father goriot(高老头)-第57章

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your　husband's　winding。〃

〃No；　let　me　do　that；　I　shall　be　able　to　manage　him。　He　is　fond　of　me；　well　and　good；　I　shall　use　my　influence　to　make　him　invest　my　money　as　soon　as　possible　in　landed　property　in　my　own　name。　Very　likely　I　could　get　him　to　buy　back　Nucingen　in　Alsace　in　my　name；　that　has　always　been　a　pet　idea　of　his。　Still；　come　to…morrow　and　go　through　the　books；　and　look　into　the　business。　M。　Derville　knows　little　of　mercantile　matters。　No；　not　to…morrow　though。　I　do　not　want　to　be　upset。　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　ball　will　be　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　I　must　keep　quiet；　so　as　to　look　my　best　and　freshest；　and　do　honor　to　my　dear　Eugene！　。　。　。　Come；　let　us　see　his　room。〃

But　as　she　spoke　a　carriage　stopped　in　the　Rue　Nueve…Sainte…　Genevieve；　and　the　sound　of　Mme。　de　Restaud's　voice　came　from　the　staircase。　〃Is　my　father　in？〃　she　asked　of　Sylvie。

This　accident　was　luckily　timed　for　Eugene；　whose　one　idea　had　been　to　throw　himself　down　on　the　bed　and　pretend　to　be　asleep。

〃Oh；　father；　have　you　heard　about　Anastasie？〃　said　Delphine；　when　she　heard　her　sister　speak。　〃It　looks　as　though　some　strange　things　had　happened　in　that　family。〃

〃What　sort　of　things？〃　asked　Goriot。　〃This　is　like　to　be　the　death　of　me。　My　poor　head　will　not　stand　a　double　misfortune。〃

〃Good…morning；　father；〃　said　the　Countess　from　the　threshold。　〃Oh！　Delphine；　are　you　here？〃

Mme。　de　Restaud　seemed　taken　aback　by　her　sister's　presence。

〃Good…morning；　Nasie；〃　said　the　Baroness。　〃What　is　there　so　extraordinary　in　my　being　here？　_I_　see　our　father　every　day。〃

〃Since　when？〃

〃If　you　came　yourself　you　would　know。〃

〃Don't　tease；　Delphine；〃　said　the　Countess　fretfully。　〃I　am　very　miserable；　I　am　lost。　Oh！　my　poor　father；　it　is　hopeless　this　time！〃

〃What　is　it；　Nasie？〃　cried　Goriot。　〃Tell　us　all　about　it；　child！　How　white　she　is！　Quick；　do　something；　Delphine；　be　kind　to　her；　and　I　will　love　you　even　better；　if　that　were　possible。〃

〃Poor　Nasie！〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　drawing　her　sister　to　a　chair。　〃We　are　the　only　two　people　in　the　world　whose　love　is　always　sufficient　to　forgive　you　everything。　Family　affection　is　the　surest；　you　see。〃

The　Countess　inhaled　the　salts　and　revived。

〃This　will　kill　me！〃　said　their　father。　〃There；〃　he　went　on；　stirring　the　smouldering　fire；　〃come　nearer；　both　of　you。　It　is　cold。　What　is　it；　Nasie？　Be　quick　and　tell　me；　this　is　enough　to〃

〃Well；　then；　my　husband　knows　everything；〃　said　the　Countess。　〃Just　imagine　it；　do　you　remember；　father；　that　bill　of　Maxime's　some　time　ago？　Well；　that　was　not　the　first。　I　had　paid　ever　so　many　before　that。　About　the　beginning　of　January　M。　de　Trailles　seemed　very　much　troubled。　He　said　nothing　to　me；　but　it　is　so　easy　to　read　the　hearts　of　those　you　love；　a　mere　trifle　is　enough；　and　then　you　feel　things　instinctively。　Indeed；　he　was　more　tender　and　affectionate　than　ever；　and　I　was　happier　than　I　had　ever　been　before。　Poor　Maxime！　in　himself　he　was　really　saying　good…bye　to　me；　so　he　has　told　me　since；　he　meant　to　blow　his　brains　out！　At　last　I　worried　him　so；　and　begged　and　implored　so　hard；　for　two　hours　I　knelt　at　his　knees　and　prayed　and　entreated；　and　at　last　he　told　methat　he　owed　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　Oh！　papa！　a　hundred　thousand　francs！　I　was　beside　myself！　You　had　not　the　money；　I　knew；　I　had　eaten　up　all　that　you　had〃

〃No；〃　said　Goriot；　〃I　could　not　have　got　it　for　you　unless　I　had　stolen　it。　But　I　would　have　done　that　for　you；　Nasie！　I　will　do　it　yet。〃

The　words　came　from　him　like　a　sob；　a　hoarse　sound　like　the　death　rattle　of　a　dying　man；　it　seemed　indeed　like　the　agony　of　death　when　the　father's　love　was　powerless。　There　was　a　pause；　and　neither　of　the　sisters　spoke。　It　must　have　been　selfishness　indeed　that　could　hear　unmoved　that　cry　of　anguish　that；　like　a　pebble　thrown　over　a　precipice；　revealed　the　depths　of　his　despair。

〃I　found　the　money；　father；　by　selling　what　was　not　mine　to　sell；〃　and　the　Countess　burst　into　tears。

Delphine　was　touched；　she　laid　her　head　on　her　sister's　shoulder；　and　cried　too。

〃Then　it　is　all　true；〃　she　said。

Anastasie　bowed　her　head；　Mme。　de　Nucingen　flung　her　arms　about　her；　kissed　her　tenderly；　and　held　her　sister　to　her　heart。

