father goriot-第5章

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impression　that　Vautrin　made　upon　them。　He　knew　or　guessed　the

concerns　of　every　one　about　him；　but　none　of　them　had　been　able

to　penetrate　his　thoughts；　or　to　discover　his　occupation。　He　had

deliberately　made　his　apparent　good…nature；　his　unfailing

readiness　to　oblige；　and　his　high　spirits　into　a　barrier　between

himself　and　the　rest　of　them；　but　not　seldom　he　gave　glimpses　of

appalling　depths　of　character。　He　seemed　to　delight　in　scourging

the　upper　classes　of　society　with　the　lash　of　his　tongue；　to　take

pleasure　in　convicting　it　of　inconsistency；　in　mocking　at　law　and

order　with　some　grim　jest　worthy　of　Juvenal；　as　if　some　grudge

against　the　social　system　rankled　in　him；　as　if　there　were　some

mystery　carefully　hidden　away　in　his　life。



Mlle。　Taillefer　felt　attracted；　perhaps　unconsciously；　by　the

strength　of　the　one　man；　and　the　good　looks　of　the　other；　her

stolen　glances　and　secret　thoughts　were　divided　between　them；　but

neither　of　them　seemed　to　take　any　notice　of　her；　although　some

day　a　chance　might　alter　her　position；　and　she　would　be　a　wealthy

heiress。　For　that　matter；　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　house　who

took　any　trouble　to　investigate　the　various　chronicles　of

misfortunes；　real　or　imaginary；　related　by　the　rest。　Each　one

regarded　the　others　with　indifference；　tempered　by　suspicion；　it

was　a　natural　result　of　their　relative　positions。　Practical

assistance　not　one　could　give；　this　they　all　knew；　and　they　had

long　since　exhausted　their　stock　of　condolence　over　previous

discussions　of　their　grievances。　They　were　in　something　the　same

position　as　an　elderly　couple　who　have　nothing　left　to　say　to

each　other。　The　routine　of　existence　kept　them　in　contact；　but

they　were　parts　of　a　mechanism　which　wanted　oil。　There　was　not

one　of　them　but　would　have　passed　a　blind　man　begging　in　the

street；　not　one　that　felt　moved　to　pity　by　a　tale　of　misfortune；

not　one　who　did　not　see　in　death　the　solution　of　the　all…

absorbing　problem　of　misery　which　left　them　cold　to　the　most

terrible　anguish　in　others。



The　happiest　of　these　hapless　beings　was　certainly　Mme。　Vauquer；

who　reigned　supreme　over　this　hospital　supported　by　voluntary

contributions。　For　her；　the　little　garden；　which　silence；　and

cold；　and　rain；　and　drought　combined　to　make　as　dreary　as　an

Asian　steppe；　was　a　pleasant　shaded　nook；　the　gaunt　yellow　house；

the　musty　odors　of　a　back　shop　had　charms　for　her；　and　for　her

alone。　Those　cells　belonged　to　her。　She　fed　those　convicts

condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　life；　and　her　authority　was

