father goriot(高老头)-第50章

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sion　in　his　eyes。〃Our　little　bargain　still　holds　good；　dear　boy；　you　can　accept　any　time　you　like！　Do　you　understand？〃　And　he　sang：

　　〃A　charming　girl　is　my　Fanchette　　　In　her　simplicity。〃

〃Don't　you　trouble　yourself；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　can　get　in　my　money。　They　are　too　much　afraid　of　me　to　swindle　me。〃

The　convicts'　prison；　its　language　and　customs；　its　sudden　sharp　transitions　from　the　humorous　to　the　horrible；　its　appalling　grandeur；　its　triviality　and　its　dark　depths；　were　all　revealed　in　turn　by　the　speaker's　discourse；　he　seemed　to　be　no　longer　a　man；　but　the　type　and　mouthpiece　of　a　degenerate　race；　a　brutal；　supple；　clear…headed　race　of　savages。　In　one　moment　Collin　became　the　poet　of　an　inferno；　wherein　all　thoughts　and　passions　that　move　human　nature　（save　repentance）　find　a　place。　He　looked　about　him　like　a　fallen　archangel　who　is　for　war　to　the　end。　Rastignac　lowered　his　eyes；　and　acknowledged　this　kinship　claimed　by　crime　as　an　expiation　of　his　own　evil　thoughts。

〃Who　betrayed　me？〃　said　Collin；　and　his　terrible　eyes　traveled　round　the　room。　Suddenly　they　rested　on　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃It　was　you；　old　cat！〃　he　said。　〃That　sham　stroke　of　apoplexy　was　your　doing；　lynx　eyes！　。　。　。　Two　words　from　me；　and　your　throat　would　be　cut　in　less　than　a　week；　but　I　forgive　you；　I　am　a　Christian。　You　did　not　sell　me　either。　But　who　did？Aha！　you　may　rummage　upstairs；〃　he　shouted；　hearing　the　police　officers　opening　his　cupboards　and　taking　possession　of　his　effects。　〃The　nest　is　empty；　the　birds　flew　away　yesterday；　and　you　will　be　none　the　wiser。　My　ledgers　are　here；〃　he　said　tapping　his　forehead。　〃Now　I　know　who　sold　me！　It　could　only　be　that　blackguard　Fil…de…Soie。　That　is　who　it　was；　old　catchpoll；　eh？〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　chief。　〃It　was　timed　so　neatly　to　get　the　banknotes　up　above　there。　There　is　nothing　left　for　youspies！　As　for　Fil…de…Soie；　he　will　be　under　the　daisies　in　less　than　a　fortnight；　even　if　you　were　to　tell　off　the　whole　force　to　protect　him。　How　much　did　you　give　the　Michonnette？〃　he　asked　of　the　police　officers。　〃A　thousand　crowns？　Oh　you　Ninon　in　decay；　Pompadour　in　tatters；　Venus　of　the　graveyard；　I　was　worth　more　than　that！　If　you　had　given　me　warning；　you　should　have　had　six　thousand　francs。　Ah！　you　had　no　suspicion　of　that；　old　trafficker　in　flesh　and　blood；　or　I　should　have　had　the　preference。　Yes；　I　would　have　given　six　thousand　francs　to　save　myself　an　inconvenient　journey　and　some　loss　of　money；〃　he　said；　as　they　fastened　the　handcuffs　on　his　wrists。　〃These　folks　will　amuse　themselves　by　dragging　out　this　business　till　the　end　of　time　to　keep　me　idle。　If　they　were　to　send　me　straight　to　jail；　I　should　soon　be　back　at　my　old　tricks　in　spite　of　the　duffers　at　the　Quai　des　Orfevres。　Down　yonder　they　will　all　turn　themselves　inside　out　to　help　their　generaltheir　good　Trompe…la…Mortto　get　clear　away。　Is　there　a　single　one　among　you　that　can　say；　as　I　can；　that　he　has　ten　thousand　brothers　ready　to　do　anything　for　him？〃　he　asked　proudly。　〃There　is　some　good　there；〃　he　said　tapping　his　heart；　〃I　have　never　betrayed　any　one！Look　you　here；　you　slut；〃　he　said　to　the　old　maid；　〃they　are　all　afraid　of　me；　do　you　see？　but　the　sight　of　you　turns　them　sick。　Rake　in　your　gains。〃

He　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　looked　round　at　the　lodgers'　faces。

〃What　dolts　you　are；　all　of　you！　Have　you　never　seen　a　convict　before？　A　convict　of　Collin's　stamp；　whom　you　see　before　you；　is　a　man　less　weak…kneed　than　others；　he　lifts　up　his　voice　against　the　colossal　fraud　of　the　Social　Contract；　as　Jean　Jacques　did；　whose　pupil　he　is　proud　to　declare　himself。　In　short；　I　stand　here　single…handed　against　a　Government　and　a　whole　subsidized　machinery　of　tribunals　and　police；　and　I　am　a　match　for　them　all。〃

〃Ye　gods！〃　cried　the　painter；　〃what　a　magnificent　sketch　one　might　make　of　him！〃

〃Look　here；　you　gentlemen…in…waiting　to　his　highness　the　gibbet；　master　of　ceremonies　to　the　widow〃　（a　nickname　full　of　sombre　poetry；　given　by　prisoners　to　the　guillotine）；　〃be　a　good　fellow；　and　tell　me　if　it　really　was　Fil…de…Soie　who　sold　me。　I　don't　want　him　to　suffer　for　some　one　else；　that　would　not　be　fair。〃

