father goriot(高老头)-第29部分

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ng　and　hearing　all　things　and　saying　nothing。　Eugene；　conscious　of　that　money　in　his　pocket；　grew　rebellious。

〃Be　so　good　as　to　wait　a　moment；〃　he　said　to　Vautrin；　as　the　latter　rose；　after　slowly　emptying　his　coffee…cup；　sip　by　sip。

〃What　for？〃　inquired　the　older　man；　as　he　put　on　his　large…　brimmed　hat　and　took　up　the　sword…cane　that　he　was　wont　to　twirl　like　a　man　who　will　face　three　or　four　footpads　without　flinching。

〃I　will　repay　you　in　a　minute；〃　returned　Eugene。　He　unsealed　one　of　the　bags　as　he　spoke；　counted　out　a　hundred　and　forty　francs；　and　pushed　them　towards　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃Short　reckonings　make　good　friends〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　widow；　〃that　clears　our　accounts　till　the　end　of　the　year。　Can　you　give　me　change　for　a　five…franc　piece？〃

〃Good　friends　make　short　reckonings；〃　echoed　Poiret；　with　a　glance　at　Vautrin。

〃Here　is　your　franc；〃　said　Rastignac；　holding　out　the　coin　to　the　sphinx　in　the　black　wig。

〃Any　one　might　think　that　you　were　afraid　to　owe　me　a　trifle；〃　exclaimed　this　latter；　with　a　searching　glance　that　seemed　to　read　the　young　man's　inmost　thoughts；　there　was　a　satirical　and　cynical　smile　on　Vautrin's　face　such　as　Eugene　had　seen　scores　of　times　already；　every　time　he　saw　it；　it　exasperated　him　almost　beyond　endurance。

〃Well　。　。　。　so　I　am；〃　he　answered。　He　held　both　the　bags　in　his　hand；　and　had　risen　to　go　up　to　his　room。

Vautrin　made　as　if　he　were　going　out　through　the　sitting…room；　and　the　student　turned　to　go　through　the　second　door　that　opened　into　the　square　lobby　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase。

〃Do　you　know；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Rastignacorama；　that　what　you　were　saying　just　now　was　not　exactly　polite？〃　Vautrin　remarked；　as　he　rattled　his　sword…cane　across　the　panels　of　the　sitting…room　door；　and　came　up　to　the　student。

Rastignac　looked　coolly　at　Vautrin；　drew　him　to　the　foot　of　the　staircase；　and　shut　the　dining…room　door。　They　were　standing　in　the　little　square　lobby　between　the　kitchen　and　the　dining…room；　the　place　was　lighted　by　an　iron…barred　fanlight　above　a　door　that　gave　access　into　the　garden。　Sylvie　came　out　of　her　kitchen；　and　Eugene　chose　that　moment　to　say：

MONSIEUR　Vautrin；　I　am　not　a　marquis；　and　my　name　is　not　Rastignacorama。〃

〃They　will　fight；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau；　in　an　indifferent　tone。

〃Fight！〃　echoed　Poiret。

〃Not　they；〃　replied　Mme。　Vauquer；　lovingly　fingering　her　pile　of　coins。

〃But　there　they　are　under　the　lime…trees；〃　cried　Mlle。　Victorine；　who　had　risen　so　that　she　might　see　out　into　the　garden。　〃Poor　young　man！　he　was　in　the　right；　after　all。〃

〃We　must　go　upstairs；　my　pet；〃　said　Mme。　Couture；　〃it　is　no　business　of　ours。〃

At　the　door；　however；　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　found　their　progress　barred　by　the　portly　form　of　Sylvie　the　cook。

〃What　ever　can　have　happened？〃　she　said。　〃M。　Vautrin　said　to　M。　Eugene；　'Let　us　have　an　explanation！'　then　he　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　there　they　are；　out　among　the　artichokes。〃

Vautrin　came　in　while　she　was　speaking。　〃Mamma　Vauquer；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃don't　frighten　yourself　at　all。　I　am　only　going　to　try　my　pistols　under　the　lime…trees。〃

〃Oh！　monsieur；〃　cried　Victorine；　clasping　her　hands　as　she　spoke；　〃why　do　you　want　to　kill　M。　Eugene？〃

Vautrin　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　and　gazed　at　Victorine。

〃Oh！　this　is　something　fresh！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　bantering　tone；　that　brought　the　color　into　the　poor　girl's　face。　〃That　young　fellow　yonder　is　very　nice；　isn't　he？〃　he　went　on。　〃You　have　given　me　a　notion；　my　pretty　child；　I　will　make　you　both　happy。〃

