father goriot(高老头)-第17章

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hange　at　once；　and　did　not　return　for　several　days　afterwards；　he　was　ill　in　consequence　of　the　shock　and　the　subsequent　relief　on　discovering　that　it　was　a　false　alarm。　This　time；　however；　the　offender　did　not　escape　with　a　bruised　shoulder；　at　a　critical　moment　in　the　man's　affairs；　Goriot　drove　him　into　bankruptcy；　and　forced　him　to　disappear　from　the　Corn　Exchange。

As　might　have　been　expected；　the　two　girls　were　spoiled。　With　an　income　of　sixty　thousand　francs；　Goriot　scarcely　spent　twelve　hundred　on　himself；　and　found　all　his　happiness　in　satisfying　the　whims　of　the　two　girls。　The　best　masters　were　engaged；　that　Anastasie　and　Delphine　might　be　endowed　with　all　the　accomplishments　which　distinguish　a　good　education。　They　had　a　chaperonluckily　for　them；　she　was　a　woman　who　had　good　sense　and　good　taste；they　learned　to　ride；　they　had　a　carriage　for　their　use；　they　lived　as　the　mistress　of　a　rich　old　lord　might　live；　they　had　only　to　express　a　wish；　their　father　would　hasten　to　give　them　their　most　extravagant　desires；　and　asked　nothing　of　them　in　return　but　a　kiss。　Goriot　had　raised　the　two　girls　to　the　level　of　the　angels；　and；　quite　naturally；　he　himself　was　left　beneath　them。　Poor　man！　he　loved　them　even　for　the　pain　that　they　gave　him。

When　the　girls　were　old　enough　to　be　married；　they　were　left　free　to　choose　for　themselves。　Each　had　half　her　father's　fortune　as　her　dowry；　and　when　the　Comte　de　Restaud　came　to　woo　Anastasie　for　her　beauty；　her　social　aspirations　led　her　to　leave　her　father's　house　for　a　more　exalted　sphere。　Delphine　wished　for　money；　she　married　Nucingen；　a　banker　of　German　extraction；　who　became　a　Baron　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire。　Goriot　remained　a　vermicelli　maker　as　before。　His　daughters　and　his　sons…in…law　began　to　demur；　they　did　not　like　to　see　him　still　engaged　in　trade；　though　his　whole　life　was　bound　up　with　his　business。　For　five　years　he　stood　out　against　their　entreaties；　then　he　yielded；　and　consented　to　retire　on　the　amount　realized　by　the　sale　of　his　business　and　the　savings　of　the　last　few　years。　It　was　this　capital　that　Mme。　Vauquer；　in　the　early　days　of　his　residence　with　her；　had　calculated　would　bring　in　eight　or　ten　thousand　livres　in　a　year。　He　had　taken　refuge　in　her　lodging…　house；　driven　there　by　despair　when　he　knew　that　his　daughters　were　compelled　by　their　husbands　not　only　to　refuse　to　receive　him　as　an　inmate　in　their　houses；　but　even　to　see　him　no　more　except　in　private。

This　was　all　the　information　which　Rastignac　gained　from　a　M。　Muret　who　had　purchased　Goriot's　business；　information　which　confirmed　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais'　suppositions；　and　herewith　the　preliminary　explanation　of　this　obscure　but　terrible　Parisian　tragedy　comes　to　an　end。

Towards　the　end　of　the　first　week　in　December　Rastignac　received　two　lettersone　from　his　mother；　and　one　from　his　eldest　sister。　His　heart　beat　fast；　half　with　happiness；　half　with　fear；　at　the　sight　of　the　familiar　handwriting。　Those　two　little　scraps　of　paper　contained　life　or　death　for　his　hopes。　But　while　he　felt　a　shiver　of　dread　as　he　remembered　their　dire　poverty　at　home；　he　knew　their　love　for　him　so　well　that　he　could　not　help　fearing　that　he　was　draining　their　very　life…blood。　His　mother's　letter　ran　as　follows：

