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〃No； the temperature and the light do not affect him now。 It
would be a good thing for him if he felt heat or cold； but we
must have a fire in any case to make tisanes and heat the other
things。 I will send round a few sticks； they will last till we
can have in some firewood。 I burned all the bark fuel you had
left； as well as his； poor man； yesterday and during the night。
The place is so damp that the water stood in drops on the walls；
I could hardly get the room dry。 Christophe came in and swept the
floor； but the place is like a stable； I had to burn juniper； the
smell was something horrible。
〃MON DIEU！〃 said Rastignac。 〃To think of those daughters of his。〃
〃One moment； if he asks for something to drink； give him this；〃
said the house student； pointing to a large white jar。 〃If he
begins to groan； and the belly feels hot and hard to the touch；
you know what to do； get Christophe to help you。 If he should
happen to grow much excited； and begin to talk a good deal and
even to ramble in his talk； do not be alarmed。 It would not be a
bad symptom。 But send Christophe to the Hospice Cochin。 Our
doctor； my chum； or I will come and apply moxas。 We had a great
consultation this morning while you were asleep。 A surgeon； a
pupil of Gall's came； and our house surgeon； and the head
physician from the Hotel…Dieu。 Those gentlemen considered that
the symptoms were very unusual and interesting； the case must be
carefully watched； for it throws a light on several obscure and
rather important scientific problems。 One of the authorities says
that if there is more pressure of serum on one or other portion
of the brain； it should affect his mental capacities in such and
such directions。 So if he should talk； notice very carefully what
kind of ideas his mind seems to run on； whether memory； or
penetration； or the reasoning faculties are exercised； whether
sentiments or practical questions fill his thoughts； whether he
makes forecasts or dwells on the past； in fact； you must be
prepared to give an accurate report of him。 It is quite likely
that the extravasation fills the whole brain； in which case he
will die in the imbecile state in which he is lying now。 You
cannot tell anything about these mysterious nervous diseases。
Suppose the crash came here；〃 said Bianchon； touching the back of
the head； 〃very strange things have been known to happen； the
brain sometimes partially recovers； and death is delayed。 Or the
congested matter may pass out of the brain altogether through
channels which can only be determined by a post…mortem
examination。 There is an old man at the Hospital for Incurables；
an imbecile patient； in his case the effusion has followed the
direction of the spinal cord； he suffers horrid agonies； but he
lives。〃
〃Did they enjoy themselves？〃 It was Father Goriot who spoke。 He
had recognized Eugene。
〃Oh！ he thinks of nothing but his daughters；〃 said Bianchon。
〃Scores of times last night he said to me； 'They are dancing now！
She has her dress。' He called them by their names。 He made me
cry； the devil take it； calling with that tone in his voice； for
'Delphine！ my little Delphine！ and Nasie！' Upon my word；〃 said
the medical student； 〃it was enough to make any one burst out
crying。〃
〃Delphine；〃 said the old man； 〃she is there； isn't she？ I knew
she was there；〃 and his eyes sought the door。
〃I am going down now to tell Sylvie to get the poultices ready；〃
said Bianchon。 〃They ought to go on at once。〃
Rastignac was left alone with the old man。 He sat at the foot of
the bed； and gazed at the face before him； so horribly changed
that it was shocking to see。
〃Noble natures cannot dwell in this world；〃 he said； 〃Mme de
Beauseant has fled from it； and there he lies dying。 What place
indeed is there in the shallow petty frivolous thing called
society for noble thoughts and feelings？〃
Pictures of yesterday's ball rose up in his memory； in strange
contrast to the deathbed before him。 Bianchon suddenly appeared。
〃I say； Eugene； I have just seen our head surgeon at the
hospital； and I ran all the way back here。 If the old man shows
any signs of reason； if he begins to talk； cover him with a
mustard poultice from the neck to the base of the spine； and send
round for us。〃
〃Dear Bianchon；〃 exclaimed Eugene。
〃Oh！ it is an interesting case from a scientific point of view；〃
