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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 boy； I will cheer you up。 Come with me。〃
The old vermicelli dealer lighted his dip at one of the lamps as
he spoke。 Eugene went with him； his curiosity had been aroused。
〃Let us go up to your room；〃 the worthy soul remarked； when he
had asked Sylvie for the law student's key。 〃This morning；〃 he
resumed； 〃you thought that SHE did not care about you； did you
not？ Eh？ She would have nothing to say to you； and you went away
out of humor and out of heart。 Stuff and rubbish！ She wanted you
to go because she was expecting ME！ Now do you understand？ We
were to complete the arrangements for taking some chambers for
you； a jewel of a place； you are to move into it in three days'
time。 Don't split upon me。 She wants it to be a surprise； but I
couldn't bear to keep the secret from you。 You will be in the Rue
d'Artois； only a step or two from the Rue Saint…Lazare； and you
are to be housed like a prince！ Any one might have thought we
were furnishing the house for a bride。 Oh！ we have done a lot of
things in the last month； and you knew nothing about it。 My
attorney has appeared on the scene； and my daughter is to have
thirty…six thousand francs a year； the interest on her money； and
I shall insist on having her eight hundred thousand invested in
sound securities； landed property that won't run away。〃
Eugene was dumb。 He folded his arms and paced up and down in his
cheerless； untidy room。 Father Goriot waited till the student's
back was turned； and seized the opportunity to go to the chimney…
piece and set upon it a little red morocco case with Rastignac's
arms stamped in gold on the leather。
〃My dear boy；〃 said the kind soul； 〃I have been up to the eyes in
this business。 You see； there was plenty of selfishness on my
part； I have an interested motive in helping you to change
lodgings。 You will not refuse me if I ask you something； will
you； eh？〃
〃What is it？〃
〃There is a room on the fifth floor； up above your rooms； that is
to let along with them； that is where I am going to live； isn't
that so？ I am getting old： I am too far from my girls。 I shall
not be in the way； but I shall be there； that is all。 You will
come and talk to me about her every evening。 It will not put you
about； will it？ I shall have gone to bed before you come in； but
I shall hear you come up； and I shall say to myself； 'He has just
seen my little Delphine。 He has been to a dance with her； and she
is happy； thanks to him。' If I were ill； it would do my heart
good to hear you moving about below； to know when you leave the
house and when you come in。 It is only a step to the Champs…
Elysees； where they go every day； so I shall be sure of seeing
them； whereas now I am sometimes too late。 And thenperhaps she
may come to see you！ I shall hear her； I shall see her in her
soft quilted pelisse tripping about as daintily as a kitten。 In
this one month she has become my little girl again； so light…
hearted and gay。 Her soul is recovering； and her happiness is
owing to you！ Oh！ I would do impossibilities for you。 Only just
now she said to me； 'I am very happy； papa！' When they say
'father' stiffly； it sends a chill through me； but when they call
me 'papa；' it brings all the old memories back。 I feel most their
father then； I even believe that they belong to me； and to no one
else。〃
The good man wiped his eyes； he was crying。
〃It is a long while since I have heard them talk like that； a
long； long time since she took my arm as she did to…day。 Yes；
indeed； it must be quite ten years since I walked side by side
with one of my girls。 How pleasant it was to keep step with her；
to feel the touch of her gown； the warmth of her arm！ Well； I
took Delphine everywhere this morning； I went shopping with her；
and I brought her home again。 Oh！ you must let me live near you。
You may want some one to do you a service some of these days； and
I shall be on the spot to do it。 Oh！ if only that great dolt of
an Alsatian would die； if his gout would have the sense to attack
his stomach； how happy my poor child would be！ You would be my
son…in…law； you would be her husband in the eyes of the world。
Bah！ she has known no happiness； that excuses everything。 Our
Father in heaven is surely on the side of fathers on earth who
love their children。 How fond of you she is！〃 he said； raising
his head after a pause。 〃All the time we were going about
together she chatted away about you。 'He is so nice…looking；
papa； isn't he？ He is kind…hearted！ Does he talk to you about
me？' Pshaw！ she said enough about you to fill whole volumes；
between the Rue d'Artois and the Passage des Panoramas she poured
her heart out into mine。 I did not feel old once during that
delightful morning； I felt as light as a feather。 I told her how
you had given the banknote to me； it moved my darling to tears。
But what can this be on your chimney…piece？〃 said Father Goriot
at last。 Rastignac had showed no sign； and he was dying of
impatience。
Eugene stared at his neighbor in dumb and dazed bewilderment。 He
thought of Vautrin； of that duel to be fought to…morrow morning；
and of this realization of his dearest hopes； and the violent
contrast between the two sets of ideas gave him all the sensations
of nightmare。 He went to the chimney…piece； saw the little square
case； opened it； and found a watch of Breguet's make wrapped in
paper； on which these words were written：
〃I want you to think of me every hour； BECAUSE 。 。 。
〃DELPHINE。〃
That last word doubtless contained an allusion to some scene that
had taken place between them。 Eugene felt touched。 Inside the
gold watch…case his arms had been wrought in enamel。 The chain；
the key； the workmanship and design of the trinket were all such
as he had imagined； for he had long coveted such a possession。
Father Goriot was radiant。 Of course he had promised to tell his
daughter every little detail of the scene and of the effect
produced upon Eugene by her present； he shared in the pleasure
and excitement of the young people； and seemed to be not the
least happy of the three。 He loved Rastignac already for his own
as well as for his daughter's sake。
〃You must go and see her； she is expecting you this evening。 That
great lout of an Alsatian is going to have supper with his opera…
dancer。 Aha！ he looked very foolish when my attorney let him know
where he was。 He says he idolizes my daughter； does he？ He had
better let her alone； or I will kill him。 To think that my
Delphine is his〃he heaved a sigh〃it is enough to make me
murder him； but it would not be manslaughter to kill that animal；
he is a pig with a calf's brains。You will take me with you；
will you not？〃
〃Yes； dear Father Goriot； you know very well how fond I am of
you〃
〃Yes； I do know very well。 You are not ashamed of me； are you？
Not you！ Let me embrace you；〃 and he flung his arms around the
student's neck。
〃You will make her very happy； promise me that you will！ You will
go to her this evening； will you not？〃
〃Oh！ yes。 I must go out； I have some urgent business on hand。〃
〃Can I be of any use？〃
〃My word； yes！ Will you go to old Taillefer's while I go to Mme。
de Nucingen？ Ask him to make an appointment with me some time
this evening； it is a matter of life and death。〃
〃Really； young man！〃 cried Father Goriot； with a change of
countenance； 〃are you really paying court to his daughter； as
those simpletons were saying down below？ 。 。 。 TONNERRE DE DIEU！
you have no notion what a tap A LA GORIOT is like； and if you are
playing a double game； I shall put a stop to it by one blow of
the fist。 。 。 Oh！ the thing is impossible！〃
〃I swear to you that I love but one woman in the world；〃 said the
student。 〃I only knew it a moment ago。〃
〃Oh！ what happiness！〃 cried Goriot。
〃But young Taillefer has been called out； the duel comes off to…
morrow morning； and I have heard it said that he may lose his
life in it。〃
〃But what business is it of yours？〃 said Goriot。
〃Why； I ought to tell him so； that he may prevent his son from
putting in an appearance〃
Just at that moment Vautrin's voice broke in upon them； he was
standing at the threshold of his door and singing：
〃Oh！ Richard； oh my king！
All the world abandons thee！
Broum！ broum！ broum！ broum！