father goriot-第65章

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Goriot。　He　had　been　lying　in　a　sort　of　stupor；　but　he　suddenly

sat　upright　as　Eugene　went　out。



Eugene；　half　heartbroken；　entered　Delphine's。　Her　hair　had　been

dressed；　she　wore　her　dancing　slippers；　she　had　only　to　put　on

her　ball…dress；　but　when　the　artist　is　giving　the　finishing

stroke　to　his　creation；　the　last　touches　require　more　time　than

the　whole　groundwork　of　the　picture。



〃Why；　you　are　not　dressed！〃　she　cried。



〃Madame；　your　father〃



〃My　father　again！〃　she　exclaimed；　breaking　in　upon　him。　〃You　need

not　teach　me　what　is　due　to　my　father；　I　have　known　my　father

this　long　while。　Not　a　word；　Eugene。　I　will　hear　what　you　have　to

say　when　you　are　dressed。　My　carriage　is　waiting；　take　it；　go

round　to　your　rooms　and　dress；　Therese　has　put　out　everything　in

readiness　for　you。　Come　back　as　soon　as　you　can；　we　will　talk

about　my　father　on　the　way　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's。　We　must　go

early；　if　we　have　to　wait　our　turn　in　a　row　of　carriages；　we

shall　be　lucky　if　we　get　there　by　eleven　o'clock。〃



〃Madame〃



〃Quick！　not　a　word！〃　she　cried；　darting　into　her　dressing…room

for　a　necklace。



〃Do　go；　Monsieur　Eugene；　or　you　will　vex　madame；〃　said　Therese；

hurrying　him　away；　and　Eugene　was　too　horror…stricken　by　this

elegant　parricide　to　resist。



He　went　to　his　rooms　and　dressed；　sad；　thoughtful；　and

dispirited。　The　world　of　Paris　was　like　an　ocean　of　mud　for　him

just　then；　and　it　seemed　that　whoever　set　foot　in　that　black　mire

must　needs　sink　into　it　up　to　the　chin。



〃Their　crimes　are　paltry；〃　said　Eugene　to　himself。　〃Vautrin　was

greater。〃



He　had　seen　society　in　its　three　great　phasesObedience；

Struggle；　and　Revolt；　the　Family；　the　World；　and　Vautrin；　and　he

hesitated　in　his　choice。　Obedience　was　dull；　Revolt　impossible；

Struggle　hazardous。　His　thoughts　wandered　back　to　the　home

circle。　He　thought　of　the　quiet　uneventful　life；　the　pure

happiness　of　the　days　spent　among　those　who　loved　him　there。

Those　loving　and　beloved　beings　passed　their　lives　in　obedience

to　the　natural　laws　of　the　hearth；　and　in　that　obedience　found　a

deep　and　constant　serenity；　unvexed　by　torments　such　as　these。

Yet；　for　all　his　good　impulses；　he　could　not　bring　himself　to

make　profession　of　the　religion　of　pure　souls　to　Delphine；　nor　to

prescribe　the　duties　of　piety　to　her　in　the　name　of　love。　His

education　had　begun　to　bear　its　fruits；　he　loved　selfishly

already。　Besides；　his　tact　had　discovered　to　him　the　real　nature

of　Delphine；　he　divined　instinctively　that　she　was　capable　of

stepping　over　her　father's　corpse　to　go　to　the　ball；　and　within

himself　he　felt　that　he　had　neither　the　strength　of　mind　to　play

the　part　of　mentor；　nor　the　strength　of　character　to　vex　her；　nor

the　courage　to　leave　her　to　go　alone。



〃She　would　never　forgive　me　for　putting　her　in　the　wrong　over

it；〃　he　said　to　himself。　Then　he　turned　the　doctor's　dictum　over

in　his　mind；　he　tried　to　believe　that　Goriot　was　not　so

dangerously　ill　as　he　had　imagined；　and　ended　by　collecting

together　a　sufficient　quantity　of　traitorous　excuses　for

Delphine's　conduct。　She　did　not　know　how　ill　her　father　was；　the

kind　old　man　himself　would　have　made　her　go　to　the　ball　if　she

had　gone　to　see　him。　So　often　it　happens　that　this　one　or　that

stands　condemned　by　the　social　laws　that　govern　family　relations；

and　yet　there　are　peculiar　circumstances　in　the　case；　differences

of　temperament；　divergent　interests；　innumerable　complications　of

family　life　that　excuse　the　apparent　offence。



Eugene　did　not　wish　to　see　too　clearly；　he　was　ready　to　sacrifice

his　conscience　to　his　mistress。　Within　the　last　few　days　his

whole　life　had　undergone　a　change。　Woman　had　entered　into　his

world　and　thrown　it　into　chaos；　family　claims　dwindled　away

before　her；　she　had　appropriated　all　his　being　to　her　uses。

Rastignac　and　Delphine　found　each　other　at　a　crisis　in　their

lives　when　their　union　gave　them　the　most　poignant　bliss。　Their

passion；　so　long　proved；　had　only　gained　in　strength　by　the

gratified　desire　that　often　extinguishes　passion。　This　woman　was

his；　and　Eugene　recognized　that　not　until　then　had　he　loved　her；

perhaps　love　is　only　gratitude　for　pleasure。　This　woman；　vile　or

sublime；　he　adored　for　the　pleasure　she　had　brought　as　her　dower；

and　Delphine　loved　Rastignac　as　Tantalus　would　have　loved　some

angel　who　had　satisfied　his　hunger　and　quenched　the　burning

thirst　in　his　parched　throat。



〃Well；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen　when　he　came　back　in　evening　dress；

