father goriot(高老头)-第76部分

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ome！〃　He　looked　at　Eugene；　and　a　last　gleam　of　intelligence　shone　in　his　eyes。　〃Go　to　the　authorities；　to　the　Public　Prosecutor；　let　them　bring　them　here；　come　they　shall！〃

〃But　you　have　cursed　them。〃

〃Who　said　that！〃　said　the　old　man　in　dull　amazement。　〃You　know　quite　well　that　I　love　them；　I　adore　them！　I　shall　be　quite　well　again　if　I　can　see　them。　。　。　。　Go　for　them；　my　good　neighbor；　my　dear　boy；　you　are　kind…hearted；　I　wish　I　could　repay　you　for　your　kindness；　but　I　have　nothing　to　give　you　now；　save　the　blessing　of　a　dying　man。　Ah！　if　I　could　only　see　Delphine；　to　tell　her　to　pay　my　debt　to　you。　If　the　other　cannot　come；　bring　Delphine　to　me　at　any　rate。　Tell　her　that　unless　she　comes；　you　will　not　love　her　any　more。　She　is　so　fond　of　you　that　she　will　come　to　me　then。　Give　me　something　to　drink！　There　is　a　fire　in　my　bowels。　Press　something　against　my　forehead！　If　my　daughters　would　lay　their　hands　there；　I　think　I　should　get　better。　。　。　。　MON　DIEU！　who　will　recover　their　money　for　them　when　I　am　gone？　。　。　。　I　will　manufacture　vermicelli　out　in　Odessa；　I　will　go　to　Odessa　for　their　sakes。〃

〃Here　is　something　to　drink；〃　said　Eugene；　supporting　the　dying　man　on　his　left　arm；　while　he　held　a　cup　of　tisane　to　Goriot's　lips。

〃How　you　must　love　your　own　father　and　mother！〃　said　the　old　man；　and　grasped　the　student's　hand　in　both　of　his。　It　was　a　feeble；　trembling　grasp。　〃I　am　going　to　die；　I　shall　die　without　seeing　my　daughters；　do　you　understand？　To　be　always　thirsting；　and　never　to　drink；　that　has　been　my　life　for　the　last　ten　years。　。　。　。　I　have　no　daughters；　my　sons…in…law　killed　them。　No；　since　their　marriages　they　have　been　dead　to　me。　Fathers　should　petition　the　Chambers　to　pass　a　law　against　marriage。　If　you　love　your　daughters；　do　not　let　them　marry。　A　son…in…law　is　a　rascal　who　poisons　a　girl's　mind　and　contaminates　her　whole　nature。　Let　us　have　no　more　marriages！　It　robs　us　of　our　daughters；　we　are　left　alone　upon　our　deathbeds；　and　they　are　not　with　us　then。　They　ought　to　pass　a　law　for　dying　fathers。　This　is　awful！　It　cries　for　vengeance！　They　cannot　come；　because　my　sons…in…law　forbid　them！　。　。　。　Kill　them！　。　。　。　Restaud　and　the　Alsatian；　kill　them　both！　They　have　murdered　me　between　them！　。　。　。　Death　or　my　daughters！　。　。　。　Ah！　it　is　too　late；　I　am　dying；　and　they　are　not　here！　。　。　。　Dying　without　them！　。　。　。　Nasie！　Fifine！　Why　do　you　not　come　to　me？　Your　papa　is　going〃

〃Dear　Father　Goriot；　calm　yourself。　There；　there；　lie　quietly　and　rest；　don't　worry　yourself；　don't　think。〃

〃I　shall　not　see　them。　Oh！　the　agony　of　it！〃

〃You　SHALL　see　them。〃

〃Really？〃　cried　the　old　man；　still　wandering。　〃Oh！　shall　I　see　them；　I　shall　see　them　and　hear　their　voices。　I　shall　die　happy。　Ah！　well；　after　all；　I　do　not　wish　to　live；　I　cannot　stand　this　much　longer；　this　pain　that　grows　worse　and　worse。　But；　oh！　to　see　them；　to　touch　their　dressesah！　nothing　but　their　dresses；　that　is　very　little；　still；　to　feel　something　that　belongs　to　them。　Let　me　touch　their　hair　with　my　fingers　。　。　。　their　hair　。　。　。〃

His　head　fell　back　on　the　pillow；　as　if　a　sudden　heavy　blow　had　struck　him　down；　but　his　hands　groped　feebly　over　the　quilt；　as　if　to　find　his　daughters'　hair。

〃My　blessing　on　them　。　。　。〃　he　said；　making　an　effort；　〃my　blessing　。　。　。〃

His　voice　died　away。　Just　at　that　moment　Bianchon　came　into　the　room。

〃I　met　Christophe；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　gone　for　your　cab。〃

