father goriot-第31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！



it　up；　that　outlaw　has　told　me　more　about　virtue　than　all　I　have

learned　from　men　and　books。　If　virtue　admits　of　no　compromises；　I

have　certainly　robbed　my　sisters；〃　he　said；　throwing　down　the

bags　on　the　table。



He　sat　down　again　and　fell；　unconscious　of　his　surroundings；　into

deep　thought。



〃To　be　faithful　to　an　ideal　of　virtue！　A　heroic　martyrdom！　Pshaw！

every　one　believes　in　virtue；　but　who　is　virtuous？　Nations　have

made　an　idol　of　Liberty；　but　what　nation　on　the　face　of　the　earth

is　free？　My　youth　is　still　like　a　blue　and　cloudless　sky。　If　I

set　myself　to　obtain　wealth　or　power；　does　it　mean　that　I　must

make　up　my　mind　to　lie；　and　fawn；　and　cringe；　and　swagger；　and

flatter；　and　dissemble？　To　consent　to　be　the　servant　of　others

who　have　likewise　fawned；　and　lied；　and　flattered？　Must　I　cringe

to　them　before　I　can　hope　to　be　their　accomplice？　Well；　then；　I

decline。　I　mean　to　work　nobly　and　with　a　single　heart。　I　will

work　day　and　night；　I　will　owe　my　fortune　to　nothing　but　my　own

exertions。　It　may　be　the　slowest　of　all　roads　to　success；　but　I

shall　lay　my　head　on　the　pillow　at　night　untroubled　by　evil

thoughts。　Is　there　a　greater　thing　than　thisto　look　back　over

your　life　and　know　that　it　is　stainless　as　a　lily？　I　and　my　life

are　like　a　young　man　and　his　betrothed。　Vautrin　has　put　before　me

all　that　comes　after　ten　years　of　marriage。　The　devil！　my　head　is

swimming。　I　do　not　want　to　think　at　all；　the　heart　is　a　sure

guide。〃



Eugene　was　roused　from　his　musings　by　the　voice　of　the　stout

Sylvie；　who　announced　that　the　tailor　had　come；　and　Eugene

therefore　made　his　appearance　before　the　man　with　the　two　money

bags；　and　was　not　ill　pleased　that　it　should　be　so。　When　he　had

tried　on　his　dress　suit；　he　put　on　his　new　morning　costume；　which

completely　metamorphosed　him。



〃I　am　quite　equal　to　M。　de　Trailles；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃In

short；　I　look　like　a　gentleman。〃



〃You　asked　me；　sir；　if　I　knew　the　houses　where　Mme。　de　Nucingen

goes；〃　Father　Goriot's　voice　spoke　from　the　doorway　of　Eugene's

room。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Very　well　then；　she　is　going　to　the　Marechale　Carigliano's　ball

on　Monday。　If　you　can　manage　to　be　there；　I　shall　hear　from　you

whether　my　two　girls　enjoyed　themselves；　and　how　they　were

dressed；　and　all　about　it　in　fact。〃



〃How　did　you　find　that　out；　my　good　Goriot？〃　said　Eugene；　putting

a　chair　by　the　fire　for　his　visitor。



〃Her　maid　told　me。　I　hear　all　about　their　doings　from　Therese　and

Constance；〃　he　added　gleefully。



The　old　man　looked　like　a　lover　who　is　still　young　enough　to　be

made　happy　by　the　discovery　of　some　little　stratagem　which　brings

him　information　of　his　lady…love　without　her　knowledge。



〃YOU　will　see　them　both！〃　he　said；　giving　artless　expression　to　a

pang　of　jealousy。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Eugene。　〃I　will　go　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant

