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need be distressed on my account。 It is all my own fault； I
taught them to trample upon me。 I loved to have it so。 It is no
one's affair but mine； man's justice and God's justice have
nothing to do in it。 God would be unjust if He condemned them for
anything they may have done to me。 I did not behave to them
properly； I was stupid enough to resign my rights。 I would have
humbled myself in the dust for them。 What could you expect？ The
most beautiful nature； the noblest soul； would have been spoiled
by such indulgence。 I am a wretch； I am justly punished。 I； and I
only； am to blame for all their sins； I spoiled them。 To…day they
are as eager for pleasure as they used to be for sugar…plums。
When they were little girls I indulged them in every whim。 They
had a carriage of their own when they were fifteen。 They have
never been crossed。 I am guilty； and not theybut I sinned
through love。
〃My heart would open at the sound of their voices。 I can hear
them； they are coming。 Yes！ yes！ they are coming。 The law demands
that they should be present at their father's deathbed； the law
is on my side。 It would only cost them the hire of a cab。 I would
pay that。 Write to them； tell them that I have millions to leave
to them！ On my word of honor； yes。 I am going to manufacture
Italian paste foods at Odessa。 I understand the trade。 There are
millions to be made in it。 Nobody has thought of the scheme as
yet。 You see； there will be no waste； no damage in transit； as
there always is with wheat and flour。 Hey！ hey！ and starch too；
there are millions to be made in the starch trade！ You will not
be telling a lie。 Millions； tell them； and even if they really
come because they covet the money； I would rather let them
deceive me； and I shall see them in any case。 I want my children！
I gave them life； they are mine； mine！〃 and he sat upright。 The
head thus raised； with its scanty white hair； seemed to Eugene
like a threat； every line that could still speak spoke of menace。
〃There； there； dear father；〃 said Eugene； 〃lie down again； I will
write to them at once。 As soon as Bianchon comes back I will go
for them myself； if they do not come before。〃
〃If they do not come？〃 repeated the old man； sobbing。 〃Why； I
shall be dead before then； I shall die in a fit of rage； of rage！
Anger is getting the better of me。 I can see my whole life at
this minute。 I have been cheated！ They do not love methey have
never loved me all their lives！ It is all clear to me。 They have
not come； and they will not come。 The longer they put off their
coming； the less they are likely to give me this joy。 I know
them。 They have never cared to guess my disappointments； my
sorrows； my wants； they never cared to know my life； they will
have no presentiment of my death； they do not even know the
secret of my tenderness for them。 Yes； I see it all now。 I have
laid my heart open so often； that they take everything I do for
them as a matter of course。 They might have asked me for the very
eyes out of my head and I would have bidden them to pluck them
out。 They think that all fathers are like theirs。 You should
always make your value felt。 Their own children will avenge me。
Why； for their own sakes they should come to me！ Make them
understand that they are laying up retribution for their own
deathbeds。 All crimes are summed up in this one。 。 。 。 Go to
them； just tell them that if they stay away it will be parricide！
There is enough laid to their charge already without adding that
to the list。 Cry aloud as I do now； 'Nasie！ Delphine！ here！ Come
to your father； the father who has been so kind to you is lying
ill！'Not a sound； no one comes！ Then am I do die like a dog？
This is to be my rewardI am forsaken at the last。 They are
wicked； heartless women； curses on them； I loathe them。 I shall
rise at night from my grave to curse them again； for； after all；
my friends； have I done wrong？ They are behaving very badly to
me； eh？ 。 。 。 What am I saying？ Did you not tell me just now that
Delphine is in the room？ She is more tender…hearted than her
sister。 。 。 。 Eugene； you are my son； you know。 You will love
her； be a father to her！ Her sister is very unhappy。 And there
are their fortunes！ Ah； God！ I am dying； this anguish is almost
more than I can bear！ Cut off my head； leave me nothing but my
heart。〃
〃Christophe！〃 shouted Eugene； alarmed by the way in which the old
