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Therese left the room。 The student took Delphine in his arms and
held her in a tight clasp； his eyes filled with tears of joy。
This last contrast between his present surroundings and the
scenes he had just witnessed was too much for Rastignac's over…
wrought nerves； after the day's strain and excitement that had
wearied heart and brain； he was almost overcome by it。
〃I felt sure myself that he loved you；〃 murmured Father Goriot；
while Eugene lay back bewildered on the sofa； utterly unable to
speak a word or to reason out how and why the magic wand had been
waved to bring about this final transformation scene。
〃But you must see your rooms；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen。 She took
his hand and led him into a room carpeted and furnished like her
own； indeed； down to the smallest details； it was a reproduction
in miniature of Delphine's apartment。
〃There is no bed；〃 said Rastignac。
〃No； monsieur；〃 she answered； reddening； and pressing his hand。
Eugene； looking at her； understood； young though he yet was； how
deeply modesty is implanted in the heart of a woman who loves。
〃You are one of those beings whom we cannot choose but to adore
for ever；〃 he said in her ear。 〃Yes； the deeper and truer love
is； the more mysterious and closely veiled it should be； I can
dare to say so； since we understand each other so well。 No one
shall learn our secret。〃
〃Oh！ so I am nobody； I suppose；〃 growled the father。
〃You know quite well that 'we' means you。〃
〃Ah！ that is what I wanted。 You will not mind me； will you？ I
shall go and come like a good fairy who makes himself felt
everywhere without being seen； shall I not？ Eh； Delphinette；
Ninette； Dedelwas it not a good idea of mine to say to you；
'There are some nice rooms to let in the Rue d'Artois； let us
furnish them for him？' And she would not hear of it！ Ah！ your
happiness has been all my doing。 I am the author of your
happiness and of your existence。 Fathers must always be giving if
they would be happy themselves； always givingthey would not be
fathers else。〃
〃Was that how it happened？〃 asked Eugene。
〃Yes。 She would not listen to me。 She was afraid that people
would talk； as if the rubbish that they say about you were to be
compared with happiness！ Why； all women dream of doing what she
has done〃
Father Goriot found himself without an audience； for Mme。 de
Nucingen had led Rastignac into the study； he heard a kiss given
and taken； low though the sound was。
The study was furnished as elegantly as the other rooms； and
nothing was wanting there。
〃Have we guessed your wishes rightly？〃 she asked； as they
returned to the drawing…room for dinner。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃only too well； alas！ For all this luxury so well
carried out； this realization of pleasant dreams； the elegance
that satisfies all the romantic fancies of youth； appeals to me
so strongly that I cannot but feel that it is my rightful
possession； but I cannot accept it from you； and I am too poor as
yet to〃
〃Ah！ ah！ you say me nay already；〃 she said with arch
imperiousness； and a charming little pout of the lips； a woman's
way of laughing away scruples。
But Eugene had submitted so lately to that solemn self…
questioning； and Vautrin's arrest had so plainly shown him the
depths of the pit that lay ready to his feet； that the instincts
of generosity and honor had been strengthened in him； and he
could not allow himself to be coaxed into abandoning his high…
minded determinations。 Profound melancholy filled his mind。
〃Do you really mean to refuse？〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen。 〃And do
you know what such a refusal means？ That you are not sure of
yourself； that you do not dare to bind yourself to me。 Are you
really afraid of betraying my affection？ If you love me； if I
love you； why should you shrink back from such a slight
obligation？ If you but knew what a pleasure it has been to see
after all the arrangements of this bachelor establishment； you
would not hesitate any longer； you would ask me to forgive you
for your hesitation。 I had some money that belonged to you； and I
have made good use of it； that is all。 You mean this for
magnanimity； but it is very little of you。 You are asking me for
far more than this。 。 。 。 Ah！〃 she cried； as Eugene's passionate
glance was turned on her； 〃and you are making difficulties about
the merest trifles。 Of； if you feel no love whatever for me；
