按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
shall be lucky if we get there by eleven o'clock。〃
〃Madame〃
〃Quick！ not a word！〃 she cried； darting into her dressing…room
for a necklace。
〃Do go； Monsieur Eugene； or you will vex madame；〃 said Therese；
hurrying him away； and Eugene was too horror…stricken by this
elegant parricide to resist。
He went to his rooms and dressed； sad； thoughtful； and
dispirited。 The world of Paris was like an ocean of mud for him
just then； and it seemed that whoever set foot in that black mire
must needs sink into it up to the chin。
〃Their crimes are paltry；〃 said Eugene to himself。 〃Vautrin was
greater。〃
He had seen society in its three great phasesObedience；
Struggle； and Revolt； the Family； the World； and Vautrin； and he
hesitated in his choice。 Obedience was dull； Revolt impossible；
Struggle hazardous。 His thoughts wandered back to the home
circle。 He thought of the quiet uneventful life； the pure
happiness of the days spent among those who loved him there。
Those loving and beloved beings passed their lives in obedience
to the natural laws of the hearth； and in that obedience found a
deep and constant serenity； unvexed by torments such as these。
Yet； for all his good impulses； he could not bring himself to
make profession of the religion of pure souls to Delphine； nor to
prescribe the duties of piety to her in the name of love。 His
education had begun to bear its fruits； he loved selfishly
already。 Besides； his tact had discovered to him the real nature
of Delphine； he divined instinctively that she was capable of
stepping over her father's corpse to go to the ball； and within
himself he felt that he had neither the strength of mind to play
the part of mentor； nor the strength of character to vex her； nor
the courage to leave her to go alone。
〃She would never forgive me for putting her in the wrong over
it；〃 he said to himself。 Then he turned the doctor's dictum over
in his mind； he tried to believe that Goriot was not so
dangerously ill as he had imagined； and ended by collecting
together a sufficient quantity of traitorous excuses for
Delphine's conduct。 She did not know how ill her father was； the
kind old man himself would have made her go to the ball if she
had gone to see him。 So often it happens that this one or that
stands condemned by the social laws that govern family relations；
and yet there are peculiar circumstances in the case； differences
of temperament； divergent interests； innumerable complications of
family life that excuse the apparent offence。
Eugene did not wish to see too clearly； he was ready to sacrifice
his conscience to his mistress。 Within the last few days his
whole life had undergone a change。 Woman had entered into his
world and thrown it into chaos； family claims dwindled away
before her； she had appropriated all his being to her uses。
Rastignac and Delphine found each other at a crisis in their
lives when their union gave them the most poignant bliss。 Their
passion； so long proved； had only gained in strength by the
gratified desire that often extinguishes passion。 This woman was
his； and Eugene recognized that not until then had he loved her；
perhaps love is only gratitude for pleasure。 This woman； vile or
sublime； he adored for the pleasure she had brought as her dower；
and Delphine loved Rastignac as Tantalus would have loved some
angel who had satisfied his hunger and quenched the burning
thirst in his parched throat。
〃Well；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen when he came back in evening dress；
〃how is my father？〃
〃Very dangerously ill；〃 he answered； 〃if you will grant me a
proof of your affections； we will just go in to see him on the
way。〃
〃Very well；〃 she said。 〃Yes； but afterwards。 Dear Eugene； do be
nice； and don't preach to me。 Come。〃
They set out。 Eugene said nothing for a while。
〃What is it now？〃 she asked。
〃I can hear the death…rattle in your father's throat；〃 he said
almost angrily。 And with the hot indignation of youth； he told
the story of Mme。 de Restaud's vanity and cruelty； of her
father's final act of self…sacrifice； that had brought about this
struggle between life and death； of the price that had been paid
for Anastasie's golden embroideries。 Delphine cried。
〃I shall look frightful；〃 she thought。 She dried her tears。
〃I will nurse my father； I will not leave his bedside；〃 she said
aloud。
〃Ah！ now you are as I would have you；〃 exclaimed Rastignac。
