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！
the casket； and that the fingers of the other trembled。 Suddenly
she took the casket； put it in the fire； and watched it burn。
〃They are dancing；〃 she said。 〃They all came very early； but
death will be long in coming。 Hush！ my friend；〃 and she laid a
finger on Rastignac's lips； seeing that he was about to speak。 〃I
shall never see Paris again。 I am taking my leave of the world。
At five o'clock this morning I shall set out on my journey； I
mean to bury myself in the remotest part of Normandy。 I have had
very little time to make my arrangements； since three o'clock
this afternoon I have been busy signing documents； setting my
affairs in order； there was no one whom I could send to 。 。 。〃
She broke off。
〃He was sure to be 。 。 。〃
Again she broke off； the weight of her sorrow was more than she
could bear。 In such moments as these everything is agony； and
some words are impossible to utter。
〃And so I counted upon you to do me this last piece of service
this evening；〃 she said。 〃I should like to give you some pledge
of friendship。 I shall often think of you。 You have seemed to me
to be kind and noble； fresh…hearted and true； in this world where
such qualities are seldom found。 I should like you to think
sometimes of me。 Stay；〃 she said； glancing about her； 〃there is
this box that has held my gloves。 Every time I opened it before
going to a ball or to the theatre； I used to feel that I must be
beautiful； because I was so happy； and I never touched it except
to lay some gracious memory in it： there is so much of my old
self in it； of a Madame de Beauseant who now lives no longer。
Will you take it？ I will leave directions that it is to be sent
to you in the Rue d'Artois。Mme。 de Nucingen looked very
charming this evening。 Eugene； you must love her。 Perhaps we may
never see each other again； my friend； but be sure of this； that
I shall pray for you who have been kind to me。Now； let us go
downstairs。 People shall not think that I am weeping。 I have all
time and eternity before me； and where I am going I shall be
alone； and no one will ask me the reason of my tears。 One last
look round first。〃
She stood for a moment。 Then she covered her eyes with her hands
for an instant； dashed away the tears； bathed her face with cold
water； and took the student's arm。
〃Let us go！〃 she said。
This suffering； endured with such noble fortitude； shook Eugene
with a more violent emotion than he had felt before。 They went
back to the ballroom； and Mme。 de Beauseant went through the
rooms on Eugene's armthe last delicately gracious act of a
gracious woman。 In another moment he saw the sisters； Mme。 de
Restaud and Mme。 de Nucingen。 The Countess shone in all the glory
of her magnificent diamonds； every stone must have scorched like
fire； she was never to wear them again。 Strong as love and pride
might be in her； she found it difficult to meet her husband's
eyes。 The sight of her was scarcely calculated to lighten
Rastignac's sad thougths； through the blaze of those diamonds he
seemed to see the wretched pallet…bed on which Father Goriot was
lying。 The Vicomtesse misread his melancholy； she withdrew her
hand from his arm。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃I must not deprive you of a pleasure。〃
Eugene was soon claimed by Delphine。 She was delighted by the
impression that she had made； and eager to lay at her lover's
feet the homage she had received in this new world in which she
hoped to live and move henceforth。
〃What do you think of Nasie？〃 she asked him。
〃She has discounted everything； even her own father's death；〃
said Rastignac。
Towards four o'clock in the morning the rooms began to empty。 A
little later the music ceased； and the Duchesse de Langeais and
Rastignac were left in the great ballroom。 The Vicomtesse； who
thought to find the student there alone； came back there at last。
She had taken leave of M。 de Beauseant； who had gone off to bed；
saying again as he went； 〃It is a great pity； my dear； to shut
yourself up at your age！ Pray stay among us。〃
Mme。 de Beauseant saw the Duchesse； and； in spite of herself； an
exclamation broke from her。
〃I saw how it was； Clara；〃 said Mme。 de Langeais。 〃You are going
from among us； and you will never come back。 But you must not go
until you have heard me； until we have understood each other。〃
She took her friend's arm； and they went together into the next
