father goriot(高老头)-第47部分

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For　some　days　the　Countess　had　paid　more　and　more　attention　to　a　young　man　whose　every　step　seemed　a　triumphal　progress　in　the　great　world；　it　seemed　to　her　that　he　might　be　a　formidable　power　before　long。　He　paid　Messieurs　de　Trailles　and　d'Ajuda；　played　at　whist　for　part　of　the　evening；　and　made　good　his　losses。　Most　men　who　have　their　way　to　make　are　more　or　less　of　fatalists；　and　Eugene　was　superstitious；　he　chose　to　consider　that　his　luck　was　heaven's　reward　for　his　perseverance　in　the　right　way。　As　soon　as　possible　on　the　following　morning　he　asked　Vautrin　whether　the　bill　he　had　given　was　still　in　the　other's　possession；　and　on　receiving　a　reply　in　the　affirmative；　he　repaid　the　three　thousand　francs　with　a　not　unnatural　relief。

〃Everything　is　going　on　well；〃　said　Vautrin。

〃But　I　am　not　your　accomplice；〃　said　Eugene。

〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Vautrin　broke　in。　〃You　are　still　acting　like　a　child。　You　are　making　mountains　out　of　molehills　at　the　outset。〃

Two　days　later；　Poiret　and　Mlle。　Michonneau　were　sitting　together　on　a　bench　in　the　sun。　They　had　chosen　a　little　frequented　alley　in　the　Jardin　des　Plantes；　and　a　gentleman　was　chatting　with　them；　the　same　person；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　about　whom　the　medical　student　had；　not　without　good　reason；　his　own　suspicions。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　this　M。　Gondureau　was　saying；　〃I　do　not　see　any　cause　for　your　scruples。　His　Excellency；　Monseigneur　the　Minister　of　Police〃

〃Yes；　his　Excellency　is　taking　a　personal　interest　in　the　matter；〃　said　Gondureau。

Who　would　think　it　probable　that　Poiret；　a　retired　clerk；　doubtless　possessed　of　some　notions　of　civic　virtue；　though　there　might　be　nothing　else　in　his　headwho　would　think　it　likely　that　such　a　man　would　continue　to　lend　an　ear　to　this　supposed　independent　gentleman　of　the　Rue　de　Buffon；　when　the　latter　dropped　the　mask　of　a　decent　citizen　by　that　word　〃police；〃　and　gave　a　glimpse　of　the　features　of　a　detective　from　the　Rue　de　Jerusalem？　And　yet　nothing　was　more　natural。　Perhaps　the　following　remarks　from　the　hitherto　unpublished　records　made　by　certain　observers　will　throw　a　light　on　the　particular　species　to　which　Poiret　belonged　in　the　great　family　of　fools。　There　is　a　race　of　quill…drivers；　confined　in　the　columns　of　the　budget　between　the　first　degree　of　latitude　（a　kind　of　administrative　Greenland　where　the　salaries　begin　at　twelve　hundred　francs）　to　the　third　degree；　a　more　temperate　zone；　where　incomes　grow　from　three　to　six　thousand　francs；　a　climate　where　the　BONUS　flourishes　like　a　half…hardy　annual　in　spite　of　some　difficulties　of　culture。　A　characteristic　trait　that　best　reveals　the　feeble　narrow…mindedness　of　these　inhabitants　of　petty　officialdom　is　a　kind　of　involuntary；　mechanical；　and　instinctive　reverence　for　the　Grand　Lama　of　every　Ministry；　known　to　the　rank　and　file　only　by　his　signature　（an　illegible　scrawl）　and　by　his　title〃His　Excellency　Monseigneur　le　Ministre；〃　five　words　which　produce　as　much　effect　as　the　il　Bondo　Cani　of　the　Calife　de　Bagdad；　five　words　which　in　the　eyes　of　this　low　order　of　intelligence　represent　a　sacred　power　from　which　there　is　no　appeal。　The　Minister　is　administratively　infallible　for　the　clerks　in　the　employ　of　the　Government；　as　the　Pope　is　infallible　for　good　Catholics。　Something　of　this　peculiar　radiance　invests　everything　he　does　or　says；　or　that　is　said　or　done　in　his　name；　the　robe　of　office　covers　everything　and　legalizes　everything　done　by　his　orders；　does　not　his　very　titleHis　Excellencyvouch　for　the　purity　of　his　intentions　and　the　righteousness　of　his　will；　and　serve　as　a　sort　of　passport　and　introduction　to　ideas　that　otherwise　would　not　be　entertained　for　a　moment？　Pronounce　the　words　〃His　Excellency；〃　and　these　poor　folk　will　forthwith　proceed　to　do　what　they　would　not　do　for　their　own　interests。　Passive　obedience　is　as　well　known　in　a　Government　department　as　in　the　army　itself；　and　the　administrative　system　silences　consciences；　annihilates　the　individual；　and　ends　（give　it　time　enough）　by　fashioning　a　man　into　a　vise　or　a　thumbscrew；　and　he　becomes　part　of　the　machinery　of　Government。　Wherefore；　M。　Gondureau；　who　seemed　to　know　something　of　human　nature；　recognized　Poiret　at　once　as　one　of　those　dupes　of　officialdom；　and　brought　out　for　his　benefit；　at　the　proper　moment；　the　deus　ex　machina；　the　magical　words　〃His　Excellency；〃　so　as　to　dazzle　Poiret　just　as　he　himself　unmasked　his　batteries；　for　he　took　Poiret　and　the　Michonneau　for　the　male　and　female　of　the　same　species。

