father goriot(高老头)-第18部分

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The　law　student　heard　their　laughter；　and　their　voices；　and　the　pauses　in　their　talk；　he　grew　malicious；　exerted　his　conversational　powers　for　M。　de　Restaud；　flattered　him；　and　drew　him　into　discussions；　to　the　end　that　he　might　see　the　Countess　again　and　discover　the　nature　of　her　relations　with　Father　Goriot。　This　Countess　with　a　husband　and　a　lover；　for　Maxime　clearly　was　her　lover；　was　a　mystery。　What　was　the　secret　tie　that　bound　her　to　the　old　tradesman？　This　mystery　he　meant　to　penetrate；　hoping　by　its　means　to　gain　a　sovereign　ascendency　over　this　fair　typical　Parisian。

〃Anastasie！〃　the　Count　called　again　to　his　wife。

〃Poor　Maxime！〃　she　said；　addressing　the　young　man。　〃Come；　we　must　resign　ourselves。　This　evening〃

〃I　hope；　Nasie；〃　he　said　in　her　ear；　〃that　you　will　give　orders　not　to　admit　that　youngster；　whose　eyes　light　up　like　live　coals　when　he　looks　at　you。　He　will　make　you　a　declaration；　and　compromise　you；　and　then　you　will　compel　me　to　kill　him。〃

〃Are　you　mad；　Maxime？〃　she　said。　〃A　young　lad　of　a　student　is；　on　the　contrary；　a　capital　lightning…conductor；　is　not　that　so？　Of　course；　I　mean　to　make　Restaud　furiously　jealous　of　him。〃

Maxime　burst　out　laughing；　and　went　out；　followed　by　the　Countess；　who　stood　at　the　window　to　watch　him　into　his　carriage；　he　shook　his　whip；　and　made　his　horse　prance。　She　only　returned　when　the　great　gate　had　been　closed　after　him。

〃What　do　you　think；　dear？〃　cried　the　Count；　her　husband；　〃this　gentleman's　family　estate　is　not　far　from　Verteuil；　on　the　Charente；　his　great…uncle　and　my　grandfather　were　acquainted。〃

〃Delighted　to　find　that　we　have　acquaintances　in　common；〃　said　the　Countess；　with　a　preoccupied　manner。

〃More　than　you　think；〃　said　Eugene；　in　a　low　voice。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　quickly。

〃Why；　only　just　now；〃　said　the　student；　〃I　saw　a　gentleman　go　out　at　the　gate；　Father　Goriot；　my　next　door　neighbor　in　the　house　where　I　am　lodging。〃

At　the　sound　of　this　name；　and　the　prefix　that　embellished　it；　the　Count；　who　was　stirring　the　fire；　let　the　tongs　fall　as　though　they　had　burned　his　fingers；　and　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Sir；〃　he　cried；　〃you　might　have　called　him　'Monsieur　Goriot'！〃

The　Countess　turned　pale　at　first　at　the　sight　of　her　husband's　vexation；　then　she　reddened；　clearly　she　was　embarrassed；　her　answer　was　made　in　a　tone　that　she　tried　to　make　natural；　and　with　an　air　of　assumed　carelessness：

〃You　could　not　know　any　one　who　is　dearer　to　us　both　。　。　。〃

She　broke　off；　glanced　at　the　piano　as　if　some　fancy　had　crossed　her　mind；　and　asked；　〃Are　you　fond　of　music；　M。　de　Rastignac？〃

〃Exceedingly；〃　answered　Eugene；　flushing；　and　disconcerted　by　a　dim　suspicion　that　he　had　somehow　been　guilty　of　a　clumsy　piece　of　folly。

〃Do　you　sing？〃　she　cried；　going　to　the　piano；　and；　sitting　down　before　it；　she　swept　her　fingers　over　the　keyboard　from　end　to　end。　R…r…r…rah！

〃No；　madame。〃

The　Comte　de　Restaud　walked　to　and　fro。

〃That　is　a　pity；　you　are　without　one　great　means　of　success。Ca…　ro；　ca…a…ro；　ca…a…a…ro；　non　du…bi…ta…re；〃　sang　the　Countess。

Eugene　had　a　second　time　waved　a　magic　wand　when　he　uttered　Goriot's　name；　but　the　effect　seemed　to　be　entirely　opposite　to　that　produced　by　the　formula　〃related　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant。〃　His　position　was　not　unlike　that　of　some　visitor　permitted　as　a　favor　to　inspect　a　private　collection　of　curiosities；　when　by　inadvertence　he　comes　into　collision　with　a　glass　case　full　of　sculptured　figures；　and　three　or　four　heads；　imperfectly　secured；　fall　at　the　shock。　He　wished　the　earth　would　open　and　swallow　him。　Mme。　de　Restaud's　expression　was　reserved　and　chilly；　her　eyes　had　grown　indifferent；　and　sedulously　avoided　meeting　those　of　the　unlucky　student　of　law。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃you　wish　to　talk　with　M。　de　Restaud；　permit　me　to　wish　you　good…day〃