The lamps of five hundred carriages lit up the darkness about the
Hotel de Beauseant。 A gendarme in all the glory of his uniform
stood on either side of the brightly lighted gateway。 The great
world was flocking thither that night in its eager curiosity to
see the great lady at the moment of her fall； and the rooms on
the ground floor were already full to overflowing； when Mme。 de
Nucingen and Rastignac appeared。 Never since Louis XIV。 tore her
lover away from La grand Mademoiselle； and the whole court
hastened to visit that unfortunate princess； had a disastrous
love affair made such a sensation in Paris。 But the youngest
daughter of the almost royal house of Burgundy had risen proudly
above her pain； and moved till the last moment like a queen in
this worldits vanities had always been valueless for her； save
in so far as they contributed to the triumph of her passion。 The
salons were filled with the most beautiful women in Paris；
resplendent in their toilettes； and radiant with smiles。
Ministers and ambassadors； the most distinguished men at court；
men bedizened with decorations； stars； and ribbons； men who bore
the most illustrious names in France； had gathered about the
Vicomtesse。
The music of the orchestra vibrated in wave after wave of sound
from the golden ceiling of the palace； now made desolate for its
queen。
Madame de Beauseant stood at the door of the first salon to
receive the guests who were styled her friends。 She was dressed
in white； and wore no ornament in the plaits of hair braided
about her head； her face was calm； there was no sign there of
pride； nor of pain； nor of joy that she did not feel。 No one
could read her soul； she stood there like some Niobe carved in
marble。 For a few intimate friends there was a tinge of satire in
her smile； but no scrutiny saw any change in her； nor had she
looked otherwise in the days of the glory of her happiness。 The
most callous of her guests admired her as young Rome applauded
some gladiator who could die smiling。 It seemed as if society had
adorned itself for a last audience of one of its sovereigns。
〃I was afraid that you would not come；〃 she said to Rastignac。
〃Madame；〃 he said； in an unsteady voice； taking her speech as a
reproach； 〃I shall be the last to go； that is why I am here。〃
〃Good；〃 she said； and she took his hand。 〃You are perhaps the
only one I can trust here among all these。 Oh； my friend； when
you love； love a woman whom you are sure that you can love
always。 Never forsake a woman。〃
She took Rastignac's arm； and went towards a sofa in the card…
room。
〃I want you to go to the Marquis；〃 she said。 〃Jacques； my
footman； will go with you； he has a letter that you will take。 I
am asking the Marquis to give my letters back to me。 He will give
them all up； I like to think that。 When you have my letters； go
up to my room with them。 Some one shall bring me word。〃
She rose to go to meet the Duchesse de Langeais； her most
intimate friend； who had come like the rest of the world。
Rastignac went。 He asked for the Marquis d'Ajuda at the Hotel
Rochefide； feeling certain that the latter would be spending his
evening there； and so it proved。 The Marquis went to his own
house with Rastignac； and gave a casket to the student； saying as
he did so； 〃They are all there。〃
He seemed as if he was about to say something to Eugene； to ask
about the ball； or the Vicomtesse； perhaps he was on the brink of
the confession that； even then； he was in despair； and knew that
his marriage had been a fatal mistake； but a proud gleam shone in
his eyes； and with deplorable courage he kept his noblest
feelings a secret。
〃Do not even mention my name to her； my dear Eugene。〃 He grasped
Rastignac's hand sadly and affectionately； and turned away from
him。 Eugene went back to the Hotel Beauseant； the servant took
him to the Vicomtesse's room。 There were signs there of
preparations for a journey。 He sat down by the fire； fixed his
eyes on the cedar wood casket； and fell into deep mournful
musings。 Mme。 de Beauseant loomed large in these imaginings； like
a goddess in the Iliad。
〃Ah！ my friend！ 。 。 。〃 said the Vicomtesse； she crossed the room
and laid her hand on Rastignac's shoulder。 He saw the tears in
his cousin's uplifted eyes； saw that one hand was raised to take
the casket； and that the fingers of the other trembled。 Suddenly
she took the casket； put it in the fire； and watc