father goriot(高老头)-第5章

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〃My　angel；〃　said　she　to　her　dear　friend；　〃you　will　make　nothing　of　that　man　yonder。　He　is　absurdly　suspicious；　and　he　is　a　mean　curmudgeon；　an　idiot；　a　fool；　you　would　never　be　happy　with　him。〃

After　what　had　passed　between　M。　Goriot　and　Mme。　de　l'Ambermesnil；　the　Countess　would　no　longer　live　under　the　same　roof。　She　left　the　next　day；　forgot　to　pay　for　six　months'　board；　and　left　behind　her　wardrobe；　cast…off　clothing　to　the　value　of　five　francs。　Eagerly　and　persistently　as　Mme。　Vauquer　sought　her　quondam　lodger；　the　Comtesse　de　l'Ambermesnil　was　never　heard　of　again　in　Paris。　The　widow　often　talked　of　this　deplorable　business；　and　regretted　her　own　too　confiding　disposition。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　was　as　suspicious　as　a　cat；　but　she　was　like　many　other　people；　who　cannot　trust　their　own　kin　and　put　themselves　at　the　mercy　of　the　next　chance　comeran　odd　but　common　phenomenon；　whose　causes　may　readily　be　traced　to　the　depths　of　the　human　heart。

Perhaps　there　are　people　who　know　that　they　have　nothing　more　to　look　for　from　those　with　whom　they　live；　they　have　shown　the　emptiness　of　their　hearts　to　their　housemates；　and　in　their　secret　selves　they　are　conscious　that　they　are　severely　judged；　and　that　they　deserve　to　be　judged　severely；　but　still　they　feel　an　unconquerable　craving　for　praises　that　they　do　not　hear；　or　they　are　consumed　by　a　desire　to　appear　to　possess；　in　the　eyes　of　a　new　audience；　the　qualities　which　they　have　not；　hoping　to　win　the　admiration　or　affection　of　strangers　at　the　risk　of　forfeiting　it　again　some　day。　Or；　once　more；　there　are　other　mercenary　natures　who　never　do　a　kindness　to　a　friend　or　a　relation　simply　because　these　have　a　claim　upon　them；　while　a　service　done　to　a　stranger　brings　its　reward　to　self…love。　Such　natures　feel　but　little　affection　for　those　who　are　nearest　to　them；　they　keep　their　kindness　for　remoter　circles　of　acquaintance；　and　show　most　to　those　who　dwell　on　its　utmost　limits。　Mme。　Vauquer　belonged　to　both　these　essentially　mean；　false；　and　execrable　classes。

〃If　I　had　been　there　at　the　time；〃　Vautrin　would　say　at　the　end　of　the　story；　I　would　have　shown　her　up；　and　that　misfortune　would　not　have　befallen　you。　I　know　that　kind　of　phiz！〃

Like　all　narrow　natures；　Mme。　Vauquer　was　wont　to　confine　her　attention　to　events；　and　did　not　go　very　deeply　into　the　causes　that　brought　them　about；　she　likewise　preferred　to　throw　the　blame　of　her　own　mistakes　on　other　people；　so　she　chose　to　consider　that　the　honest　vermicelli　maker　was　responsible　for　her　misfortune。　It　had　opened　her　eyes；　so　she　said；　with　regard　to　him。　As　soon　as　she　saw　that　her　blandishments　were　in　vain；　and　that　her　outlay　on　her　toilette　was　money　thrown　away；　she　was　not　slow　to　discover　the　reason　of　his　indifference。　It　became　plain　to　her　at　once　that　there　was　SOME　OTHER　ATTRACTION；　to　use　her　own　expression。　In　short；　it　was　evident　that　the　hope　she　had　so　fondly　cherished　was　a　baseless　delusion；　and　that　she　would　〃never　make　anything　out　of　that　man　yonder；〃　in　the　Countess'　forcible　phrase。　The　Countess　seemed　to　have　been　a　judge　of　character。　Mme。　Vauquer's　aversion　was　naturally　more　energetic　than　her　friendship；　for　her　hatred　was　not　in　proportion　to　her　love；　but　to　her　disappointed　expectations。　The　human　heart　may　find　here　and　there　a　resting…place　short　of　the　highest　height　of　affection；　but　we　seldom　stop　in　the　steep；　downward　slope　of　hatred。　Still；　M。　Goriot　was　a　lodger；　and　the　widow's　wounded　self…love　could　not　vent　itself　in　an　explosion　of　wrath；　like　a　monk　harassed　by　the　prior　of　his　convent；　she　was　forced　to　stifle　her　sighs　of　disappointment；　and　to　gulp　down　her　craving　for　revenge。　Little　minds　find　gratification　for　their　feelings；　benevolent　or　otherwise；　by　a　constant　exercise　of　petty　ingenuity。　The　widow　employed　her　woman's　malice　to　devise　a　system　of　covert　persecution。　She　began　by　a　course　of　retrenchmentvarious　luxuries　which　had　found　their　way　to　the　table　appeared　there　no　more。

