father goriot-第32章

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drawing…room。



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

noticed　him；　he　looked　so　handsome；　so　young；　and　so　well

dressed。　This　almost　admiring　attention　gave　a　new　turn　to　his

thoughts。　He　forgot　his　sisters　and　the　aunt　who　had　robbed

herself　for　him；　he　no　longer　remembered　his　own　virtuous

scruples。　He　had　seen　hovering　above　his　head　the　fiend　so　easy

to　mistake　for　an　angel；　the　Devil　with　rainbow　wings；　who

scatters　rubies；　and　aims　his　golden　shafts　at　palace　fronts；　who

invests　women　with　purple；　and　thrones　with　a　glory　that　dazzles

the　eyes　of　fools　till　they　forget　the　simple　origins　of　royal

dominion；　he　had　heard　the　rustle　of　that　Vanity　whose　tinsel

seems　to　us　to　be　the　symbol　of　power。　However　cynical　Vautrin's

words　had　been；　they　had　made　an　impression　on　his　mind；　as　the

sordid　features　of　the　old　crone　who　whispers；　〃A　lover；　and　gold

in　torrents；〃　remain　engraven　on　a　young　girl's　memory。



Eugene　lounged　about　the　walks　till　it　was　nearly　five　o'clock；

then　he　went　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant；　and　received　one　of　the

terrible　blows　against　which　young　hearts　are　defenceless。

Hitherto　the　Vicomtesse　had　received　him　with　the　kindly

urbanity；　the　bland　grace　of　manner　that　is　the　result　of　fine

breeding；　but　is　only　complete　when　it　comes　from　the　heart。



Today　Mme。　de　Beauseant　bowed　constrainedly；　and　spoke　curtly：



〃M。　de　Rastignac；　I　cannot　possibly　see　you；　at　least　not　at　this

moment。　I　am　engaged　。　。　。〃



An　observer；　and　Rastignac　instantly　became　an　observer；　could

read　the　whole　history；　the　character　and　customs　of　caste；　in

the　phrase；　in　the　tones　of　her　voice；　in　her　glance　and　bearing。

He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　iron　hand　beneath　the　velvet　glove

the　personality；　the　egoism　beneath　the　manner；　the　wood　beneath

the　varnish。　In　short；　he　heard　that　unmistakable　I　THE　KING　that

issues　from　the　plumed　canopy　of　the　throne；　and　finds　its　last

echo　under　the　crest　of　the　simplest　gentleman。



Eugene　had　trusted　too　implicitly　to　the　generosity　of　a　woman；

he　could　not　believe　in　her　haughtiness。　Like　all　the

unfortunate；　he　had　subscribed；　in　all　good　faith；　the　generous

compact　which　should　bind　the　benefactor　to　the　recipient；　and

the　first　article　in　that　bond；　between　two　large…hearted

natures；　is　a　perfect　equality。　The　kindness　which　knits　two

souls　together　is　as　rare；　as　divine；　and　as　little　understood　as

the　passion　of　love；　for　both　love　and　kindness　are　the　lavish

generosity　of　noble　natures。　Rastignac　was　set　upon　going　to　the

Duchesse　de　Carigliano's　ball；　so　he　swallowed　down　this　rebuff。



〃Madame；〃　he　faltered　out；　〃I　would　not　have　come　to　trouble　you

about　a　trifling　matter；　be　so　kind　as　to　permit　me　to　see　you

later；　I　can　wait。〃



〃Very　well；　come　and　dine　with　me；〃　she　said；　a　little　confused

by　the　harsh　way　in　which　she　had　spoken；　for　this　lady　was　as

genuinely　kind…hearted　as　she　was　high…born。



Eugene　was　touched　by　this　sudden　relenting；　but　none　the　less　he

said　to　himself　as　he　went　away；　〃Crawl　in　the　dust；　put　up　with

every　kind　of　treatment。　What　must　the　rest　of　the　world　be　like

when　one　of　the　kindest　of　women　forgets　all　her　promises　of

befriending　me　in　a　moment；　and　tosses　me　aside　like　an　old　shoe？

So　it　is　every　one　for　himself？　It　is　true　that　her　house　is　not

a　shop；　and　I　have　put　myself　in　the　wrong　by　needing　her　help。

You　should　cut　your　way　through　the　world　like　a　cannon　ball；　as

Vautrin　said。〃



But　the　student's　bitter　thoughts　were　soon　dissipated　by　the

pleasure　which　he　promised　himself　in　this　dinner　with　the

Vicomtesse。　Fate　seemed　to　determine　that　the　smallest　accidents

in　his　life　should　combine　to　urge　him　into　a　career；　which　the

terrible　sphinx　of　the　Maison　Vauquer　had　described　as　a　field　of

battle　where　you　must　either　slay　or　be　slain；　and　cheat　to　avoid

being　cheated。　You　leave　your　conscience　and　your　heart　at　the

barriers；　and　wear　a　mask　on　entering　into　this　game　of　grim

earnest；　where；　as　in　ancient　Sparta；　you　must　snatch　your　prize

without　being　detected　if　you　would　deserve　the　crown。



On　his　return　he　found　the　Vicomtesse　gracious　and　kindly；　as　she

had　always　been　to　him。　They　went　together　to　the　dining…room；

where　the　Vicomte　was　waiting　for　his　wife。　In　the　time　of　the

Restoration　the　luxury　of　the　table　was　carried；　as　is　well

known；　to　the　highest　degree；　and　M。　de　Beauseant；　like　many

jaded　men　of　the　world；　had　few　pleasures　left　but　those　of　good

cheer；　in　this　matter；　in　fact；　he　was　a　gourmand　of　the　schools

of　Louis　XVIII。　and　of　the　Duc　d'Escars；　and　luxury　was

supplemented　by　splendor。　Eugene；　dining　for　the　first　time　in　a

house　where　the　traditions　of　grandeur　had　descended　through　many

generations；　had　never　seen　any　spectacle　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