room。 There the Duchess looked at her with tears in her eyes； she
held her friend in close embrace and kissed her cheek。
〃I could not let you go without a word； dearest； the remorse
would have been too hard to bear。 You can count upon me as surely
as upon yourself。 You have shown yourself great this evening； I
feel that I am worthy of our friendship； and I mean to prove
myself worthy of it。 I have not always been kind； I was in the
wrong； forgive me； dearest； I wish I could unsay anything that
may have hurt you； I take back those words。 One common sorrow has
brought us together again； for I do not know which of us is the
more miserable。 M。 de Montriveau was not here to…night； do you
understand what that means？None of those who saw you to…night；
Clara； will ever forget you。 I mean to make one last effort。 If I
fail； I shall go into a convent。 Clara； where are you going？〃
〃Into Normandy； to Courcelles。 I shall love and pray there until
the day when God shall take me from this world。M。 de
Rastignac！〃 called the Vicomtesse； in a tremulous voice；
remembering that the young man was waiting there。
The student knelt to kiss his cousin's hand。
〃Good…bye； Antoinette！〃 said Mme。 de Beauseant。 〃May you be
happy。〃She turned to the student。 〃You are young；〃 she said；
〃you have some beliefs still left。 I have been privileged； like
some dying people； to find sincere and reverent feeling in those
about me as I take my leave of this world。〃
It was nearly five o'clock that morning when Rastignac came away。
He had put Mme。 de Beauseant into her traveling carriage； and
received her last farewells； spoken amid fast…falling tears； for
no greatness is so great that it can rise above the laws of human
affection； or live beyond the jurisdiction of pain； as certain
demagogues would have the people believe。 Eugene returned on foot
to the Maison Vauquer through the cold and darkness。 His
education was nearly complete。
〃There is no hope for poor Father Goriot；〃 said Bianchon； as
Rastignac came into the room。 Eugene looked for a while at the
sleeping man； then he turned to his friend。 〃Dear fellow； you are
content with the modest career you have marked out for yourself；
keep to it。 I am in hell； and I must stay there。 Believe
everything that you hear said of the world； nothing is too
impossibly bad。 No Juvenal could paint the horrors hidden away
under the covering of gems and gold。〃
At two o'clock in the afternoon Bianchon came to wake Rastignac；
and begged him to take charge of Goriot； who had grown worse as
the day wore on。 The medical student was obliged to go out。
〃Poor old man； he has not two days to live； maybe not many
hours；〃 he said； 〃but we must do our utmost； all the same； to
fight the disease。 It will be a very troublesome case； and we
shall want money。 We can nurse him between us； of course； but；
for my own part； I have not a penny。 I have turned out his
pockets； and rummaged through his drawersresult； nix。 I asked
him about it while his mind was clear； and he told me he had not
a farthing of his own。 What have you？〃
〃I have twenty francs left；〃 said Rastignac； 〃but I will take
them to the roulette table； I shall be sure to win。〃
〃And if you lose？〃
〃Then I shall go to his sons…in…law and his daughters and ask
them for money。〃
〃And suppose they refuse？〃 Bianchon retorted。 〃The most pressing
thing just now is not really money； we must put mustard
poultices； as hot as they can be made； on his feet and legs。 If
he calls out； there is still some hope for him。 You know how to
set about doing it； and besides； Christophe will help you。 I am
going round to the dispensary to persuade them to let us have the
things we want on credit。 It is a pity that we could not move him
to the hospital； poor fellow； he would be better there。 Well；
come along； I leave you in charge； you must stay with him till I
come back。〃
The two young men went back to the room where the old man was
lying。 Eugene was startled at the change in Goriot's face； so
livid； distorted； and feeble。
〃How are you； papa？〃 he said； bending over the pallet…bed。 Goriot
turned his dull eyes upon Eugene； looked at him attentively； and
did not recognize him。 It was more than the student could bear；
the tears came into his eyes。
〃Bianchon； ought we to have the curtains put up in the windows？〃
〃No； the temperature and the light do not affect him now。 It
would be a good thing for him if he felt heat or col