and　ask　her　for　an　introduction　to　the　Marechale。〃



Eugene　felt　a　thrill　of　pleasure　at　the　thought　of　appearing

before　the　Vicomtesse；　dressed　as　henceforward　he　always　meant　to

be。　The　〃abysses　of　the　human　heart；〃　in　the　moralists'　phrase；

are　only　insidious　thoughts；　involuntary　promptings　of　personal

interest。　The　instinct　of　enjoyment　turns　the　scale；　those　rapid

changes　of　purpose　which　have　furnished　the　text　for　so　much

rhetoric　are　calculations　prompted　by　the　hope　of　pleasure。

Rastignac　beholding　himself　well　dressed　and　impeccable　as　to

gloves　and　boots；　forgot　his　virtuous　resolutions。　Youth；

moreover；　when　bent　upon　wrongdoing　does　not　dare　to　behold

himself　in　the　mirror　of　consciousness；　mature　age　has　seen

itself；　and　therein　lies　the　whole　difference　between　these　two

phases　of　life。



A　friendship　between　Eugene　and　his　neighbor；　Father　Goriot；　had

been　growing　up　for　several　days　past。　This　secret　friendship　and

the　antipathy　that　the　student　had　begun　to　entertain　for　Vautrin

arose　from　the　same　psychological　causes。　The　bold　philosopher

who　shall　investigate　the　effects　of　mental　action　upon　the

physical　world　will　doubtless　find　more　than　one　proof　of　the

material　nature　of　our　sentiments　in　other　animals。　What

physiognomist　is　as　quick　to　discern　character　as　a　dog　is　to

discover　from　a　stranger's　face　whether　this　is　a　friend　or　no？

Those　by…words〃atoms；〃　〃affinities〃are　facts　surviving　in

modern　languages　for　the　confusion　of　philosophic　wiseacres　who

amuse　themselves　by　winnowing　the　chaff　of　language　to　find　its

grammatical　roots。　We　FEEL　that　we　are　loved。　Our　sentiments　make

themselves　felt　in　everything；　even　at　a　great　distance。　A　letter

is　a　living　soul；　and　so　faithful　an　echo　of　the　voice　that

speaks　in　it；　that　finer　natures　look　upon　a　letter　as　one　of

love's　most　precious　treasures。　Father　Goriot's　affection　was　of

the　instinctive　order；　a　canine　affection　raised　to　a　sublime

pitch；　he　had　scented　compassion　in　the　air；　and　the　kindly

respect　and　youthful　sympathy　in　the　student's　heart。　This

friendship　had；　however；　scarcely　reached　the　stage　at　which

confidences　are　made。　Though　Eugene　had　spoken　of　his　wish　to

meet　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　it　was　not　because　he　counted　on　the　old

man　to　introduce　him　to　her　house；　for　he　hoped　that　his　own

audacity　might　stand　him　in　good　stead。　All　that　Father　Goriot

had　said　as　yet　about　his　daughters　had　referred　to　the　remarks

that　the　student　had　made　so　freely　in　public　on　that　day　of　the

two　visits。



〃How　could　you　think　that　Mme。　de　Restaud　bore　you　a　grudge　for

mentioning　my　name？〃　he　had　said　on　the　day　following　that　scene

at　dinner。　〃My　daughters　are　very　fond　of　me；　I　am　a　happy

father；　but　my　sons…in…law　have　behaved　badly　to　me；　and　rather

than　make　trouble　between　my　darlings　and　their　husbands；　I

choose　to　see　my　daughters　secretly。　Fathers　who　can　see　their

daughters　at　any　time　have　no　idea　of　all　the　pleasure　that　all

this　mystery　gives　me；　I　cannot　always　see　mine　when　I　wish；　do

you　understand？　So　when　it　is　fine　I　walk　out　in　the　Champs…

Elysees；　after　finding　out　from　their　waiting…maids　whether　my

daughters　mean　to　go　out。　I　wait　near　the　entrance；　my　heart

beats　fast　when　the　carriages　begin　to　come；　I　admire　them　in

their　dresses；　and　as　they　pass　they　give　me　a　little　smile；　and

it　seems　as　if　everything　was　lighted　up　for　me　by　a　ray　of

bright　sunlight。　I　wait；　for　they　always　go　back　the　same　way；

and　then　I　see　them　again；　the　fresh　air　has　done　them　good　and

brought　color　into　their　cheeks；　all　about　me　people　say；　'What　a

beautiful　woman　that　is！'　and　it　does　my　heart　good　to　hear　them。



〃Are　they　not　my　own　flesh　and　blood？　I　love　the　very　horses　that

draw　them；　I　envy　the　little　lap…dog　on　their　knees。　Their

happiness　is　my　life。　Every　one　loves　after　his　own　fashion；　and

mine　does　no　one　any　harm；　why　should　people　trouble　their　heads

about　me？　I　am　happy　in　my　own　way。　Is　there　any　law　against

going　to　see　my　girls　in　the　evening　when　they　are　going　out　to　a

ball？　And　what　a　disappointment　it　is　when　I　get　there　too　late；

and　am　told　that　'Madame　has　gone　out！'　Once　I　waited　till　three

o'clock　in　the　morning　for　Nasie；　I　had　not　seen　her　for　two

whole　days。　I　was　so　pleased；　that　it　was　almost　too　much　for　me！

Please　do　not　speak　of　me　unless　it　is　to　say　how　good　my

daughters　are　to　me。　They　are　always　wanting　to　heap　presents

upon　me；　but　I　will　not　have　it。　'Just　keep　your　money；'　I　tell

them。　'What　should　I　do　with　it？　I　want　nothing。'　And　what　am　I；

sir；　after　all？　An　old　carcase；　whose　soul　is　always　where　my

daughters　are。　When　you　have　seen　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　tell　me　which

you　like　the　most；〃　said　the　old　man　after　a　moment's　pause；

while　Eugene　put　the　last　touches　to　his　toilette。　The　student

was　about　to　go　out　to　walk　in　the　Garden　of　the　Tuileries　until

the　hour　when　he　could　venture　to　appear　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's

drawing…room。



That　walk　was　a　turning…point　in　Eugene's　career。　Several　women

noticed　him；　he　looked　so　handsome；　so