father goriot(高老头)-第58部分

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〃Never　mind　that！　we　will　club　together　and　pay　you　the　money　back；〃　said　Rastignac。

〃Monsieur　is　taking　Collin's　part〃　she　said；　with　a　questioning；　malignant　glance　at　the　law　student；　〃it　is　not　difficult　to　guess　why。〃

Eugene　started　forward　at　the　words；　as　if　he　meant　to　spring　upon　her　and　wring　her　neck。　That　glance；　and　the　depths　of　treachery　that　it　revealed；　had　been　a　hideous　enlightenment。

〃Let　her　alone！〃　cried　the　boarders。

Rastignac　folded　his　arms　and　was　silent。

〃Let　us　have　no　more　of　Mlle。　Judas；〃　said　the　painter；　turning　to　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃If　you　don't　show　the　Michonneau　the　door；　madame；　we　shall　all　leave　your　shop；　and　wherever　we　go　we　shall　say　that　there　are　only　convicts　and　spies　left　there。　If　you　do　the　other　thing；　we　will　hold　our　tongues　about　the　business；　for　when　all　is　said　and　done；　it　might　happen　in　the　best　society　until　they　brand　them　on　the　forehead；　when　they　send　them　to　the　hulks。　They　ought　not　to　let　convicts　go　about　Paris　disguised　like　decent　citizens；　so　as　to　carry　on　their　antics　like　a　set　of　rascally　humbugs；　which　they　are。〃

At　this　Mme。　Vauquer　recovered　miraculously。　She　sat　up　and　folded　her　arms；　her　eyes　were　wide　open　now；　and　there　was　no　sign　of　tears　in　them。

〃Why；　do　you　really　mean　to　be　the　ruin　of　my　establishment；　my　dear　sir？　There　is　M。　VautrinGoodness；〃　she　cried；　interrupting　herself；　〃I　can't　help　calling　him　by　the　name　he　passed　himself　off　by　for　an　honest　man！　There　is　one　room　to　let　already；　and　you　want　me　to　turn　out　two　more　lodgers　in　the　middle　of　the　season；　when　no　one　is　moving〃

〃Gentlemen；　let　us　take　our　hats　and　go　and　dine　at　Flicoteaux's　in　the　Place　Sorbonne；〃　cried　Bianchon。

Mme。　Vauquer　glanced　round；　and　saw　in　a　moment　on　which　side　her　interest　lay。　She　waddled　across　to　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Come；　now；〃　she　said；　〃you　would　not　be　the　ruin　of　my　establishment；　would　you；　eh？　There's　a　dear；　kind　soul。　You　see　what　a　pass　these　gentlemen　have　brought　me　to；　just　go　up　to　your　room　for　this　evening。〃

〃Never　a　bit　of　it！〃　cried　the　boarders。　〃She　must　go；　and　go　this　minute！〃

〃But　the　poor　lady　has　had　no　dinner；〃　said　Poiret；　with　piteous　entreaty。

〃She　can　go　and　dine　where　she　likes；〃　shouted　several　voices。

〃Turn　her　out；　the　spy！〃

〃Turn　them　both　out！　Spies！〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　cried　Poiret；　his　heart　swelling　with　the　courage　that　love　gives　to　the　ovine　male；　〃respect　the　weaker　sex。〃

〃Spies　are　of　no　sex！〃　said　the　painter。

〃A　precious　sexorama！〃

〃Turn　her　into　the　streetorama！〃

〃Gentlemen；　this　is　not　manners！　If　you　turn　people　out　of　the　house；　it　ought　not　to　be　done　so　unceremoniously　and　with　no　notice　at　all。　We　have　paid　our　money；　and　we　are　not　going；〃　said　Poiret；　putting　on　his　cap；　and　taking　a　chair　beside　Mlle。　Michonneau；　with　whom　Mme。　Vauquer　was　remonstrating。

〃Naughty　boy！〃　said　the　painter；　with　a　comical　look；　〃run　away；　naughty　little　boy！〃

〃Look　here；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃if　you　do　not　go；　all　the　rest　of　us　will；〃　and　the　boarders；　to　a　man；　made　for　the　sitting…room…　door。

〃Oh！　mademoiselle；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Mme。　Vauquer。　〃I　am　a　ruined　woman。　You　can't　stay　here；　they　will　go　further；　do　something　violent。〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　rose　to　her　feet。

〃She　is　going！She　is　not　going！She　is　going！No；　she　isn't。〃

These　alternate　exclamations；　and　a　suggestion　of　hostile　intentions；　borne　out　by　the　behavior　of　the　insurgents；　compelled　Mlle。　Michonneau　to　take　her　departure。　She　made　some　stipulations；　speaking　in　a　low　voice　in　her　hostess'　ear；　and　then〃I　shall　go　to　Mme。　Buneaud's；〃　she　said；　with　a　threatening　look。