〃My　Dear　Child；I　am　sending　you　the　money　that　you　asked　for。　Make　a　good　use　of　it。　Even　to　save　your　life　I　could　not　raise　so　large　a　sum　a　second　time　without　your　father's　knowledge；　and　there　would　be　trouble　about　it。　We　should　be　obliged　to　mortgage　the　land。　It　is　impossible　to　judge　of　the　merits　of　schemes　of　which　I　am　ignorant；　but　what　sort　of　schemes　can　they　be；　that　you　should　fear　to　tell　me　about　them？　Volumes　of　explanation　would　not　have　been　needed；　we　mothers　can　understand　at　a　word；　and　that　word　would　have　spared　me　the　anguish　of　uncertainty。　I　do　not　know　how　to　hide　the　painful　impression　that　your　letter　has　made　upon　me；　my　dear　son。　What　can　you　have　felt　when　you　were　moved　to　send　this　chill　of　dread　through　my　heart？　It　must　have　been　very　painful　to　you　to　write　the　letter　that　gave　me　so　much　pain　as　I　read　it。　To　what　courses　are　you　committed？　You　are　going　to　appear　to　be　something　that　you　are　not；　and　your　whole　life　and　success　depends　upon　this？　You　are　about　to　see　a　society　into　which　you　cannot　enter　without　rushing　into　expense　that　you　cannot　afford；　without　losing　precious　time　that　is　needed　for　your　studies。　Ah！　my　dear　Eugene；　believe　your　mother；　crooked　ways　cannot　lead　to　great　ends。　Patience　and　endurance　are　the　two　qualities　most　needed　in　your　position。　I　am　not　scolding　you；　I　do　not　want　any　tinge　of　bitterness　to　spoil　our　offering。　I　am　only　talking　like　a　mother　whose　trust　in　you　is　as　great　as　her　foresight　for　you。　You　know　the　steps　that　you　must　take；　and　I；　for　my　part；　know　the　purity　of　heart；　and　how　good　your　intentions　are；　so　I　can　say　to　you　without　a　doubt；　'Go　forward；　beloved！'　If　I　tremble；　it　is　because　I　am　a　mother；　but　my　prayers　and　blessings　will　be　with　you　at　every　step。　Be　very　careful；　dear　boy。　You　must　have　a　man's　prudence；　for　it　lies　with　you　to　shape　the　destinies　of　five　others　who　are　dear　to　you；　and　must　look　to　you。　Yes；　our　fortunes　depend　upon　you；　and　your　success　is　ours。　We　all　pray　to　God　to　be　with　you　in　all　that　you　do。　Your　aunt　Marcillac　has　been　most　generous　beyond　words　in　this　matter；　she　saw　at　once　how　it　was；　even　down　to　your　gloves。　'But　I　have　a　weakness　for　the　eldest！'　she　said　gaily。　You　must　love　your　aunt　very　much；　dear　Eugene。　I　shall　wait　till　you　have　succeeded　before　telling　you　all　that　she　has　done　for　you；　or　her　money　would　burn　your　fingers。　You；　who　are　young；　do　not　know　what　it　is　to　part　with　something　that　is　a　piece　of　your　past！　But　what　would　we　not　sacrifice　for　your　sakes？　Your　aunt　says　that　I　am　to　send　you　a　kiss　on　the　forehead　from　her；　and　that　kiss　is　to　bring　you　luck　again　and　again；　she　says。　She　would　have　written　you　herself；　the　dear　kind…hearted　woman；　but　she　is　troubled　with　the　gout　in　her　fingers　just　now。　Your　father　is　very　well。　The　vintage　of　1819　has　turned　out　better　than　we　expected。　Good…bye；　dear　boy；　I　will　say　nothing　about　your　sisters；　because　Laure　is　writing　to　you；　and　I　must　let　her　have　the　pleasure　of　giving　you　all　the　home　news。　Heaven　send　that　you　may　succeed！　Oh！　yes；　dear　Eugene；　you　must　succeed。　I　have　come；　through　you；　to　a　knowledge　of　a　pain　so　sharp　that　I　do　not　think　I　could　endure　it　a　second　time。　I　have　come　to　know　what　it　is　to　be　poor；　and　to　long　for　money　for　my　children's　sake。　There；　good…bye！　Do　not　leave　us　for　long　without　news　of　you；　and　here；　at　the　last；　take　a　kiss　from　your　mother。〃

By　the　time　Eugene　had　finished　the　letter　he　was　in　tears。　He　thought　of　Father　Goriot　crushing　his　silver　keepsake　into　a　shapeless　mass　before　he　sold　it　to　meet　his　daughter's　bill　of　exchange。

〃Your　mother　has　broken　up　her　jewels　for　you；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃your　aunt　shed　tears　over　those　relics　of　hers　before　she　sold　them　for　your　sake。　What　right　have　you　to　heap　execrations　on　Anastasie？　You　have　followed　her　example；　you　have　selfishly　sacrificed　others　to　your　own　future；　and　she　sacrifices　her　father　to　her　lover；　and　of　you　two；　which　is　the　worse？〃

He　was　ready　to　renounce　his　attempts；　he　could　not　bear　to　take　that　money。　The　fires　of　remorse　burned　in　his　heart；　and　gave　him　intolerable　pain；　the　generous　secret　remorse　which　men　seldom　take　into　account　when　they　sit　in　judgment　upon　their　fellow…men；　but　perhaps　the　angels　in　heaven；　beholding　it；　pardon　the　criminal　whom　our　justice　condemns。　Rastignac　opened　his　sister's　letter；　its　simplicity　and　kindness　revived　his　heart。