refuse； by all means。 My fate hangs on a word from you。 Speak！
Father；〃 she said after a pause； 〃make him listen to reason。 Can
he imagine that I am less nice than he is on the point of honor？〃
Father Goriot was looking on and listening to this pretty quarrel
with a placid smile； as if he had found some balm for all the
sorrows of life。
〃Child that you are！〃 she cried again； catching Eugene's hand。
〃You are just beginning life； you find barriers at the outset
that many a man finds insurmountable； a woman's hand opens the
way and you shrink back！ Why； you are sure to succeed！ You will
have a brilliant future。 Success is written on that broad
forehead of yours； and will you not be able to repay me my loan
of today？ Did not a lady in olden times arm her knight with sword
and helmet and coat of mail； and find him a charger； so that he
might fight for her in the tournament？ Well； then； Eugene； these
things that I offer you are the weapons of this age； every one
who means to be something must have such tools as these。 A pretty
place your garret must be if it is like papa's room！ See； dinner
is waiting all this time。 Do you want to make me unhappy？Why
don't you answer？〃 she said； shaking his hand。 〃MON DIEU！ papa；
make up his mind for him； or I will go away and never see him any
more。〃
〃I will make up your mind；〃 said Goriot； coming down from the
clouds。 〃Now； my dear M。 Eugene； the next thing is to borrow
money of the Jews； isn't it？〃
〃There is positively no help for it；〃 said Eugene。
〃All right； I will give you credit；〃 said the other； drawing out
a cheap leather pocket…book； much the worse for wear。 〃I have
turned Jew myself； I paid for everything； here are the invoices。
You do not owe a penny for anything here。 It did not come to very
muchfive thousand francs at most； and I am going to lend you
the money myself。 I am not a womanyou can refuse me。 You shall
give me a receipt on a scrap of paper； and you can return it some
time or other。〃
Delphine and Eugene looked at each other in amazement； tears
sprang to their eyes。 Rastignac held out his hand and grasped
Goriot's warmly。
〃Well； what is all this about？ Are you not my children？〃
〃Oh！ my poor father；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen； 〃how did you do
it？〃
〃Ah！ now you ask me。 When I made up my mind to move him nearer to
you； and saw you buying things as if they were wedding presents；
I said to myself； 'She will never be able to pay for them。' The
attorney says that those law proceedings will last quite six
months before your husband can be made to disgorge your fortune。
Well and good。 I sold out my property in the funds that brought
in thirteen hundred and fifty livres a year； and bought a safe
annuity of twelve hundred francs a year for fifteen thousand
francs。 Then I paid your tradesmen out of the rest of the
capital。 As for me； children； I have a room upstairs for which I
pay fifty crowns a year； I can live like a prince on two francs a
day； and still have something left over。 I shall not have to
spend anything much on clothes； for I never wear anything out。
This fortnight past I have been laughing in my sleeve； thinking
to myself； 'How happy they are going to be！' andwell； now； are
you not happy？〃
〃Oh papa！ papa！〃 cried Mme。 de Nucingen； springing to her father；
who took her on his knee。 She covered him with kisses； her fair
hair brushed his cheek； her tears fell on the withered face that
had grown so bright and radiant。
〃Dear father； what a father you are！ No； there is not another
father like you under the sun。 If Eugene loved you before； what
must he feel for you now？〃
〃Why； children； why Delphinette！〃 cried Goriot； who had not felt
his daughter's heart beat against his breast for ten years； 〃do
you want me to die of joy？ My poor heart will break！ Come；
Monsieur Eugene； we are quits already。〃 And the old man strained
her to his breast with such fierce and passionate force that she
cried out。
〃Oh！ you are hurting me！〃 she said。
〃I am hurting you！〃 He grew pale at the words。 The pain expressed
in his face seemed greater than it is given to humanity to know。
The agony of this Christ of paternity can only be compared with
the masterpieces of those princes of the palette who have left
for us the record of their visions of an agony suffered for a
whole world by the Saviour of men。 Father Goriot pressed his lips
very gently against the waist than his fingers had grasped too
roughly。