father goriot(高老头)-第22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！
the box。 〃I shall succeed！〃 he said to himself。 So says the gambler； so says the great captain； but the three words that have been the salvation of some few； have been the ruin of many more。
A few days after this Eugene called at Mme。 de Restaud's house； she was not at home。 Three times he tried the experiment； and three times he found her doors closed against him； though he was careful to choose an hour when M。 de Trailles was not there。 The Vicomtesse was right。
The student studied no longer。 He put in an appearance at lectures simply to answer to his name； and after thus attesting his presence； departed forthwith。 He had been through a reasoning process familiar to most students。 He had seen the advisability of deferring his studies to the last moment before going up for his examinations； he made up his mind to cram his second and third years' work into the third year； when he meant to begin to work in earnest； and to complete his studies in law with one great effort。 In the meantime he had fifteen months in which to navigate the ocean of Paris； to spread the nets and set the lines that would bring him a protectress and a fortune。 Twice during that week he saw Mme。 de Beauseant； he did not go to her house until he had seen the Marquis d'Ajuda drive away。
Victory for yet a few more days was with the great lady； the most poetic figure in the Faubourg Saint…Germain； and the marriage of the Marquis d'Ajuda…Pinto with Mlle。 de Rochefide was postponed。 The dread of losing her happiness filled those days with a fever of joy unknown before； but the end was only so much the nearer。 The Marquis d'Ajuda and the Rochefides agreed that this quarrel and reconciliation was a very fortunate thing； Mme。 de Beauseant （so they hoped） would gradually become reconciled to the idea of the marriage； and in the end would be brought to sacrifice d'Ajuda's morning visits to the exigencies of a man's career； exigencies which she must have foreseen。 In spite of the most solemn promises； daily renewed； M。 d'Ajuda was playing a part； and the Vicomtesse was eager to be deceived。 〃Instead of taking a leap heroically from the window； she is falling headlong down the staircase；〃 said her most intimate friend； the Duchesse de Langeais。 Yet this after…glow of happiness lasted long enough for the Vicomtesse to be of service to her young cousin。 She had a half…superstitious affection for him。 Eugene had shown her sympathy and devotion at a crisis when a woman sees no pity； no real comfort in any eyes； when if a man is ready with soothing flatteries； it is because he has an interested motive。
Rastignac made up his mind that he must learn the whole of Goriot's previous history； he would come to his bearings before attempting to board the Maison de Nucingen。 The results of his inquiries may be given briefly as follows：
In the days before the Revolution； Jean…Joachim Goriot was simply a workman in the employ of a vermicelli maker。 He was a skilful； thrifty workman； sufficiently enterprising to buy his master's business when the latter fell a chance victim to the disturbances of 1789。 Goriot established himself in the Rue de la Jussienne； close to the Corn Exchange。 His plain good sense led him to accept the position of President of the Section； so as to secure for his business the protection of those in power at that dangerous epoch。 This prudent step had led to success； the foundations of his fortune were laid in the time of the Scarcity （real or artificial）； when the price of grain of all kinds rose enormously in Paris。 People used to fight for bread at the bakers' doors； while other persons went to the grocers' shops and bought Italian paste foods without brawling over it。 It was during this year that Goriot made the money； which； at a later time； was to give him all the advantage of the great capitalist over the small buyer； he had； moreover； the usual luck of average ability； his mediocrity was the salvation of him。 He excited no one's envy； it was not even suspected that he was rich till the peril of being rich was over； and all his intelligence was concentrated； not on political； but on commercial speculations。 Goriot was an authority second to none on all questions relating to corn； flour； and 〃middlings〃； and the production； storage； and quality of grain。 He could estimate the yield of the harvest； and foresee market prices； he bought his cereals in Sicily； and imported Russian wheat。 Any one who had heard him hold forth on the regulations that control the importation and exportation of grain； who had seen his grasp of the subject； his clear insight into the principles involved； his appreciation of weak points in the way that the system worked； would have thought that here was the stuff of which a minister is made。 Patient； active； and persevering； energetic and prompt in action； he surveyed his business horizon with an eagle eye。 Nothing there took him by surprise； he foresaw all things； knew all that was happening； and kept his own counsel； he was a diplomatist in his quick comprehension of a situation； and in the routine of business he was as patient and plodding as a soldier on the march。 But beyond this business horizon he could not see。 He used to spend his hours of leisure on the threshold of his shop； leaning against the framework of the door。 Take him from his dark little counting…house； and he became once more the rough； slow…witted workman； a man who cannot understand a piece of reasoning； who is indifferent to all intellectual pleasures； and falls asleep at the play； a Parisian Dolibom in short； against whose stupidity other minds are powerless。
Natures of this kind are nearly all alike； in almost all of them you will find some hidden depth of sublime affection。 Two all… absorbing affections filled the vermicelli maker's heart to the exclusion of every other feeling； into them he seemed to put all the forces of his nature； as he put the whole power of his brain into the corn trade。 He had regarded his wife； the only daughter of a rich farmer of La Brie； with a devout admiration； his love for her had been boundless。 Goriot had felt the charm of a lovely and sensitive nature； which； in its delicate strength； was the very opposite of his own。 Is there any instinct more deeply implanted in the heart of man than the pride of protection； a protection which is constantly exerted for a fragile and defenceless creature？ Join love thereto； the warmth of gratitude that all generous souls feel for the source of their pleasures； and you have the explanation of many strange incongruities in human nature。
After seven years of unclouded happiness； Goriot lost his wife。 It was very unfortunate for him。 She was beginning to gain an ascendency over him in other ways； possibly she might have brought that barren soil under cultivation； she might have widened his ideas and given other directions to his thoughts。 But when she was dead； the instinct of fatherhood developed in him till it almost became a mania。 All the affection balked by death seemed to turn to his daughters； and he found full satisfaction for his heart in loving them。 More or less brilliant proposals were made to him from time to time； wealthy merchants or farmers with daughters vied with each other in offering inducements to him to marry again； but he determined to remain a widower。 His father…in…law； the only man for whom he felt a decided friendship； gave out that Goriot had made a vow to be faithful to his wife's memory。 The frequenters of the Corn Exchange； who could not comprehend this sublime piece of folly； joked about it among themselves； and found a ridiculous nickname for him。 One of them ventured （after a glass over a bargain） to call him by it； and a blow from the vermicelli maker's fist sent him headlong into a gutter in the Rue Oblin。 He could think of nothing else when his children were concerned； his love for them made him fidgety and anxious； and this was so well known； that one day a competitor； who wished to get rid of him to secure the field to himself； told Goriot that Delphine had just been knocked down by a cab。 The vermicelli maker turned ghastly pale； left the Exchange at once； and did not return for several days afterwards； he was ill in consequence of the shoc
