father goriot(高老头)-第63部分

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l　go。　My　sister　is　sure　to　be　there；　and　sure　to　be　very　beautifully　dressed。Eugene；〃　she　went　on；　lowering　her　voice；　〃she　will　go　to　dispel　ugly　suspicions。　You　do　not　know　the　things　that　people　are　saying　about　her。　Only　this　morning　Nucingen　came　to　tell　me　that　they　had　been　discussing　her　at　the　club。　Great　heavens！　on　what　does　a　woman's　character　and　the　honor　of　a　whole　family　depend！　I　feel　that　I　am　nearly　touched　and　wounded　in　my　poor　sister。　According　to　some　people；　M。　de　Trailles　must　have　put　his　name　to　bills　for　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　nearly　all　of　them　are　overdue；　and　proceedings　are　threatened。　In　this　predicament；　it　seems　that　my　sister　sold　her　diamonds　to　a　Jewthe　beautiful　diamonds　that　belonged　to　her　husband's　mother；　Mme。　de　Restaud　the　elder；you　have　seen　her　wearing　them。　In　fact；　nothing　else　has　been　talked　about　for　the　last　two　days。　So　I　can　see　that　Anastasie　is　sure　to　come　to　Mme。　de　Beauseant's　ball　in　tissue　of　gold；　and　ablaze　with　diamonds；　to　draw　all　eyes　upon　her；　and　I　will　not　be　outshone。　She　has　tried　to　eclipse　me　all　her　life；　she　has　never　been　kind　to　me；　and　I　have　helped　her　so　often；　and　always　had　money　for　her　when　she　had　none。But　never　mind　other　people　now；　to…day　I　mean　to　be　perfectly　happy。〃

At　one　o'clock　that　morning　Eugene　was　still　with　Mme。　de　Nucingen。　In　the　midst　of　their　lovers'　farewell；　a　farewell　full　of　hope　of　bliss　to　come；　she　said　in　a　troubled　voice；　〃I　am　very　fearful；　superstitious。　Give　what　name　you　like　to　my　presentiments；　but　I　am　afraid　that　my　happiness　will　be　paid　for　by　some　horrible　catastrophe。〃

〃Child！〃　said　Eugene。

〃Ah！　have　we　changed　places；　and　am　I　the　child　to…night？〃　she　asked；　laughingly。

Eugene　went　back　to　the　Maison　Vauquer；　never　doubting　but　that　he　should　leave　it　for　good　on　the　morrow；　and　on　the　way　he　fell　to　dreaming　the　bright　dreams　of　youth；　when　the　cup　of　happiness　has　left　its　sweetness　on　the　lips。

〃Well？〃　cried　Goriot；　as　Rastignac　passed　by　his　door。

〃Yes；〃　said　Eugene；　〃I　will　tell　you　everything　to…morrow。〃

〃Everything；　will　you　not？〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃Go　to　bed。　To…　morrow　our　happy　life　will　begin。〃

Next　day；　Goriot　and　Rastignac　were　ready　to　leave　the　lodging…　house；　and　only　awaited　the　good　pleasure　of　a　porter　to　move　out　of　it；　but　towards　noon　there　was　a　sound　of　wheels　in　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…Genevieve；　and　a　carriage　stopped　before　the　door　of　the　Maison　Vauquer。　Mme。　de　Nucingen　alighted；　and　asked　if　her　father　was　still　in　the　house；　and；　receiving　an　affirmative　reply　from　Sylvie；　ran　lightly　upstairs。

It　so　happened　that　Eugene　was　at　home　all　unknown　to　his　neighbor。　At　breakfast　time　he　had　asked　Goriot　to　superintend　the　removal　of　his　goods；　saying　that　he　would　meet　him　in　the　Rue　d'Artois　at　four　o'clock；　but　Rastignac's　name　had　been　called　early　on　the　list　at　the　Ecole　de　Droit；　and　he　had　gone　back　at　once　to　the　Rue　Nueve…Sainte…Genevieve。　No　one　had　seen　him　come　in；　for　Goriot　had　gone　to　find　a　porter；　and　the　mistress　of　the　house　was　likewise　out。　Eugene　had　thought　to　pay　her　himself；　for　it　struck　him　that　if　he　left　this；　Goriot　in　his　zeal　would　probably　pay　for　him。　As　it　was；　Eugene　went　up　to　his　room　to　see　that　nothing　had　been　forgotten；　and　blessed　his　foresight　when　he　saw　the　blank　bill　bearing　Vautrin's　signature　lying　in　the　drawer　where　he　had　carelessly　thrown　it　on　the　day　when　he　had　repaid　the　amount。　There　was　no　fire　in　the　grate；　so　he　was　about　to　tear　it　into　little　pieces；　when　he　heard　a　voice　speaking　in　Goriot's　room；　and　the　speaker　was　Delphine！　He　made　no　more　noise；　and　stood　still　to　listen；　thinking　that　she　should　have　no　secrets　from　him；　but　after　the　first　few　words；　the　conversation　between　the　father　and　daughter　was　so　strange　and　interesting　that　it　absorbed　all　his　attention。

