father goriot(高老头)-第13章

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ening　to　the　history　of　the　visit　made　that　morning　to　M。　Taillefer；　it　had　been　made　in　vain。　Taillefer　was　tired　of　the　annual　application　made　by　his　daughter　and　her　elderly　friend；　he　gave　them　a　personal　interview　in　order　to　arrive　at　an　understanding　with　them。

〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　addressing　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃just　imagine　it；　he　did　not　even　ask　Victorine　to　sit　down；　she　was　standing　the　whole　time。　He　said　to　me　quite　coolly；　without　putting　himself　in　a　passion；　that　we　might　spare　ourselves　the　trouble　of　going　there；　that　the　young　lady　（he　would　not　call　her　his　daughter）　was　injuring　her　cause　by　importuning　him　（IMPORTUNING！　once　a　year；　the　wretch！）；　that　as　Victorine's　mother　had　nothing　when　he　married　her；　Victorine　ought　not　to　expect　anything　from　him；　in　fact；　he　said　the　most　cruel　things；　that　made　the　poor　child　burst　out　crying。　The　little　thing　threw　herself　at　her　father's　feet　and　spoke　up　bravely；　she　said　that　she　only　persevered　in　her　visits　for　her　mother's　sake；　that　she　would　obey　him　without　a　murmur；　but　that　she　begged　him　to　read　her　poor　dead　mother's　farewell　letter。　She　took　it　up　and　gave　it　to　him；　saying　the　most　beautiful　things　in　the　world；　most　beautifully　expressed；　I　do　not　know　where　she　learned　them；　God

must　have　put　them　into　her　head；　for　the　poor　child　was　inspired　to　speak　so　nicely　that　it　made　me　cry　like　a　fool　to　hear　her　talk。　And　what　do　you　think　the　monster　was　doing　all　the　time？　Cutting　his　nails！　He　took　the　letter　that　poor　Mme。　Taillefer　had　soaked　with　tears；　and　flung　it　on　to　the　chimney…piece。　'That　is　all　right；'　he　said。　He　held　out　his　hands　to　raise　his　daughter；　but　she　covered　them　with　kisses；　and　he　drew　them　away　again。　Scandalous；　isn't　it？　And　his　great　booby　of　a　son　came　in　and　took　no　notice　of　his　sister。〃

〃What　inhuman　wretches　they　must　be！〃　said　Father　Goriot。

〃And　then　they　both　went　out　of　the　room；〃　Mme。　Couture　went　on；　without　heeding　the　worthy　vermicelli　maker's　exclamation；　〃father　and　son　bowed　to　me；　and　asked　me　to　excuse　them　on　account　of　urgent　business！　That　is　the　history　of　our　call。　Well；　he　has　seen　his　daughter　at　any　rate。　How　he　can　refuse　to　acknowledge　her　I　cannot　think；　for　they　are　as　alike　as　two　peas。〃

The　boarders　dropped　in　one　after　another；　interchanging　greetings　and　empty　jokes　that　certain　classes　of　Parisians　regard　as　humorous　and　witty。　Dulness　is　their　prevailing　ingredient；　and　the　whole　point　consists　in　mispronouncing　a　word　or　a　gesture。　This　kind　of　argot　is　always　changing。　The　essence　of　the　jest　consists　in　some　catchword　suggested　by　a　political　event；　an　incident　in　the　police　courts；　a　street　song；　or　a　bit　of　burlesque　at　some　theatre；　and　forgotten　in　a　month。　Anything　and　everything　serves　to　keep　up　a　game　of　battledore　and　shuttlecock　with　words　and　ideas。　The　diorama；　a　recent　invention；　which　carried　an　optical　illusion　a　degree　further　than　panoramas；　had　given　rise　to　a　mania　among　art　students　for　ending　every　word　with　RAMA。　The　Maison　Vauquer　had　caught　the　infection　from　a　young　artist　among　the　boarders。

〃Well；　Monsieur…r…r　Poiret；〃　said　the　employe　from　the　Museum；　〃how　is　your　health…orama？〃　Then；　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　turned　to　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　with　a　〃Ladies；　you　seem　melancholy。〃

〃Is　dinner　ready？〃　cried　Horace　Bianchon；　a　medical　student；　and　a　friend　of　Rastignac's；　〃my　stomach　is　sinking　usque　ad　talones。〃

〃There　is　an　uncommon　frozerama　outside；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃Make　room　there；　Father　Goriot！　Confound　it；　your　foot　covers　the　whole　front　of　the　stove。〃

〃Illustrious　M。　Vautrin；〃　put　in　Bianchon；　〃why　do　you　say　frozerama？　It　is　incorrect；　it　should　be　frozenrama。〃

〃No；　it　shouldn't；〃　said　the　official　from　the　Museum；　〃frozerama　is　right　by　the　same　rule　that　you　say　'My　feet　are　froze。'　〃

〃Ah！　ah！〃

〃Here　is　his　Excellency　the　Marquis　de　Rastignac；　Doctor　of　the　Law　of　Contraries；〃　cried　Bianchon；　seizing　Eugene　by　the　throat；　and　almost　throttling　him。

〃Hallo　there！　hallo！〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　came　noiselessly　in；　bowed　to　the　rest　of　the　party；　and　took　her　place　beside　the　three　women　without　saying　a　word。

