father goriot-第52章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



gentleman　named　Trompe…la…Mort；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃and；　upon　my

word；　that　name　would　do　very　well　for　you。〃



Vautrin　seemed　thunderstruck。　He　turned　pale；　and　staggered　back。

He　turned　his　magnetic　glance；　like　a　ray　of　vivid　light；　on

Mlle。　Michonneau；　the　old　maid　shrank　and　trembled　under　the

influence　of　that　strong　will；　and　collapsed　into　a　chair。　The

mask　of　good…nature　had　dropped　from　the　convict's　face；　from　the

unmistakable　ferocity　of　that　sinister　look；　Poiret　felt　that　the

old　maid　was　in　danger；　and　hastily　stepped　between　them。　None　of

the　lodgers　understood　this　scene　in　the　least；　they　looked　on　in

mute　amazement。　There　was　a　pause。　Just　then　there　was　a　sound　of

tramping　feet　outside；　there　were　soldiers　there；　it　seemed；　for

there　was　a　ring　of　several　rifles　on　the　pavement　of　the　street。

Collin　was　mechanically　looking　round　the　walls　for　a　way　of

escape；　when　four　men　entered　by　way　of　the　sitting…room。



〃In　the　name　of　the　King　and　the　Law！〃　said　an　officer；　but　the

words　were　almost　lost　in　a　murmur　of　astonishment。



Silence　fell　on　the　room。　The　lodgers　made　way　for　three　of　the

men；　who　had　each　a　hand　on　a　cocked　pistol　in　a　side　pocket。　Two

policemen；　who　followed　the　detectives；　kept　the　entrance　to　the

sitting…room；　and　two　more　men　appeared　in　the　doorway　that　gave

access　to　the　staircase。　A　sound　of　footsteps　came　from　the

garden；　and　again　the　rifles　of　several　soldiers　rang　on　the

cobblestones　under　the　window。　All　chance　of　salvation　by　flight

was　cut　off　for　Trompe…la…Mort；　to　whom　all　eyes　instinctively

turned。　The　chief　walked　straight　up　to　him；　and　commenced

operations　by　giving　him　a　sharp　blow　on　the　head；　so　that　the

wig　fell　off；　and　Collin's　face　was　revealed　in　all　its　ugliness。

There　was　a　terrible　suggestion　of　strength　mingled　with　cunning

in　the　short；　brick…red　crop　of　hair；　the　whole　head　was　in

harmony　with　his　powerful　frame；　and　at　that　moment　the　fires　of

hell　seemed　to　gleam　from　his　eyes。　In　that　flash　the　real

Vautrin　shone　forth；　revealed　at　once　before　them　all；　they

understood　his　past；　his　present；　and　future；　his　pitiless

doctrines；　his　actions；　the　religion　of　his　own　good　pleasure；

the　majesty　with　which　his　cynicism　and　contempt　for　mankind

invested　him；　the　physical　strength　of　an　organization　proof

against　all　trials。　The　blood　flew　to　his　face；　and　his　eyes

glared　like　the　eyes　of　a　wild　cat。　He　started　back　with　savage

energy　and　a　fierce　growl　that　drew　exclamations　of　alarm　from

the　lodgers。　At　that　leonine　start　the　police　caught　at　their

pistols　under　cover　of　the　general　clamor。　Collin　saw　the

gleaming　muzzles　of　the　weapons；　saw　his　danger；　and　instantly

gave　proof　of　a　power　of　the　highest　order。　There　was　something

horrible　and　majestic　in　the　spectacle　of　the　sudden

transformation　in　his　face；　he　could　only　be　compared　to　a

cauldron　full　of　the　steam　that　can　send　mountains　flying；　a

terrific　force　dispelled　in　a　moment　by　a　drop　of　cold　water。　The

drop　of　water　that　cooled　his　wrathful　fury　was　a　reflection　that

flashed　across　his　brain　like　lightning。　He　began　to　smile；　and

looked　down　at　his　wig。



〃You　are　not　in　the　politest　of　humors　to…day；〃　he　remarked　to

the　chief；　and　he　held　out　his　hands　to　the　policemen　with　a　jerk

of　his　head。



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃put　on　the　bracelets　or　the　handcuffs。　I

call　on　those　present　to　witness　that　I　make　no　resistance。〃



A　murmur　of　admiration　ran　through　the　room　at　the　sudden

outpouring　like　fire　and　lava　flood　from　this　human　volcano；　and

its　equally　sudden　cessation。



〃There's　a　sell　for　you；　master　crusher；〃　the　convict　added；

looking　at　the　famous　director　of　police。



〃Come；　strip！〃　said　he　of　the　Petite　Rue　Saint…Anne；

contemptuously。



〃Why？〃　asked　Collin。　〃There　are　ladies　present；　I　deny　nothing；

and　surrender。〃



He　paused；　and　looked　round　the　room　like　an　orator　who　is　about

to　overwhelm　his　audience。



〃Take　this　down；　Daddy　Lachapelle；〃　he　went　on；　addressing　a

little；　white…haired　old　man　who　had　seated　himself　at　the　end　of

the　table；　and　after　drawing　a　printed　form　from　the　portfolio；

was　proceeding　to　draw　up　a　document。　〃I　acknowledge　myself　to　be

Jacques　Collin；　otherwise　known　as　Trompe…la…Mort；　condemned　to

twenty　years'　penal　servitude；　and　I　have　just　proved　that　I　have

come　fairly　by　my　nickname。If　I　had　as　much　as　raised　my　hand；〃

he　went　on；　addressing　the　other　lodgers；　〃those　three　sneaking

wretches　yonder　would　have　drawn　claret　on　Mamma　Vauquer's

domestic　hearth。　The　rogues　have　laid　their　heads　together　to　set

a　trap　for　me。〃



Mme。　Vauquer　felt　sick　and　faint　at　these　words。



〃Good　Lord！〃　she　cried；　〃this　does　give　one　a　turn；　and　me　at　the

Gaite　with　him　only　last　night！〃　she　said　to　Sylvie。



〃Summon　your　philosophy；　mamma；〃　Collin　resumed。　〃Is　it　a

misfortune　to　have　sat　in　my　box　at　the　Gaite　yesterday　evening？

After　all；　are　you　better　than　we　are？　The　brand　upon　our

shoulders　is　less　shameful　than　the　brand　set　on　your　hearts；　you

flabby　members　of　a　society　rotten　to　the　core。　Not　the　best　man

among　you　could　stand　up　to　me。〃　His　eyes　rested　upon　Rastignac；

to　whom　he　spoke　with　a　pleasant　smile　that　seemed　strangely　at

variance　with　the　savage　expression　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