〃No　more　gherkins；　no　more　anchovies；　they　have　made　a　fool　of　me！〃　she　said　to　Sylvie　one　morning；　and　they　returned　to　the　old　bill　of　fare。

The　thrifty　frugality　necessary　to　those　who　mean　to　make　their　way　in　the　world　had　become　an　inveterate　habit　of　life　with　M。　Goriot。　Soup；　boiled　beef；　and　a　dish　of　vegetables　had　been；　and　always　would　be；　the　dinner　he　liked　best；　so　Mme。　Vauquer　found　it　very　difficult　to　annoy　a　boarder　whose　tastes　were　so　simple。　He　was　proof　against　her　malice；　and　in　desperation　she　spoke　to　him　and　of　him　slightingly　before　the　other　lodgers；　who　began　to　amuse　themselves　at　his　expense；　and　so　gratified　her　desire　for　revenge。

Towards　the　end　of　the　first　year　the　widow's　suspicions　had　reached　such　a　pitch　that　she　began　to　wonder　how　it　was　that　a　retired　merchant　with　a　secure　income　of　seven　or　eight　thousand　livres；　the　owner　of　such　magnificent　plate　and　jewelry　handsome　enough　for　a　kept　mistress；　should　be　living　in　her　house。　Why　should　he　devote　so　small　a　proportion　of　his　money　to　his　expenses？　Until　the　first　year　was　nearly　at　an　end；　Goriot　had　dined　out　once　or　twice　every　week；　but　these　occasions　came　less　frequently；　and　at　last　he　was　scarcely　absent　from　the　dinner…　table　twice　a　month。　It　was　hardly　expected　that　Mme。　Vauquer　should　regard　the　increased　regularity　of　her　boarder's　habits　with　complacency；　when　those　little　excursions　of　his　had　been　so　much　to　her　interest。　She　attributed　the　change　not　so　much　to　a　gradual　diminution　of　fortune　as　to　a　spiteful　wish　to　annoy　his　hostess。　It　is　one　of　the　most　detestable　habits　of　a　Liliputian　mind　to　credit　other　people　with　its　own　malignant　pettiness。

Unluckily；　towards　the　end　of　the　second　year；　M。　Goriot's　conduct　gave　some　color　to　the　idle　talk　about　him。　He　asked　Mme。　Vauquer　to　give　him　a　room　on　the　second　floor；　and　to　make　a　corresponding　reduction　in　her　charges。　Apparently；　such　strict　economy　was　called　for；　that　he　did　without　a　fire　all　through　the　winter。　Mme。　Vauquer　asked　to　be　paid　in　advance；　an　arrangement　to　which　M。　Goriot　consented；　and　thenceforward　she　spoke　of　him　as　〃Father　Goriot。〃

What　had　brought　about　this　decline　and　fall？　Conjecture　was　keen；　but　investigation　was　difficult。　Father　Goriot　was　not　communicative；　in　the　sham　countess'　phrase　he　was　〃a　curmudgeon。〃　Empty…headed　people　who　babble　about　their　own　affairs　because　they　have　nothing　else　to　occupy　them；　naturally　conclude　that　if　people　say　nothing　of　their　doings　it　is　because　their　doings　will　not　bear　being　talked　about；　so　the　highly　respectable　merchant　became　a　scoundrel；　and　the　late　beau　was　an　old　rogue。　Opinion　fluctuated。　Sometimes；　according　to　Vautrin；　who　came　about　this　time　to　live　in　the　Maison　Vauquer；　Father　Goriot　was　a　man　who　went　on　'Change　and　DABBLED　（to　use　the　sufficiently　expressive　language　of　the　Stock　Exchange）　in　stocks　and　shares　after　he　had　ruined　himself　by　heavy　speculation。　Sometimes　it　was　held　that　he　was　one　of　those　petty　gamblers　who　nightly　play　for　small　stakes　until　they　win　a　few　francs。　A　theory　that　he　was　a　detective　in　the　employ　of　the　Home　Office　found　favor　at　one　time；　but　Vautrin　urged　that　〃Goriot　was　not　sharp　enough　for　one　of　that　sort。〃　There　were　yet　other　solutions；　Father　Goriot　was　a　skinflint；　a　shark　of　a　money…　lender；　a　man　who　lived　by　selling　lottery　tickets。　He　was　by　turns　all　the　most　mysterious　brood　of　vice　and　shame　and　misery；　yet；　however　vile　his　life　might　be；　the　feeling　of　repulsion　which　he　aroused　in　others　was　not　so　strong　that　he　must　be　banished　from　their　societyhe　paid　his　way。　Besides；　Goriot　had　his　uses；　every　one　vented　his　spleen　or　sharpened　his　wit　on　him；　he　was　pelted　with　jokes　and　belabored　with　hard　words。　The　general　consensus　of　opinion　was　in　favor　of　a　theory　which　seemed　the　most　likely；　this　was　Mme。　Vauquer's　view。　According　to　her；　the　man　so　well　preserved　at　his　time　of　life；　as　sound　as　her　eyesight；　with　whom　a　woman　might　be　very　happy；　was　a　libertine　who　had　strange　tastes。　These　are　the　facts　upon　which　Mme。　Vauquer's　slanders　were　based。