But　before　the　chief　had　time　to　answer；　the　rest　of　the　party　returned　from　making　their　investigations　upstairs。　Everything　had　been　opened　and　inventoried。　A　few　words　passed　between　them　and　the　chief；　and　the　official　preliminaries　were　complete。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Collin；　addressing　the　lodgers；　〃they　will　take　me　away　directly。　You　have　all　made　my　stay　among　you　very　agreeable；　and　I　shall　look　back　upon　it　with　gratitude。　Receive　my　adieux；　and　permit　me　to　send　you　figs　from　Provence。〃

He　advanced　a　step　or　two；　and　then　turned　to　look　once　more　at　Rastignac。

〃Good…bye；　Eugene；〃　he　said；　in　a　sad　and　gentle　tone；　a　strange　transition　from　his　previous　rough　and　stern　manner。　〃If　you　should　be　hard　up；　I　have　left　you　a　devoted　friend；〃　and；　in　spite　of　his　shackles；　he　managed　to　assume　a　posture　of　defence；　called；　〃One；　two！〃　like　a　fencing…master；　and　lunged。　〃If　anything　goes　wrong；　apply　in　that　quarter。　Man　and　money；　all　at　your　service。〃

The　strange　speaker's　manner　was　sufficiently　burlesque；　so　that　no　one　but　Rastignac　knew　that　there　was　a　serious　meaning　underlying　the　pantomime。

As　soon　as　the　police；　soldiers；　and　detectives　had　left　the　house；　Sylvie；　who　was　rubbing　her　mistress'　temples　with　vinegar；　looked　round　at　the　bewildered　lodgers。

〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃he　was　a　man；　he　was；　for　all　that。〃

Her　words　broke　the　spell。　Every　one　had　been　too　much　excited；　too　much　moved　by　very　various　feelings　to　speak。　But　now　the　lodgers　began　to　look　at　each　other；　and　then　all　eyes　were　turned　at　once　on　Mlle。　Michonneau；　a　thin；　shriveled；　dead…　alive；　mummy…like　figure；　crouching　by　the　stove；　her　eyes　were　downcast；　as　if　she　feared　that　the　green　eye…shade　could　not　shut　out　the　expression　of　those　faces　from　her。　This　figure　and　the　feeling　of　repulsion　she　had　so　long　excited　were　explained　all　at　once。　A　smothered　murmur　filled　the　room；　it　was　so　unanimous；　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　same　feeling　of　loathing　had　pitched　all　the　voices　in　one　key。　Mlle。　Michonneau　heard　it；　and　did　not　stir。　It　was　Bianchon　who　was　the　first　to　move；　he　bent　over　his　neighbor；　and　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃If　that　creature　is　going　to　stop　here；　and　have　dinner　with　us；　I　shall　clear　out。〃

In　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　it　was　clear　that　every　one　in　the　room；　save　Poiret；　was　of　the　medical　student's　opinion；　so　that　the　latter；　strong　in　the　support　of　the　majority；　went　up　to　that　elderly　person。

〃You　are　more　intimate　with　Mlle。　Michonneau　than　the　rest　of　us；〃　he　said；　〃speak　to　her；　make　her　understand　that　she　must　go；　and　go　at　once。〃

〃At　once！〃　echoed　Poiret　in　amazement。

Then　he　went　across　to　the　crouching　figure；　and　spoke　a　few　words　in　her　ear。

〃I　have　paid　beforehand　for　the　quarter；　I　have　as　much　right　to　be　here　as　any　one　else；〃　she　said；　with　a　viperous　look　at　the　boarders。

〃Never　mind　that！　we　will　club　together　and　pay　you　the　money　back；〃　said　Rastignac。

〃Monsieur　is　taking　Collin's　part〃　she　said；　with　a　questioning；　malignant　glance　at　the　law　student；　〃it　is　not　difficult　to　guess　why。〃

Eugene　started　forward　at　the　words；　as　if　he　meant　to　spring　upon　her　and　wring　her　neck。　That　glance；　and　the　depths　of　treachery　that　it　revealed；　had　been　a　hideous　enlightenment。

〃Let　her　alone！〃　cried　the　boarders。

Rastignac　folded　his　arms　and　was　silent。

〃Let　us　have　no　more　of　Mlle。　Judas；〃　said　the　painter；　turning　to　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃If　you　don't　show　the　Michonneau　the　door；　madame；　we　shall　all　leave　your　shop；　and　wherever　we　go　we　shall　say　that　there　are　only　convicts　and　spies　left　there。　If　you　do　the　other　thing；　we　will　hold　our　tongues　about　the　business；　for　when　all　is　said　and　done；　it　might　happen　in　the　best　society　until　they　brand　them　on　the　forehead；　when　they　send　them　to　the　hulks。　They　ought　not　to　let　convicts　go　about　Paris　disguised　like　decent　citizens；　so　as　to　carry　on　their　antics　like　a　set　of　rascally　humbugs；　which　they　are。〃

At　this　Mme。　Vauquer　recovered　miraculously。　She　sat　up　and　folded　her　arms；　her　eyes　were　wide