father goriot(高老头)-第51章

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At　this　Mme。　Vauquer　recovered　miraculously。　She　sat　up　and　folded　her　arms；　her　eyes　were　wide　open　now；　and　there　was　no　sign　of　tears　in　them。

〃Why；　do　you　really　mean　to　be　the　ruin　of　my　establishment；　my　dear　sir？　There　is　M。　VautrinGoodness；〃　she　cried；　interrupting　herself；　〃I　can't　help　calling　him　by　the　name　he　passed　himself　off　by　for　an　honest　man！　There　is　one　room　to　let　already；　and　you　want　me　to　turn　out　two　more　lodgers　in　the　middle　of　the　season；　when　no　one　is　moving〃

〃Gentlemen；　let　us　take　our　hats　and　go　and　dine　at　Flicoteaux's　in　the　Place　Sorbonne；〃　cried　Bianchon。

Mme。　Vauquer　glanced　round；　and　saw　in　a　moment　on　which　side　her　interest　lay。　She　waddled　across　to　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Come；　now；〃　she　said；　〃you　would　not　be　the　ruin　of　my　establishment；　would　you；　eh？　There's　a　dear；　kind　soul。　You　see　what　a　pass　these　gentlemen　have　brought　me　to；　just　go　up　to　your　room　for　this　evening。〃

〃Never　a　bit　of　it！〃　cried　the　boarders。　〃She　must　go；　and　go　this　minute！〃

〃But　the　poor　lady　has　had　no　dinner；〃　said　Poiret；　with　piteous　entreaty。

〃She　can　go　and　dine　where　she　likes；〃　shouted　several　voices。

〃Turn　her　out；　the　spy！〃

〃Turn　them　both　out！　Spies！〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　Poiret；　his　heart　swelling　with　the　courage　that　love　gives　to　the　ovine　male；　〃respect　the　weaker　sex。〃

〃Spies　are　of　no　sex！〃　said　the　painter。

〃A　precious　sexorama！〃

〃Turn　her　into　the　streetorama！〃

〃Gentlemen；　this　is　not　manners！　If　you　turn　people　out　of　the　house；　it　ought　not　to　be　done　so　unceremoniously　and　with　no　notice　at　all。　We　have　paid　our　money；　and　we　are　not　going；〃　said　Poiret；　putting　on　his　cap；　and　taking　a　chair　beside　Mlle。　Michonneau；　with　whom　Mme。　Vauquer　was　remonstrating。

〃Naughty　boy！〃　said　the　painter；　with　a　comical　look；　〃run　away；　naughty　little　boy！〃

〃Look　here；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃if　you　do　not　go；　all　the　rest　of　us　will；〃　and　the　boarders；　to　a　man；　made　for　the　sitting…room…　door。

〃Oh！　mademoiselle；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃I　am　a　ruined　woman。　You　can't　stay　here；　they　will　go　further；　do　something　violent。〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　rose　to　her　feet。

〃She　is　going！She　is　not　going！She　is　going！No；　she　isn't。〃

These　alternate　exclamations；　and　a　suggestion　of　hostile　intentions；　borne　out　by　the　behavior　of　the　insurgents；　compelled　Mlle。　Michonneau　to　take　her　departure。　She　made　some　stipulations；　speaking　in　a　low　voice　in　her　hostess'　ear；　and　then〃I　shall　go　to　Mme。　Buneaud's；〃　she　said；　with　a　threatening　look。

〃Go　where　you　please；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　regarded　this　choice　of　an　opposition　establishment　as　an　atrocious　insult。　〃Go　and　lodge　with　the　Buneaud；　the　wine　would　give　a　cat　the　colic；　and　the　food　is　cheap　and　nasty。〃

The　boarders　stood　aside　in　two　rows　to　let　her　pass；　not　a　word　was　spoken。　Poiret　looked　so　wistfully　after　Mlle。　Michonneau；　and　so　artlessly　revealed　that　he　was　in　two　minds　whether　to　go　or　stay；　that　the　boarders；　in　their　joy　at　being　quit　of　Mlle。　Michonneau；　burst　out　laughing　at　the　sight　of　him。

〃Hist！st！st！　Poiret；〃　shouted　the　painter。　〃Hallo！　I　say；　Poiret；　hallo！〃　The　employe　from　the　Museum　began　to　sing：

　　〃Partant　pour　la　Syrie；　　　Le　jeune　et　beau　Dunois　。　。　。〃

〃Get　along　with　you；　you　must　be　dying　to　go；　trahit　sua　quemque　voluptas！〃　said　Bianchon。

〃Every　one　to　his　tastefree　rendering　from　Virgil；〃　said　the　tutor。

Mlle。　Michonneau　made　a　movement　as　if　to　take　Poiret's　arm；　with　an　appealing　glance　that　he　could　not　resist。　The　two　went　out　together；　the　old　maid　leaning　upon　him；　and　there　was　a　burst　of　applause；　followed　by　peals　of　laughter。

〃Bravo；　Poiret！〃

〃Who　would　have　thought　it　of　old　Poiret！〃

〃Apollo　Poiret！〃

〃Mars　Poiret！〃

〃Intrepid　Poiret！〃

A　messenger　came　in　at　that　moment　with　a　letter　for　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　read　it　through；　and　collapsed　in　her　chair。