The　Countess　interrupted　him　by　a　gesture；　saying　hastily；　〃Whenever　you　come　to　see　us；　both　M。　de　Restaud　and　I　shall　be　delighted　to　see　you。〃

Eugene　made　a　profound　bow　and　took　his　leave；　followed　by　M。　de　Restaud；　who　insisted；　in　spite　of　his　remonstrances；　on　accompanying　him　into　the　hall。

〃Neither　your　mistress　nor　I　are　at　home　to　that　gentleman　when　he　calls；〃　the　Count　said　to　Maurice。

As　Eugene　set　foot　on　the　steps；　he　saw　that　it　was　raining。

〃Come；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃somehow　I　have　just　made　a　mess　of　it；　I　do　not　know　how。　And　now　I　am　going　to　spoil　my　hat　and　coat　into　the　bargain。　I　ought　to　stop　in　my　corner；　grind　away　at　law；　and　never　look　to　be　anything　but　a　boorish　country　magistrate。　How　can　I　go　into　society；　when　to　manage　properly　you　want　a　lot　of　cabs；　varnished　boots；　gold　watch　chains；　and　all　sorts　of　things；　you　have　to　wear　white　doeskin　gloves　that　cost　six　francs　in　the　morning；　and　primrose　kid　gloves　every　evening？　A　fig　for　that　old　humbug　of　a　Goriot！〃

When　he　reached　the　street　door；　the　driver　of　a　hackney　coach；　who　had　probably　just　deposited　a　wedding　party　at　their　door；　and　asked　nothing　better　than　a　chance　of　making　a　little　money　for　himself　without　his　employer's　knowledge；　saw　that　Eugene　had　no　umbrella；　remarked　his　black　coat；　white　waistcoat；　yellow　gloves；　and　varnished　boots；　and　stopped　and　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　Eugene；　in　the　blind　desperation　that　drives　a　young　man　to　plunge　deeper　and　deeper　into　an　abyss；　as　if　he　might　hope　to　find　a　fortunate　issue　in　its　lowest　depths；　nodded　in　reply　to　the　driver's　signal；　and　stepped　into　the　cab；　a　few　stray　petals　of　orange　blossom　and　scraps　of　wire　bore　witness　to　its　recent　occupation　by　a　wedding　party。

〃Where　am　I　to　drive；　sir？〃　demanded　the　man；　who；　by　this　time；　had　taken　off　his　white　gloves。

〃Confound　it！〃　Eugene　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　in　for　it　now；　and　at　least　I　will　not　spend　cab…hire　for　nothing！Drive　to　the　Hotel　Beauseant；〃　he　said　aloud。

〃Which？〃　asked　the　man；　a　portentous　word　that　reduced　Eugene　to　confusion。　This　young　man　of　fashion；　species　incerta；　did　not　know　that　there　were　two　Hotels　Beauseant；　he　was　not　aware　how　rich　he　was　in　relations　who　did　not　care　about　him。

〃The　Vicomte　de　Beauseant；　Rue〃

〃De　Grenelle；〃　interrupted　the　driver；　with　a　jerk　of　his　head。　〃You　see；　there　are　the　hotels　of　the　Marquis　and　Comte　de　Beauseant　in　the　Rue　Saint…Dominique；〃　he　added；　drawing　up　the　step。

〃I　know　all　about　that；〃　said　Eugene；　severely。〃Everybody　is　laughing　at　me　to…day；　it　seems！〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he　deposited　his　hat　on　the　opposite　seat。　〃This　escapade　will　cost　me　a　king's　ransom；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　shall　call　on　my　so…　called　cousin　in　a　thoroughly　aristocratic　fashion。　Goriot　has　cost　me　ten　francs　already；　the　old　scoundrel。　My　word！　I　will　tell　Mme。　de　Beauseant　about　my　adventure；　perhaps　it　may　amuse　her。　Doubtless　she　will　know　the　secret　of　the　criminal　relation　between　that　handsome　woman　and　the　old　rat　without　a　tail。　It　would　be　better　to　find　favor　in　my　cousin's　eyes　than　to　come　in　contact　with　that　shameless　woman；　who　seems　to　me　to　have　very　expensive　tastes。　Surely　the　beautiful　Vicomtesse's　personal　interest　would　turn　the　scale　for　me；　when　the　mere　mention　of　her　name　produces　such　an　effect。　Let　us　look　higher。　If　you　set　yours