〃I　shall　always　love　you　and　never　judge　you；　Nasie；〃　she　said。

〃My　angels；〃　murmured　Goriot　faintly。　〃Oh；　why　should　it　be　trouble　that　draws　you　together？〃

This　warm　and　palpitating　affection　seemed　to　give　the　Countess　courage。

〃To　save　Maxime's　life；〃　she　said；　〃to　save　all　my　own　happiness；　I　went　to　the　money…lender　you　know　of；　a　man　of　iron　forged　in　hell…fire；　nothing　can　melt　him；　I　took　all　the　family　diamonds　that　M。　de　Restaud　is　so　proud　ofhis　and　mine　tooand　sold　them　to　that　M。　Gobseck。　SOLD　THEM！　Do　you　understand？　I　saved　Maxime；　but　I　am　lost。　Restaud　found　it　all　out。〃

〃How？　Who　told　him？　I　will　kill　him；〃　cried　Goriot。

〃Yesterday　he　sent　to　tell　me　to　come　to　his　room。　I　went。　。　。　。　'Anastasie；'　he　said　in　a　voiceoh！　such　a　voice；　that　was　enough；　it　told　me　everything'where　are　your　diamonds？''In　my　room''No；'　he　said；　looking　straight　at　me；　'there　they　are　on　that　chest　of　drawers'　and　he　lifted　his　handkerchief　and　showed　me　the　casket。　'Do　you　know　where　they　came　from？'　he　said。　I　fell　at　his　feet。　。　。　。　I　cried；　I　besought　him　to　tell　me　the　death　he　wished　to　see　me　die。〃

〃You　said　that！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃By　God　in　heaven；　whoever　lays　a　hand　on　either　of　you　so　long　as　I　am　alive　may　reckon　on　being　roasted　by　slow　fires！　Yes；　I　will　cut　him　in　pieces　like　。　。　。〃

Goriot　stopped；　the　words　died　away　in　his　throat。

〃And　then；　dear；　he　asked　something　worse　than　death　of　me。　Oh！　heaven　preserve　all　other　women　from　hearing　such　words　as　I　heard　then！〃

〃I　will　murder　that　man；〃　said　Goriot　quietly。　〃But　he　has　only　one　life；　and　he　deserves　to　die　twice。And　then；　what　next？〃　he　added；　looking　at　Anastasie。

〃Then；〃　the　Countess　resumed；　〃there　was　a　pause；　and　he　looked　at　me。　'Anastasie；'　he　said；　'I　will　bury　this　in　silence；　there　shall　be　no　separation；　there　are　the　children。　I　will　not　kill　M。　de　Trailles。　I　might　miss　him　if　we　fought；　and　as　for　other　ways　of　getting　rid　of　him；　I　should　come　into　collision　with　the　law。　If　I　killed　him　in　your　arms；　it　would　bring　dishonor　on　THOSE　children。　But　if　you　do　not　want　to　see　your　children　perish；　nor　their　father　nor　me；　you　must　first　of　all　submit　to　two　conditions。　Answer　me。　Have　I　a　child　of　my　own？'　I　answered；　'Yes；''Which？''Ernest；　our　eldest　boy。''Very　well；'　he　said；　'and　now　swear　to　obey　me　in　this　particular　from　this　time　forward。'　I　swore。　'You　will　make　over　your　property　to　me　when　I　require　you　to　do　so。'　〃

〃Do　nothing　of　the　kind！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃Aha！　M。　de　Restaud；　you　could　not　make　your　wife　happy；　she　has　looked　for　happiness　and　found　it　elsewhere；　and　you　make　her　suffer　for　your　own　ineptitude？　He　will　have　to　reckon　with　me。　Make　yourself　easy；　Nasie。　Aha！　he　cares　about　his　heir！　Good；　very　good。　I　will　get　hold　of　the　boy；　isn't　he　my　grandson？　What　the　blazes！　I　can　surely　go　to　see　the　brat！　I　will　stow　him　away　somewhere；　I　will　take　care　of　him；　you　may　be　quite　easy。　I　will　bring　Restaud　to　terms；　the　monster！　I　shall　say　to　him；　'A　word　or　two　with　you！　If　you　want　your　son　back　again；　give　my　daughter　her　property；　and　leave　her　to　do　as　she　pleases。'　〃

〃Father！〃

〃Yes。　I　am　your　father；　Nasie；　a　father　indeed！　That　rogue　of　a　great　lord　had　better　not　ill…treat　my　daughter。　Tonnerre！　What　is　it　in　my　veins？　There　is　the　blood　of　a　tiger　in　me；　I　could　tear　those　two　men　to　pieces！　Oh！　children；　children！　so　this　is　what　your　lives　are！　Why；　it　is　death！　。　。　。　What　will　become　of　you　when　I　shall　be　here　no　longer？　Fathers　ought　to　live　as　long　as　their　children。　Ah！　Lord　God　in　heaven！　how　ill　Thy　world　is　ordered！　Thou　hast　a　Son；　if　what　they　tell　us　is　true；　and　yet　Thou　leavest　us　to　suffer　so　through　our　children。　My　darlings；　my　darlings！　to　think　that　trouble　only　should　bring　you　to　me；　that　I　should　only　see　you　with　tears　on　your　faces！　Ah！　yes；　yes；　you　love　me；　I　see　that　you　love　me。　Come　to　me　and　pour　out　your　griefs　to　me；　my　heart　is　large　enough　to　hold　them　all。　Oh！　you　might　rend　my　heart