father goriot(高老头)-第30部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


can　hit　the　ace　in　the　middle　of　a　card　five　times　running；　send　one　bullet　after　another　through　the　same　hole；　and　at　thirty…five　paces；　moreover！　With　that　little　accomplishment　you　might　think　yourself　certain　of　killing　your　man；　mightn't　you。　Well；　I　have　fired；　at　twenty　paces；　and　missed；　and　the　rogue　who　had　never　handled　a　pistol　in　his　life　look　here！〃（he　unbuttoned　his　waistcoat　and　exposed　his　chest；　covered；　like　a　bear's　back；　with　a　shaggy　fell；　the　student　gave　a　startled　shudder）〃he　was　a　raw　lad；　but　he　made　his　mark　on　me；〃　the　extraordinary　man　went　on；　drawing　Rastignac's　fingers　over　a　deep　scar　on　his　breast。　But　that　happened　when　I　myself　was　a　mere　boy；　I　was　one…and…twenty　then　（your　age）；　and　I　had　some　beliefs　leftin　a　woman's　love；　and　in　a　pack　of　rubbish　that　you　will　be　over　head　and　ears　in　directly。　You　and　I　were　to　have　fought　just　now；　weren't　we？　You　might　have　killed　me。　Suppose　that　I　were　put　under　the　earth；　where　would　you　be？　You　would　have　to　clear　out　of　this；　go　to　Switzerland；　draw　on　papa's　purseand　he　has　none　too　much　in　it　as　it　is。　I　mean　to　open　your　eyes　to　your　real　position；　that　is　what　I　am　going　to　do：　but　I　shall　do　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　a　man　who；　after　studying　the　world　very　closely；　sees　that　there　are　but　two　alternativesstupid　obedience　or　revolt。　I　obey　nobody；　is　that　clear？　Now；　do　you　know　how　much　you　will　want　at　the　pace　you　are　going？　A　million；　and　promptly；　too；　or　that　little　head　of　ours　will　be　swaying　to　and　fro　in　the　drag…nets　at　Saint…Cloud；　while　we　are　gone　to　find　out　whether　or　no　there　is　a　Supreme　Being。　I　will　put　you　in　the　way　of　that　million。〃

He　stopped　for　a　moment　and　looked　at　Eugene。

〃Aha！　you　do　not　look　so　sourly　at　papa　Vautrin　now！　At　the　mention　of　the　million　you　look　like　a　young　girl　when　somebody　has　said；　'I　will　come　for　you　this　evening！'　and　she　betakes　herself　to　her　toilette　as　a　cat　licks　its　whiskers　over　a　saucer　of　milk。　All　right。　Come；　now；　let　us　go　into　the　question；　young　man；　all　between　ourselves；　you　know。　We　have　a　papa　and　mamma　down　yonder；　a　great…aunt；　two　sisters　（aged　eighteen　and　seventeen）；　two　young　brothers　（one　fifteen；　and　the　other　ten）；　that　is　about　the　roll…call　of　the　crew。　The　aunt　brings　up　the　two　sisters；　the　cure　comes　and　teaches　the　boys　Latin。　Boiled　chestnuts　are　oftener　on　the　table　than　white　bread。　Papa　makes　a　suit　of　clothes　last　a　long　while；　if　mamma　has　a　different　dress　winter　and　summer；　it　is　about　as　much　as　she　has；　the　sisters　manage　as　best　they　can。　I　know　all　about　it；　I　have　lived　in　the　south。

〃That　is　how　things　are　at　home。　They　send　you　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year；　and　the　whole　property　only　brings　in　three　thousand　francs　all　told。　We　have　a　cook　and　a　manservant；　papa　is　a　baron；　and　we　must　keep　up　appearances。　Then　we　have　our　ambitions；　we　are　connected　with　the　Beauseants；　and　we　go　afoot　through　the　streets；　we　want　to　be　rich；　and　we　have　not　a　penny；　we　eat　Mme。　Vauquer's　messes；　and　we　like　grand　dinners　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　we　sleep　on　a　truckle…bed；　and　dream　of　a　mansion！　I　do　not　blame　you　for　wanting　these　things。　What　sort　of　men　do　the　women　run　after？　Men　of　ambition。　Men　of　ambition　have　stronger　frames；　their　blood　is　richer　in　iron；　their　hearts　are　warmer　than　those　of　ordinary　men。　Women　feel　that　when　their　power　is　greatest；　they　look　their　best；　and　that　those　are　their　happiest　hours；　they　like　power　in　men；　and　prefer　the　strongest　even　if　it　is　a　power　that　may　be　their　own　destruction。　I　am　going　to　make　an　inventory　of　your　desires　in　order　to　put　the　question　at　issue　before　you。　Here　it　is：

