father goriot(高老头)-第51部分

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Just　at　that　moment　Vautrin's　voice　broke　in　upon　them；　he　was　standing　at　the　threshold　of　his　door　and　singing：

　　〃Oh！　Richard；　oh　my　king！　　　All　the　world　abandons　thee！　　　Broum！　broum！　broum！　broum！　broum！

　　The　same　old　story　everywhere；　　　A　roving　heart　and　a　。　。　。　tra　la　la。〃

〃Gentlemen！〃　shouted　Christophe；　〃the　soup　is　ready；　and　every　one　is　waiting　for　you。〃

〃Here；〃　Vautrin　called　down　to　him；　〃come　and　take　a　bottle　of　my　Bordeaux。〃

〃Do　you　think　your　watch　is　pretty？〃　asked　Goriot。　〃She　has　good　taste；　hasn't　she？　Eh？〃

Vautrin；　Father　Goriot；　and　Rastignac　came　downstairs　in　company；　and；　all　three　of　them　being　late；　were　obliged　to　sit　together。

Eugene　was　as　distant　as　possible　in　his　manner　to　Vautrin　during　dinner；　but　the　other；　so　charming　in　Mme。　Vauquer's　opinion；　had　never　been　so　witty。　His　lively　sallies　and　sparkling　talk　put　the　whole　table　in　good　humor。　His　assurance　and　coolness　filled　Eugene　with　consternation。

〃Why；　what　has　come　to　you　to…day？〃　inquired　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃You　are　as　merry　as　a　skylark。〃

〃I　am　always　in　spirits　after　I　have　made　a　good　bargain。〃

〃Bargain？〃　said　Eugene。

〃Well；　yes；　bargain。　I　have　just　delivered　a　lot　of　goods；　and　I　shall　be　paid　a　handsome　commission　on　themMlle。　Michonneau；〃　he　went　on；　seeing　that　the　elderly　spinster　was　scrutinizing　him　intently；　〃have　you　any　objection　to　some　feature　in　my　face；　that　you　are　making　those　lynx　eyes　at　me？　Just　let　me　know；　and　I　will　have　it　changed　to　oblige　you　。　。　。　We　shall　not　fall　out　about　it；　Poiret；　I　dare　say？〃　he　added；　winking　at　the　superannuated　clerk。

〃Bless　my　soul；　you　ought　to　stand　as　model　for　a　burlesque　Hercules；〃　said　the　young　painter。

〃I　will；　upon　my　word！　if　Mlle。　Michonneau　will　consent　to　sit　as　the　Venus　of　Pere…Lachaise；〃　replied　Vautrin。

〃There's　Poiret；〃　suggested　Bianchon。

〃Oh！　Poiret　shall　pose　as　Poiret。　He　can　be　a　garden　god！〃　cried　Vautrin；　〃his　name　means　a　pear〃

〃A　sleepy　pear！〃　Bianchon　put　in。　〃You　will　come　in　between　the　pear　and　the　cheese。〃

〃What　stuff　are　you　all　talking！〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃you　would　do　better　to　treat　us　to　your　Bordeaux；　I　see　a　glimpse　of　a　bottle　there。　It　would　keep　us　all　in　a　good　humor；　and　it　is　good　for　the　stomach　besides。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃the　Lady　President　calls　us　to　order。　Mme。　Couture　and　Mlle。　Victorine　will　take　your　jokes　in　good　part；　but　respect　the　innocence　of　the　aged　Goriot。　I　propose　a　glass　or　two　of　Bordeauxrama；　rendered　twice　illustrious　by　the　name　of　Laffite；　no　political　allusions　intended。Come；　you　Turk！〃　he　added；　looking　at　Christophe；　who　did　not　offer　to　stir。　〃Christophe！　Here！　What；　you　don't　answer　to　your　own　name？　Bring　us　some　liquor；　Turk！〃

〃Here　it　is；　sir；〃　said　Christophe；　holding　out　the　bottle。

Vautrin　filled　Eugene's　glass　and　Goriot's　likewise；　then　he　deliberately　poured　out　a　few　drops　into　his　own　glass；　and　sipped　it　while　his　two　neighbors　drank　their　wine。　All　at　once　he　made　a　grimace。

〃Corked！〃　he　cried。　〃The　devil！　You　can　drink　the　rest　of　this；　Christophe；　and　go　and　find　another　bottle；　take　from　the　right…　hand　side；　you　know。　There　are　sixteen　of　us；　take　down　eight　bottles。〃

〃If　you　are　going　to　stand　treat；〃　said　the　painter；　〃I　will　pay　for　a　hundred　chestnuts。〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃

〃Booououh！〃

〃Prrr！〃

These　exclamations　came　from　all　parts　of　the　table　like　squibs　from　a　set　firework。

