father goriot-第33章

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fashionable　theatre。　It　seemed　to　him　that　some　fairy　magic　had

suddenly　transported　him　into　a　box　facing　the　stage。　All　the

lorgnettes　of　the　house　were　pointed　at　him　as　he　entered；　and　at

the　Vicomtesse　in　her　charming　toilette。　He　went　from　enchantment

to　enchantment。



〃You　must　talk　to　me；　you　know；〃　said　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　〃Ah！

look！　There　is　Mme。　de　Nucingen　in　the　third　box　from　ours。　Her

sister　and　M。　de　Trailles　are　on　the　other　side。〃



The　Vicomtesse　glanced　as　she　spoke　at　the　box　where　Mlle。　de

Rochefide　should　have　been；　M。　d'Ajuda　was　not　there；　and　Mme。　de

Beauseant's　face　lighted　up　in　a　marvelous　way。



〃She　is　charming；〃　said　Eugene；　after　looking　at　Mme。　de

Nucingen。



〃She　has　white　eyelashes。〃



〃Yes；　but　she　has　such　a　pretty　slender　figure！〃



〃Her　hands　are　large。〃



〃Such　beautiful　eyes！〃



〃Her　face　is　long。〃



〃Yes；　but　length　gives　distinction。〃



〃It　is　lucky　for　her　that　she　has　some　distinction　in　her　face。

Just　see　how　she　fidgets　with　her　opera…glass！　The　Goriot　blood

shows　itself　in　every　movement；〃　said　the　Vicomtesse；　much　to

Eugene's　astonishment。



Indeed；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　making　a　survey

of　the　house；　and　to　be　unconscious　of　Mme。　Nucingen's　existence；

but　no　movement　made　by　the　latter　was　lost　upon　the　Vicomtesse。

The　house　was　full　of　the　loveliest　women　in　Paris；　so　that

Delphine　de　Nucingen　was　not　a　little　flattered　to　receive　the

undivided　attention　of　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　young；　handsome；　and

well…dressed　cousin；　who　seemed　to　have　no　eyes　for　any　one　else。



〃If　you　look　at　her　so　persistently；　you　will　make　people　talk；

M。　de　Rastignac。　You　will　never　succeed　if　you　fling　yourself　at

any　one's　head　like　that。〃



〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Eugene；　〃you　have　protected　me　indeed　so

far；　and　now　if　you　would　complete　your　work；　I　only　ask　of　you　a

favor　which　will　cost　you　but　little；　and　be　of　very　great

service　to　me。　I　have　lost　my　heart。〃



〃Already！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　to　that　woman！〃



〃How　could　I　aspire　to　find　any　one　else　to　listen　to　me？〃　he

asked；　with　a　keen　glance　at　his　cousin。　〃Her　Grace　the　Duchesse

de　Carigliano　is　a　friend　of　the　Duchesse　de　Berri；〃　he　went　on；

after　a　pause；　〃you　are　sure　to　see　her；　will　you　be　so　kind　as

to　present　me　to　her；　and　to　take　me　to　her　ball　on　Monday？　I

shall　meet　Mme。　de　Nucingen　there；　and　enter　into　my　first

skirmish。〃



〃Willingly；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　have　a　liking　for　her　already；

your　affairs　of　the　heart　are　like　to　prosper。　That　is　de　Marsay

over　there　in　the　Princesse　Galathionne's　box。　Mme。　de　Nucingen

is　racked　with　jealousy。　There　is　no　better　time　for　approaching

a　woman；　especially　if　she　happens　to　be　a　banker's　wife。　All

those　ladies　of　the　Chaussee…d'Antin　love　revenge。〃



〃Then；　what　would　you　do　yourself　in　such　a　case？〃



〃I　should　suffer　in　silence。〃



At　this　point　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda　appeared　in　Mme。　de　Beauseant's

box。



〃I　have　made　a　muddle　of　my　affairs　to　come　to　you；〃　he　said；

〃and　I　am　telling　you　about　it；　so　that　it　may　not　be　a

sacrifice。〃



Eugene　saw　the　glow　of　joy　on　the　Vicomtesse's　face；　and　knew

that　this　was　love；　and　learned　the　difference　between　love　and

the　affectations　of　Parisian　coquetry。　He　admired　his　cousin；

grew　mute；　and　yielded　his　place　to　M。　d'Ajuda　with　a　sigh。



〃How　noble；　how　sublime　a　woman　is　when　she　loves　like　that！〃　he

said　to　himself。　〃And　HE　could　forsake　her　for　a　doll！　Oh！　how

could　any　one　forsake　her？〃



There　was　a　boy's　passionate　indignation　in　his　heart。　He　could

have　flung　himself　at　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　feet；　he　longed　for　the

power　of　the　devil　if　he　could　snatch　her　away　and　hide　her　in

his　heart；　as　an　eagle　snatches　up　some　white　yeanling　from　the

plains　and　bears　it　to　its　eyrie。　It　was　humiliating　to　him　to

think　that　in　all　this　gallery　of　fair　pictures　he　had　not　one

picture　of　his　own。　〃To　have　a　mistress　and　an　almost　royal

position　is　a　sign　of　power；〃　he　said　to　himself。　And　he　looked

at　Mme。　de　Nucingen　as　a　man　measures　another　who　has　insulted

him。



The　Vicomtesse　turned　to　him；　and　the　expression　of　her　eyes

thanked　him　a　thousand　times　for　his　discretion。　The　first　act

came　to　an　end　just　then。



〃Do　you　know　Mme。　de　Nucingen　well　enough　to　present　M。　de

Rastignac　to　her？〃　she　asked　of　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda。



