father goriot-第17章

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She　broke　off；　glanced　at　the　piano　as　if　some　fancy　had　crossed

her　mind；　and　asked；　〃Are　you　fond　of　music；　M。　de　Rastignac？〃



〃Exceedingly；〃　answered　Eugene；　flushing；　and　disconcerted　by　a

dim　suspicion　that　he　had　somehow　been　guilty　of　a　clumsy　piece

of　folly。



〃Do　you　sing？〃　she　cried；　going　to　the　piano；　and；　sitting　down

before　it；　she　swept　her　fingers　over　the　keyboard　from　end　to

end。　R…r…r…rah！



〃No；　madame。〃



The　Comte　de　Restaud　walked　to　and　fro。



〃That　is　a　pity；　you　are　without　one　great　means　of　success。Ca…

ro；　ca…a…ro；　ca…a…a…ro；　non　du…bi…ta…re；〃　sang　the　Countess。



Eugene　had　a　second　time　waved　a　magic　wand　when　he　uttered

Goriot's　name；　but　the　effect　seemed　to　be　entirely　opposite　to

that　produced　by　the　formula　〃related　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant。〃　His

position　was　not　unlike　that　of　some　visitor　permitted　as　a　favor

to　inspect　a　private　collection　of　curiosities；　when　by

inadvertence　he　comes　into　collision　with　a　glass　case　full　of

sculptured　figures；　and　three　or　four　heads；　imperfectly　secured；

fall　at　the　shock。　He　wished　the　earth　would　open　and　swallow

him。　Mme。　de　Restaud's　expression　was　reserved　and　chilly；　her

eyes　had　grown　indifferent；　and　sedulously　avoided　meeting　those

of　the　unlucky　student　of　law。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃you　wish　to　talk　with　M。　de　Restaud；　permit

me　to　wish　you　good…day〃



The　Countess　interrupted　him　by　a　gesture；　saying　hastily；

〃Whenever　you　come　to　see　us；　both　M。　de　Restaud　and　I　shall　be

delighted　to　see　you。〃



Eugene　made　a　profound　bow　and　took　his　leave；　followed　by　M。　de

Restaud；　who　insisted；　in　spite　of　his　remonstrances；　on

accompanying　him　into　the　hall。



〃Neither　your　mistress　nor　I　are　at　home　to　that　gentleman　when

he　calls；〃　the　Count　said　to　Maurice。



As　Eugene　set　foot　on　the　steps；　he　saw　that　it　was　raining。



〃Come；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃somehow　I　have　just　made　a　mess　of

it；　I　do　not　know　how。　And　now　I　am　going　to　spoil　my　hat　and

coat　into　the　bargain。　I　ought　to　stop　in　my　corner；　grind　away

at　law；　and　never　look　to　be　anything　but　a　boorish　country

magistrate。　How　can　I　go　into　society；　when　to　manage　properly

you　want　a　lot　of　cabs；　varnished　boots；　gold　watch　chains；　and

all　sorts　of　things；　you　have　to　wear　white　doeskin　gloves　that

cost　six　francs　in　the　morning；　and　primrose　kid　gloves　every

evening？　A　fig　for　that　old　humbug　of　a　Goriot！〃



When　he　reached　the　street　door；　the　driver　of　a　hackney　coach；

who　had　probably　just　deposited　a　wedding　party　at　their　door；

and　asked　nothing　better　than　a　chance　of　making　a　little　money

for　himself　without　his　employer's　knowledge；　saw　that　Eugene　had

no　umbrella；　remarked　his　black　coat；　white　waistcoat；　yellow

gloves；　and　varnished　boots；　and　stopped　and　looked　at　him

inquiringly。　Eugene；　in　the　blind　desperation　that　drives　a　young

man　to　plunge　deeper　and　deeper　into　an　abyss；　as　if　he　might

hope　to　find　a　fortunate　issue　in　its　lowest　depths；　nodded　in

reply　to　the　driver's　signal；　and　stepped　into　the　cab；　a　few

stray　petals　of　orange　blossom　and　scraps　of　wire　bore　witness　to

its　recent　occupation　by　a　wedding　party。



〃Where　am　I　to　drive；　sir？〃　demanded　the　man；　who；　by　this　time；

had　taken　off　his　white　gloves。



〃Confound　it！〃　Eugene　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　in　for　it　now；　and

at　least　I　will　not　spend　cab…hire　for　nothing！Drive　to　the

Hotel　Beauseant；〃　he　said　aloud。



〃Which？〃　asked　the　man；　a　portentous　word　that　reduced　Eugene　to

confusion。　This　young　man　of　fashion；　species　incerta；　did　not

know　that　there　were　two　Hotels　Beauseant；　he　was　not　aware　how

rich　he　was　in　relations　who　did　not　care　about　him。



〃The　Vicomte　de　Beauseant；　Rue〃



〃De　Grenelle；〃　interrupted　the　driver；　with　a　jerk　of　his　head。

〃You　see；　there　are　the　hotels　of　the　Marquis　and　Comte　de

Beauseant　in　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique；〃　he　added；　drawing　up　the

