father goriot(高老头)-第25章

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　here　in　search　of　a　lover。〃

Just　then　a　porter　from　the　Messageries　Royales　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　room；　they　had　previously　heard　the　bell　ring　as　the　wicket　opened　to　admit　him。　The　man　asked　for　M。　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　holding　out　two　bags　for　him　to　take；　and　a　form　of　receipt　for　his　signature。　Vautrin's　keen　glance　cut　Eugene　like　a　lash。

〃Now　you　will　be　able　to　pay　for　those　fencing　lessons　and　go　to　the　shooting　gallery；〃　he　said。

〃Your　ship　has　come　in；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　eyeing　the　bags。

Mlle。　Michonneau　did　not　dare　to　look　at　the　money；　for　fear　her　eyes　should　betray　her　cupidity。

〃You　have　a　kind　mother；〃　said　Mme。　Couture。

〃You　have　a　kind　mother；　sir；〃　echoed　Poiret。

〃Yes；　mamma　has　been　drained　dry；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃and　now　you　can　have　your　fling；　go　into　society；　and　fish　for　heiresses；　and　dance　with　countesses　who　have　peach　blossom　in　their　hair。　But　take　my　advice；　young　man；　and　don't　neglect　your　pistol　practice。〃

Vautrin　struck　an　attitude；　as　if　he　were　facing　an　antagonist。　Rastignac；　meaning　to　give　the　porter　a　tip；　felt　in　his　pockets　and　found　nothing。　Vautrin　flung　down　a　franc　piece　on　the　table。

〃Your　credit　is　good；〃　he　remarked；　eyeing　the　student；　and　Rastignac　was　forced　to　thank　him；　though；　since　the　sharp　encounter　of　wits　at　dinner　that　day；　after　Eugene　came　in　from　calling　on　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　he　had　made　up　his　mind　that　Vautrin　was　insufferable。　For　a　week；　in　fact；　they　had　both　kept　silence　in　each　other's　presence；　and　watched　each　other。　The　student　tried　in　vain　to　account　to　himself　for　this　attitude。

An　idea；　of　course；　gains　in　force　by　the　energy　with　which　it　is　expressed；　it　strikes　where　the　brain　sends　it；　by　a　law　as　mathematically　exact　as　the　law　that　determines　the　course　of　a　shell　from　a　mortar。　The　amount　of　impression　it　makes　is　not　to　be　determined　so　exactly。　Sometimes；　in　an　impressible　nature；　the　idea　works　havoc；　but　there　are；　no　less；　natures　so　robustly　protected；　that　this　sort　of　projectile　falls　flat　and　harmless　on　skulls　of　triple　brass；　as　cannon…shot　against　solid　masonry；　then　there　are　flaccid　and　spongy…fibred　natures　into　which　ideas　from　without　sink　like　spent　bullets　into　the　earthworks　of　a　redoubt。　Rastignac's　head　was　something　of　the　powder…magazine　order；　the　least　shock　sufficed　to　bring　about　an　explosion。　He　was　too　quick；　too　young；　not　to　be　readily　accessible　to　ideas；　and　open　to　that　subtle　influence　of　thought　and　feeling　in　others　which　causes　so　many　strange　phenomena　that　make　an　impression　upon　us　of　which　we　are　all　unconscious　at　the　time。　Nothing　escaped　his　mental　vision；　he　was　lynx…eyed；　in　him　the　mental　powers　of　perception；　which　seem　like　duplicates　of　the　senses；　had　the　mysterious　power　of　swift　projection　that　astonishes　us　in　intellects　of　a　high　orderslingers　who　are　quick　to　detect　the　weak　spot　in　any　armor。

In　the　past　month　Eugene's　good　qualities　and　defects　had　rapidly　developed　with　his　character。　Intercourse　with　the　world　and　the　endeavor　to　satisfy　his　growing　desires　had　brought　out　his　defects。　But　Rastignac　came　from　the　South　side　of　the　Loire；　and　had　the　good　qualities　of　his　countrymen。　He　had　the　impetuous　courage　of　the　South；　that　rushes　to　the　attack　of　a　difficulty；　as　well　as　the　southern　impatience　of　delay　or　suspense。　These　traits　are　held　to　be　defects　in　the　North；　they　made　the　fortune　of　Murat；　but　they　likewise　cut　short　his　career。　The　moral　would　appear　to　be　that　when　the　dash　and　boldness　of　the　South　side　of　the　Loire　meets；　in　a　southern　temperament；　with　the　guile　of　the　North；　the　character　is　complete；　and　such　a　man　will　gain　（and　keep）　the　crown　of　Sweden。

Rastignac；　therefore；　could　not　stand　the　fire　from　Vautrin's　batteries　for　long　without　discovering　whether　this　was　a　friend　or　a　foe。　He　felt　as　if　this　strange　being　was　reading　his　inmost　soul；　and　dissecting　his　feelings；　while　Vautrin　himself　was　so　close　and　secretive　that　he　seemed　to　have　something　of　the　profound　and　unmoved　serenity　of　a　sphinx；　seeing　and　hearing　all　things　and　saying　nothing。　Eugene；　conscious　of　that　money　in　his　pocket；　grew　rebellious。