〃She　will　be　delighted；〃　said　the　Marquis。　The　handsome

Portuguese　rose　as　he　spoke　and　took　the　student's　arm；　and　in

another　moment　Eugene　found　himself　in　Mme。　de　Nucingen's　box。



〃Madame；〃　said　the　Marquis；　〃I　have　the　honor　of　presenting　to

you　the　Chevalier　Eugene　de　Rastignac；　he　is　a　cousin　of　Mme。　de

Beauseant's。　You　have　made　so　deep　an　impression　upon　him；　that　I

thought　I　would　fill　up　the　measure　of　his　happiness　by　bringing

him　nearer　to　his　divinity。〃



Words　spoken　half　jestingly　to　cover　their　somewhat　disrespectful

import；　but　such　an　implication；　if　carefully　disguised；　never

gives　offence　to　a　woman。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　smiled；　and　offered

Eugene　the　place　which　her　husband　had　just　left。



〃I　do　not　venture　to　suggest　that　you　should　stay　with　me；

monsieur；〃　she　said。　〃Those　who　are　so　fortunate　as　to　be　in　Mme。

de　Beauseant's　company　do　not　desire　to　leave　it。〃



〃Madame；〃　Eugene　said；　lowering　his　voice；　〃I　think　that　to

please　my　cousin　I　should　remain　with　you。　Before　my　lord　Marquis

came　we　were　speaking　of　you　and　of　your　exceedingly

distinguished　appearance；〃　he　added　aloud。



M。　d'Ajuda　turned　and　left　them。



〃Are　you　really　going　to　stay　with　me；　monsieur？〃　asked　the

Baroness。　〃Then　we　shall　make　each　other's　acquaintance。　Mme。　de

Restaud　told　me　about　you；　and　has　made　me　anxious　to　meet　you。〃



〃She　must　be　very　insincere；　then；　for　she　has　shut　her　door　on

me。〃



〃What？〃



〃Madame；　I　will　tell　you　honestly　the　reason　why；　but　I　must

crave　your　indulgence　before　confiding　such　a　secret　to　you。　I　am

your　father's　neighbor；　I　had　no　idea　that　Mme。　de　Restaud　was

his　daughter。　I　was　rash　enough　to　mention　his　name；　I　meant　no

harm；　but　I　annoyed　your　sister　and　her　husband　very　much。　You

cannot　think　how　severely　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　my　cousin

blamed　this　apostasy　on　a　daughter's　part；　as　a　piece　of　bad

taste。　I　told　them　all　about　it；　and　they　both　burst　out

laughing。　Then　Mme。　de　Beauseant　made　some　comparison　between　you

and　your　sister；　speaking　in　high　terms　of　you；　and　saying　how

very　fond　you　were　of　my　neighbor；　M。　Goriot。　And；　indeed；　how

could　you　help　loving　him？　He　adores　you　so　passionately　that　I

am　jealous　already。　We　talked　about　you　this　morning　for　two

hours。　So　this　evening　I　was　quite　full　of　all　that　your　father

had　told　me；　and　while　I　was　dining　with　my　cousin　I　said　that

you　could　not　be　as　beautiful　as　affectionate。　Mme。　de　Beauseant

meant　to　gratify　such　warm　admiration；　I　think；　when　she　brought

me　here；　telling　me；　in　her　gracious　way；　that　I　should　see　you。〃



〃Then；　even　now；　I　owe　you　a　debt　of　gratitude；　monsieur；〃　said

the　banker's　wife。　〃We　shall　be　quite　old　friends　in　a　little

while。〃



〃Although　a　friendship　with　you　could　not　be　like　an　ordinary

friendship；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃I　should　never　wish　to　be　your

friend。〃



Such　stereotyped　phrases　as　these；　in　the　mouths　of　beginners；

possess　an　unfailing　charm　for　women；　and　are　insipid　only　when

read　coldly；　for　a　young　man's　tone；　glance　and　attitude　give　a

surpassing　eloquence　to　the　banal　phrases。　Mme。　de　Nucingen

thought　that　Rastignac　was　adorable。　Then；　woman…like；　being　at　a

loss　how　to　reply　to　the　student's　outspoken　admiration；　she

answered　a　previous　remark。



〃Yes；　it　is　very　wrong　of　my　sister　to　treat　our　poor　father　as

she　does；〃　she　said；　〃he　has　been　a　Providence　to　us。　It　was　not

until　M。　de　Nucingen　positively　ordered　me　only　to　receive　him　in

the　mornings　that　I　yielded　the　point。　But　I