〃how　is　my　father？〃



〃Very　dangerously　ill；〃　he　answered；　〃if　you　will　grant　me　a

proof　of　your　affections；　we　will　just　go　in　to　see　him　on　the

way。〃



〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃Yes；　but　afterwards。　Dear　Eugene；　do　be

nice；　and　don't　preach　to　me。　Come。〃



They　set　out。　Eugene　said　nothing　for　a　while。



〃What　is　it　now？〃　she　asked。



〃I　can　hear　the　death…rattle　in　your　father's　throat；〃　he　said

almost　angrily。　And　with　the　hot　indignation　of　youth；　he　told

the　story　of　Mme。　de　Restaud's　vanity　and　cruelty；　of　her

father's　final　act　of　self…sacrifice；　that　had　brought　about　this

struggle　between　life　and　death；　of　the　price　that　had　been　paid

for　Anastasie's　golden　embroideries。　Delphine　cried。



〃I　shall　look　frightful；〃　she　thought。　She　dried　her　tears。



〃I　will　nurse　my　father；　I　will　not　leave　his　bedside；〃　she　said

aloud。



〃Ah！　now　you　are　as　I　would　have　you；〃　exclaimed　Rastignac。



The　lamps　of　five　hundred　carriages　lit　up　the　darkness　about　the

Hotel　de　Beauseant。　A　gendarme　in　all　the　glory　of　his　uniform

stood　on　either　side　of　the　brightly　lighted　gateway。　The　great

world　was　flocking　thither　that　night　in　its　eager　curiosity　to

see　the　great　lady　at　the　moment　of　her　fall；　and　the　rooms　on

the　ground　floor　were　already　full　to　overflowing；　when　Mme。　de

Nucingen　and　Rastignac　appeared。　Never　since　Louis　XIV。　tore　her

lover　away　from　La　grand　Mademoiselle；　and　the　whole　court

hastened　to　visit　that　unfortunate　princess；　had　a　disastrous

love　affair　made　such　a　sensation　in　Paris。　But　the　youngest

daughter　of　the　almost　royal　house　of　Burgundy　had　risen　proudly

above　her　pain；　and　moved　till　the　last　moment　like　a　queen　in

this　worldits　vanities　had　always　been　valueless　for　her；　save

in　so　far　as　they　contributed　to　the　triumph　of　her　passion。　The

salons　were　filled　with　the　most　beautiful　women　in　Paris；

resplendent　in　their　toilettes；　and　radiant　with　smiles。

Ministers　and　ambassadors；　the　most　distinguished　men　at　court；

men　bedizened　with　decorations；　stars；　and　ribbons；　men　who　bore

the　most　illustrious　names　in　France；　had　gathered　about　the

Vicomtesse。



The　music　of　the　orchestra　vibrated　in　wave　after　wave　of　sound

from　the　golden　ceiling　of　the　palace；　now　made　desolate　for　its

queen。



Madame　de　Beauseant　stood　at　the　door　of　the　first　salon　to

receive　the　guests　who　were　styled　her　friends。　She　was　dressed

in　white；　and　wore　no　ornament　in　the　plaits　of　hair　braided

about　her　head；　her　face　was　calm；　there　was　no　sign　there　of

pride；　nor　of　pain；　nor　of　joy　that　she　did　not　feel。　No　one

could　read　her　soul；　she　stood　there　like　some　Niobe　carved　in

marble。　For　a　few　intimate　friends　there　was　a　tinge　of　satire　in

her　smile；　but　no　scrutiny　saw　any　change　in　her；　nor　had　she

looked　otherwise　in　the　days　of　the　glory　of　her　happiness。　The

most　callous　of　her　guests　admired　her　as　young　Rome　applauded

some　gladiator　who　could　die　smiling。　It　seemed　as　if　society　had

adorned　itself　for　a　last　audience　of　one　of　its　sovereigns。



〃I　was　afraid　that　you　would　not　come；〃　she　said　to　Rastignac。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　in　an　unsteady　voice；　taking　her　speech　as　a

reproach；　〃I　shall　be　the　last　to　go；　that　is　why　I　am　here。〃



〃Good；〃　she　said；　and　she　took　his　hand。　〃You　are　perhaps　the

only　one　I　can　trust　here　among　all　these。　Oh；　my　friend；　when

you　love；　love　a　woman　whom　you　are　sure　that　you　can　love

alwa