按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d fanlight above a door that gave access into the garden。 Sylvie came out of her kitchen； and Eugene chose that moment to say：
MONSIEUR Vautrin； I am not a marquis； and my name is not Rastignacorama。〃
〃They will fight；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau； in an indifferent tone。
〃Fight！〃 echoed Poiret。
〃Not they；〃 replied Mme。 Vauquer； lovingly fingering her pile of coins。
〃But there they are under the lime…trees；〃 cried Mlle。 Victorine； who had risen so that she might see out into the garden。 〃Poor young man！ he was in the right； after all。〃
〃We must go upstairs； my pet；〃 said Mme。 Couture； 〃it is no business of ours。〃
At the door； however； Mme。 Couture and Victorine found their progress barred by the portly form of Sylvie the cook。
〃What ever can have happened？〃 she said。 〃M。 Vautrin said to M。 Eugene； 'Let us have an explanation！' then he took him by the arm； and there they are； out among the artichokes。〃
Vautrin came in while she was speaking。 〃Mamma Vauquer；〃 he said smiling； 〃don't frighten yourself at all。 I am only going to try my pistols under the lime…trees。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur；〃 cried Victorine； clasping her hands as she spoke； 〃why do you want to kill M。 Eugene？〃
Vautrin stepped back a pace or two； and gazed at Victorine。
〃Oh！ this is something fresh！〃 he exclaimed in a bantering tone； that brought the color into the poor girl's face。 〃That young fellow yonder is very nice； isn't he？〃 he went on。 〃You have given me a notion； my pretty child； I will make you both happy。〃
Mme。 Couture laid her hand on the arm of her ward； and drew the girl away； as she said in her ear：
〃Why； Victorine； I cannot imagine what has come over you this morning。〃
〃I don't want any shots fired in my garden；〃 said Mme。 Vauquer。 〃You will frighten the neighborhood and bring the police up here all in a moment。〃
〃Come； keep cool； Mamma Vauquer；〃 answered Vautrin。 〃There； there； it's all right； we will go to the shooting…gallery。〃
He went back to Rastignac； laying his hand familiarly on the young man's arm。
〃When I have given you ocular demonstration of the fact that I can put a bullet through the ace on a card five times running at thirty…five paces；〃 he said； 〃that won't take away your appetite； I suppose？ You look to me to be inclined to be a trifle quarrelsome this morning； and as if you would rush on your death like a blockhead。〃
〃Do you draw back？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Don't try to raise my temperature；〃 answered Vautrin； 〃it is not cold this morning。 Let us go and sit over there；〃 he added； pointing to the green…painted garden seats； 〃no one can overhear us。 I want a little talk with you。 You are not a bad sort of youngster； and I have no quarrel with you。 I like you； take Trump（confound it！）take Vautrin's word for it。 What makes me like you？ I will tell you by…and…by。 Meantime； I can tell you that I know you as well as if I had made you myself； as I will prove to you in a minute。 Put down your bags；〃 he continued； pointing to the round table。
Rastignac deposited his money on the table； and sat down。 He was consumed with curiosity； which the sudden change in the manner of the man before him had excited to the highest pitch。 Here was a strange being who； a moment ago； had talked of killing him； and now posed as his protector。
〃You would like to know who I really am； what I was； and what I do now；〃 Vautrin went on。 〃You want to know too much； youngster。 Come！ come！ keep cool！ You will hear more astonishing things than that。 I have had my misfortunes。 Just hear me out first； and you shall have your turn afterwards。 Here is my past in three words。 Who am I？ Vautrin。 What do I do？ Just what I please。 Let us change the subject。 You want to know my character。 I am good… natured to those who do me a good turn； or to those whose hearts speak to mine。 These last may do anything they like with me； they may bruise my shins； and I shall not tell them to 'mind what they are about'； but； nom d'une pipe； the devil himself is not an uglier customer than I can be if people annoy me； or if I don't happen to take to them； and you may just as well know at once that I think no more of killing a man than of that；〃 and he spat before him as he spoke。 〃Only when it is absolutely necessary to do so； I do my best to kill him properly。 I am what you call an artist。 I have read Benvenuto Cellini's Memoirs； such as you see me； and； what is more； in Italian： A fine…spirited fellow he was！ From him I learned to follow the example set us by Providence； who strikes us down at random； and to admire the beautiful whenever and wherever it is found。 