father goriot(高老头)-第62部分

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〃Madame；〃　said　Sylvie；　running　in　with　a　scared　face；　〃I　have　not　seen　Mistigris　these　three　days。〃

〃Ah！　well；　if　my　cat　is　dead；　if　HE　has　gone　and　left　us；　I〃

The　poor　woman　could　not　finish　her　sentence；　she　clasped　her　hands　and　hid　her　face　on　the　back　of　her　armchair；　quite　overcome　by　this　dreadful　portent。

By　twelve　o'clock；　when　the　postman　reaches　that　quarter；　Eugene　received　a　letter。　The　dainty　envelope　bore　the　Beauseant　arms　on　the　seal；　and　contained　an　invitation　to　the　Vicomtesse's　great　ball；　which　had　been　talked　of　in　Paris　for　a　month。　A　little　note　for　Eugene　was　slipped　in　with　the　card。

　　〃I　think；　monsieur；　that　you　will　undertake　with　pleasure　to　　　interpret　my　sentiments　to　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　so　I　am　sending　the　　　card　for　which　you　asked　me　to　you。　I　shall　be　delighted　to　make　　　the　acquaintance　of　Mme。　de　Restaud's　sister。　Pray　introduce　that　　　charming　lady　to　me；　and　do　not　let　her　monopolize　all　your　　　affection；　for　you　owe　me　not　a　little　in　return　for　mine。　　　〃VICOMTESSE　DE　BEAUSEANT。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Eugene　to　himself；　as　he　read　the　note　a　second　time；　〃Mme。　de　Beauseant　says　pretty　plainly　that　she　does　not　want　the　Baron　de　Nucingen。〃

He　went　to　Delphine　at　once　in　his　joy。　He　had　procured　this　pleasure　for　her；　and　doubtless　he　would　receive　the　price　of　it。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　was　dressing。　Rastignac　waited　in　her　boudoir；　enduring　as　best　he　might　the　natural　impatience　of　an　eager　temperament　for　the　reward　desired　and　withheld　for　a　year。　Such　sensations　are　only　known　once　in　a　life。　The　first　woman　to　whom　a　man　is　drawn；　if　she　is　really　a　womanthat　is　to　say；　if　she　appears　to　him　amid　the　splendid　accessories　that　form　a　necessary　background　to　life　in　the　world　of　Pariswill　never　have　a　rival。

Love　in　Paris　is　a　thing　distinct　and　apart；　for　in　Paris　neither　men　nor　women　are　the　dupes　of　the　commonplaces　by　which　people　seek　to　throw　a　veil　over　their　motives；　or　to　parade　a　fine　affectation　of　disinterestedness　in　their　sentiments。　In　this　country　within　a　country；　it　is　not　merely　required　of　a　woman　that　she　should　satisfy　the　senses　and　the　soul；　she　knows　perfectly　well　that　she　has　still　greater　obligations　to　discharge；　that　she　must　fulfil　the　countless　demands　of　a　vanity　that　enters　into　every　fibre　of　that　living　organism　called　society。　Love；　for　her；　is　above　all　things；　and　by　its　very　nature；　a　vainglorious；　brazen…fronted；　ostentatious；　thriftless　charlatan。　If　at　the　Court　of　Louis　XIV。　there　was　not　a　woman　but　envied　Mlle。　de　la　Valliere　the　reckless　devotion　of　passion　that　led　the　grand　monarch　to　tear　the　priceless　ruffles　at　his　wrists　in　order　to　assist　the　entry　of　a　Duc　de　Vermandois　into　the　worldwhat　can　you　expect　of　the　rest　of　society？　You　must　have　youth　and　wealth　and　rank；　nay；　you　must；　if　possible；　have　more　than　these；　for　the　more　incense　you　bring　with　you　to　burn　at　the　shrine　of　the　god；　the　more　favorably　will　he　regard　the　worshiper。　Love　is　a　religion；　and　his　cult　must　in　the　nature　of　things　be　more　costly　than　those　of　all　other　deities；　Love　the　Spoiler　stays　for　a　moment；　and　then　passes　on；　like　the　urchin　of　the　streets；　his　course　may　be　traced　by　the　ravages　that　he　has　made。　The　wealth　of　feeling　and　imagination　is　the　poetry　of　the　garret；　how　should　love　exist　there　without　that　wealth？