〃Ah！　thank　heaven　that　you　thought　of　asking　him　to　give　an　account　of　the　money　settled　on　me　before　I　was　utterly　ruined；　father。　Is　it　safe　to　talk？〃　she　added。

〃Yes；　there　is　no　one　in　the　house；〃　said　her　father　faintly。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　Mme。　de　Nucingen。

〃God　forgive　you！　you　have　just　dealt　me　a　staggering　blow；　child！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃You　cannot　know　how　much　I　love　you；　or　you　would　not　have　burst　in　upon　me　like　this；　with　such　news；　especially　if　all　is　not　lost。　Has　something　so　important　happened　that　you　must　come　here　about　it？　In　a　few　minutes　we　should　have　been　in　the　Rue　d'Artois。〃

〃Eh！　does　one　think　what　one　is　doing　after　a　catastrophe？　It　has　turned　my　head。　Your　attorney　has　found　out　the　state　of　things　now；　but　it　was　bound　to　come　out　sooner　or　later。　We　shall　want　your　long　business　experience；　and　I　come　to　you　like　a　drowning　man　who　catches　at　a　branch。　When　M。　Derville　found　that　Nucingen　was　throwing　all　sorts　of　difficulties　in　his　way；　he　threatened　him　with　proceedings；　and　told　him　plainly　that　he　would　soon　obtain　an　order　from　the　President　of　the　Tribunal。　So　Nucingen　came　to　my　room　this　morning；　and　asked　if　I　meant　to　ruin　us　both。　I　told　him　that　I　knew　nothing　whatever　about　it；　that　I　had　a　fortune；　and　ought　to　be　put　into　possession　of　my　fortune；　and　that　my　attorney　was　acting　for　me　in　the　matter；　I　said　again　that　I　knew　absolutely　nothing　about　it；　and　could　not　possibly　go　into　the　subject　with　him。　Wasn't　that　what　you　told　me　to　tell　him？〃

〃Yes；　quite　right；〃　answered　Goriot。

〃Well；　then；〃　Delphine　continued；　〃he　told　me　all　about　his　affairs。　He　had　just　invested　all　his　capital　and　mine　in　business　speculations；　they　have　only　just　been　started；　and　very　large　sums　of　money　are　locked　up。　If　I　were　to　compel　him　to　refund　my　dowry　now；　he　would　be　forced　to　file　his　petition；　but　if　I　will　wait　a　year；　he　undertakes；　on　his　honor；　to　double　or　treble　my　fortune；　by　investing　it　in　building　land；　and　I　shall　be　mistress　at　last　of　the　whole　of　my　property。　He　was　speaking　the　truth；　father　dear；　he　frightened　me！　He　asked　my　pardon　for　his　conduct；　he　has　given　me　my　liberty；　I　am　free　to　act　as　I　please　on　condition　that　I　leave　him　to　carry　on　my　business　in　my　name。　To　prove　his　sincerity；　he　promised　that　M。　Derville　might　inspect　the　accounts　as　often　as　I　pleased；　so　that　I　might　be　assured　that　everything　was　being　conducted　properly。　In　short；　he　put　himself　in　my　power；　bound　hand　and　foot。　He　wishes　the　present　arrangements　as　to　the　expenses　of　housekeeping　to　continue　for　two　more　years；　and　entreated　me　not　to　exceed　my　allowance。　He　showed　me　plainly　that　it　was　all　that　he　could　do　to　keep　up　appearances；　he　has　broken　with　his　opera　dancer；　he　will　be　compelled　to　practise　the　most　strict　economy　（in　secret）　if　he　is　to　bide　his　time　with　unshaken　credit。　I　scolded；　I　did　all　I　could　to　drive　him　to　desperation；　so　as　to　find　out　more。　He　showed　me　his　ledgershe　broke　down　and　cried　at　last。　I　never　saw　a　man　in　such　a　state。　He　lost　his　head　completely；　talked　of　killing　himself；　and　raved　till　I　felt　quite　sorry　for　him。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that　silly　rubbish？〃　。　。　。　cried　her　father。　〃It　was　all　got　up　for　your　benefit！　I　have　had　to　do　with　Germans　in　the　way　of　business；　honest　and　straightforward