〃Be　so　good　as　to　wait　a　moment；〃　he　said　to　Vautrin；　as　the　latter　rose；　after　slowly　emptying　his　coffee…cup；　sip　by　sip。

〃What　for？〃　inquired　the　older　man；　as　he　put　on　his　large…　brimmed　hat　and　took　up　the　sword…cane　that　he　was　wont　to　twirl　like　a　man　who　will　face　three　or　four　footpads　without　flinching。

〃I　will　repay　you　in　a　minute；〃　returned　Eugene。　He　unsealed　one　of　the　bags　as　he　spoke；　counted　out　a　hundred　and　forty　francs；　and　pushed　them　towards　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃Short　reckonings　make　good　friends〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　widow；　〃that　clears　our　accounts　till　the　end　of　the　year。　Can　you　give　me　change　for　a　five…franc　piece？〃

〃Good　friends　make　short　reckonings；〃　echoed　Poiret；　with　a　glance　at　Vautrin。

〃Here　is　your　franc；〃　said　Rastignac；　holding　out　the　coin　to　the　sphinx　in　the　black　wig。

〃Any　one　might　think　that　you　were　afraid　to　owe　me　a　trifle；〃　exclaimed　this　latter；　with　a　searching　glance　that　seemed　to　read　the　young　man's　inmost　thoughts；　there　was　a　satirical　and　cynical　smile　on　Vautrin's　face　such　as　Eugene　had　seen　scores　of　times　already；　every　time　he　saw　it；　it　exasperated　him　almost　beyond　endurance。

〃Well　。　。　。　so　I　am；〃　he　answered。　He　held　both　the　bags　in　his　hand；　and　had　risen　to　go　up　to　his　room。

Vautrin　made　as　if　he　were　going　out　through　the　sitting…room；　and　the　student　turned　to　go　through　the　second　door　that　opened　into　the　square　lobby　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase。

〃Do　you　know；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Rastignacorama；　that　what　you　were　saying　just　now　was　not　exactly　polite？〃　Vautrin　remarked；　as　he　rattled　his　sword…cane　across　the　panels　of　the　sitting…room　door；　and　came　up　to　the　student。

Rastignac　looked　coolly　at　Vautrin；　drew　him　to　the　foot　of　the　staircase；　and　shut　the　dining…room　door。　They　were　standing　in　the　little　square　lobby　between　the　kitchen　and　the　dining…room；　the　place　was　lighted　by　an　iron…barred　fanlight　above　a　door　that　gave　access　into　the　garden。　Sylvie　came　out　of　her　kitchen；　and　Eugene　chose　that　moment　to　say：

MONSIEUR　Vautrin；　I　am　not　a　marquis；　and　my　name　is　not　Rastignacorama。〃

〃They　will　fight；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　an　indifferent　tone。

〃Fight！〃　echoed　Poiret。

〃Not　they；〃　replied　Mme。　Vauquer；　lovingly　fingering　her　pile　of　coins。

〃But　there　they　are　under　the　lime…trees；〃　cried　Mlle。　Victorine；　who　had　risen　so　that　she　might　see　out　into　the　garden。　〃Poor　young　man！　he　was　in　the　right；　after　all。〃

〃We　must　go　upstairs；　my　pet；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　〃it　is　no　business　of　ours。〃

At　the　door；　however；　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　found　their　progress　barred　by　the　portly　form　of　Sylvie　the　cook。

〃What　ever　can　have　happened？〃　she　said。　〃M。　Vautrin　said　to　M。　Eugene；　'Let　us　have　an　explanation！'　then　he　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　there　they　are；　out　among　the　artichokes。〃

Vautrin　came　in　while　she　was　speaking。　〃Mamma　Vauquer；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃don't　frighten　yourself　at　all。　I　am　only　going　to　try　my　pistols　under　the　lime…trees。〃

〃Oh！　monsieur；〃　cried　Victorine；　clasping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；　〃why　do　you　want　to　kill　M。　Eugene？〃

Vautrin　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　and　gazed　at　Victorine。

〃Oh！　this　is　something　fresh！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　bantering　tone；　that　brought　the　color　into　the　poor　girl's　face。　〃That　young　fellow　yonder　is　very　nice；　isn't　he？〃　he　went　on。　〃You　have　given　me　a　notion；　my　pretty　child；　I　will　make　you　both　happy。〃

Mme。　Couture　laid　her　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　ward；　and　drew　the　girl　away；　as　she　said　in　her　ear：

〃Why；　Victorine；　I　cannot　imagine　what　has　come　over　you　this　morning。〃

〃I　don't　want　any　shots　fired　in　my　garden；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　will　frighten　the　neighborhood　and　bring　the　police　up　here　all　in　a　moment。〃

〃Come；　keep　cool；　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃There；　there；　it's　all　right；　we　will　go　to　the　shooting…gallery。〃

He　went　back　to　Rastignac；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　on　the　young　man's　arm。

〃When　I　have　given　you　ocular　demonstration　of　the　fact　that　I　can　put　a　bullet　through　t