〃The　house　might　as　well　be　burned　down　at　once；〃　cried　she；　〃if　there　are　to　be　any　more　of　these　thunderbolts！　Young　Taillefer　died　at　three　o'clock　this　afternoon。　It　serves　me　right　for　wishing　well　to　those　ladies　at　that　poor　man's　expense。　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　want　me　to　send　their　things；　because　they　are　going　to　live　with　her　father。　M。　Taillefer　allows　his　daughter　to　keep　old　Mme。　Couture　as　her　lady　companion。　Four　rooms　to　let！　and　five　lodgers　gone！　。　。　。〃

She　sat　up；　and　seemed　about　to　burst　into　tears。

〃Bad　luck　has　come　to　lodge　here；　I　think；〃　she　cried。

Once　more　there　came　a　sound　of　wheels　from　the　street　outside。

〃What！　another　windfall　for　somebody！〃　was　Sylvie's　comment。

But　it　was　Goriot　who　came　in；　looking　so　radiant；　so　flushed　with　happiness；　that　he　seemed　to　have　grown　young　again。

〃Goriot　in　a　cab！〃　cried　the　boarders；　〃the　world　is　coming　to　an　end。〃

The　good　soul　made　straight　for　Eugene；　who　was　standing　wrapped　in　thought　in　a　corner；　and　laid　a　hand　on　the　young　man's　arm。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　with　gladness　in　his　eyes。

〃Then　you　haven't　heard　the　news？〃　said　Eugene。　〃Vautrin　was　an　escaped　convict；　they　have　just　arrested　him；　and　young　Taillefer　is　dead。〃

〃Very　well；　but　what　business　is　it　of　ours？〃　replied　Father　Goriot。　〃I　am　going　to　dine　with　my　daughter　in　YOUR　HOUSE；　do　you　understand？　She　is　expecting　you。　Come！〃

He　carried　off　Rastignac　with　him　by　main　force；　and　they　departed　in　as　great　a　hurry　as　a　pair　of　eloping　lovers。

〃Now；　let　us　have　dinner；〃　cried　the　painter；　and　every　one　drew　his　chair　to　the　table。

〃Well；　I　never；〃　said　the　portly　Sylvie。　〃Nothing　goes　right　to…　day！　The　haricot　mutton　has　caught！　Bah！　you　will　have　to　eat　it；　burned　as　it　is；　more's　the　pity！〃

Mme。　Vauquer　was　so　dispirited　that　she　could　not　say　a　word　as　she　looked　round　the　table　and　saw　only　ten　people　where　eighteen　should　be；　but　every　one　tried　to　comfort　and　cheer　her。　At　first　the　dinner　contingent；　as　was　natural；　talked　about　Vautrin　and　the　day's　events；　but　the　conversation　wound　round　to　such　topics　of　interest　as　duels；　jails；　justice；　prison　life；　and　alterations　that　ought　to　be　made　in　the　laws。　They　soon　wandered　miles　away　from　Jacques　Collin　and　Victorine　and　her　brother。　There　might　be　only　ten　of　them；　but　they　made　noise　enough　for　twenty；　indeed；　there　seemed　to　be　more　of　them　than　usual；　that　was　the　only　difference　between　yesterday　and　to…day。　Indifference　to　the　fate　of　others　is　a　matter　of　course　in　this　selfish　world；　which；　on　the　morrow　of　tragedy；　seeks　among　the　events　of　Paris　for　a　fresh　sensation　for　its　daily　renewed　appetite；　and　this　indifference　soon　gained　the　upper　hand。　Mme。　Vauquer　herself　grew　calmer　under　the　soothing　influence　of　hope；　and　the　mouthpiece　of　hope　was　the　portly　Sylvie。

That　day　had　gone　by　like　a　dream　for　Eugene；　and　the　sense　of　unreality　lasted　into　the　evening；　so　that；　in　spite　of　his　energetic　character　and　clear…headedness；　his　ideas　were　a　chaos　as　he　sat　beside　Goriot　in　the　cab。　The　old　man's　voice　was　full　of　unwonted　happiness；　but　Eugene　had　been　shaken　by　so　many　emotions　that　the　words　sounded　in　his　ears　like　words　spoken　in　a　dream。

〃It　was　finished　this　morning！　All　three　of　us　are　going　to　dine　there　together；　together！　Do　you　understand？　I　have　not　dined　with　my　Delphine；　my　little　Delphine；　these　four　years；　and　I　shall　have　her　for　a　whole　evening！　We　have　been　at　your　lodging　the　whole　time　since　morning。　I　have　been　working　like　a　porter　in　my　shirt　sleeves；　helping　to　carry　in　the　furniture。　Aha！　you　don't　know　what　pretty　ways　she　has；　at　table　she　will　look　after　me；　'Here；　papa；　just　try　this；　it　is　nice。'　And　I　shall　not　be　able　to　eat。　Oh；　it　is　a　long　while　since　I　have　been　with　her　in　quiet　every…day　life　as　we　shall　have　her。〃

〃It　really　seems　as　if　the　world　has　been　turned　upside　down。〃

〃Upside　down？〃　repeated　Father　Goriot。　〃Why；　the　world　has　never　been　so　right…side　up。　I　see　none　but　smiling　faces　in　the　streets；　people　who　shake　hands　cordially　and　embrace　each　other；　people　who　all　look　as　happy　as　if　they　were　going　to　dine　with　their　daughter；　and　gobble　down　a　nice　little　dinner　that　she　went　with　me　to　order　of　the　chef　at　the　Cafe　des　Anglais。　But；　pshaw！　wi