〃That　old　bat　always　makes　me　shudder；〃　said　Bianchon　in　a　low　voice；　indicating　Mlle。　Michonneau　to　Vautrin。　〃I　have　studied　Gall's　system；　and　I　am　sure　she　has　the　bump　of　Judas。〃

〃Then　you　have　seen　a　case　before？〃　said　Vautrin。

〃Who　has　not？〃　answered　Bianchon。　〃Upon　my　word；　that　ghastly　old　maid　looks　just　like　one　of　the　long　worms　that　will　gnaw　a　beam　through；　give　them　time　enough。〃

〃That　is　the　way；　young　man；〃　returned　he　of　the　forty　years　and　the　dyed　whiskers：

　　〃The　rose　has　lived　the　life　of　a　rose　　　A　morning's　space。〃

〃Aha！　here　is　a　magnificent　soupe…au…rama；〃　cried　Poiret　as　Christophe　came　in　bearing　the　soup　with　cautious　heed。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃it　is　soupe　aux　choux。〃

All　the　young　men　roared　with　laughter。

〃Had　you　there；　Poiret！〃

〃Poir…r…r…rette！　she　had　you　there！〃

〃Score　two　points　to　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　said　Vautrin。

〃Did　any　of　you　notice　the　fog　this　morning？〃　asked　the　official。

〃It　was　a　frantic　fog；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃a　fog　unparalleled；　doleful；　melancholy；　sea…green；　asthmaticala　Goriot　of　a　fog！〃

〃A　Goriorama；〃　said　the　art　student；　〃because　you　couldn't　see　a　thing　in　it。〃

〃Hey！　Milord　Gaoriotte；　they　air　talking　about　yoo…o…ou！〃

Father　Goriot；　seated　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　close　to　the　door　through　which　the　servant　entered；　raised　his　face；　he　had　smelt　at　a　scrap　of　bread　that　lay　under　his　table　napkin；　an　old　trick　acquired　in　his　commercial　capacity；　that　still　showed　itself　at　times。

〃Well；〃　Madame　Vauquer　cried　in　sharp　tones；　that　rang　above　the　rattle　of　spoons　and　plates　and　the　sound　of　other　voices；　〃and　is　there　anything　the　matter　with　the　bread？〃

〃Nothing　whatever；　madame；〃　he　answered；　〃on　the　contrary；　it　is　made　of　the　best　quality　of　corn；　flour　from　Etampes。〃

〃How　could　you　tell？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃By　the　color；　by　the　flavor。〃

〃You　knew　the　flavor　by　the　smell；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　have　grown　so　economical；　you　will　find　out　how　to　live　on　the　smell　of　cooking　at　last。〃

〃Take　out　a　patent　for　it；　then；〃　cried　the　Museum　official；　〃you　would　make　a　handsome　fortune。〃

〃Never　mind　him；〃　said　the　artist；　〃he　does　that　sort　of　thing　to　delude　us　into　thinking　that　he　was　a　vermicelli　maker。〃

〃Your　nose　is　a　corn…sampler；　it　appears？〃　inquired　the　official。

〃Corn　WHAT？〃　asked　Bianchon。

〃Corn…el。〃

〃Corn…et。〃

〃Corn…elian。〃

〃Corn…ice。〃

〃Corn…ucopia。〃

〃Corn…crake。〃

〃Corn…cockle。〃

〃Corn…orama。〃

The　eight　responses　came　like　a　rolling　fire　from　every　part　of　the　room；　and　the　laughter　that　followed　was　the　more　uproarious　because　poor　Father　Goriot　stared　at　the　others　with　a　puzzled　look；　like　a　foreigner　trying　to　catch　the　meaning　of　words　in　a　language　which　he　does　not　understand。

〃Corn？　。　。　。〃　he　said；　turning　to　Vautrin；　his　next　neighbor。

〃Corn　on　your　foot；　old　man！〃　said　Vautrin；　and　he　drove　Father　Goriot's　cap　down　over　his　eyes　by　a　blow　on　the　crown。

The　poor　old　man　thus　suddenly　attacked　was　for　a　moment　too　bewildered　to　do　anything。　Christophe　carried　off　his　plate；　thinking　that　he　had　finished　his　soup；　so　that　when　Goriot　had　pushed　back　his　cap　from　his　eyes　his　spoon　encountered　the　table。　Every　one　burst　out　laughing。　〃You　are　a　disagreeable　joker；　sir；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃and　if　you　take　any　further　liberties　with　me〃

〃Well；　what　then；　old　boy？〃　Vautrin　interrupted。

〃Well；　then；　you　shall　pay　dearly　for　it　some　day〃

〃Down　below；　eh？〃　said　the　artist；　〃in　the　little　dark　corner　where　they　put　naughty　boys。〃

〃Well；　mademoiselle；〃　Vautrin　said；　turning　to　Victorine；　〃you　are　eating　nothing。　So　papa　was　refractory；　was　he？〃

〃A　monster！〃　said　Mme。　Couture。

〃Mademoiselle　might　make　application　for　aliment　pending　her　suit；　she　is　not　eating　anything。　Eh！　eh！　just　see　how　Father　Goriot　is　staring　at　Mlle。　Victorine。〃

The　old　man　had　forgotten　his　dinner；　he　was　so　absorbed　in　gazing　at　the　poor　girl；　the　sorrow　in　her　face　was　unmistakable；the　slighted　lov