father goriot(高老头)-第31章

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le　like　this　that　now　met　his　eyes。　In　the　time　of　the　Empire；　balls　had　always　ended　with　a　supper；　because　the　officers　who　took　part　in　them　must　be　fortified　for　immediate　service；　and　even　in　Paris　might　be　called　upon　to　leave　the　ballroom　for　the　battlefield。　This　arrangement　had　gone　out　of　fashion　under　the　Monarchy；　and　Eugene　had　so　far　only　been　asked　to　dances。　The　self…possession　which　pre…eminently　distinguished　him　in　later　life　already　stood　him　in　good　stead；　and　he　did　not　betray　his　amazement。　Yet　as　he　saw　for　the　first　time　the　finely　wrought　silver　plate；　the　completeness　of　every　detail；　the　sumptuous　dinner；　noiselessly　served；　it　was　difficult　for　such　an　ardent　imagination　not　to　prefer　this　life　of　studied　and　refined　luxury　to　the　hardships　of　the　life　which　he　had　chosen　only　that　morning。

His　thoughts　went　back　for　a　moment　to　the　lodging…house；　and　with　a　feeling　of　profound　loathing；　he　vowed　to　himself　that　at　New　Year　he　would　go；　prompted　at　least　as　much　by　a　desire　to　live　among　cleaner　surroundings　as　by　a　wish　to　shake　off　Vautrin；　whose　huge　hand　he　seemed　to　feel　on　his　shoulder　at　that　moment。　When　you　consider　the　numberless　forms；　clamorous　or　mute；　that　corruption　takes　in　Paris；　common…sense　begins　to　wonder　what　mental　aberration　prompted　the　State　to　establish　great　colleges　and　schools　there；　and　assemble　young　men　in　the　capital；　how　it　is　that　pretty　women　are　respected；　or　that　the　gold　coin　displayed　in　the　money…changer's　wooden　saucers　does　not　take　to　itself　wings　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and　when　you　come　to　think　further；　how　comparatively　few　cases　of　crime　there　are；　and　to　count　up　the　misdemeanors　committed　by　youth；　is　there　not　a　certain　amount　of　respect　due　to　these　patient　Tantaluses　who　wrestle　with　themselves　and　nearly　always　come　off　victorious？　The　struggles　of　the　poor　student　in　Paris；　if　skilfully　drawn；　would　furnish　a　most　dramatic　picture　of　modern　civilization。

In　vain　Mme。　de　Beauseant　looked　at　Eugene　as　if　asking　him　to　speak；　the　student　was　tongue…tied　in　the　Vicomte's　presence。

〃Are　you　going　to　take　me　to　the　Italiens　this　evening？〃　the　Vicomtesse　asked　her　husband。

〃You　cannot　doubt　that　I　should　obey　you　with　pleasure；〃　he　answered；　and　there　was　a　sarcastic　tinge　in　his　politeness　which　Eugene　did　not　detect；　〃but　I　ought　to　go　to　meet　some　one　at　the　Varietes。〃

〃His　mistress；〃　said　she　to　herself。

〃Then；　is　not　Ajuda　coming　for　you　this　evening？〃　inquired　the　Vicomte。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　petulantly。

〃Very　well；　then；　if　you　really　must　have　an　arm；　take　that　of　M。　de　Rastignac。〃

The　Vicomtess　turned　to　Eugene　with　a　smile。

〃That　would　be　a　very　compromising　step　for　you；〃　she　said。

〃　'A　Frenchman　loves　danger；　because　in　danger　there　is　glory；'　to　quote　M。　de　Chateaubriand；〃　said　Rastignac；　with　a　bow。

A　few　moments　later　he　was　sitting　beside　Mme。　de　Beauseant　in　a　brougham；　that　whirled　them　through　the　streets　of　Paris　to　a　fashionable　theatre。　It　seemed　to　him　that　some　fairy　magic　had　suddenly　transported　him　into　a　box　facing　the　stage。　All　the　lorgnettes　of　the　house　were　pointed　at　him　as　he　entered；　and　at　the　Vicomtesse　in　her　charming　toilette。　He　went　from　enchantment　to　enchantment。

〃You　must　talk　to　me；　you　know；〃　said　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　〃Ah！　look！　There　is　Mme。　de　Nucingen　in　the　third　box　from　ours。　Her　sister　and　M。　de　Trailles　are　on　the　other　side。〃

The　Vicomtesse　glanced　as　she　spoke　at　the　box　where　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　should　have　been；　M。　d'Ajuda　was　not　there；　and　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　face　lighted　up　in　a　marvelous　way。

〃She　is　charming；〃　said　Eugene；　after　looking　at　Mme。　de　Nucingen。

〃She　has　white　eyelashes。〃

〃Yes；　but　she　has　such　a　pretty　slender　figure！〃

〃Her　hands　are　large。〃

〃Such　beautiful　eyes！〃

〃Her　face　is　long。〃

〃Yes；　but　length　gives　distinction。〃

〃It　is　lucky　for　her　that　she　has　some　distinction　in　her　face。　Just　see　how　she　fidgets　with　her　opera…glass！　The　Goriot　blood　shows　itself　in　every　movement；〃　said　the　Vicomtesse；　much　to　Eugene's　astonishment。

