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！
〃Yes； but what you want is a pretty woman；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau briskly。
〃Trompe…la…Mort would not let a woman come near him；〃 said the detective。 〃I will tell you a secrethe does not like them。〃
〃Still； I do not see what I can do； supposing that I did agree to identify him for two thousand francs。〃
〃Nothing simpler；〃 said the stranger。 〃I will send you a little bottle containing a dose that will send a rush of blood to the head； it will do him no harm whatever； but he will fall down as if he were in a fit。 The drug can be put into wine or coffee； either will do equally well。 You carry your man to bed at once； and undress him to see that he is not dying。 As soon as you are alone； you give him a slap on the shoulder； and PRESTO！ the letters will appear。〃
〃Why； that is just nothing at all；〃 said Poiret。
〃Well； do you agree？〃 said Gondureau； addressing the old maid。
〃But； my dear sir； suppose there are no letters at all；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau； 〃am I to have the two thousand francs all the same？〃
〃No。〃
〃What will you give me then？〃
〃Five hundred francs。〃
〃It is such a thing to do for so little！ It lies on your conscience just the same； and I must quiet my conscience； sir。〃
〃I assure you；〃 said Poiret； 〃that mademoiselle has a great deal of conscience； and not only so； she is a very amiable person； and very intelligent。〃
〃Well； now；〃 Mlle。 Michonneau went on； 〃make it three thousand francs if he is Trompe…la…Mort； and nothing at all if he is an ordinary man。〃
〃Done！〃 said Gondureau； 〃but on the condition that the thing is settled to…morrow。〃
〃Not quite so soon； my dear sir； I must consult my confessor first。〃
〃You are a sly one；〃 said the detective as he rose to his feet。 〃Good…bye till to…morrow； then。 And if you should want to see me in a hurry； go to the Petite Rue Saint…Anne at the bottom of the Cour de la Sainte…Chapelle。 There is one door under the archway。 Ask there for M。 Gondureau。〃
Bianchon； on his way back from Cuvier's lecture； overheard the sufficiently striking nickname of Trompe…la…Mort； and caught the celebrated chief detective's 〃Done！〃
〃Why didn't you close with him？ It would be three hundred francs a year；〃 said Poiret to Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Why didn't I？〃 she asked。 〃Why； it wants thinking over。 Suppose that M。 Vautrin is this Trompe…la…Mort； perhaps we might do better for ourselves with him。 Still； on the other hand； if you ask him for money； it would put him on his guard； and he is just the man to clear out without paying； and that would be an abominable sell。〃
〃And suppose you did warn him；〃 Poiret went on； 〃didn't that gentleman say that he was closely watched？ You would spoil everything。〃
〃Anyhow；〃 thought Mlle。 Michonneau； 〃I can't abide him。 He says nothing but disagreeable things to me。〃
〃But you can do better than that；〃 Poiret resumed。 〃As that gentleman said （and he seemed to me to be a very good sort of man； besides being very well got up）； it is an act of obedience to the laws to rid society of a criminal； however virtuous he may be。 Once a thief； always a thief。 Suppose he were to take it into his head to murder us all？ The deuce！ We should be guilty of manslaughter； and be the first to fall victims into the bargain！〃
Mlle。 Michonneau's musings did not permit her to listen very closely to the remarks that fell one by one from Poiret's lips like water dripping from a leaky tap。 When once this elderly babbler began to talk； he would go on like clockwork unless Mlle。 Michonneau stopped him。 He started on some subject or other； and wandered on through parenthesis after parenthesis； till he came to regions as remote as possible from his premises without coming to any conclusions by the way。
By the time they reached the Maison Vauquer he had tacked together a whole string of examples and quotations more or less irrelevant to the subject in hand； which led him to give a full account of his own deposition in the case of the Sieur Ragoulleau versus Dame Morin； when he had been summoned as a witness for the defence。
As they entered the dining…room； Eugene de Rastignac was talking apart with Mlle。 Taillefer； the conversation appeared to be of such thrilling interest that the pair never noticed the two older lodgers as they passed through the room。 None of this was thrown away on Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃I knew how it would end；〃 remarked that lady； addressing Poiret。 〃They have been making eyes at each other in a heartrending way for a week past。〃
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 〃So she was found guilty。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Mme。 Morin。〃