step。



〃I　know　all　about　that；〃　said　Eugene；　severely。〃Everybody　is

laughing　at　me　to…day；　it　seems！〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he

deposited　his　hat　on　the　opposite　seat。　〃This　escapade　will　cost

me　a　king's　ransom；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　shall　call　on　my　so…

called　cousin　in　a　thoroughly　aristocratic　fashion。　Goriot　has

cost　me　ten　francs　already；　the　old　scoundrel。　My　word！　I　will

tell　Mme。　de　Beauseant　about　my　adventure；　perhaps　it　may　amuse

her。　Doubtless　she　will　know　the　secret　of　the　criminal　relation

between　that　handsome　woman　and　the　old　rat　without　a　tail。　It

would　be　better　to　find　favor　in　my　cousin's　eyes　than　to　come　in

contact　with　that　shameless　woman；　who　seems　to　me　to　have　very

expensive　tastes。　Surely　the　beautiful　Vicomtesse's　personal

interest　would　turn　the　scale　for　me；　when　the　mere　mention　of

her　name　produces　such　an　effect。　Let　us　look　higher。　If　you　set

yourself　to　carry　the　heights　of　heaven；　you　must　face　God。〃



The　innumerable　thoughts　that　surged　through　his　brain　might　be

summed　up　in　these　phrases。　He　grew　calmer；　and　recovered

something　of　his　assurance　as　he　watched　the　falling　rain。　He

told　himself　that　though　he　was　about　to　squander　two　of　the

precious　five…franc　pieces　that　remained　to　him；　the　money　was

well　laid　out　in　preserving　his　coat；　boots；　and　hat；　and　his

cabman's　cry　of　〃Gate；　if　you　please；〃　almost　put　him　in　spirits。

A　Swiss；　in　scarlet　and　gold；　appeared；　the　great　door　groaned　on

its　hinges；　and　Rastignac；　with　sweet　satisfaction；　beheld　his

equipage　pass　under　the　archway　and　stop　before　the　flight　of

steps　beneath　the　awning。　The　driver；　in　a　blue…and…red

greatcoat；　dismounted　and　let　down　the　step。　As　Eugene　stepped

out　of　the　cab；　he　heard　smothered　laughter　from　the　peristyle。

Three　or　four　lackeys　were　making　merry　over　the　festal

appearance　of　the　vehicle。　In　another　moment　the　law　student　was

enlightened　as　to　the　cause　of　their　hilarity；　he　felt　the　full

force　of　the　contrast　between　his　equipage　and　one　of　the

smartest　broughams　in　Paris；　a　coachman；　with　powdered　hair；

seemed　to　find　it　difficult　to　hold　a　pair　of　spirited　horses；

who　stood　chafing　the　bit。　In　Mme。　de　Restaud's　courtyard；　in　the

Chaussee　d'Antin；　he　had　seen　the　neat　turnout　of　a　young　man　of

six…and…twenty；　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　he　found　the

luxurious　equipage　of　a　man　of　rank；　thirty　thousand　francs　would

not　have　purchased　it。



〃Who　can　be　here？〃　said　Eugene　to　himself。　He　began　to

understand；　though　somewhat　tardily；　that　he　must　not　expect　to

find　many　women　in　Paris　who　were　not　already　appropriated；　and

that　the　capture　of　one　of　these　queens　would　be　likely　to　cost

something　more　than　bloodshed。　〃Confound　it　all！　I　expect　my

cousin　also　has　her　Maxime。〃



He　went　up　the　steps；　feeling　that　he　was　a　blighted　being。　The

glass　door　was　opened　for　him；　the　servants　were　as　solemn　as

jackasses　under　the　curry　comb。　So　far；　Eugene　had　only　been　in

the　ballroom　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　Hotel　Beauseant；　the　fete

had　followed　so　closely　on　the　invitation；　that　he　had　not　had

time　to　call　on　his　cousin；　and　had　therefore　never　seen　Mme。　de

Beauseant's　apartments；　he　was　about　to　behold　for　the　first　time

a　great　lady　among　the　wonderful　and　elegant　surroundings　that

reveal　her　character　and　reflect　her　daily　life。　He　was　the　more

curious；　because　Mme。　de　Restaud's　drawing…room　had　provided　him

with　a　standard　of　comparison。



At　half…past　four　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　was　visible。　Five

minutes　earlier　she　would　not　have　received　her　cousin；　but

Eugene　knew　nothing　of　the　recognized　routine　of　various　houses

in　Paris。　He　was　conducted　up　the　wide；　white…painted；　crimson…

carpeted　staircase；　between　the　gilded　balusters　and　masses　of

flowering　plants；　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　apartments。　He　did　not

know　the　rumor　current　about　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　one　of　the

biographies　told；　with　variations；　in　whispers；　every　evening　in

the　salons　of　Paris。



For　three　years　past　her　name　had　be