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order。 Great heavens！ my brain is on fire； it is as if there were
something redhot inside my head。 My Delphine lying on straw！ You！
my Fifine！ Good gracious！ Where are my gloves？ Come； let us go at
once； I mean to see everything with my own eyesbooks； cash； and
correspondence； the whole business。 I shall have no peace until I
know for certain that your fortune is secure。〃
〃Oh！ father dear； be careful how you set about it！ If there is
the least hint of vengeance in the business； if you show yourself
openly hostile； it will be all over with me。 He knows whom he has
to deal with； he thinks it quite natural that if you put the idea
into my head； I should be uneasy about my money； but I swear to
you that he has it in his own hands； and that he had meant to
keep it。 He is just the man to abscond with all the money and
leave us in the lurch； the scoundrel！ He knows quite well that I
will not dishonor the name I bear by bringing him into a court of
law。 His position is strong and weak at the same time。 If we
drive him to despair； I am lost。〃
〃Why； then； the man is a rogue？〃
〃Well； yes； father；〃 she said； flinging herself into a chair； 〃I
wanted to keep it from you to spare your feelings；〃 and she burst
into tears； 〃I did not want you to know that you had married me
to such a man as he is。 He is just the same in private lifebody
and soul and consciencethe same through and throughhideous！ I
hate him； I despise him！ Yes； after all that that despicable
Nucingen has told me； I cannot respect him any longer。 A man
capable of mixing himself up in such affairs； and of talking
about them to me as he did； without the slightest scruple；it is
because I have read him through and through that I am afraid of
him。 He； my husband； frankly proposed to give me my liberty； and
do you know what that means？ It means that if things turn out
badly for him； I am to play into his hands； and be his stalking…
horse。〃
〃But there is law to be had！ There is a Place de Greve for sons…
in…law of that sort；〃 cried her father； 〃why； I would guillotine
him myself if there was no headsman to do it。〃
〃No； father； the law cannot touch him。 Listen； this is what he
says； stripped of all his circumlocutions'Take your choice； you
and no one else can be my accomplice； either everything is lost；
you are ruined and have not a farthing； or you will let me carry
this business through myself。' Is that plain speaking？ He MUST
have my assistance。 He is assured that his wife will deal fairly
by him； he knows that I shall leave his money to him and be
content with my own。 It is an unholy and dishonest compact； and
he holds out threats of ruin to compel me to consent to it。 He is
buying my conscience； and the price is liberty to be Eugene's
wife in all but name。 'I connive at your errors； and you allow me
to commit crimes and ruin poor families！' Is that sufficiently
explicit？ Do you know what he means by speculations？ He buys up
land in his own name； then he finds men of straw to run up houses
upon it。 These men make a bargain with a contractor to build the
houses； paying them by bills at long dates； then in consideration
of a small sum they leave my husband in possession of the houses；
and finally slip through the fingers of the deluded contractors
by going into bankruptcy。 The name of the firm of Nucingen has
been used to dazzle the poor contractors。 I saw that。 I noticed；
too； that Nucingen had sent bills for large amounts to Amsterdam；
London； Naples； and Vienna； in order to prove if necessary that
large sums had been paid away by the firm。 How could we get
possession of those bills？〃
Eugene heard a dull thud on the floor； Father Goriot must have
fallen on his knees。
〃Great heavens！ what have I done to you？ Bound my daughter to
this scoundrel who does as he likes with her！Oh！ my child； my
child！ forgive me！〃 cried the old man。
〃Yes； if I am in the depths of despair； perhaps you are to
blame；〃 said Delphine。 〃We have so little sense when we marry！
What do we know of the world； of business； or men； or life？ Our
fathers should think for us！ Father dear； I am not blaming you in
the least； forgive me for what I said。 This is all my own fault。
Nay； do not cry； papa；〃 she said； kissing him。
〃Do not cry either； my little Delphine。 Look up and let me kiss
away the tears。 There！ I shall find my wits and unravel this
skein of your husband's winding。〃