Indeed；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　making　a　survey　of　the　house；　and　to　be　unconscious　of　Mme。　Nucingen's　existence；　but　no　movement　made　by　the　latter　was　lost　upon　the　Vicomtesse。　The　house　was　full　of　the　loveliest　women　in　Paris；　so　that　Delphine　de　Nucingen　was　not　a　little　flattered　to　receive　the　undivided　attention　of　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　young；　handsome；　and　well…dressed　cousin；　who　seemed　to　have　no　eyes　for　any　one　else。

〃If　you　look　at　her　so　persistently；　you　will　make　people　talk；　M。　de　Rastignac。　You　will　never　succeed　if　you　fling　yourself　at　any　one's　head　like　that。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Eugene；　〃you　have　protected　me　indeed　so　far；　and　now　if　you　would　complete　your　work；　I　only　ask　of　you　a　favor　which　will　cost　you　but　little；　and　be　of　very　great　service　to　me。　I　have　lost　my　heart。〃

〃Already！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　to　that　woman！〃

〃How　could　I　aspire　to　find　any　one　else　to　listen　to　me？〃　he　asked；　with　a　keen　glance　at　his　cousin。　〃Her　Grace　the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano　is　a　friend　of　the　Duchesse　de　Berri；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pause；　〃you　are　sure　to　see　her；　will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　present　me　to　her；　and　to　take　me　to　her　ball　on　Monday？　I　shall　meet　Mme。　de　Nucingen　there；　and　enter　into　my　first　skirmish。〃

〃Willingly；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　have　a　liking　for　her　already；　your　affairs　of　the　heart　are　like　to　prosper。　That　is　de　Marsay　over　there　in　the　Princesse　Galathionne's　box。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　is　racked　with　jealousy。　There　is　no　better　time　for　approaching　a　woman；　especially　if　she　happens　to　be　a　banker's　wife。　All　those　ladies　of　the　Chaussee…d'Antin　love　revenge。〃

〃Then；　what　would　you　do　yourself　in　such　a　case？〃

〃I　should　suffer　in　silence。〃

At　this　point　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda　appeared　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　box。

〃I　have　made　a　muddle　of　my　affairs　to　come　to　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　am　telling　you　about　it；　so　that　it　may　not　be　a　sacrifice。〃

Eugene　saw　the　glow　of　joy　on　the　Vicomtesse's　face；　and　knew　that　this　was　love；　and　learned　the　difference　between　love　and　the　affectations　of　Parisian　coquetry。　He　admired　his　cousin；　grew　mute；　and　yielded　his　place　to　M。　d'Ajuda　with　a　sigh。

〃How　noble；　how　sublime　a　woman　is　when　she　loves　like　that！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃And　HE　could　forsake　her　for　a　doll！　Oh！　how　could　any　one　forsake　her？〃

There　was　a　boy's　passionate　indignation　in　his　heart。　He　could　have　flung　himself　at　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　feet；　he　longed　for　the　power　of　the　devil　if　he　could　snatch　her　away　and　hide　her　in　his　heart；　as　an　eagle　snatches　up　some　white　yeanling　from　the　plains　and　bears　it　to　its　eyrie。　It　was　humiliating　to　him　to　think　that　in　all　this　gallery　of　fair　pictures　he　had　not　one　picture　of　his　own。　〃To　have　a　mistress　and　an　almost　royal　position　is　a　sign　of　power；〃　he　said　to　himself。　And　he　looked　at　Mme。　de　Nucingen　as　a　man　measures　another　who　has　insulted　him。

The　Vicomtesse　turned　to　him；　and　the　expression　of　her　eyes　thanked　him　a　thousand　times　for　his　discretion。　The　first　act　came　to　an　end　just　then。

〃Do　you　know　Mme。　de　Nucingen　well　enough　to　present　M。　de　Rastignac　to　her？〃　she　asked　of　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda。

〃She　will　be　delighted；〃　said　the　Marquis。　The　handsome　Portuguese　rose　as　he　spoke　and　took　the　student's　arm；　and　in　another　moment　Eugene　found　himself　in　Mme。　de　Nucingen's　box。

〃Madame；〃　said　the　Marquis；　〃I　have　the　honor　of　presenting　to　you　the　Chevalier　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　he　is　a　cousin　of　Mme。　de　Beauseant's。　You　have　made　so　deep　an　impression　upon　him；　that　I　thought　I　would　fill　up　the　measure　of　his　happiness　by　bringing　him　nearer　to　his　divinity。〃

Words　spoken　half　jestingly　to　cover　their　somewhat　disrespectful　import；　but　such　an　implication；　if　carefully　disguised；　never　gives　offence　to　a　woman。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　smiled；　and　offered　Eugene　the　place　which　her　husband　had　just　left。

〃I　do　not　venture　to　suggest　that　you　should　stay　with　me；　monsieur；〃　she　said。　〃Those　who　are　so　fortunate　as　to　be　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　company　do　not　desire　to　leave　it。〃

〃Madame；〃　Eugene　said；　lowering　his　voice；　〃I　think　that　to　p