Early　one　morning；　some　few　months　after　the　departure　of　the　unlucky　Countess　who　had　managed　to　live　for　six　months　at　the　widow's　expense；　Mme。　Vauquer　（not　yet　dressed）　heard　the　rustle　of　a　silk　dress　and　a　young　woman's　light　footstep　on　the　stair；　some　one　was　going　to　Goriot's　room。　He　seemed　to　expect　the　visit；　for　his　door　stood　ajar。　The　portly　Sylvie　presently　came　up　to　tell　her　mistress　that　a　girl　too　pretty　to　be　honest；　〃dressed　like　a　goddess；〃　and　not　a　speck　of　mud　on　her　laced　cashmere　boots；　had　glided　in　from　the　street　like　a　snake；　had　found　the　kitchen；　and　asked　for　M。　Goriot's　room。　Mme。　Vauquer　and　the　cook；　listening；　overheard　several　words　affectionately　spoken　during　the　visit；　which　lasted　for　some　time。　When　M。　Goriot　went　downstairs　with　the　lady；　the　stout　Sylvie　forthwith　took　her　basket　and　followed　the　lover…like　couple；　under　pretext　of　going　to　do　her　marketing。

〃M。　Goriot　must　be　awfully　rich；　all　the　same；　madame；〃　she　reported　on　her　return；　〃to　keep　her　in　such　style。　Just　imagine　it！　There　was　a　splendid　carriage　waiting　at　the　corner　of　the　Place　de　l'Estrapade；　and　SHE　got　into　it。〃

While　they　were　at　dinner　that　evening；　Mme。　Vauquer　went　to　the　window　and　drew　the　curtain；　as　the　sun　was　shining　into　Goriot's　eyes。

〃You　are　beloved　of　fair　ladies；　M。　Goriotthe　sun　seeks　you　out；〃　she　said；　alluding　to　his　visitor。　〃Peste！　you　have　good　taste；　she　was　very　pretty。〃

〃That　was　my　daughter；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　pride　in　his　voice；　and　the　rest　chose　to　consider　this　as　the　fatuity　of　an　old　man　who　wishes　to　save　appearances。

A　month　after　this　visit　M。　Goriot　received　another。　The　same　daughter　who　had　come　to　see　him　that　morning　came　again　after　dinner；　this　time　in　evening　dress。　The　boarders；　in　deep　discussion　in　the　dining…room；　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　lovely；　fair…haired　woman；　slender；　graceful；　and　much　too　distinguished…　looking　to　be　a　daughter　of　Father　Goriot's。

〃Two　of　them！〃　cried　the　portly　Sylvie；　who　did　not　recognize　the　lady　of　the　first　visit。

A　few　days　later；　and　another　young　ladya　tall；　well…moulded　brunette；　with　dark　hair　and　bright　eyescame　to　ask　for　M。　Goriot。

〃Three　of　them！〃　said　Sylvie。

Then　the　second　daughter；　who　had　first　come　in　the　morning　to　see　her　father；　came　shortly　afterwards　in　the　evening。　She　wore　a　ball　dress；　and　came　in　a　carriage。

〃Four　of　them！〃　commented　Mme。　Vauquer　and　her　plump　handmaid。　Sylvie　saw　not　a　trace　of　resemblance　between　this　great　lady　and　the　girl　in　her　simple　morning　dress　who　had　entered　her　kitchen　on　the　occasion　of　her　first　visit。

At　that　time　Goriot　was　paying　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　to　his　landlady；　and　Mme。　Vauquer　saw　nothing　out　of　the　common　in　the　fact　that　a　rich　man　had　four　or　five　mistresses；　nay；　she　thought　it　very　knowing　of　him　to　pass　them　off　as　his　daughters。　She　was　not　at　all　inclined　to　draw　a　hard…and…fast　line；　or　to　take　umbrage　at　his　sending　for　them　to　the　Maison　Vauquer；　yet；　inasmuch　as　these　visits　explained　her　boarder's　indifference　to　her；　she　went　so　far　（at　the　end　of　the　second　year）　as　to　speak　of　him　as　an　〃ugly　old　wr