Then　he　looked　at　the　patient；　and　raised　the　closed　eyelids　with　his　fingers。　The　two　students　saw　how　dead　and　lustreless　the　eyes　beneath　had　grown。

〃He　will　not　get　over　this；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Bianchon。　He　felt　the　old　man's　pulse；　and　laid　a　hand　over　his　heart。

〃The　machinery　works　still；　more　is　the　pity；　in　his　state　it　would　be　better　for　him　to　die。〃

〃Ah！　my　word；　it　would！〃

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？　You　are　as　pale　as　death。〃

〃Dear　fellow；　the　moans　and　cries　that　I　have　just　heard。　。　。　。　There　is　a　God！　Ah！　yes；　yes；　there　is　a　God；　and　He　has　made　a　better　world　for　us；　or　this　world　of　ours　would　be　a　nightmare。　I　could　have　cried　like　a　child；　but　this　is　too　tragical；　and　I　am　sick　at　heart。

〃We　want　a　lot　of　things；　you　know；　and　where　is　the　money　to　come　from？〃

Rastignac　took　out　his　watch。

〃There；　be　quick　and　pawn　it。　I　do　not　want　to　stop　on　the　way　to　the　Rue　du　Helder；　there　is　not　a　moment　to　lose；　I　am　afraid；　and　I　must　wait　here　till　Christophe　comes　back。　I　have　not　a　farthing；　I　shall　have　to　pay　the　cabman　when　I　get　home　again。〃

Rastignac　rushed　down　the　stairs；　and　drove　off　to　the　Rue　du　Helder。　The　awful　scene　through　which　he　had　just　passed　quickened　his　imagination；　and　he　grew　fiercely　indignant。　He　reached　Mme。　de　Restaud's　house　only　to　be　told　by　the　servant　that　his　mistress　could　see　no　one。

〃But　I　have　brought　a　message　from　her　father；　who　is　dying；〃　Rastignac　told　the　man。

〃The　Count　has　given　us　the　strictest　orders；　sir〃

〃If　it　is　M。　de　Restaud　who　has　given　the　orders；　tell　him　that　his　father…in…law　is　dying；　and　that　I　am　here；　and　must　speak　with　him　at　once。〃

The　man　went　out。

Eugene　waited　for　a　long　while。　〃Perhaps　her　father　is　dying　at　this　moment；〃　he　thought。

Then　the　man　came　back；　and　Eugene　followed　him　to　the　little　drawing…room。　M。　de　Restaud　was　standing　before　the　fireless　grate；　and　did　not　ask　his　visitor　to　seat　himself。

〃Monsieur　le　Comte；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃M。　Goriot；　your　father…in…　law；　is　lying　at　the　point　of　death　in　a　squalid　den　in　the　Latin　Quarter。　He　has　not　a　penny　to　pay　for　firewood；　he　is　expected　to　die　at　any　moment；　and　keeps　calling　for　his　daughter〃

〃I　feel　very　little　affection　for　M。　Goriot；　sir；　as　you　probably　are　aware；〃　the　Count　answered　coolly。　〃His　character　has　been　compromised　in　connection　with　Mme。　de　Restaud；　he　is　the　author　of　the　misfortunes　that　have　embittered　my　life　and　troubled　my　peace　of　mind。　It　is　a　matter　of　perfect　indifference　to　me　if　he　lives　or　dies。　Now　you　know　my　feelings　with　regard　to　him。　Public　opinion　may　blame　me；　but　I　care　nothing　for　public　opinion。　Just　now　I　have　other　and　much　more　important　matters　to　think　about　than　the　things　that　fools　and　chatterers　may　say　about　me。　As　for　Mme。　de　Restaud；　she　cannot　leave　the　house；　she　is　in　no　condition　to　do　so。　And；　besides；　I　shall　not　allow　her　to　leave　it。　Tell　her　father　that　as　soon　as　she　has　done　her　duty　by　her　husband　and　child　she　shall　go　to　see　him。　If　she　has　any　love　for　her　father；　she　can　be　free　to　go　to　him；　if　she　chooses；　in　a　few　seconds；　it　lies　entirely　with　her〃

〃Monsieur　le　Comte；　it　is　no　business　of　mine　to　criticise　your　conduct；　you　can　do　as　you　please　with　your　wife；　but　may　I　count　upon　your　keeping　your　word　with　me？　Well；　then；　promise　me　to　tell　her　that　her　father　has　not　twenty…four　hours　to　live；　that　he　looks　in　vain　for　her；　and　has　cursed　her　already　as　he　lies　on　his　deathbed；that　is　all　I　ask。〃

〃You　can　tell　her　yourself；〃　the　Count　answered；　impressed　by　the　thrill　of　indignation　in　Eugene's　voice。

The　Count　led　the　way　to　the　room　where　his　wife　usually　sat。　She　was　drowned　in　tears；　and　lay　crouching　in　the　depths　of　an　armchair；　as　if　she　were　tired　of　lif