father goriot(高老头)-第4章

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　them；　and　rooms　which　they　were　at　liberty　to　make；　if　not　exactly　elegant　or　comfortable；　at　any　rate　clean　and　healthy？　If　she　had　committed　some　flagrant　act　of　injustice；　the　victim　would　have　borne　it　in　silence。

Such　a　gathering　contained；　as　might　have　been　expected；　the　elements　out　of　which　a　complete　society　might　be　constructed。　And；　as　in　a　school；　as　in　the　world　itself；　there　was　among　the　eighteen　men　and　women　who　met　round　the　dinner　table　a　poor　creature；　despised　by　all　the　others；　condemned　to　be　the　butt　of　all　their　jokes。　At　the　beginning　of　Eugene　de　Rastignac's　second　twelvemonth；　this　figure　suddenly　started　out　into　bold　relief　against　the　background　of　human　forms　and　faces　among　which　the　law　student　was　yet　to　live　for　another　two　years　to　come。　This　laughing…stock　was　the　retired　vermicelli…merchant；　Father　Goriot；　upon　whose　face　a　painter；　like　the　historian；　would　have　concentrated　all　the　light　in　his　picture。

How　had　it　come　about　that　the　boarders　regarded　him　with　a　half…　malignant　contempt？　Why　did　they　subject　the　oldest　among　their　number　to　a　kind　of　persecution；　in　which　there　was　mingled　some　pity；　but　no　respect　for　his　misfortunes？　Had　he　brought　it　on　himself　by　some　eccentricity　or　absurdity；　which　is　less　easily　forgiven　or　forgotten　than　more　serious　defects？　The　question　strikes　at　the　root　of　many　a　social　injustice。　Perhaps　it　is　only　human　nature　to　inflict　suffering　on　anything　that　will　endure　suffering；　whether　by　reason　of　its　genuine　humility；　or　indifference；　or　sheer　helplessness。　Do　we　not；　one　and　all；　like　to　feel　our　strength　even　at　the　expense　of　some　one　or　of　something？　The　poorest　sample　of　humanity；　the　street　arab；　will　pull　the　bell　handle　at　every　street　door　in　bitter　weather；　and　scramble　up　to　write　his　name　on　the　unsullied　marble　of　a　monument。

In　the　year　1813；　at　the　age　of　sixty…nine　or　thereabouts；　〃Father　Goriot〃　had　sold　his　business　and　retiredto　Mme。　Vauquer's　boarding　house。　When　he　first　came　there　he　had　taken　the　rooms　now　occupied　by　Mme。　Couture；　he　had　paid　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　like　a　man　to　whom　five　louis　more　or　less　was　a　mere　trifle。　For　him　Mme。　Vauquer　had　made　various　improvements　in　the　three　rooms　destined　for　his　use；　in　consideration　of　a　certain　sum　paid　in　advance；　so　it　was　said；　for　the　miserable　furniture；　that　is　to　say；　for　some　yellow　cotton　curtains；　a　few　chairs　of　stained　wood　covered　with　Utrecht　velvet；　several　wretched　colored　prints　in　frames；　and　wall　papers　that　a　little　suburban　tavern　would　have　disdained。　Possibly　it　was　the　careless　generosity　with　which　Father　Goriot　allowed　himself　to　be　overreached　at　this　period　of　his　life　（they　called　him　Monsieur　Goriot　very　respectfully　then）　that　gave　Mme。　Vauquer　the　meanest　opinion　of　his　business　abilities；　she　looked　on　him　as　an　imbecile　where　money　was　concerned。

Goriot　had　brought　with　him　a　considerable　wardrobe；　the　gorgeous　outfit　of　a　retired　tradesman　who　denies　himself　nothing。　Mme。　Vauquer's　astonished　eyes　beheld　no　less　than　eighteen　cambric…　fronted　shirts；　the　splendor　of　their　fineness　being　enhanced　by　a　pair　of　pins　each　bearing　a　large　diamond；　and　connected　by　a　short　chain；　an　ornament　which　adorned　the　vermicelli…maker's　shirt　front。　He　usually　wore　a　coat　of　corn…flower　blue；　his　rotund　and　portly　person　was　still　further　set　off　by　a　clean　white　waistcoat；　and　a　gold　chain　and　seals　which　dangled　over　that　broad　expanse。　When　his　hostess　accused　him　of　being　〃a　bit　of　a　beau；〃　he　smiled　with　the　vanity　of　a　citizen　whose　foible　is　gratified。　His　cupboards　（ormoires；　as　he　called　them　in　the　popular　dialect）　were　filled　with　a　quantity　of　plate　that　he　brought　with　him。　The　widow's　eyes　gleamed　as　she　obligingly　helped　him　to　unpack　the　soup　ladles；　table…spoons；　forks；　cruet…　stands；　tureens；　dishes；　and　breakfast　servicesall　of　silver；　which　were　duly　arranged　upon　shelves；　besides　a　few　more　or　less　handsome　pieces　of　plate；　all　weighing　no　inconsiderable　number　of　ounces；　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　part　with　these　gifts　that　reminded　him　of　past　domestic　festivals。