recognized　among　them。　Where　else　in　Paris　would　they　have　found

wholesome　food　in　sufficient　quantity　at　the　prices　she　charged

them；　and　rooms　which　they　were　at　liberty　to　make；　if　not

exactly　elegant　or　comfortable；　at　any　rate　clean　and　healthy？　If

she　had　committed　some　flagrant　act　of　injustice；　the　victim

would　have　borne　it　in　silence。



Such　a　gathering　contained；　as　might　have　been　expected；　the

elements　out　of　which　a　complete　society　might　be　constructed。

And；　as　in　a　school；　as　in　the　world　itself；　there　was　among　the

eighteen　men　and　women　who　met　round　the　dinner　table　a　poor

creature；　despised　by　all　the　others；　condemned　to　be　the　butt　of

all　their　jokes。　At　the　beginning　of　Eugene　de　Rastignac's　second

twelvemonth；　this　figure　suddenly　started　out　into　bold　relief

against　the　background　of　human　forms　and　faces　among　which　the

law　student　was　yet　to　live　for　another　two　years　to　come。　This

laughing…stock　was　the　retired　vermicelli…merchant；　Father

Goriot；　upon　whose　face　a　painter；　like　the　historian；　would　have

concentrated　all　the　light　in　his　picture。



How　had　it　come　about　that　the　boarders　regarded　him　with　a　half…

malignant　contempt？　Why　did　they　subject　the　oldest　among　their

number　to　a　kind　of　persecution；　in　which　there　was　mingled　some

pity；　but　no　respect　for　his　misfortunes？　Had　he　brought　it　on

himself　by　some　eccentricity　or　absurdity；　which　is　less　easily

forgiven　or　forgotten　than　more　serious　defects？　The　question

strikes　at　the　root　of　many　a　social　injustice。　Perhaps　it　is

only　human　nature　to　inflict　suffering　on　anything　that　will

endure　suffering；　whether　by　reason　of　its　genuine　humility；　or

indifference；　or　sheer　helplessness。　Do　we　not；　one　and　all；　like

to　feel　our　strength　even　at　the　expense　of　some　one　or　of

something？　The　poorest　sample　of　humanity；　the　street　arab；　will

pull　the　bell　handle　at　every　street　door　in　bitter　weather；　and

scramble　up　to　write　his　name　on　the　unsullied　marble　of　a

monument。



In　the　year　1813；　at　the　age　of　sixty…nine　or　thereabouts；

〃Father　Goriot〃　had　sold　his　business　and　retiredto　Mme。

Vauquer's　boarding　house。　When　he　first　came　there　he　had　taken

the　rooms　now　occupied　by　Mme。　Couture；　he　had　paid　twelve

hundred　francs　a　year　like　a　man　to　whom　five　louis　more　or　less

was　a　mere　trifle。　For　him　Mme。　Vauquer　had　made　various

improvements　in　the　three　rooms　destined　for　his　use；　in

consideration　of　a　certain　sum　paid　in　advance；　so　it　was　said；

for　the　miserable　furniture；　that　is　to　say；　for　some　yellow

cotton　curtains；　a　few　chairs　of　stained　wood　covered　with

Utrecht　velvet；　several　wretched　colored　prints　in　frames；　and

wall　papers　that　a　little　suburban　tavern　would　have　disdained。

Possibly　it　was　the　careless　generosity　with　which　Father　Goriot

allowed　himself　to　be　overreached　at　this　period　of　his　life

（they　called　him　Monsieur　Goriot　very　respectfully　then）　that

gave　Mme。　Vauquer　the　meanest　opinion　of　his　business　abilities；

she　looked　on　him　as　an　imbecile　where　money　was　concerned。



Goriot　had　brought　with　him　a　considerable　wardrobe；　the　gorgeous

outfit　of　a　retired　tradesman　who　denies　himself　nothing。　Mme。

Vauquer's　astonished　eyes　beheld　no　less　than　eighteen　cambric…

fronted　shirts；　the　splendor　of　their　fineness　being　enhanced　by

a　pair　of　pins　each　bearing　a　large　diamond；　and　connected　by　a

short　chain；　an　ornament　which　adorned　the　vermicelli…maker's

shirt　front。　He　usually　wore　a　coat　of　corn…flower　blue；　his

rotund　and　portly　person　was　still　further　set　off　by　a　clean

white　waistcoat；　and　a　gold　chain　and　seals　which　dangled　over

that　broad　expanse。　When　his　hostess　accused　him　of　being　〃a　bit

of　a　beau；〃　he　smiled　with　the　vanity　of　a　citizen　whose　foible

is　gratified。　His　cupboards　（ormoires；　as　he　called　them　in　the

popular　dialect）　were　filled　with　a　quantity　of　plate　that　he

brought　with　him。　The　widow's　eyes　gleamed　as　she　obligingly

helped　him　to　unpack　the　soup　ladles；　table…spoons；　forks；　cruet…

stands；　tureens；　dishes；　and　breakfast　servicesall　of　silver；

which　were　duly　arranged　upon　shelves；　besides　a　few　more　or　less

handsome　pieces　of　plate；　all　weighing　no　inconsiderable　number

of　ounces；　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　part　with　these　gifts

that　reminded　him　of　past　domestic　festivals。



〃This　was　my　wife's　present　to　me　on　the　first　anniversary　of　our

wedding　day；〃　he　said　to　Mme。　Vauquer；　as　he　put　away　a　little

silver　posset　dish；　with　two　turtle…doves　billing　on　the　cover。

〃Poor　dear！　she　spent　on　it　all　the　money　she　had　saved　before　we

were　married。　Do　you　know；　I　would　sooner　scratch　the　earth　with

my　nails　for　a　living；　madame；　than　part　with　that。　But　I　shall

be　able　to　take　my　coffee　out　of　it　every　morning　for　the　rest　of

my　days；　thank　the　Lord！　I　am　not　to　be　pitied。　There's　not　much

fear　of　my　starving　for　some　time　to　come。〃



Finally；　Mme。　Vauquer's　magpie's　eye　had　discovered　and　read

certain　entries　in　the　list　of　shareholders　in　the　funds；　and；

after　a　rough　calculation；　was　disposed　to　credit　Goriot　（worthy

man）　with　something　like　ten　thousand　francs　a　year。　From　that

day　forward　Mme。　Vauquer　（nee　de　Conflans）；　who；　as　a　matter　of

fact；　had　seen　forty…eight　summers；　though　she　would　only　own　to

thirty…nine　of　themMme。　Vauquer　had　her　own　ideas。　Though

Goriot's　eyes　seemed　to　have　shrunk　in　their　sockets；　though　they

we