If　there　are　exceptions　who　do　not　subscribe　to　these　Draconian　laws　of　the　Parisian　code；　they　are　solitary　examples。　Such　souls　live　so　far　out　of　the　main　current　that　they　are　not　borne　away　by　the　doctrines　of　society；　they　dwell　beside　some　clear　spring　of　everflowing　water；　without　seeking　to　leave　the　green　shade；　happy　to　listen　to　the　echoes　of　the　infinite　in　everything　around　them　and　in　their　own　souls；　waiting　in　patience　to　take　their　flight　for　heaven；　while　they　look　with　pity　upon　those　of　earth。

Rastignac；　like　most　young　men　who　have　been　early　impressed　by　the　circumstances　of　power　and　grandeur；　meant　to　enter　the　lists　fully　armed；　the　burning　ambition　of　conquest　possessed　him　already；　perhaps　he　was　conscious　of　his　powers；　but　as　yet　he　knew　neither　the　end　to　which　his　ambition　was　to　be　directed；　nor　the　means　of　attaining　it。　In　default　of　the　pure　and　sacred　love　that　fills　a　life；　ambition　may　become　something　very　noble；　subduing　to　itself　every　thought　of　personal　interest；　and　setting　as　the　endthe　greatness；　not　of　one　man；　but　of　a　whole　nation。

But　the　student　had　not　yet　reached　the　time　of　life　when　a　man　surveys　the　whole　course　of　existence　and　judges　it　soberly。　Hitherto　he　had　scarcely　so　much　as　shaken　off　the　spell　of　the　fresh　and　gracious　influences　that　envelop　a　childhood　in　the　country；　like　green　leaves　and　grass。　He　had　hesitated　on　the　brink　of　the　Parisian　Rubicon；　and　in　spite　of　the　prickings　of　ambition；　he　still　clung　to　a　lingering　tradition　of　an　old　idealthe　peaceful　life　of　the　noble　in　his　chateau。　But　yesterday　evening；　at　the　sight　of　his　rooms；　those　scruples　had　vanished。　He　had　learned　what　it　was　to　enjoy　the　material　advantages　of　fortune；　as　he　had　already　enjoyed　the　social　advantages　of　birth；　he　ceased　to　be　a　provincial　from　that　moment；　and　slipped　naturally　and　easily　into　a　position　which　opened　up　a　prospect　of　a　brilliant　future。

So；　as　he　waited　for　Delphine；　in　the　pretty　boudoir；　where　he　felt　that　he　had　a　certain　right　to　be；　he　felt　himself　so　far　away　from　the　Rastignac　who　came　back　to　Paris　a　year　ago；　that；　turning　some　power　of　inner　vision　upon　this　latter；　he　asked　himself　whether　that　past　self　bore　any　resemblance　to　the　Rastignac　of　that　moment。

〃Madame　is　in　her　room；〃　Therese　came　to　tell　him。　The　woman's　voice　made　him　start。

He　found　Delphine　lying　back　in　her　low　chair　by　the　fireside；　looking　fresh　and　bright。　The　sight　of　her　among　the　flowing　draperies　of　muslin　suggested　some　beautiful　tropical　flower；　where　the　fruit　is　set　amid　the　blossom。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　with　a　tremor　in　her　voice；　〃here　you　are。〃

〃Guess　what　I　bring　for　you；〃　said　Eugene；　sitting　down　beside　her。　He　took　possession　of　her　arm　to　kiss　her　hand

Mme。　de　Nucingen　gave　a　joyful　start　as　she　saw　the　card。　She　turned　to　Eugene；　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes　as　she　flung　her　arms　about　his　neck；　and　drew　him　towards　her　in　a　frenzy　of　gratified　vanity。

〃And　I　owe　this　happiness　to　youto　THEE〃　（she　whispered　the　more　intimate　word　in　his　ear）；　〃but　Therese　is　in　my　dressing…　room；　let　us　be　prudent。This　happinessyes；　for　I　may　call　it　so；　when　it　comes　to　me　through　YOUis　surely　more　than　a　triumph　for　self…love？　No　one　has　been　willing　to　introduce　me　into　that　set。　Perhaps　just　now　I　may　seem　to　you　to　be　frivolous；　petty；　shallow；　like　a　Parisienne；　but　remember；　my　friend；　that　I　am　ready　to　give　up　all　for　you；　and　that　if　I　long　more　than　ever　for　an　entrance　into　the　Faubourg　Saint…　Germain；　it　is　because　I　shall　meet　you　there。〃

〃Mme。　de　Beauseant's　note　seems　to　say　very　plainly　that　she　does　not　expect　to　see　the　BARON　de　Nucingen　at　her　ball；　don't　you　think　so？〃　said　Eugene。

〃Why；　yes；〃　said　the　Baroness　as　she　returned　the　letter。　〃Those　women　have　a　talent　for　insolence。　But　it　is　of　no　consequence；　I　shall　go。