〃This　was　my　wife's　present　to　me　on　the　first　anniversary　of　our　wedding　day；〃　he　said　to　Mme。　Vauquer；　as　he　put　away　a　little　silver　posset　dish；　with　two　turtle…doves　billing　on　the　cover。　〃Poor　dear！　she　spent　on　it　all　the　money　she　had　saved　before　we　were　married。　Do　you　know；　I　would　sooner　scratch　the　earth　with　my　nails　for　a　living；　madame；　than　part　with　that。　But　I　shall　be　able　to　take　my　coffee　out　of　it　every　morning　for　the　rest　of　my　days；　thank　the　Lord！　I　am　not　to　be　pitied。　There's　not　much　fear　of　my　starving　for　some　time　to　come。〃

Finally；　Mme。　Vauquer's　magpie's　eye　had　discovered　and　read　certain　entries　in　the　list　of　shareholders　in　the　funds；　and；　after　a　rough　calculation；　was　disposed　to　credit　Goriot　（worthy　man）　with　something　like　ten　thousand　francs　a　year。　From　that　day　forward　Mme。　Vauquer　（nee　de　Conflans）；　who；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　had　seen　forty…eight　summers；　though　she　would　only　own　to　thirty…nine　of　themMme。　Vauquer　had　her　own　ideas。　Though　Goriot's　eyes　seemed　to　have　shrunk　in　their　sockets；　though　they　were　weak　and　watery；　owing　to　some　glandular　affection　which　compelled　him　to　wipe　them　continually；　she　considered　him　to　be　a　very　gentlemanly　and　pleasant…looking　man。　Moreover；　the　widow　saw　favorable　indications　of　character　in　the　well…developed　calves　of　his　legs　and　in　his　square…shaped　nose；　indications　still　further　borne　out　by　the　worthy　man's　full…moon　countenance　and　look　of　stupid　good…nature。　This；　in　all　probability；　was　a　strongly…build　animal；　whose　brains　mostly　consisted　in　a　capacity　for　affection。　His　hair；　worn　in　ailes　de　pigeon；　and　duly　powdered　every　morning　by　the　barber　from　the　Ecole　Polytechnique；　described　five　points　on　his　low　forehead；　and　made　an　elegant　setting　to　his　face。　Though　his　manners　were　somewhat　boorish；　he　was　always　as　neat　as　a　new　pin　and　he　took　his　snuff　in　a　lordly　way；　like　a　man　who　knows　that　his　snuff…　box　is　always　likely　to　be　filled　with　maccaboy；　so　that　when　Mme。　Vauquer　lay　down　to　rest　on　the　day　of　M。　Goriot's　installation；　her　heart；　like　a　larded　partridge；　sweltered　before　the　fire　of　a　burning　desire　to　shake　off　the　shroud　of　Vauquer　and　rise　again　as　Goriot。　She　would　marry　again；　sell　her　boarding…house；　give　her　hand　to　this　fine　flower　of　citizenship；　become　a　lady　of　consequence　in　the　quarter；　and　ask　for　subscriptions　for　charitable　purposes；　she　would　make　little　Sunday　excursions　to　Choisy；　Soissy；　Gentilly；　she　would　have　a　box　at　the　theatre　when　she　liked；　instead　of　waiting　for　the　author's　tickets　that　one　of　her　boarders　sometimes　gave　her；　in　July；　the　whole　Eldorado　of　a　little　Parisian　household　rose　up　before　Mme。　Vauquer　in　her　dreams。　Nobody　knew　that　she　herself　possessed　forty　thousand　francs；　accumulated　sou　by　sou；　that　was　her　secret；　surely　as　far　as　money　was　concerned　she　was　a　very　tolerable　match。　〃And　in　other　respects；　I　am　quite　his　equal；〃　she　said　to　herself；　turning　as　if　to　assure　herself　of　the　charms　of　a　form　that　the　portly　Sylvie　found　moulded　in　down　feathers　every　morning。

