father goriot(高老头)-第52章
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ice little dinner that she went with me to order of the chef at the Cafe des Anglais。 But； pshaw！ with her beside you gall and wormwood would be as sweet as honey。〃
〃I feel as if I were coming back to life again；〃 said Eugene。
〃Why； hurry up there！〃 cried Father Goriot； letting down the window in front。 〃Get on faster； I will give you five francs if you get to the place I told you of in ten minutes time。〃
With this prospect before him the cabman crossed Paris with miraculous celerity。
〃How that fellow crawls！〃 said Father Goriot。
〃But where are you taking me？〃 Eugene asked him。
〃To your own house；〃 said Goriot。
The cab stopped in the Rue d'Artois。 Father Goriot stepped out first and flung ten francs to the man with the recklessness of a widower returning to bachelor ways。
〃Come along upstairs；〃 he said to Rastignac。 They crossed a courtyard； and climbed up to the third floor of a new and handsome house。 There they stopped before a door； but before Goriot could ring； it was opened by Therese； Mme。 de Nucingen's maid。 Eugene found himself in a charming set of chambers； an ante…room； a little drawing…room； a bedroom； and a study； looking out upon a garden。 The furniture and the decorations of the little drawing…room were of the most daintily charming description； the room was full of soft light； and Delphine rose up from a low chair by the fire and stood before him。 She set her fire…screen down on the chimney…piece； and spoke with tenderness in every tone of her voice。
〃So we had to go in search of you； sir； you who are so slow to understand！〃
Therese left the room。 The student took Delphine in his arms and held her in a tight clasp； his eyes filled with tears of joy。 This last contrast between his present surroundings and the scenes he had just witnessed was too much for Rastignac's over… wrought nerves； after the day's strain and excitement that had wearied heart and brain； he was almost overcome by it。
〃I felt sure myself that he loved you；〃 murmured Father Goriot； while Eugene lay back bewildered on the sofa； utterly unable to speak a word or to reason out how and why the magic wand had been waved to bring about this final transformation scene。
〃But you must see your rooms；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen。 She took his hand and led him into a room carpeted and furnished like her own； indeed； down to the smallest details； it was a reproduction in miniature of Delphine's apartment。
〃There is no bed；〃 said Rastignac。
〃No； monsieur；〃 she answered； reddening； and pressing his hand。 Eugene； looking at her； understood； young though he yet was； how deeply modesty is implanted in the heart of a woman who loves。
〃You are one of those beings whom we cannot choose but to adore for ever；〃 he said in her ear。 〃Yes； the deeper and truer love is； the more mysterious and closely veiled it should be； I can dare to say so； since we understand each other so well。 No one shall learn our secret。〃
〃Oh！ so I am nobody； I suppose；〃 growled the father。
〃You know quite well that 'we' means you。〃
〃Ah！ that is what I wanted。 You will not mind me； will you？ I shall go and come like a good fairy who makes himself felt everywhere without being seen； shall I not？ Eh； Delphinette； Ninette； Dedelwas it not a good idea of mine to say to you； 'There are some nice rooms to let in the Rue d'Artois； let us furnish them for him？' And she would not hear of it！ Ah！ your happiness has been all my doing。 I am the author of your happiness and of your existence。 Fathers must always be giving if they would be happy themselves； always givingthey would not be fathers else。〃
〃Was that how it happened？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Yes。 She would not listen to me。 She was afraid that people would talk； as if the rubbish that they say about you were to be compared with happiness！ Why； all women dream of doing what she has done〃
Father Goriot found himself without an audience； for Mme。 de Nucingen had led Rastignac into the study； he heard a kiss given and taken； low though the sound was。
The study was furnished as elegantly as the other rooms； and nothing was wanting there。
〃Have we guessed your wishes rightly？〃 she asked； as they returned to the drawing…room for dinner。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃only too well； alas！ For all this luxury so well carried out； this realization of pleasant dreams； the elegance that satisfies all the romantic fancies of youth； appeals to me so strongly that I cannot but feel that it is my rightful possession； but I cannot accept it from you； and I am too poor as yet to〃
〃Ah！ ah！ you say me nay already；〃 she said with arch imperiousness； and a charming little pout of the lips； a woman's way of laughing away scruples。
But Eugene had submitted so lately to that solemn self… questioning； and Vautrin's arrest had so plainly shown him the depths of the pit that lay ready to his feet； that the instincts of generosity and honor had been strengthened in him； and he could not allow himself to be coaxed into abandoning his high… minded determinations。 Profound melancholy filled his mind。
〃Do you really mean to refuse？〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen。 〃And do you know what such a refusal means？ That you are not sure of yourself； that you do not dare to bind yourself to me。 Are you really afraid of betraying my affection？ If you love me； if I love you； why should you shrink back from such a slight obligation？ If you but knew what a pleasure it has been to see after all the arrangements of this bachelor establishment； you would not hesitate any longer； you would ask me to forgive you for your hesitation。 I had some money that belonged to you； and I have made good use of it； that is all。 You mean this for magnanimity； but it is very little of you。 You are asking me for far more than this。 。 。 。 Ah！〃 she cried； as Eugene's passionate glance was turned on her； 〃and you are making difficulties about the merest trifles。 Of； if you feel no love whatever for me； refuse； by all means。 My fate hangs on a word from you。 Speak！ Father；〃 she said after a pause； 〃make him listen to reason。 Can he imagine that I am less nice than he is on the point of honor？〃
Father Goriot was looking on and listening to this pretty quarrel with a placid smile； as if he had found some balm for all the sorrows of life。
〃Child that you are！〃 she cried again； catching Eugene's hand。 〃You are just beginning life； you find barriers at the outset that many a man finds insurmountable； a woman's hand opens the way and you shrink back！ Why； you are sure to succeed！ You will have a brilliant future。 Success is written on that broad forehead of yours； and will you not be able to repay me my loan of today？ Did not a lady in olden times arm her knight with sword and helmet and coat of mail； and find him a charger； so that he might fight for her in the tournament？ Well； then； Eugene； these things that I offer you are the weapons of this age； every one who means to be something must have such tools as these。 A pretty place your garret must be if it is like papa's room！ See； dinner is waiting all this time。 Do you want to make me unhappy？Why don't you answer？〃 she said； shaking his hand。 〃MON DIEU！ papa； make up his mind for him； or I will go away and never see him any more。〃
〃I will make up your mind；〃 said Goriot； coming down from the clouds。 〃Now； my dear M。 Eugene； the next thing is to borrow money of the Jews； isn't it？〃
〃There is positively no help for it；〃 said Eugene。
〃All right； I will give you credit；〃 said the other； drawing out a cheap leather pocket…book； much the worse for wear。 〃I have turned Jew myself； I paid for everything； here are the invoices。 You do not owe a penny for anything here。 It did not come to very muchfive thousand francs at most； and I am going to lend you the money myself。 I am not a womanyou can refuse me。 You shall give me a receipt on a scrap of paper； and you can return it some time or other。〃
Delphine and Eugene looked at each other in amazement； tears sprang to their eyes。 Rastignac held out his hand and grasped Goriot's warmly。
〃Well； what is all this about？ Are you not my children？〃
〃Oh！ my poor father；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen； 〃how did you do it？〃
〃Ah！ now you ask me。 When I made up my mind to move him nearer