And； setting other questions aside； is it not a glorious part to play； when you pit yourself against mankind； and the luck is on your side？ I have thought a good deal about the constitution of your present social Dis… order。 A duel is downright childish； my boy！ utter nonsense and folly！ When one of two living men must be got out of the way； none but an idiot would leave chance to decide which it is to be； and in a duel it is a toss…upheads or tailsand there you are！ Now I； for instance； can hit the ace in the middle of a card five times running； send one bullet after another through the same hole； and at thirty…five paces； moreover！ With that little accomplishment you might think yourself certain of killing your man； mightn't you。 Well； I have fired； at twenty paces； and missed； and the rogue who had never handled a pistol in his life look here！〃（he unbuttoned his waistcoat and exposed his chest； covered； like a bear's back； with a shaggy fell； the student gave a startled shudder）〃he was a raw lad； but he made his mark on me；〃 the extraordinary man went on； drawing Rastignac's fingers over a deep scar on his breast。 But that happened when I myself was a mere boy； I was one…and…twenty then （your age）； and I had some beliefs leftin a woman's love； and in a pack of rubbish that you will be over head and ears in directly。 You and I were to have fought just now； weren't we？ You might have killed me。 Suppose that I were put under the earth； where would you be？ You would have to clear out of this； go to Switzerland； draw on papa's purseand he has none too much in it as it is。 I mean to open your eyes to your real position； that is what I am going to do： but I shall do it from the point of view of a man who； after studying the world very closely； sees that there are but two alternativesstupid obedience or revolt。 I obey nobody； is that clear？ Now； do you know how much you will want at the pace you are going？ A million； and promptly； too； or that little head of ours will be swaying to and fro in the drag…nets at Saint…Cloud； while we are gone to find out whether or no there is a Supreme Being。 I will put you in the way of that million。〃
He stopped for a moment and looked at Eugene。
〃Aha！ you do not look so sourly at papa Vautrin now！ At the mention of the million you look like a young girl when somebody has said； 'I will come for you this evening！' and she betakes herself to her toilette as a cat licks its whiskers over a saucer of milk。 All right。 Come； now； let us go into the question； young man； all between ourselves； you know。 We have a papa and mamma down yonder； a great…aunt； two sisters （aged eighteen and seventeen）； two young brothers （one fifteen； and the other ten）； that is about the roll…call of the crew。 The aunt brings up the two sisters； the cure comes and teaches the boys Latin。 Boiled chestnuts are oftener on the table than white bread。 Papa makes a suit of clothes last a long while； if mamma has a different dress winter and summer； it is about as much as she has； the sisters manage as best they can。 I know all about it； I have lived in the south。
〃That is how things are at home。 They send you twelve hundred francs a year； and the whole property only brings in three thousand francs all told。 We have a cook and a manservant； papa is a baron； and we must keep up appearances。 Then we have our ambitions； we are connected with the Beauseants； and we go afoot through the streets； we want to be rich； and we have not a penny； we eat Mme。 Vauquer's messes； and we like grand dinners in the Faubourg Saint…Germain； we sleep on a truckle…bed； and dream of a mansion！ I do not blame you for wanting these things。 What sort of men do the women run after？ Men of ambition。 Men of ambition have stronger frames； their blood is richer in iron； their hearts are warmer than those of ordinary men。 Women feel that when their power is greatest； they look their best； and that those are their happiest hours； they like power in men； and prefer the strongest even if it is a power that may be their own destruction。 I am going to make an inventory of your desires in order to put the question at issue before you。 Here it is：
〃We are as hungry as a wolf； and those newly…cut teeth of ours are sharp； what are we to do to keep the pot boiling？ In the first place； we have the Code to browse upon； it is not amusing； and we are none the wiser for it； but that cannot be helped。 So far so good。 We mean to make an advocate of ourselves with a prospect of one day being made President of a Court of Assize； when we shall send poor devils； our betters； to the galleys with a T。F。* ＇*Travaux forces。＇ on their shoulders； so that the