father goriot-第48章

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faces　round　it；　but　it　was　through　a　bright　mist。　Soon　the　noise

began　to　subside；　one　by　one　the　boarders　went。　At　last；　when

their　numbers　had　so　dwindled　that　the　party　consisted　of　Mme。

Vauquer；　Mme。　Couture；　Mlle。　Victorine；　Vautrin；　and　Father

Goriot；　Rastignac　watched　as　though　in　a　dream　how　Mme。　Vauquer

busied　herself　by　collecting　the　bottles；　and　drained　the

remainder　of　the　wine　out　of　each　to　fill　others。



〃Oh！　how　uproarious　they　are！　what　a　thing　it　is　to　be　young！〃

said　the　widow。



These　were　the　last　words　that　Eugene　heard　and　understood。



〃There　is　no　one　like　M。　Vautrin　for　a　bit　of　fun　like　this；〃

said　Sylvie。　〃There；　just　hark　at　Christophe；　he　is　snoring　like

a　top。〃



〃Good…bye；　mamma；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃I　am　going　to　a　theatre　on　the

boulevard　to　see　M。　Marty　in　Le　Mont　Sauvage；　a　fine　play　taken

from　Le　Solitaire。　。　。　。　If　you　like；　I　will　take　you　and　these

two　ladies〃



〃Thank　you；　I　must　decline；〃　said　Mme。　Couture。



〃What！　my　good　lady！〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃decline　to　see　a　play

founded　on　the　Le　Solitaire；　a　work　by　Atala　de　Chateaubriand？　We

were　so　fond　of　that　book　that　we　cried　over　it　like　Magdalens

under　the　line…trees　last　summer；　and　then　it　is　an　improving

work　that　might　edify　your　young　lady。〃



〃We　are　forbidden　to　go　to　the　play；〃　answered　Victorine。



〃Just　look；　those　two　yonder　have　dropped　off　where　they　sit；〃

said　Vautrin；　shaking　the　heads　of　the　two　sleepers　in　a　comical

way。



He　altered　the　sleeping　student's　position；　settled　his　head　more

comfortably　on　the　back　of　his　chair；　kissed　him　warmly　on　the

forehead；　and　began　to　sing：



　　〃Sleep；　little　darlings；

　　I　watch　while　you　slumber。〃



〃I　am　afraid　he　may　be　ill；〃　said　Victorine。



〃Then　stop　and　take　care　of　him；〃　returned　Vautrin。　〃　'Tis　your

duty　as　a　meek　and　obedient　wife；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。　〃the

young　fellow　worships　you；　and　you　will　be　his　little　wife

there's　your　fortune　for　you。　In　short；〃　he　added　aloud；　〃they

lived　happily　ever　afterwards；　were　much　looked　up　to　in　all　the

countryside；　and　had　a　numerous　family。　That　is　how　all　the

romances　end。Now；　mamma；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　turned　to　Madame

Vauquer　and　put　his　arm　round　her　waist；　〃put　on　your　bonnet；

your　best　flowered　silk；　and　the　countess'　scarf；　while　I　go　out

and　call　a　caball　my　own　self。〃



And　he　started　out；　singing　as　he　went：



　　〃Oh！　sun！　divine　sun！

　　Ripening　the　pumpkins　every　one。〃



〃My　goodness！　Well；　I'm　sure！　Mme。　Couture；　I　could　live　happily

in　a　garret　with　a　man　like　that。There；　now！〃　she　added；

looking　round　for　the　old　vermicelli　maker；　〃there　is　that　Father

Goriot　half　seas　over。　HE　never　thought　of　taking　me　anywhere；

the　old　skinflint。　But　he　will　measure　his　length　somewhere。　My

word！　it　is　disgraceful　to　lose　his　senses　like　that；　at　his　age！

You　will　be　telling　me　that　he　couldn't　lose　what　he　hadn't　got

Sylvie；　just　take　him　up　to　his　room！〃



Sylvie　took　him　by　the　arm；　supported　him　upstairs；　and　flung　him

just　as　he　was；　like　a　package；　across　the　bed。



〃Poor　young　fellow！〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　putting　back　Eugene's

hair　that　had　fallen　over　his　eyes；　〃he　is　like　a　young　girl；　he

does　not　know　what　dissipation　is。〃



〃Well；　I　can　tell　you　this；　I　know；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃I　have

taken　lodgers　these　thirty　years；　and　a　good　many　have　passed

through　my　hands；　as　the　saying　is；　but　I　have　never　seen　a　nicer

nor　a　more　aristocratic　looking　young　man　than　M。　Eugene。　How

handsome　he　looks　sleeping！　Just　let　his　head　rest　on　your

shoulder；　Mme。　Couture。　Pshaw！　he　falls　over　towards　Mlle。

Victorine。　There's　a　special　providence　for　young　things。　A

little　more；　and　he　would　have　broken　his　head　against　the　knob

of　the　chair。　They'd　make　a　pretty　pair　those　two　would！〃



〃Hush；　my　good　neighbor；〃　cried　Mme。　Couture；　〃you　are　saying

such　things〃



〃Pooh！〃　put　in　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃he　does　not　hear。Here；　Sylvie！

