its simplicity and kindness revived his heart。
〃Your letter came just at the right time； dear brother。 Agathe and I had thought of so many different ways of spending our money； that we did not know what to buy with it； and now you have come in； and； like the servant who upset all the watches that belonged to the King of Spain； you have restored harmony； for； really and truly； we did not know which of all the things we wanted we wanted most； and we were always quarreling about it； never thinking； dear Eugene； of a way of spending our money which would satisf