〃Your　letter　came　just　at　the　right　time；　dear　brother。　Agathe　and　I　had　thought　of　so　many　different　ways　of　spending　our　money；　that　we　did　not　know　what　to　buy　with　it；　and　now　you　have　come　in；　and；　like　the　servant　who　upset　all　the　watches　that　belonged　to　the　King　of　Spain；　you　have　restored　harmony；　for；　really　and　truly；　we　did　not　know　which　of　all　the　things　we　wanted　we　wanted　most；　and　we　were　always　quarreling　about　it；　never　thinking；　dear　Eugene；　of　a　way　of　spending　our　money　which　would　satisfy　us　completely。　Agathe　jumped　for　you。　Indeed；　we　have　been　like　two　mad　things　all　day；　'to　such　a　prodigious　degree'　（as　aunt　would　say）；　that　mother　said；　with　her　severe　expression；　'Whatever　can　be　the　matter　with　you；　mesdemoiselles？'　I　think　if　we　had　been　scolded　a　little；　we　should　have　been　still　better　pleased。　A　woman　ought　to　be　very　glad　to　suffer　for　one　she　loves！　I；　however；　in　my　inmost　soul；　was　doleful　and　cross　in　the　midst　of　all　my　joy。　I　shall　make　a　bad　wife；　I　am　afraid；　I　am　too　fond　of　spending。　I　had　bought　two　sashes　and　a　nice　little　stiletto　for　piercing　eyelet…holes　in　my　stays；　trifles　that　I　really　did　not　want；　so　that　I　have　less　than　that　slow…coach　Agathe；　who　is　so　economical；　and　hoards　her　money　like　a　magpie。　She　had　two　hundred　francs！　And　I　have　only　one　hundred　and　fifty！　I　am　nicely　punished；　I　could　throw　my　sash　down　the　well；　it　will　be　painful　to　me　to　wear　it　now。　Poor　dear；　I　have　robbed　you。　And　Agathe　was　so　nice　about　it。　She　said；　'Let　us　send　the　three　hundred　and　fifty　francs　in　our　two　names！'　But　I　could　not　help　telling　you　everything　just　as　it　happened。

〃Do　you　know　how　we　managed　to　keep　your　commandments？　We　took　our　glittering　hoard；　we　went　out　for　a　walk；　and　when　once　fairly　on　the　highway　we　ran　all　the　way　to　Ruffec；　where　we　handed　over　the　coin；　without　more　ado；　to　M。　Grimbert　of　the　Messageries　Royales。　We　came　back　again　like　swallows　on　the　wing。　'Don't　you　think　that　happiness　has　made　us　lighter？'　Agathe　said。　We　said　all　sorts　of　things；　which　I　shall　not　tell　you；　Monsieur　le　Parisien；　because　they　were　all　about　you。　Oh；　we　love　you　dearly；　dear　brother；　it　was　all　summed　up　in　those　few　words。　As　for　keeping　the　secret；　little　masqueraders　like　us　are　capable　of　anything　（according　to　our　aunt）；　even　of　holding　our　tongues。　Our　mother　has　been　on　a　mysterious　journey　to　Angouleme；　and　the　aunt　went　with　her；　not　without　solemn　councils；　from　which　we　were　shut　out；　and　M。　le　Baron　likewise。　They　are　silent　as　to　the　weighty　political　considerations　that　prompted　their　mission；　and　conjectures　are　rife　in　the　State　of　Rastignac。　The　Infantas　are　embroidering　a　muslin　robe　with　open…　work　sprigs　for　her　Majesty　the　Queen；　the　work　progresses　in　the　most　profound　secrecy。　There　be　but　two　more　breadths　to　finish。　A　decree　has　gone　forth　that　no　wall　shall　be　built　on　the　side　of　Verteuil；　but　that　a　hedge　shall　be　planted　instead　thereof。　Our　subjects　may　sustain　some　disappointment　of　fruit　and　espaliers；　but　strangers　will　enjoy　a　fair　prospect。　Should　the　heir…presumptive　lack　pocket…handkerchiefs；　be　it　known　unto　him　that　the　dowager　Lady　of　Marcillac；　exploring　the　recesses　of　her　drawers　and　boxes　（known　respectively　as　Pompeii　and　Herculaneum）；　having　brought　to　light　a　fair　piece　of　cambric　whereof　she　wotted　not；　the　Princesses　Agathe　and　Laure　place　at　their　brother's　disposal　their　thread；　their　needles；　and　hands　somewhat　of　the　reddest。　The　two　young　Princes；　Don　Henri　and　Don　Gabriel；　retain　their　fatal　habits　of　stuff