〃I am talking about Mlle。 Victorine；〃 said Mlle； Michonneau； as she entered Poiret's room with an absent air； 〃and you answer； 'Mme。 Morin。' Who may Mme。 Morin be？〃
〃What can Mlle。 Victorine be guilty of？〃 demanded Poiret。
〃Guilty of falling in love with M。 Eugene de Rastignac and going further and further without knowing exactly where she is going； poor innocent！〃
That morning Mme。 de Nucingen had driven Eugene to despair。 In his own mind he had completely surrendered himself to Vautrin； and deliberately shut his eyes to the motive for the friendship which that extraordinary man professed for him； nor would he look to the consequences of such an alliance。 Nothing short of a miracle could extricate him now out of the gulf into which he had walked an hour ago； when he exchanged vows in the softest whispers with Mlle。 Taillefer。 To Victorine it seemed as if she heard an angel's voice； that heaven was opening above her； the Maison Vauquer took strange and wonderful hues； like a stage fairy…palace。 She loved and she was loved； at any rate； she believed that she was loved； and what woman would not likewise have believed after seeing Rastignac's face and listening to the tones of his voice during that hour snatched under the Argus eyes of the Maison Vauquer？ He had trampled on his conscience； he knew that he was doing wrong； and did it deliberately； he had said to himself that a woman's happiness should atone for this venial sin。 The energy of desperation had lent new beauty to his face； the lurid fire that burned in his heart shone from his eyes。 Luckily for him； the miracle took place。 Vautrin came in in high spirits； and at once read the hearts of these two young creatures whom he had brought together by the combinations of his infernal genius； but his deep voice broke in upon their bliss。
〃A charming girl is my Fanchette In her simplicity；〃
he sang mockingly。
Victorine fled。 Her heart was more full than it had ever been； but it was full of joy； and not of sorrow。 Poor child！ A pressure of the hand； the light touch of Rastignac's hair against her cheek； a word whispered in her ear so closely that she felt the student's warm breath on her； the pressure of a trembling arm about her waist； a kiss upon her throatsuch had been her betrothal。 The near neighborhood of the stout Sylvie； who might invade that glorified room at any moment； only made these first tokens of love more ardent； more eloquent； more entrancing than the noblest deeds done for love's sake in the most famous romances。 This plain…song of love； to use the pretty expression of our forefathers； seemed almost criminal to the devout young girl who went to confession every fortnight。 In that one hour she had poured out more of the treasures of her soul than she could give in later days of wealth and happiness； when her whole self followed the gift。
〃The thing is arranged；〃 Vautrin said to Eugene； who remained。 〃Our two dandies have fallen out。 Everything was done in proper form。 It is a matter of opinion。 Our pigeon has insulted my hawk。 They will meet to…morrow in the redoubt at Clignancourt。 By half… past eight in the morning Mlle。 Taillefer； calmly dipping her bread and butter in her coffee cup； will be sole heiress of her father's fortune and affections。 A funny way of putting it； isn't it？ Taillefer's youngster is an expert swordsman； and quite cocksure about it； but he will be bled； I have just invented a thrust for his benefit； a way of raising your sword point and driving it at the forehead。 I must show you that thrust； it is an uncommonly handy thing to know。〃
Rastignac heard him in dazed bewilderment； he could not find a word in reply。 Just then Goriot came in； and Bianchon and a few of the boarders likewise appeared。
〃That is just as I intended。〃 Vautrin said。 〃You know quite well what you are about。 Good； my little eaglet！ You are born to command； you are strong； you stand firm on your feet； you are game！ I respect you。〃
He made as though he would take Eugene's hand； but Rastignac hastily withdrew it； sank into a chair； and turned ghastly pale； it seemed to him that there was a sea of blood before his eyes。
〃Oh！ so we still have a few dubious tatters of the swaddling clothes of virtue about us！〃 murmured Vautrin。 〃But Papa Doliban has three millions； I know the amount of his fortune。 Once have her dowry in your hands； and your character will be as white as the bride's white dress； even in your own eyes。〃
Rastignac hesitated no longer。 He made up his mind that he would go that evening to warn the Taillefers； father and son。 But just as Vautrin left him； Father Goriot came up and said in his ear； 〃You look melancholy； my