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father goriot(高老头)-第59章

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 starch trade! You will not be telling a lie。 Millions; tell them; and even if they really come because they covet the money; I would rather let them deceive me; and I shall see them in any case。 I want my children! I gave them life; they are mine; mine!〃 and he sat upright。 The head thus raised; with its scanty white hair; seemed to Eugene like a threat; every line that could still speak spoke of menace。

〃There; there; dear father;〃 said Eugene; 〃lie down again; I will write to them at once。 As soon as Bianchon comes back I will go for them myself; if they do not come before。〃

〃If they do not come?〃 repeated the old man; sobbing。 〃Why; I shall be dead before then; I shall die in a fit of rage; of rage! Anger is getting the better of me。 I can see my whole life at this minute。 I have been cheated! They do not love methey have never loved me all their lives! It is all clear to me。 They have not come; and they will not come。 The longer they put off their coming; the less they are likely to give me this joy。 I know them。 They have never cared to guess my disappointments; my sorrows; my wants; they never cared to know my life; they will have no presentiment of my death; they do not even know the secret of my tenderness for them。 Yes; I see it all now。 I have laid my heart open so often; that they take everything I do for them as a matter of course。 They might have asked me for the very eyes out of my head and I would have bidden them to pluck them out。 They think that all fathers are like theirs。 You should always make your value felt。 Their own children will avenge me。 Why; for their own sakes they should come to me! Make them understand that they are laying up retribution for their own deathbeds。 All crimes are summed up in this one。 。 。 。 Go to them; just tell them that if they stay away it will be parricide! There is enough laid to their charge already without adding that to the list。 Cry aloud as I do now; 'Nasie! Delphine! here! Come to your father; the father who has been so kind to you is lying ill!'Not a sound; no one comes! Then am I do die like a dog? This is to be my rewardI am forsaken at the last。 They are wicked; heartless women; curses on them; I loathe them。 I shall rise at night from my grave to curse them again; for; after all; my friends; have I done wrong? They are behaving very badly to me; eh? 。 。 。 What am I saying? Did you not tell me just now that Delphine is in the room? She is more tender…hearted than her sister。 。 。 。 Eugene; you are my son; you know。 You will love her; be a father to her! Her sister is very unhappy。 And there are their fortunes! Ah; God! I am dying; this anguish is almost more than I can bear! Cut off my head; leave me nothing but my heart。〃

〃Christophe!〃 shouted Eugene; alarmed by the way in which the old man moaned; and by his cries; 〃go for M。 Bianchon; and send a cab here for me。I am going to fetch them; dear father; I will bring them back to you。〃

〃Make them come! Compel them to come! Call out the Guard; the military; anything and everything; but make them come!〃 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 chatter
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