〃We　are　as　hungry　as　a　wolf；　and　those　newly…cut　teeth　of　ours　are　sharp；　what　are　we　to　do　to　keep　the　pot　boiling？　In　the　first　place；　we　have　the　Code　to　browse　upon；　it　is　not　amusing；　and　we　are　none　the　wiser　for　it；　but　that　cannot　be　helped。　So　far　so　good。　We　mean　to　make　an　advocate　of　ourselves　with　a　prospect　of　one　day　being　made　President　of　a　Court　of　Assize；　when　we　shall　send　poor　devils；　our　betters；　to　the　galleys　with　a　T。F。*　＇*Travaux　forces。＇　on　their　shoulders；　so　that　the　rich　may　be　convinced　that　they　can　sleep　in　peace。　There　is　no　fun　in　that；　and　you　are　a　long　while　coming　to　it；　for；　to　begin　with；　there　are　two　years　of　nauseous　drudgery　in　Paris；　we　see　all　the　lollipops　that　we　long　for　out　of　our　reach。　It　is　tiresome　to　want　things　and　never　to　have　them。　If　you　were　a　pallid　creature　of　the　mollusk　order；　you　would　have　nothing　to　fear；　but　it　is　different　when　you　have　the　hot　blood　of　a　lion　and　are　ready　to　get　into　a　score　of　scrapes　every　day　of　your　life。　This　is　the　ghastliest　form　of　torture　known　in　this　inferno　of　God's　making；　and　you　will　give　in　to　it。　Or　suppose　that　you　are　a　good　boy；　drink　nothing　stronger　than　milk；　and　bemoan　your　hard　lot；　you；　with　your　generous　nature；　will　endure　hardships　that　would　drive　a　dog　mad；　and　make　a　start；　after　long　waiting；　as　deputy　to　some　rascal　or　other　in　a　hole　of　a　place　where　the　Government　will　fling　you　a　thousand　francs　a　year　like　the　scraps　that　are　thrown　to　the　butcher's　dog。　Bark　at　thieves；　plead　the　cause　of　the　rich；　send　men　of　heart　to　the　guillotine；　that　is　your　work！　Many　thanks！　If　you　have　no　influence；　you　may　rot　in　your　provincial　tribunal。　At　thirty　you　will　be　a　Justice　with　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　（if　you　have　not　flung　off　the　gown　for　good　before　then）。　By　the　time　you　are　forty　you　may　look　to　marry　a　miller's　daughter；　an　heiress　with　some　six　thousand　livres　a　year。　Much　obliged！　If　you　have　influence；　you　may　possibly　be　a　Public　Prosecutor　by　the　time　you　are　thirty；　with　a　salary　of　a　thousand　crowns；　you　could　look　to　marry　the　mayor's　daughter。　Some　petty　piece　of　political　trickery；　such　as　mistaking　Villele　for　Manuel　in　a　bulletin　（the　names　rhyme；　and　that　quiets　your　conscience）；　and　you　will　probably　be　a　Procureur　General　by　the　time　you　are　forty；　with　a　chance　of　becoming　a　deputy。　Please　to　observe；　my　dear　boy；　that　our　conscience　will　have　been　a　little　damaged　in　the　process；　and　that　we　shall　endure　twenty　years　of　drudgery　and　hidden　poverty；　and　that　our　sisters　are　wearing　Dian's　livery。　I　have　the　honor　to　call　your　attention　to　another　fact：　to　wit；　that　there　are　but　twenty　Procureurs　Generaux　at　a　time　in　all　France；　while　there　are　some　twenty　thousand　of　you　young　men　who　aspire　to　that　elevated　position；　that　there　are　some　mountebanks　among　you　who　would　sell　their　family　to　screw　their　fortunes　a　peg　higher。　If　this　sort　of　thing　sickens　you；　try　another　course。　The　Baron　de　Rastignac　thinks　of　becoming　an　advocate；　does　he？　There's　a　nice　prospect　for　you！　Ten　years　of　drudgery　straight　away。　You　are　obliged　to　live　at　the　rate　of　a　thousand　francs　a　month；　you　must　have　a　library　of　law　books；　live　in　chambers；　go　into　society；　go　down　on　your　knees　to　ask　a　solicitor　for　briefs；　lick　the　dust　off　the　floor　of　the　Palais　de　Justice。　If　this　kind　of　business　led　to　anything；　I　should　not　say　no；　but　just　give　me　the　names　of　five　advocates　here　in　Paris　who　by　the　time　that　they　are　fifty　are　making　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year！　Bah！　I　would　soo