man moaned； and by his cries； 〃go for M。 Bianchon； and send a cab
here for me。I am going to fetch them； dear father； I will bring
them back to you。〃
〃Make them come！ Compel them to come！ Call out the Guard； the
military； anything and everything； but make them come！〃 He looked
at Eugene； and a last gleam of intelligence shone in his eyes。
〃Go to the authorities； to the Public Prosecutor； let them bring
them here； come they shall！〃
〃But you have cursed them。〃
〃Who said that！〃 said the old man in dull amazement。 〃You know
quite well that I love them； I adore them！ I shall be quite well
again if I can see them。 。 。 。 Go for them； my good neighbor； my
dear boy； you are kind…hearted； I wish I could repay you for your
kindness； but I have nothing to give you now； save the blessing
of a dying man。 Ah！ if I could only see Delphine； to tell her to
pay my debt to you。 If the other cannot come； bring Delphine to
me at any rate。 Tell her that unless she comes； you will not love
her any more。 She is so fond of you that she will come to me
then。 Give me something to drink！ There is a fire in my bowels。
Press something against my forehead！ If my daughters would lay
their hands there； I think I should get better。 。 。 。 MON DIEU！
who will recover their money for them when I am gone？ 。 。 。 I
will manufacture vermicelli out in Odessa； I will go to Odessa
for their sakes。〃
〃Here is something to drink；〃 said Eugene； supporting the dying
man on his left arm； while he held a cup of tisane to Goriot's
lips。
〃How you must love your own father and mother！〃 said the old man；
and grasped the student's hand in both of his。 It was a feeble；
trembling grasp。 〃I am going to die； I shall die without seeing
my daughters； do you understand？ To be always thirsting； and
never to drink； that has been my life for the last ten years。 。 。 。
I have no daughters； my sons…in…law killed them。 No； since
their marriages they have been dead to me。 Fathers should
petition the Chambers to pass a law against marriage。 If you love
your daughters； do not let them marry。 A son…in…law is a rascal
who poisons a girl's mind and contaminates her whole nature。 Let
us have no more marriages！ It robs us of our daughters； we are
left alone upon our deathbeds； and they are not with us then。
They ought to pass a law for dying fathers。 This is awful！ It
cries for vengeance！ They cannot come； because my sons…in…law
forbid them！ 。 。 。 Kill them！ 。 。 。 Restaud and the Alsatian；
kill them both！ They have murdered me between them！ 。 。 。 Death
or my daughters！ 。 。 。 Ah！ it is too late； I am dying； and they
are not here！ 。 。 。 Dying without them！ 。 。 。 Nasie！ Fifine！ Why
do you not come to me？ Your papa is going〃
〃Dear Father Goriot； calm yourself。 There； there； lie quietly and
rest； don't worry yourself； don't think。〃
〃I shall not see them。 Oh！ the agony of it！〃
〃You SHALL see them。〃
〃Really？〃 cried the old man； still wandering。 〃Oh！ shall I see
them； I shall see them and hear their voices。 I shall die happy。
Ah！ well； after all； I do not wish to live； I cannot stand this
much longer； this pain that grows worse and worse。 But； oh！ to
see them； to touch their dressesah！ nothing but their dresses；
that is very little； still； to feel something that belongs to
them。 Let me touch their hair with my fingers 。 。 。 their
hair 。 。 。〃
His head fell back on the pillow； as if a sudden heavy blow had
struck him down； but his hands groped feebly over the quilt； as
if to find his daughters' hair。
〃My blessing on them 。 。 。〃 he said； making an effort； 〃my
blessing 。 。 。〃
His voice died away。 Just at that moment Bianchon came into the
room。
〃I met Christophe；〃 he said； 〃he is gone for your cab。〃
Then he looked at the patient； and raised the closed eyelids with
his fingers。 The two students saw how dead and lustreless the
eyes beneath had grown。
〃He will not get over this； I am sure；〃 said Bianchon。 He felt
the old man's pulse； and laid a hand over his heart。
〃The machinery works still； more is the pity； in his state it
would be better for him to die。〃
〃Ah！ my word； it would！〃
〃What is the matter with you？ You are as pale as death。〃
〃Dear fellow； the moans and cries that I have just heard。 。 。 。
There is a God！ Ah！ yes； yes； there is a God； and He has made a
better world for us； or this world of ours would be a nightmare。
I could have cried like a child； but this is too tragical； and I
am sick at heart。