For　three　months　from　that　day　Mme。　Veuve　Vauquer　availed　herself　of　the　services　of　M。　Goriot's　coiffeur；　and　went　to　some　expense　over　her　toilette；　expense　justifiable　on　the　ground　that　she　owed　it　to　herself　and　her　establishment　to　pay　some　attention　to　appearances　when　such　highly…respectable　persons　honored　her　house　with　their　presence。　She　expended　no　small　amount　of　ingenuity　in　a　sort　of　weeding　process　of　her　lodgers；　announcing　her　intention　of　receiving　henceforward　none　but　people　who　were　in　every　way　select。　If　a　stranger　presented　himself；　she　let　him　know　that　M。　Goriot；　one　of　the　best　known　and　most　highly…　respected　merchants　in　Paris；　had　singled　out　her　boarding…house　for　a　residence。　She　drew　up　a　prospectus　headed　MAISON　VAUQUER；　in　which　it　was　asserted　that　hers　was　〃one　of　the　oldest　and　most　highly　recommended　boarding…houses　in　the　Latin　Quarter。〃　〃From　the　windows　of　the　house；〃　thus　ran　the　prospectus；　〃there　is　a　charming　view　of　the　Vallee　des　Gobelins　（so　there　isfrom　the　third　floor）；　and　a　BEAUTIFUL　garden；　EXTENDING　down　to　AN　AVENUE　OF　LINDENS　at　the　further　end。〃　Mention　was　made　of　the　bracing　air　of　the　place　and　its　quiet　situation。

It　was　this　prospectus　that　attracted　Mme。　la　Comtesse　de　l'Ambermesnil；　a　widow　of　six　and　thirty；　who　was　awaiting　the　final　settlement　of　her　husband's　affairs；　and　of　another　matter　regarding　a　pension　due　to　her　as　the　wife　of　a　general　who　had　died　〃on　the　field　of　battle。〃　On　this　Mme。　Vauquer　saw　to　her　table；　lighted　a　fire　daily　in　the　sitting…room　for　nearly　six　months；　and　kept　the　promise　of　her　prospectus；　even　going　to　some　expense　to　do　so。　And　the　Countess；　on　her　side；　addressed　Mme。　Vauquer　as　〃my　dear；〃　and　promised　her　two　more　boarders；　the　Baronne　de　Vaumerland　and　the　widow　of　a　colonel；　the　late　Comte　de　Picquoisie；　who　were　about　to　leave　a　boarding…house　in　the　Marais；　where　the　terms　were　higher　than　at　the　Maison　Vauquer。　Both　these　ladies；　moreover；　would　be　very　well　to　do　when　the　people　at　the　War　Office　had　come　to　an　end　of　their　formalities。　〃But　Government　departments　are　always　so　dilatory；〃　the　lady　added。

After　dinner　the　two　widows　went　together　up　to　Mme。　Vauquer's　room；　and　had　a　snug　little　chat　over　some　cordial　and　various　delicacies　reserved　for　the　mistress　of　the　house。　Mme。　Vauquer's　ideas　as　to　Goriot　were　cordially　approved　by　Mme。　de　l'Ambermesnil；　it　was　a　capital　notion；　which　for　that　matter　she　had　guessed　from　the　very　first；　in　her　opinion　the　vermicelli　maker　was　an　excellent　man。

〃Ah！　my　dear　lady；　such　a　well…preserved　man　of　his　age；　as　sound　as　my　eyesighta　man　who　might　make　a　woman　happy！〃　said　the　widow。

The　good…natured　Countess　turned　to　the　subject　of　Mme。　Vauquer's　dress；　which　was　not　in　harmony　with　her　projects。　〃You　must　put　yourself　on　a　war　footing；〃　said　she。

After　much　serious　consideration　the　two　widows　went　shopping　togetherthey　purchased　a　hat　adorned　with　ostrich　feathers　and　a　cap　at　the　Palais　Royal；　and　the　Countess　took　her　friend　to　the　Magasin　de　la　Petite　Jeannette；　where　they　chose　a　dress　and　a　scarf。　Thus　equipped　for　the　campaign；　the　widow　looked　exactly　like　the　prize　animal　hung　out　for　a　sign　above　an　a　la　mode　beef　shop；　but　she　herself　was　so　much　pleased　with　the　improvement；　as　she　considered　it；　in　her　appearance；　that　she　felt　that　she　lay　under　some　obligation　to　the　Countess；　and；　though　by　no　means　open…handed；　she　begged　that　lady　to　accept　a　hat　that　cost　twenty　francs。　The　fact　was　that　she　needed　the　Countess'　services　on　the　delicate　mission　of　sounding　Goriot；　the　countess　must　sing　her　praises　in　his　ears。　Mme。　de　l'Ambermesnil　lent　herself　very　good…naturedly　to　this　manoeuvre；　began　her　operations；　and　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　private　interview；　but　the　overtures　that　she　made；　with　a　view　to　securing　him　for　herself；　were　received　with　embarrassment；　not　to　say　a　repulse。　She　left　him；　revolted　by　his　coarseness。

〃My　angel；〃　said　she　to　her　dear　friend；　〃you　will　make　nothing　of　that　man　yonder。　He　is　absurdly　suspicio