father goriot(高老头)-第35部分

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it　me　to　see　you　later；　I　can　wait。〃

〃Very　well；　come　and　dine　with　me；〃　she　said；　a　little　confused　by　the　harsh　way　in　which　she　had　spoken；　for　this　lady　was　as　genuinely　kind…hearted　as　she　was　high…born。

Eugene　was　touched　by　this　sudden　relenting；　but　none　the　less　he　said　to　himself　as　he　went　away；　〃Crawl　in　the　dust；　put　up　with　every　kind　of　treatment。　What　must　the　rest　of　the　world　be　like　when　one　of　the　kindest　of　women　forgets　all　her　promises　of　befriending　me　in　a　moment；　and　tosses　me　aside　like　an　old　shoe？　So　it　is　every　one　for　himself？　It　is　true　that　her　house　is　not　a　shop；　and　I　have　put　myself　in　the　wrong　by　needing　her　help。　You　should　cut　your　way　through　the　world　like　a　cannon　ball；　as　Vautrin　said。〃

But　the　student's　bitter　thoughts　were　soon　dissipated　by　the　pleasure　which　he　promised　himself　in　this　dinner　with　the　Vicomtesse。　Fate　seemed　to　determine　that　the　smallest　accidents　in　his　life　should　combine　to　urge　him　into　a　career；　which　the　terrible　sphinx　of　the　Maison　Vauquer　had　described　as　a　field　of　battle　where　you　must　either　slay　or　be　slain；　and　cheat　to　avoid　being　cheated。　You　leave　your　conscience　and　your　heart　at　the　barriers；　and　wear　a　mask　on　entering　into　this　game　of　grim　earnest；　where；　as　in　ancient　Sparta；　you　must　snatch　your　prize　without　being　detected　if　you　would　deserve　the　crown。

On　his　return　he　found　the　Vicomtesse　gracious　and　kindly；　as　she　had　always　been　to　him。　They　went　together　to　the　dining…room；　where　the　Vicomte　was　waiting　for　his　wife。　In　the　time　of　the　Restoration　the　luxury　of　the　table　was　carried；　as　is　well　known；　to　the　highest　degree；　and　M。　de　Beauseant；　like　many　jaded　men　of　the　world；　had　few　pleasures　left　but　those　of　good　cheer；　in　this　matter；　in　fact；　he　was　a　gourmand　of　the　schools　of　Louis　XVIII。　and　of　the　Duc　d'Escars；　and　luxury　was　supplemented　by　splendor。　Eugene；　dining　for　the　first　time　in　a　house　where　the　traditions　of　grandeur　had　descended　through　many　generations；　had　never　seen　any　spectacle　like　this　that　now　met　his　eyes。　In　the　time　of　the　Empire；　balls　had　always　ended　with　a　supper；　because　the　officers　who　took　part　in　them　must　be　fortified　for　immediate　service；　and　even　in　Paris　might　be　called　upon　to　leave　the　ballroom　for　the　battlefield。　This　arrangement　had　gone　out　of　fashion　under　the　Monarchy；　and　Eugene　had　so　far　only　been　asked　to　dances。　The　self…possession　which　pre…eminently　distinguished　him　in　later　life　already　stood　him　in　good　stead；　and　he　did　not　betray　his　amazement。　Yet　as　he　saw　for　the　first　time　the　finely　wrought　silver　plate；　the　completeness　of　every　detail；　the　sumptuous　dinner；　noiselessly　served；　it　was　difficult　for　such　an　ardent　imagination　not　to　prefer　this　life　of　studied　and　refined　luxury　to　the　hardships　of　the　life　which　he　had　chosen　only　that　morning。

His　thoughts　went　back　for　a　moment　to　the　lodging…house；　and　with　a　feeling　of　profound　loathing；　he　vowed　to　himself　that　at　New　Year　he　would　go；　prompted　at　least　as　much　by　a　desire　to　live　among　cleaner　surroundings　as　by　a　wish　to　shake　off　Vautrin；　whose　huge　hand　he　seemed　to　feel　on　his　shoulder　at　that　moment。　When　you　consider　the　numberless　forms；　clamorous　or　mute；　that　corruption　takes　in　Paris；　common…sense　begins　to　wonder　what　mental　aberration　prompted　the　State　to　establish　great　colleges　and　schools　there；　and　assemble　young　men　in　the　capital；　how　it　is　that　pretty　women　are　respected；　or　that　the　gold　coin　displayed　in　the　money…changer's　wooden　saucers　does　not　take　to　itself　wings　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and　when　you　come　to　think　further；　how　comparatively　few　cases　of　crime　there　are；　and　to　count　up　the　misdemeanors　committed　by　youth；　is　there　not　a　certain　amount　of　respect　due　to　these　patient　Tantaluses　who　wrestle　with　themselves　and　nearly　always　come　off　victorious？　The　struggles　of　the　poor　student　in　Paris；　if　skilfully　drawn；　would　furnish　a　most　dramatic　picture　of　modern　civilization。

