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year； he had further taken measures to disinherit his daughter；
and had converted all his real estate into personalty； that he
might leave it undivided to his son。 Victorine's mother had died
broken…hearted in Mme。 Couture's house； and the latter； who was a
near relation； had taken charge of the little orphan。 Unluckily；
the widow of the commissary…general to the armies of the Republic
had nothing in the world but her jointure and her widow's
pension； and some day she might be obliged to leave the helpless；
inexperienced girl to the mercy of the world。 The good soul；
therefore； took Victorine to mass every Sunday； and to confession
once a fortnight； thinking that； in any case； she would bring up
her ward to be devout。 She was right； religion offered a solution
of the problem of the young girl's future。 The poor child loved
the father who refused to acknowledge her。 Once every year she
tried to see him to deliver her mother's message of forgiveness；
but every year hitherto she had knocked at that door in vain； her
father was inexorable。 Her brother； her only means of
communication； had not come to see her for four years； and had
sent her no assistance； yet she prayed to God to unseal her
father's eyes and to soften her brother's heart； and no
accusations mingled with her prayers。 Mme。 Couture and Mme。
Vauquer exhausted the vocabulary of abuse； and failed to find
words that did justice to the banker's iniquitous conduct； but
while they heaped execrations on the millionaire； Victorine's
words were as gentle as the moan of the wounded dove； and
affection found expression even in the cry drawn from her by
pain。
Eugene de Rastignac was a thoroughly southern type； he had a fair
complexion； blue eyes； black hair。 In his figure； manner； and his
whole bearing it was easy to see that he had either come of a
noble family； or that； from his earliest childhood； he had been
gently bred。 If he was careful of his wardrobe； only taking last
year's clothes into daily wear； still upon occasion he could
issue forth as a young man of fashion。 Ordinarily he wore a
shabby coat and waistcoat； the limp black cravat； untidily
knotted； that students affect； trousers that matched the rest of
his costume； and boots that had been resoled。
Vautrin （the man of forty with the dyed whiskers） marked a
transition stage between these two young people and the others。
He was the kind of man that calls forth the remark： 〃He looks a
jovial sort！〃 He had broad shoulders； a well…developed chest；
muscular arms； and strong square…fisted hands； the joints of his
fingers were covered with tufts of fiery red hair。 His face was
furrowed by premature wrinkles； there was a certain hardness
about it in spite of his bland and insinuating manner。 His bass
voice was by no means unpleasant； and was in keeping with his
boisterous laughter。 He was always obliging； always in good
spirits； if anything went wrong with one of the locks； he would
soon unscrew it； take it to pieces； file it； oil and clean and
set it in order； and put it back in its place again； 〃I am an old
hand at it；〃 he used to say。 Not only so； he knew all about
ships； the sea； France； foreign countries； men； business； law；
great houses and prisons；there was nothing that he did not
know。 If any one complained rather more than usual； he would
offer his services at once。 He had several times lent money to
Mme。 Vauquer； or to the boarders； but； somehow； those whom he
obliged felt that they would sooner face death than fail to repay
him； a certain resolute look； sometimes seen on his face；
inspired fear of him； for all his appearance of easy good…nature。
In the way he spat there was an imperturbable coolness which
seemed to indicate that this was a man who would not stick at a
crime to extricate himself from a false position。 His eyes； like
those of a pitiless judge； seemed to go to the very bottom of all
questions； to read all natures； all feelings and thoughts。 His
habit of life was very regular； he usually went out after
breakfast； returning in time for dinner； and disappeared for the
rest of the evening； letting himself in about midnight with a
latch key； a privilege that Mme。 Vauquer accorded to no other
boarder。 But then he was on very good terms with the widow； he
used to call her 〃mamma；〃 and put his arm round her waist； a
piece of flattery perhaps not appreciated to the full！ The worthy
woman might imagine this to be an easy feat； but； as a matter of
fact； no arm but Vautrin's was long enough to encircle her。
It was a characteristic trait of his generously to pay fifteen
francs a month for the cup of coffee with a dash of brandy in it；
which he took after dinner。 Less superficial observers than young
men engulfed by the whirlpool of Parisian life； or old men； who
took no interest in anything that did not directly concern them；
would not have stopped short at the vaguely unsatisfactory
impression that Vautrin made upon them。 He knew or guessed the
concerns of every one about him； but none of them had been able
to penetrate his thoughts； or to discover his occupation。 He had
deliberately made his apparent good…nature； his unfailing
readiness to oblige； and his high spirits into a barrier between
himself and the rest of them； but not seldom he gave glimpses of
appalling depths of character。 He seemed to delight in scourging
the upper classes of society with the lash of his tongue； to take
pleasure in convicting it of inconsistency； in mocking at law and
order with some grim jest worthy of Juvenal； as if some grudge
against the social system rankled in him； as if there were some
mystery carefully hidden away in his life。
Mlle。 Taillefer felt attracted； perhaps unconsciously； by the
strength of the one man； and the good looks of the other； her
stolen glances and secret thoughts were divided between them； but
neither of them seemed to take any notice of her； although some
day a chance might alter her position； and she would be a wealthy
heiress。 For that matter； there was not a soul in the house who
took any trouble to investigate the various chronicles of
misfortunes； real or imaginary； related by the rest。 Each one
regarded the others with indifference； tempered by suspicion； it
was a natural result of their relative positions。 Practical
assistance not one could give； this they all knew； and they had
long since exhausted their stock of condolence over previous
discussions of their grievances。 They were in something the same
position as an elderly couple who have nothing left to say to
each other。 The routine of existence kept them in contact； but
they were parts of a mechanism which wanted oil。 There was not
one of them but would have passed a blind man begging in the
street； not one that felt moved to pity by a tale of misfortune；
not one who did not see in death the solution of the all…
absorbing problem of misery which left them cold to the most
terrible anguish in others。
The happiest of these hapless beings was certainly Mme。 Vauquer；
who reigned supreme over this hospital supported by voluntary
contributions。 For her； the little garden； which silence； and
cold； and rain； and drought combined to make as dreary as an
Asian steppe； was a pleasant shaded nook； the gaunt yellow house；
the musty odors of a back shop had charms for her； and for her
alone。 Those cells belonged to her。 She fed those convicts
condemned to penal servitude for life； and her authority was
recognized among them。 Where else in Paris would they have found
wholesome food in sufficient quantity at the prices she charged
them； and rooms which they were at liberty to make； if not
exactly elegant or comfortable； at any rate clean and healthy？ If
she had committed some flagrant act of injustice； the victim
would have borne it in silence。
Such a gathering contained； as might have been expected； the
elements out of which a complete society might be constructed。
And； as in a school； as in the world itself； there was among the
eighteen men and women who met round the dinner table a poor
creature； despised by all the others； condemned to be the butt of
all their jokes。 At the beginning of Eugene de Rastignac's second
twelvemonth； this figure suddenly started out into bold relief
against the background of human forms and faces among which the
law student was yet to live for another two years to come。 This
laughing…stock was the retired vermicelli…merchant； Father
Goriot； upon whose face a painter； like the historian； would have
concentrated all the light in his picture。
How had it come about that the boarders regarded him with a half…
malignant contempt？ Why did they subject the oldest among their
number to a kind of persecution； in which there was mingled some
pity； but no respect for his misfortunes？ Had he brought it on
himself by some eccentricity or absurdity； which is less easily
forgiven or forgotten than more s