father goriot(高老头)-第26部分

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liant　proposals　were　made　to　him　from　time　to　time；　wealthy　merchants　or　farmers　with　daughters　vied　with　each　other　in　offering　inducements　to　him　to　marry　again；　but　he　determined　to　remain　a　widower。　His　father…in…law；　the　only　man　for　whom　he　felt　a　decided　friendship；　gave　out　that　Goriot　had　made　a　vow　to　be　faithful　to　his　wife's　memory。　The　frequenters　of　the　Corn　Exchange；　who　could　not　comprehend　this　sublime　piece　of　folly；　joked　about　it　among　themselves；　and　found　a　ridiculous　nickname　for　him。　One　of　them　ventured　（after　a　glass　over　a　bargain）　to　call　him　by　it；　and　a　blow　from　the　vermicelli　maker's　fist　sent　him　headlong　into　a　gutter　in　the　Rue　Oblin。　He　could　think　of　nothing　else　when　his　children　were　concerned；　his　love　for　them　made　him　fidgety　and　anxious；　and　this　was　so　well　known；　that　one　day　a　competitor；　who　wished　to　get　rid　of　him　to　secure　the　field　to　himself；　told　Goriot　that　Delphine　had　just　been　knocked　down　by　a　cab。　The　vermicelli　maker　turned　ghastly　pale；　left　the　Exchange　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