In　vain　Mme。　de　Beauseant　looked　at　Eugene　as　if　asking　him　to　speak；　the　student　was　tongue…tied　in　the　Vicomte's　presence。

〃Are　you　going　to　take　me　to　the　Italiens　this　evening？〃　the　Vicomtesse　asked　her　husband。

〃You　cannot　doubt　that　I　should　obey　you　with　pleasure；〃　he　answered；　and　there　was　a　sarcastic　tinge　in　his　politeness　which　Eugene　did　not　detect；　〃but　I　ought　to　go　to　meet　some　one　at　the　Varietes。〃

〃His　mistress；〃　said　she　to　herself。

〃Then；　is　not　Ajuda　coming　for　you　this　evening？〃　inquired　the　Vicomte。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　petulantly。

〃Very　well；　then；　if　you　really　must　have　an　arm；　take　that　of　M。　de　Rastignac。〃

The　Vicomtess　turned　to　Eugene　with　a　smile。

〃That　would　be　a　very　compromising　step　for　you；〃　she　said。

〃　'A　Frenchman　loves　danger；　because　in　danger　there　is　glory；'　to　quote　M。　de　Chateaubriand；〃　said　Rastignac；　with　a　bow。

A　few　moments　later　he　was　sitting　beside　Mme。　de　Beauseant　in　a　brougham；　that　whirled　them　through　the　streets　of　Paris　to　a　fashionable　theatre。　It　seemed　to　him　that　some　fairy　magic　had　suddenly　transported　him　into　a　box　facing　the　stage。　All　the　lorgnettes　of　the　house　were　pointed　at　him　as　he　entered；　and　at　the　Vicomtesse　in　her　charming　toilette。　He　went　from　enchantment　to　enchantment。

〃You　must　talk　to　me；　you　know；〃　said　Mme。　de　Beauseant。　〃Ah！　look！　There　is　Mme。　de　Nucingen　in　the　third　box　from　ours。　Her　sister　and　M。　de　Trailles　are　on　the　other　side。〃

The　Vicomtesse　glanced　as　she　spoke　at　the　box　where　Mlle。　de　Rochefide　should　have　been；　M。　d'Ajuda　was　not　there；　and　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　face　lighted　up　in　a　marvelous　way。

〃She　is　charming；〃　said　Eugene；　after　looking　at　Mme。　de　Nucingen。

〃She　has　white　eyelashes。〃

〃Yes；　but　she　has　such　a　pretty　slender　figure！〃

〃Her　hands　are　large。〃

〃Such　beautiful　eyes！〃

〃Her　face　is　long。〃

〃Yes；　but　length　gives　distinction。〃

〃It　is　lucky　for　her　that　she　has　some　distinction　in　her　face。　Just　see　how　she　fidgets　with　her　opera…glass！　The　Goriot　blood　shows　itself　in　every　movement；〃　said　the　Vicomtesse；　much　to　Eugene's　astonishment。

Indeed；　Mme。　de　Beauseant　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　making　a　survey　of　the　house；　and　to　be　unconscious　of　Mme。　Nucingen's　existence；　but　no　movement　made　by　the　latter　was　lost　upon　the　Vicomtesse。　The　house　was　full　of　the　loveliest　women　in　Paris；　so　that　Delphine　de　Nucingen　was　not　a　little　flattered　to　receive　the　undivided　attention　of　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　young；　handsome；　and　well…dressed　cousin；　who　seemed　to　have　no　eyes　for　any　one　else。

〃If　you　look　at　her　so　persistently；　you　will　make　people　talk；　M。　de　Rastignac。　You　will　never　succeed　if　you　fling　yourself　at　any　one's　head　like　that。〃

〃My　dear　cousin；〃　said　Eugene；　〃you　have　protected　me　indeed　so　far；　and　now　if　you　would　complete　your　work；　I　only　ask　of　you　a　favor　which　will　cost　you　but　little；　and　be　of　very　great　service　to　me。　I　have　lost　my　heart。〃

〃Already！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　to　that　woman！〃

〃How　could　I　aspire　to　find　any　one　else　to　listen　to　me？〃　he　asked；　with　a　keen　glance　at　his　cousin。　〃Her　Grace　the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano　is　a　friend　of　the　Duchesse　de　Berri；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pau