〃Come；　now；　Mama　Vauquer；　a　couple　of　bottles　of　champagne；〃　called　Vautrin。

〃Quien！　just　like　you！　Why　not　ask　for　the　whole　house　at　once。　A　couple　of　bottles　of　champagne；　that　means　twelve　francs！　I　shall　never　see　the　money　back　again；　I　know！　But　if　M。　Eugene　has　a　mind　to　pay　for　it；　I　have　some　currant　cordial。〃

〃That　currant　cordial　of　hers　is　as　bad　as　a　black　draught；〃　muttered　the　medical　student。

〃Shut　up；　Bianchon；〃　exclaimed　Rastignac；　〃the　very　mention　of　black　draught　makes　me　feel。　Yes；　champagne；　by　all　means；　I　will　pay　for　it；〃　he　added。

〃Sylvie；〃　called　Mme。　Vauquer；　〃bring　in　some　biscuits；　and　the　little　cakes。〃

〃Those　little　cakes　are　mouldy　graybeards；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃But　trot　out　the　biscuits。〃

The　Bordeaux　wine　circulated；　the　dinner　table　became　a　livelier　scene　than　ever；　and　the　fun　grew　fast　and　furious。　Imitations　of　the　cries　of　various　animals　mingled　with　the　loud　laughter；　the　Museum　official　having　taken　it　into　his　head　to　mimic　a　cat…call　rather　like　the　caterwauling　of　the　animal　in　question；　eight　voices　simultaneously　struck　up　with　the　following　variations：

〃Scissors　to　grind！〃

〃Chick…weeds　for　singing　bir…ds！〃

〃Brandy…snaps；　ladies！〃

〃China　to　mend！〃

〃Boat　ahoy！〃

〃Sticks　to　beat　your　wives　or　your　clothes！〃

〃Old　clo'！〃

〃Cherries　all　ripe！〃

But　the　palm　was　awarded　to　Bianchon　for　the　nasal　accent　with　which　he　rendered　the　cry　of　〃Umbrellas　to　me…end！〃

A　few　seconds　later；　and　there　was　a　head…splitting　racket　in　the　room；　a　storm　of　tomfoolery；　a　sort　of　cats'　concert；　with　Vautrin　as　conductor　of　the　orchestra；　the　latter　keeping　an　eye　the　while　on　Eugene　and　Father　Goriot。　The　wine　seemed　to　have　gone　to　their　heads　already。　They　leaned　back　in　their　chairs；　looking　at　the　general　confusion　with　an　air　of　gravity；　and　drank　but　little；　both　of　them　were　absorbed　in　the　thought　of　what　lay　before　them　to　do　that　evening；　and　yet　neither　of　them　felt　able　to　rise　and　go。　Vautrin　gave　a　side　glance　at　them　from　time　to　time；　and　watched　the　change　that　came　over　their　faces；　choosing　the　moment　when　their　eyes　drooped　and　seemed　about　to　close；　to　bend　over　Rastignac　and　to　say　in　his　ear：

〃My　little　lad；　you　are　not　quite　shrewd　enough　to　outwit　Papa　Vautrin　yet；　and　he　is　too　fond　of　you　to　let　you　make　a　mess　of　your　affairs。　When　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　do　a　thing；　no　one　short　of　Providence　can　put　me　off。　Aha！　we　were　for　going　round　to　warn　old　Taillefer；　telling　tales　out　of　school！　The　oven　is　hot；　the　dough　is　kneaded；　the　bread　is　ready　for　the　oven；　to…　morrow　we　will　eat　it　up　and　whisk　away　the　crumbs；　and　we　are　not　going　to　spoil　the　baking？　。　。　。　No；　no；　it　is　all　as　good　as　done！　We　may　suffer　from　a　few　conscientious　scruples；　but　they　will　be　digested　along　with　the　bread。　While　we　are　having　our　forty　winks；　Colonel　Count　Franchessini　will　clear　the　way　to　Michel　Taillefer's　inheritance　with　the　point　of　his　sword。　Victorine　will　come　in　for　her　brother's　money；　a　snug　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year。　I　have　made　inquiries　already；　and　I　know　that　her　late　mother's　property　amounts　to　more　than　three　hundred　thousand〃

Eugene　heard　all　this；　and　could　not　answer　a　word；　his　tongue　seemed　to　be　glued　to　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　an　irresistible　drowsiness　was　creeping　over　him。　He　still　saw　the　table　and　the　faces　round　it；　but　it　was　through　a　bright　mist。　Soon　the　noise　began　to　subside；　one　by　one　the　boarders　went。　At　last；　when　their　numbers　had　so　dwindled　that　the　party　consisted　of　Mme。　Vauquer；　Mme。　Couture；　Mlle。　Victorine；　Vautrin；　and　Father　Goriot；　Rastignac　watched　as　though　in　a　dream　how　Mme。　Vauquer　busied　herself　by　collecting　the　bottles；　and　drained　the　remainder　of　the　wine　out　of　each　to　fill　othe