〃If　his　Excellency　himself；　his　Excellency　the　Minister　。　。　。　Ah！　that　is　quite　another　thing；〃　said　Poiret。

〃You　seem　to　be　guided　by　this　gentleman's　opinion；　and　you　hear　what　he　says；〃　said　the　man　of　independent　means；　addressing　Mlle。　Michonneau。　〃Very　well；　his　Excellency　is　at　this　moment　absolutely　certain　that　the　so…called　Vautrin；　who　lodges　at　the　Maison　Vauquer；　is　a　convict　who　escaped　from　penal　servitude　at　Toulon；　where　he　is　known　by　the　nickname　Trompe…la…Mort。〃

〃Trompe…la…Mort？〃　said　Pioret。　〃Dear　me；　he　is　very　lucky　if　he　deserves　that　nickname。〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　said　the　detective。　〃They　call　him　so　because　he　has　been　so　lucky　as　not　to　lose　his　life　in　the　very　risky　businesses　that　he　has　carried　through。　He　is　a　dangerous　man；　you　see！　He　has　qualities　that　are　out　of　the　common；　the　thing　he　is　wanted　for；　in　fact；　was　a　matter　which　gained　him　no　end　of　credit　with　his　own　set〃

〃Then　is　he　a　man　of　honor？〃　asked　Poiret。

〃Yes；　according　to　his　notions。　He　agreed　to　take　another　man's　crime　upon　himselfa　forgery　committed　by　a　very　handsome　young　fellow　that　he　had　taken　a　great　fancy　to；　a　young　Italian；　a　bit　of　a　gambler；　who　has　since　gone　into　the　army；　where　his　conduct　has　been　unexceptionable。〃

〃But　if　his　Excellency　the　Minister　of　Police　is　certain　that　M。　Vautrin　is　this　Trompe…la…Mort；　why　should　he　want　me？〃　asked　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Poiret；　〃if　the　Minister；　as　you　have　been　so　obliging　as　to　tell　us；　really　knows　for　a　certainty〃

〃Certainty　is　not　the　word；　he　only　suspects。　You　will　soon　understand　how　things　are。　Jacques　Collin；　nicknamed　Trompe…la…　Mort；　is　in　the　confidence　of　every　convict　in　the　three　prisons；　he　is　their　man　of　business　and　their　banker。　He　makes　a　very　good　thing　out　of　managing　their　affairs；　which　want　a　MAN　OF　MARK　to　see　about　them。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　do　you　see　the　pun；　mademoiselle？〃　asked　Poiret。　〃This　gentleman　calls　himself　a　MAN　OF　MARK　because　he　is　a　MARKED　MAN　branded；　you　know。〃

〃This　so…called　Vautrin；〃　said　the　detective；　〃receives　the　money　belonging　to　my　lords　the　convicts；　invests　it　for　them；　and　holds　it　at　the　disposal　of　those　who　escape；　or　hands　it　over　to　their　families　if　they　leave　a　will；　or　to　their　mistresses　when　they　draw　upon　him　for　their　benefit。〃

〃Their　mistresses！　You　mean　their　wives；〃　remarked　Poiret。

〃No；　sir。　A　convict's　wife　is　usually　an　illegitimate　connection。　We　call　them　concubines。〃

〃Then　they　all　live　in　a　state　of　concubinage？〃

〃Naturally。〃

〃Why；　these　are　abominations　that　his　Excellency　ought　not　to　allow。　Since　you　have　the　honor　of　seeing　his　Excellency；　you；　who　seem　to　have　philanthropic　ideas；　ought　really　to　enlighten