Mme。　Couture　laid　her　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　ward；　and　drew　the　girl　away；　as　she　said　in　her　ear：

〃Why；　Victorine；　I　cannot　imagine　what　has　come　over　you　this　morning。〃

〃I　don't　want　any　shots　fired　in　my　garden；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　will　frighten　the　neighborhood　and　bring　the　police　up　here　all　in　a　moment。〃

〃Come；　keep　cool；　Mamma　Vauquer；〃　answered　Vautrin。　〃There；　there；　it's　all　right；　we　will　go　to　the　shooting…gallery。〃

He　went　back　to　Rastignac；　laying　his　hand　familiarly　on　the　young　man's　arm。

〃When　I　have　given　you　ocular　demonstration　of　the　fact　that　I　can　put　a　bullet　through　the　ace　on　a　card　five　times　running　at　thirty…five　paces；〃　he　said；　〃that　won't　take　away　your　appetite；　I　suppose？　You　look　to　me　to　be　inclined　to　be　a　trifle　quarrelsome　this　morning；　and　as　if　you　would　rush　on　your　death　like　a　blockhead。〃

〃Do　you　draw　back？〃　asked　Eugene。

〃Don't　try　to　raise　my　temperature；〃　answered　Vautrin；　〃it　is　not　cold　this　morning。　Let　us　go　and　sit　over　there；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　green…painted　garden　seats；　〃no　one　can　overhear　us。　I　want　a　little　talk　with　you。　You　are　not　a　bad　sort　of　youngster；　and　I　have　no　quarrel　with　you。　I　like　you；　take　Trump（confound　it！）take　Vautrin's　word　for　it。　What　makes　me　like　you？　I　will　tell　you　by…and…by。　Meantime；　I　can　tell　you　that　I　know　you　as　well　as　if　I　had　made　you　myself；　as　I　will　prove　to　you　in　a　minute。　Put　down　your　bags；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　the　round　table。

Rastignac　deposited　his　money　on　the　table；　and　sat　down。　He　was　consumed　with　curiosity；　which　the　sudden　change　in　the　manner　of　the　man　before　him　had　excited　to　the　highest　pitch。　Here　was　a　strange　being　who；　a　moment　ago；　had　talked　of　killing　him；　and　now　posed　as　his　protector。

〃You　would　like　to　know　who　I　really　am；　what　I　was；　and　what　I　do　now；〃　Vautrin　went　on。　〃You　want　to　know　too　much；　youngster。　Come！　come！　keep　cool！　You　will　hear　more　astonishing　things　than　that。　I　have　had　my　misfortunes。　Just　hear　me　out　first；　and　you　shall　have　your　turn　afterwards。　Here　is　my　past　in　three　words。　Who　am　I？　Vautrin。　What　do　I　do？　Just　what　I　please。　Let　us　change　the　subject。　You　want　to　know　my　character。　I　am　good…　natured　to　those　who　do　me　a　good　turn；　or　to　those　whose　hearts　speak　to　mine。　These　last　may　do　anything　they　like　with　me；　they　may　bruise　my　shins；　and　I　shall　not　tell　them　to　'mind　what　they　are　about'；　but；　nom　d'une　pipe；　the　devil　himself　is　not　an　uglier　customer　than　I　can　be　if　people　annoy　me；　or　if　I　don't　happen　to　take　to　them；　and　you　may　just　as　well　know　at　once　that　I　think　no　more　of　killing　a　man　than　of　that；〃　and　he　spat　before　him　as　he　spoke。　〃Only　when　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　do　so；　I　do　my　best　to　kill　him　properly。　I　am　what　you　call　an　artist。　I　have　read　Benvenuto　Cellini's　Memoirs；　such　as　you　see　me；　and；　what　is　more；　in　Italian：　A　fine…spirited　fellow　he　was！　From　him　I　learned　to　follow　the　example　set　us　by　Providence；　who　strikes　us　down　at　random；　and　to　admire　the　beautiful　whenever　and　wherever　it　is　found。　And；　setting　other　questions　aside；　is　it　not　a　glorious　part　to　play；　when　you　pit　yourself　against　mankind；　and　the　luck　is　on　your　side？　I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　the　constitution　of　your　present　social　Dis…　order。　A　duel　is　downright　childish；　my　boy！　utter　nonsense　and　folly！　When　one　of　two　living　men　must　be　got　out　of　the　way；　none　but　an　idiot　would　leave　chance　to　decide　which　it　is　to　be；　and　in　a　duel　it　is　a　toss…upheads　or　tailsand　there　you　are！　Now　I；　for　instance；　can　hit　the　ace　in　the　middle　of　a　card　five　times　running；　send　one　bullet　after　another　through　th