said the medical student； with all the enthusiasm of a neophyte。
〃So！〃 said Eugene。 〃Am I really the only one who cares for the
poor old man for his own sake？〃
〃You would not have said so if you had seen me this morning；〃
returned Bianchon； who did not take offence at this speech。
〃Doctors who have seen a good deal of practice never see anything
but the disease； but； my dear fellow； I can see the patient
still。〃
He went。 Eugene was left alone with the old man； and with an
apprehension of a crisis that set in； in fact； before very long。
〃Ah！ dear boy； is that you？〃 said Father Goriot； recognizing
Eugene。
〃Do you feel better？〃 asked the law student； taking his hand。
〃Yes。 My head felt as if it were being screwed up in a vise； but
now it is set free again。 Did you see my girls？ They will be here
directly； as soon as they know that I am ill they will hurry here
at once； they used to take such care of me in the Rue de la
Jussienne！ Great Heavens！ if only my room was fit for them to
come into！ There has been a young man here； who has burned up all
my bark fuel。〃
〃I can hear Christophe coming upstairs；〃 Eugene answered。 〃He is
bringing up some firewood that that young man has sent you。〃
〃Good； but how am I to pay for the wood。 I have not a penny left；
dear boy。 I have given everything； everything。 I am a pauper now。
Well； at least the golden gown was grand； was it not？ （Ah！ what
pain this is！） Thanks； Christophe！ God will reward you； my boy； I
have nothing left now。〃
Eugene went over to Christophe and whispered in the man's ear； 〃I
will pay you well； and Sylvie too； for your trouble。〃
〃My daughters told you that they were coming； didn't they；
Christophe？ Go again to them； and I will give you five francs。
Tell them that I am not feeling well； that I should like to kiss
them both and see them once again before I die。 Tell them that；
but don't alarm them more than you can help。〃
Rastignac signed to Christophe to go； and the man went。
〃They will come before long；〃 the old man went on。 〃I know them
so well。 My tender…hearted Delphine！ If I am going to die； she
will feel it so much！ And so will Nasie。 I do not want to die；
they will cry if I die； and if I die； dear Eugene； I shall not
see them any more。 It will be very dreary there where I am going。
For a father it is hell to be without your children； I have
served my apprenticeship already since they married。 My heaven
was in the Rue de la Jussienne。 Eugene； do you think that if I go
to heaven I can come back to earth； and be near them in spirit？ I
have heard some such things said。 It is true？ It is as if I could
see them at this moment as they used to be when we all lived in
the Rue de la Jussienne。 They used to come downstairs of a
morning。 'Good…morning； papa！' they used to say； and I would take
them on my knees； we had all sorts of little games of play
together； and they had such pretty coaxing ways。 We always had
breakfast together； too； every morning； and they had dinner with
mein fact； I was a father then。 I enjoyed my children。 They did
not think for themselves so long as they lived in the Rue de la
Jussienne； they knew nothing of the world； they loved me with all
their hearts。 MON DIEU！ why could they not always be little
girls？ （Oh！ my head！ this racking pain in my head！） Ah！ ah！
forgive me； children； this pain is fearful； it must be agony
indeed； for you have used me to endure pain。 MON DIEU！ if only I
held their hands in mine； I should not feel it at all。Do you
think that they are on the way？ Christophe is so stupid； I ought
to have gone myself。 HE will see them。 But you went to the ball
yesterday； just tell me how they looked。 They did not know that I
was ill； did they； or they would not have been dancing； poor
little things？ Oh！ I must not be ill any longer。 They stand too
much in need of me； their fortunes are in danger。 And such
husbands as they are bound to！ I must get well！ （Oh！ what pain
this is！ what pain this is！ 。 。 。 ah！ ah！）I must get well； you
see； for they MUST have money； and I know how to set about making
some。 I will go to Odessa and manufacture starch there。 I am an
old hand； I will make millions。 （Oh！ this is agony！）〃
Goriot was silent for a moment； it seemed to require his whole
strength to endure the pain。
〃If they were here； I should not complain；〃 he said。 〃So why
should I complain now？〃
He seemed to grow drowsy with exhaustion； and lay quietly for a
long time。 Christophe came bac