father goriot(高老头)-第67部分

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〃And　besides；　father　dear；　it　would　only　be　a　drop　in　the　bucket；〃　observed　the　Countess。

〃But　is　flesh　and　blood　worth　nothing？〃　cried　the　old　man　in　his　despair。　〃I　would　give　body　and　soul　to　save　you；　Nasie。　I　would　do　a　murder　for　the　man　who　would　rescue　you。　I　would　do；　as　Vautrin　did；　go　to　the　hulks；　go〃　he　stopped　as　if　struck　by　a　thunderbolt；　and　put　both　hands　to　his　head。　〃Nothing　left！〃　he　cried；　tearing　his　hair。　〃If　I　only　knew　of　a　way　to　steal　money；　but　it　is　so　hard　to　do　it；　and　then　you　can't　set　to　work　by　yourself；　and　it　takes　time　to　rob　a　bank。　Yes；　it　is　time　I　was　dead；　there　is　nothing　left　me　to　do　but　to　die。　I　am　no　good　in　the　world；　I　am　no　longer　a　father！　No。　She　has　come　to　me　in　her　extremity；　and；　wretch　that　I　am；　I　have　nothing　to　give　her。　Ah！　you　put　your　money　into　a　life　annuity；　old　scoundrel；　and　had　you　not　daughters？　You　did　not　love　them。　Die；　die　in　a　ditch；　like　the　dog　that　you　are！　Yes；　I　am　worse　than　a　dog；　a　beast　would　not　have　done　as　I　have　done！　Oh！　my　head　。　。　。　it　throbs　as　if　it　would　burst。〃

〃Papa！〃　cried　both　the　young　women　at　once；　〃do；　pray；　be　reasonable！〃　and　they　clung　to　him　to　prevent　him　from　dashing　his　head　against　the　wall。　There　was　a　sound　of　sobbing。

Eugene；　greatly　alarmed；　took　the　bill　that　bore　Vautrin's　signature；　saw　that　the　stamp　would　suffice　for　a　larger　sum；　altered　the　figures；　made　it　into　a　regular　bill　for　twelve　thousand　francs；　payable　to　Goriot's　order；　and　went　to　his　neighbor's　room。

〃Here　is　the　money；　madame；〃　he　said；　handing　the　piece　of　paper　to　her。　〃I　was　asleep；　your　conversation　awoke　me；　and　by　this　means　I　learned　all　that　I　owed　to　M。　Goriot。　This　bill　can　be　discounted；　and　I　shall　meet　it　punctually　at　the　due　date。〃

The　Countess　stood　motionless　and　speechless；　but　she　held　the　bill　in　her　fingers。

〃Delphine；〃　she　said；　with　a　white　face；　and　her　whole　frame　quivering　with　indignation；　anger；　and　rage；　〃I　forgave　you　everything；　God　is　my　witness　that　I　forgave　you；　but　I　cannot　forgive　this！　So　this　gentleman　was　there　all　the　time；　and　you　knew　it！　Your　petty　spite　has　let　you　to　wreak　your　vengeance　on　me　by　betraying　my　secrets；　my　life；　my　children's　lives；　my　shame；　my　honor！　There；　you　are　nothing　to　me　any　longer。　I　hate　you。　I　will　do　all　that　I　can　to　injure　you。　I　will　。　。　。〃

Anger　paralyzed　her；　the　words　died　in　her　dry　parched　throat。

〃Why；　he　is　my　son；　my　child；　he　is　your　brother；　your　preserver！〃　cried　Goriot。　〃Kiss　his　hand；　Nasie！　Stay；　I　will　embrace　him　myself；〃　he　said；　straining　Eugene　to　his　breast　in　a　frenzied　clasp。　〃Oh　my　boy！　I　will　be　more　than　a　father　to　you；　if　I　had　God's　power；　I　would　fling　worlds　at　your　feet。　Why　don't　you　kiss　him；　Nasie？　He　is　not　a　man；　but　an　angel；　a　angel　out　of　heaven。〃

〃Never　mind　her；　father；　she　is　mad　just　now。〃

〃Mad！　am　I？　And　what　are　you？〃　cried　Mme。　de　Restaud。

〃Children；　children；　I　shall　die　if　you　go　on　like　this；〃　cried　the　old　man；　and　he　staggered　and　fell　on　the　bed　as　if　a　bullet　had　struck　him。〃They　are　killing　me　between　them；〃　he　said　to　himself。

The　Countess　fixed　her　eyes　on　Eugene；　who　stood　stock　still；　all　his　faculties　were　numbed　by　this　violent　scene。

〃Sir？　。　。　。〃　she　said；　doubt　and　inquiry　in　her　face；　tone；　and　bearing；　she　took　no　notice　now　of　her　father　nor　of　Delphine；　who　was　hastily　unfastening　his　waistcoat。

〃Madame；〃　said　Eugene；　answering　the　question　before　it　was　asked；　〃I　will　meet　the　bill；　and　keep　silence　about　it。〃