〃Go　where　you　please；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　regarded　this　choice　of　an　opposition　establishment　as　an　atrocious　insult。　〃Go　and　lodge　with　the　Buneaud；　the　wine　would　give　a　cat　the　colic；　and　the　food　is　cheap　and　nasty。〃

The　boarders　stood　aside　in　two　rows　to　let　her　pass；　not　a　word　was　spoken。　Poiret　looked　so　wistfully　after　Mlle。　Michonneau；　and　so　artlessly　revealed　that　he　was　in　two　minds　whether　to　go　or　stay；　that　the　boarders；　in　their　joy　at　being　quit　of　Mlle。　Michonneau；　burst　out　laughing　at　the　sight　of　him。

〃Hist！st！st！　Poiret；〃　shouted　the　painter。　〃Hallo！　I　say；　Poiret；　hallo！〃　The　employe　from　the　Museum　began　to　sing：

　　〃Partant　pour　la　Syrie；　　　Le　jeune　et　beau　Dunois　。　。　。〃

〃Get　along　with　you；　you　must　be　dying　to　go；　trahit　sua　quemque　voluptas！〃　said　Bianchon。

〃Every　one　to　his　tastefree　rendering　from　Virgil；〃　said　the　tutor。

Mlle。　Michonneau　made　a　movement　as　if　to　take　Poiret's　arm；　with　an　appealing　glance　that　he　could　not　resist。　The　two　went　out　together；　the　old　maid　leaning　upon　him；　and　there　was　a　burst　of　applause；　followed　by　peals　of　laughter。

〃Bravo；　Poiret！〃

〃Who　would　have　thought　it　of　old　Poiret！〃

〃Apollo　Poiret！〃

〃Mars　Poiret！〃

〃Intrepid　Poiret！〃

A　messenger　came　in　at　that　moment　with　a　letter　for　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　read　it　through；　and　collapsed　in　her　chair。

〃The　house　might　as　well　be　burned　down　at　once；〃　cried　she；　〃if　there　are　to　be　any　more　of　these　thunderbolts！　Young　Taillefer　died　at　three　o'clock　this　afternoon。　It　serves　me　right　for　wishing　well　to　those　ladies　at　that　poor　man's　expense。　Mme。　Couture　and　Victorine　want　me　to　send　their　things；　because　they　are　going　to　live　with　her　father。　M。　Taillefer　allows　his　daughter　to　keep　old　Mme。　Couture　as　her　lady　companion。　Four　rooms　to　let！　and　five　lodgers　gone！　。　。　。〃

She　sat　up；　and　seemed　about　to　burst　into　tears。

〃Bad　luck　has　come　to　lodge　here；　I　think；〃　she　cried。

Once　more　there　came　a　sound　of　wheels　from　the　street　outside。

〃What！　another　windfall　for　somebody！〃　was　Sylvie's　comment。

But　it　was　Goriot　who　came　in；　looking　so　radiant；　so　flushed　with　happiness；　that　he　seemed　to　have　grown　young　again。

〃Goriot　in　a　cab！〃　cried　the　boarders；　〃the　world　is　coming　to　an　end。〃

The　good　soul　made　straight　for　Eugene；　who　was　standing　wrapped　in　thought　in　a　corner；　and　laid　a　hand　on　the　young　man's　arm。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　with　gladness　in　his　eyes。

〃Then　you　haven't　heard　the　news？〃　said　Eugene。　〃Vautrin　was　an　escaped　convict；　they　have　just　arrested　him；　and　young　Taillefer　is　dead。〃

〃Very　well；　but　what　business　is　it　of　ours？〃　replied　Father　Goriot。　〃I　am　going　to　dine　with　my　daughter　in　YOUR　HOUSE；　do　you　understand？　She　is　expecting　you。　Come！〃

He　carried　off　Rastignac　with　him　by　main　force；　and　they　departed　in　as　great　a　hurry　as　a　pair　of　eloping　lovers。

〃Now；　let　us　have　dinner；〃　cried　the　painter；　and　every　one　drew　his　chair　to　the　table。

〃Well；　I　never；〃　said　the　portly　Sylvie。　〃Nothing　goes　right　to…　day！　The　haricot　mutton　has　caught！　Bah！　you　will　have　to　eat　it；　burned　as　it　is；　more's　the　pity！〃

Mme。　Vauquer　was　so　dispirited　that　she　could　not　say　a　word　as　she　looked　round　the　table　and　saw　only　ten　people　where　eighteen　should　be；　but　every　one　tried　to　comfort　and　cheer　her。　At　first　the　dinner　contingent；　as　was　natural；　talked　about　Vautrin　and　the　day's　events；　but　the　conversation　wound　round　to　such　topics　of　interest　as　duels；　jails；　justice；　prison　life；　and　alterations　th