〃No； let me do that； I shall be able to manage him。 He is fond of
me； well and good； I shall use my influence to make him invest my
money as soon as possible in landed property in my own name。 Very
likely I could get him to buy back Nucingen in Alsace in my name；
that has always been a pet idea of his。 Still； come to…morrow and
go through the books； and look into the business。 M。 Derville
knows little of mercantile matters。 No； not to…morrow though。 I
do not want to be upset。 Mme。 de Beauseant's ball will be the day
after to…morrow； and I must keep quiet； so as to look my best and
freshest； and do honor to my dear Eugene！ 。 。 。 Come； let us see
his room。〃
But as she spoke a carriage stopped in the Rue Nueve…Sainte…
Genevieve； and the sound of Mme。 de Restaud's voice came from the
staircase。 〃Is my father in？〃 she asked of Sylvie。
This accident was luckily timed for Eugene； whose one idea had
been to throw himself down on the bed and pretend to be asleep。
〃Oh； father； have you heard about Anastasie？〃 said Delphine； when
she heard her sister speak。 〃It looks as though some strange
things had happened in that family。〃
〃What sort of things？〃 asked Goriot。 〃This is like to be the
death of me。 My poor head will not stand a double misfortune。〃
〃Good…morning； father；〃 said the Countess from the threshold。
〃Oh！ Delphine； are you here？〃
Mme。 de Restaud seemed taken aback by her sister's presence。
〃Good…morning； Nasie；〃 said the Baroness。 〃What is there so
extraordinary in my being here？ _I_ see our father every day。〃
〃Since when？〃
〃If you came yourself you would know。〃
〃Don't tease； Delphine；〃 said the Countess fretfully。 〃I am very
miserable； I am lost。 Oh！ my poor father； it is hopeless this
time！〃
〃What is it； Nasie？〃 cried Goriot。 〃Tell us all about it； child！
How white she is！ Quick； do something； Delphine； be kind to her；
and I will love you even better； if that were possible。〃
〃Poor Nasie！〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen； drawing her sister to a
chair。 〃We are the only two people in the world whose love is
always sufficient to forgive you everything。 Family affection is
the surest； you see。〃
The Countess inhaled the salts and revived。
〃This will kill me！〃 said their father。 〃There；〃 he went on；
stirring the smouldering fire； 〃come nearer； both of you。 It is
cold。 What is it； Nasie？ Be quick and tell me； this is enough
to〃
〃Well； then； my husband knows everything；〃 said the Countess。
〃Just imagine it； do you remember； father； that bill of Maxime's
some time ago？ Well； that was not the first。 I had paid ever so
many before that。 About the beginning of January M。 de Trailles
seemed very much troubled。 He said nothing to me； but it is so
easy to read the hearts of those you love； a mere trifle is
enough； and then you feel things instinctively。 Indeed； he was
more tender and affectionate than ever； and I was happier than I
had ever been before。 Poor Maxime！ in himself he was really
saying good…bye to me； so he has told me since； he meant to blow
his brains out！ At last I worried him so； and begged and implored
so hard； for two hours I knelt at his knees and prayed and
entreated； and at last he told methat he owed a hundred
thousand francs。 Oh！ papa！ a hundred thousand francs！ I was
beside myself！ You had not the money； I knew； I had eaten up all
that you had〃
〃No；〃 said Goriot； 〃I could not have got it for you unless I had
stolen it。 But I would have done that for you； Nasie！ I will do
it yet。〃
The words came from him like a sob； a hoarse sound like the death
rattle of a dying man； it seemed indeed like the agony of death
when the father's love was powerless。 There was a pause； and
neither of the sisters spoke。 It must have been selfishness
indeed that could hear unmoved that cry of anguish that； like a
pebble thrown over a precipice； revealed the depths of his
despair。
〃I found the money； father； by selling what was not mine to
sell；〃 and the Countess burst into tears。
Delphine was touched； she laid her head on her sister's shoulder；
and cried too。
〃Then it is all true；〃 she said。
Anastasie bowed her head； Mme。 de Nucingen flung her arms about
her； kissed her tenderly； and held her sister to her heart。
〃I shall always love you and never judge you； Nasie；〃 she said。
〃My angels；〃 murmured Goriot faintly。 〃Oh； why should it be
trouble that draws you together？〃
This warm and palpitating affection