〃You　have　killed　our　father；　Nasie！〃　said　Delphine；　pointing　to　Goriot；　who　lay　unconscious　on　the　bed。　The　Countess　fled。

〃I　freely　forgive　her；〃　said　the　old　man；　opening　his　eyes；　〃her　position　is　horrible；　it　would　turn　an　older　head　than　hers。　Comfort　Nasie；　and　be　nice　to　her；　Delphine；　promise　it　to　your　poor　father　before　he　dies；〃　he　asked；　holding　Delphine's　hand　in　a　convulsive　clasp。

〃Oh！　what　ails　you；　father？〃　she　cried　in　real　alarm。

〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　said　Goriot；　〃it　will　go　off。　There　is　something　heavy　pressing　on　my　forehead；　a　little　headache。　。　。　。　Ah！　poor　Nasie；　what　a　life　lies　before　her！〃

Just　as　he　spoke；　the　Countess　came　back　again　and　flung　herself　on　her　knees　before　him。　〃Forgive　me！〃　she　cried。

〃Come；〃　said　her　father；　〃you　are　hurting　me　still　more。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　the　Countess　said；　turning　to　Rastignac；　〃misery　made　me　unjust　to　you。　You　will　be　a　brother　to　me；　will　you　not？〃　and　she　held　out　her　hand。　Her　eyes　were　full　of　tears　as　she　spoke。

〃Nasie；〃　cried　Delphine；　flinging　her　arms　round　her　sister；　〃my　little　Nasie；　let　us　forget　and　forgive。〃

〃No；　no；〃　cried　Nasie；　〃I　shall　never　forget！〃

〃Dear　angels；〃　cried　Goriot；　〃it　is　as　if　a　dark　curtain　over　my　eyes　had　been　raised；　your　voices　have　called　me　back　to　life。　Kiss　each　other　once　more。　Well；　now；　Nasie；　that　bill　will　save　you；　won't　it？〃

〃I　hope　so。　I　say；　papa；　will　you　write　your　name　on　it？〃

〃There！　how　stupid　of　me　to　forget　that！　But　I　am　not　feeling　at　all　well；　Nasie；　so　you　must　not　remember　it　against　me。　Send　and　let　me　know　as　soon　as　you　are　out　of　your　strait。　No；　I　will　go　to　you。　No；　after　all；　I　will　not　go；　I　might　meet　your　husband；　and　I　should　kill　him　on　the　spot。　And　as　for　signing　away　your　property；　I　shall　have　a　word　to　say　about　that。　Quick；　my　child；　and　keep　Maxime　in　order　in　future。〃

Eugene　was　too　bewildered　to　speak。

〃Poor　Anastasie；　she　always　had　a　violent　temper；〃　said　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　〃but　she　has　a　good　heart。〃

〃She　came　back　for　the　endorsement；〃　said　Eugene　in　Delphine's　ear。

〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃I　only　wish　I　could　think　otherwise。　Do　not　trust　her；〃　he　answered；　raising　his　eyes　as　if　he　confided　to　heaven　the　thoughts　that　he　did　not　venture　to　express。

〃Yes。　She　is　always　acting　a　part　to　some　extent。〃

〃How　do　you　feel　now；　dear　Father　Goriot？〃　asked　Rastignac。

〃I　should　like　to　go　to　sleep；〃　he　replied。

Eugene　helped　him　to　bed；　and　Delphine　sat　by　the　bedside；　holding　his　hand　until　he　fell　asleep。　Then　she　went。

〃This　evening　at　the　Italiens；〃　she　said　to　Eugene；　〃and　you　can　let　me　know　how　he　is。　To…morrow　you　will　leave　this　place；　monsieur。　Let　us　go　into　your　room。Oh！　how　frightful！〃　she　cried　on　the　threshold。　〃Why；　you　are　even　worse　lodged　than　our　father。　Eugene；　you　have　behaved　well。　I　would　love　you　more　if　that　were　possible；　but；　dear　boy；　if　you　are　to　succeed　in　life；　you　must　not　begin　by　flinging　twelve　thousand　francs　out　of　the　windows　like　that。　The　Comte　de　Trailles　is　a　confirmed　gambler。　My　sister　shuts　her　eyes　to　it。　He　would　have　made　the　twelve　thousand　francs　in　the　same　way　that　he　wins　and　loses　heaps　of　gold。〃

A　groan　from　the　next　room　brought　them　back　to　Goriot's　bedside；　to　all　appearances　he　was　asleep；　but　the　two　lovers　caught　the　words；　〃They　are　not　happy！〃　Whether　he　was　awake　or　sleeping；　the　tone　in　which　they　were　spoken　went　to　his　daughter's　heart。　She　stole　up　to　the　pallet…bed　on　which　her　father　lay；　and　kissed　his　forehead。　He　opened　his　eyes。

〃Ah！　Delphine！〃　he　said。

〃How　are　you　now？〃　she　asked。

〃Quite　comfortable。　Do　not　worry　about　me；　I　shall　get　up　presently。　Don't　stay　with　me；