come　and　help　me　to　dress。　I　shall　put　on　my　best　stays。〃



〃What！　your　best　stays　just　after　dinner；　madame？〃　said　Sylvie。

〃No；　you　can　get　some　one　else　to　lace　you。　I　am　not　going　to　be

your　murderer。　It's　a　rash　thing　to　do；　and　might　cost　you　your

life。〃



〃I　don't　care；　I　must　do　honor　to　M。　Vautrin。〃



〃Are　you　so　fond　of　your　heirs　as　all　that？〃



〃Come；　Sylvie；　don't　argue；〃　said　the　widow；　as　she　left　the

room。



〃At　her　age；　too！〃　said　the　cook　to　Victorine；　pointing　to　her

mistress　as　she　spoke。



Mme。　Couture　and　her　ward　were　left　in　the　dining…room；　and

Eugene　slept　on　Victorine's　shoulder。　The　sound　of　Christophe's

snoring　echoed　through　the　silent　house；　Eugene's　quiet　breathing

seemed　all　the　quieter　by　force　of　contrast；　he　was　sleeping　as

peacefully　as　a　child。　Victorine　was　very　happy；　she　was　free　to

perform　one　of　those　acts　of　charity　which　form　an　innocent

outlet　for　all　the　overflowing　sentiments　of　a　woman's　nature；　he

was　so　close　to　her　that　she　could　feel　the　throbbing　of　his

heart；　there　was　a　look　of　almost　maternal　protection　and

conscious　pride　in　Victorine's　face。　Among　the　countless　thoughts

that　crowded　up　in　her　young　innocent　heart；　there　was　a　wild

flutter　of　joy　at　this　close　contact。



〃Poor；　dear　child！〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　squeezing　her　hand。



The　old　lady　looked　at　the　girl。　Victorine's　innocent；　pathetic

face；　so　radiant　with　the　new　happiness　that　had　befallen　her；

called　to　mind　some　naive　work　of　mediaeval　art；　when　the　painter

neglected　the　accessories；　reserving　all　the　magic　of　his　brush

for　the　quiet；　austere　outlines　and　ivory　tints　of　the　face；

which　seems　to　have　caught　something　of　the　golden　glory　of

heaven。



〃After　all；　he　only　took　two　glasses；　mamma；〃　said　Victorine；

passing　her　fingers　through　Eugene's　hair。



〃Indeed；　if　he　had　been　a　dissipated　young　man；　child；　he　would

have　carried　his　wine　like　the　rest　of　them。　His　drowsiness　does

him　credit。〃



There　was　a　sound　of　wheels　outside　in　the　street。



〃There　is　M。　Vautrin；　mamma；〃　said　the　girl。　〃Just　take　M。

Eugene。　I　would　rather　not　have　that　man　see　me　like　this；　there

are　some　ways　of　looking　at　you　that　seem　to　sully　your　soul　and

make　you　feel　as　though　you　had　nothing　on。〃



〃Oh；　no；　you　are　wrong！〃　said　Mme。　Couture。　〃M。　Vautrin　is　a

worthy　man；　he　reminds　me　a　little　of　my　late　husband；　poor　dear

M。　Couture；　rough　but　kind…hearted；　his　bark　is　worse　than　his

bite。〃



Vautrin　came　in　while　she　was　speaking；　he　did　not　make　a　sound；

but　looked　for　a　while　at　the　picture　of　the　two　young　facesthe

lamplight　falling　full　upon　them　seemed　to　caress　them。



〃Well；〃　he　remarked；　folding　his　arms；　〃here　is　a　picture！　It

would　have　suggested　some　pleasing　pages　to　Bernardin　de　Saint…

Pierre　（good　soul）；　who　wrote　Paul　et　Virginie。　Youth　is　very

charming；　Mme。　Couture！Sleep　on；　poor　boy；〃　he　added；　looking

at　Eugene；　〃luck　sometimes　comes　while　you　are　sleeping。There

is　something　touching　and　attractive　to　me　about　this　young　man；

madame；〃　he　continued；　〃I　know　that　his　nature　is　in　harmony　with

his　face。　Just　look；　the　head　of　a　cherub　on　an　angel's　shoulder！

He　deserves　to　be　loved。　If　I　were　a　woman；　I　would　die　（nonot

such　a　fool）；　I　would　live　for　him。〃　He　bent　lower　and　spoke　in

the　widow's　ear。　〃When　I　see　those　two　together；　madame；　I　cannot

help　thinking　that　Providence　meant　them　for　each　other；　He　works

by　secret　ways；　and　tries　the　reins　and　the　heart；〃　he　said　in　a

loud　voice。　〃And　when　I　see　you；　my　children；　thus　united　by　a

like　purity　and　by　all　human　affections；　I　say　to　myself　that　it

is　quite　impossible　that　the　future　should　separate　you。　God　is

just。〃He　turned　to　Victorine。　〃It　seems　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃that

I　have　seen　the　line　of　success　in　your　hand。　Let　me　look　at　it；

Mlle。　Victorine；　I　am　well　up　in　palmistry；　and　I　have　told

fortunes　many　a　time。　Come；　now；　don't　be　frightened。　Ah！　what　do

I　see？　Upon　my　word；