father goriot(高老头)-第3章

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　yellow　ivory　handle　in　the　tips　of　his　thin　fingers；　the　outspread　skirts　of　his　threadbare　overcoat　failed　to　conceal　his　meagre　figure；　his　breeches　hung　loosely　on　his　shrunken　limbs；　the　thin；　blue…stockinged　legs　trembled　like　those　of　a　drunken　man；　there　was　a　notable　breach　of　continuity　between　the　dingy　white　waistcoat　and　crumpled　shirt　frills　and　the　cravat　twisted　about　a　throat　like　a　turkey　gobbler's；　altogether；　his　appearance　set　people　wondering　whether　this　outlandish　ghost　belonged　to　the　audacious　race　of　the　sons　of　Japhet　who　flutter　about　on　the　Boulevard　Italien。　What　devouring　kind　of　toil　could　have　so　shriveled　him？　What　devouring　passions　had　darkened　that　bulbous　countenance；　which　would　have　seemed　outrageous　as　a　caricature？　What　had　he　been？　Well；　perhaps　he　had　been　part　of　the　machinery　of　justice；　a　clerk　in　the　office　to　which　the　executioner　sends　in　his　accounts；so　much　for　providing　black　veils　for　parricides；　so　much　for　sawdust；　so　much　for　pulleys　and　cord　for　the　knife。　Or　he　might　have　been　a　receiver　at　the　door　of　a　public　slaughter…house；　or　a　sub…inspector　of　nuisances。　Indeed；　the　man　appeared　to　have　been　one　of　the　beasts　of　burden　in　our　great　social　mill；　one　of　those　Parisian　Ratons　whom　their　Bertrands　do　not　even　know　by　sight；　a　pivot　in　the　obscure　machinery　that　disposes　of　misery　and　things　unclean；　one　of　those　men；　in　short；　at　sight　of　whom　we　are　prompted　to　remark　that；　〃After　all；　we　cannot　do　without　them。〃

Stately　Paris　ignores　the　existence　of　these　faces　bleached　by　moral　or　physical　suffering；　but；　then；　Paris　is　in　truth　an　ocean　that　no　line　can　plumb。　You　may　survey　its　surface　and　describe　it；　but　no　matter　how　numerous　and　painstaking　the　toilers　in　this　sea；　there　will　always　be　lonely　and　unexplored　regions　in　its　depths；　caverns　unknown；　flowers　and　pearls　and　monsters　of　the　deep　overlooked　or　forgotten　by　the　divers　of　literature。　The　Maison　Vauquer　is　one　of　these　curious　monstrosities。

Two；　however；　of　Mme。　Vauquer's　boarders　formed　a　striking　contrast　to　the　rest。　There　was　a　sickly　pallor；　such　as　is　often　seen　in　anaemic　girls；　in　Mlle。　Victorine　Taillefer's　face；　and　her　unvarying　expression　of　sadness；　like　her　embarrassed　manner　and　pinched　look；　was　in　keeping　with　the　general　wretchedness　of　the　establishment　in　the　Rue　Nueve…Saint…Genevieve；　which　forms　a　background　to　this　picture；　but　her　face　was　young；　there　was　youthfulness　in　her　voice　and　elasticity　in　her　movements。　This　young　misfortune　was　not　unlike　a　shrub；　newly　planted　in　an　uncongenial　soil；　where　its　leaves　have　already　begun　to　wither。　The　outlines　of　her　figure；　revealed　by　her　dress　of　the　simplest　and　cheapest　materials；　were　also　youthful。　There　was　the　same　kind　of　charm　about　her　too　slender　form；　her　faintly　colored　face　and　light…brown　hair；　that　modern　poets　find　in　mediaeval　statuettes；　and　a　sweet　expression；　a　look　of　Christian　resignation　in　the　dark　gray　eyes。　She　was　pretty　by　force　of　contrast；　if　she　had　been　happy；　she　would　have　been　charming。　Happiness　is　the　poetry　of　woman；　as　the　toilette　is　her　tinsel。　If　the　delightful　excitement　of　a　ball　had　made　the　pale　face　glow　with　color；　if　the　delights　of　a　luxurious　life　had　brought　the　color　to　the　wan　cheeks　that　were　slightly　hollowed　already；　if　love　had　put　light　into　the　sad　eyes；　then　Victorine　might　have　ranked　among　the　fairest；　but　she　lacked　the　two　things　which　create　woman　a　second　timepretty　dresses　and　love…　letters。

A　book　might　have　been　made　of　her　story。　Her　father　was　persuaded　that　he　had　sufficient　reason　for　declining　to　acknowledge　her；　and　allowed　her　a　bare　six　hundred　francs　a　year；　he　had　further　taken　measures　to　disinherit　his　daughter；　and　had　converted　all　his　real　estate　into　personalty；　that　he　might　leave　it　undivided　to　his　son。　Victorine's　mother　had　died　broken…hearted　in　Mme。　Couture's　house；　and　the　latter；　who　was　a　near　relation；　had　taken　charge　of　the　little　orphan。　Unluckily；　the　widow　of　the　commissary…general　to　the　armies　of　the　Republic　had　nothing　in　the　world　but　her　jointure　and　her　widow's　pension；　and　some　day　she　might　be　obliged　to　leave　the　helpless；　inexperienced　girl　to　the　mercy　of　the　world。　The　good　soul；　therefore；　took　Victorine　to　mass　every　Sunday；　and　to　confession　once　a　fortnight；　thinking　that；　in　any　case；　she　would　bring　up　her　ward　to　be　devout。　She　was　right；　religion　offered　a　solution　of　the　problem　of　the　young　girl's　future。　The　poor　child　loved　the　father　who　refused　to　acknowledge　her。　Once　every　year　she　tried　to　see　him　to　deliver　her　mother's　message　of　forgiveness；　but　every　year　hitherto　she　had　knocked　at　that　door　in　vain；　her　father　was　inexorable。　Her　brother；　her　only　means　of　communication；　had　not　come　to　see　her　for　four　years；　and　had　sent　her　no　assistance；　yet　she　prayed　to　God　to　unseal　her　father's　eyes　and　to　soften　her　brother's　heart；　and　no　accusations　mingled　with　her　prayers。　Mme。　Couture　and　Mme。　Vauquer　exhausted　the　vocabulary　of　abuse；　and　failed　to　find　words　that　did　justice　to　the　banker's　iniquitous　conduct；　but　while　they　heaped　execrations　on　the　millionaire；　Victorine's　words　were　as　gentle　as　the　moan　of　the　wounded　dove；　and　affection　found　expression　even　in　the　cry　drawn　from　her　by　pain。

Eugene　de　Rastignac　was　a　thoroughly　southern　type；　he　had　a　fair　complexion；　blue　eyes；　black　hair。　In　his　figure；　manner；　and　his　whole　bearing　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　had　either　come　of　a　noble　family；　or　that；　from　his　earliest　childhood；　he　had　been　gently　bred。　If　he　was　careful　of　his　wardrobe；　only　taking　last　year's　clothes　into　daily　wear；　still　upon　occasion　he　could　issue　forth　as　a　young　man　of　fashion。　Ordinarily　he　wore　a　shabby　coat　and　waistcoat；　the　limp　black　cravat；　untidily　knotted；　that　students　affect；　trousers　that　matched　the　rest　of　his　costume；　and　boots　that　had　been　resoled。

Vautrin　（the　man　of　forty　with　the　dyed　whiskers）　marked　a　transition　stage　between　these　two　young　people　and　the　others。　He　was　the　kind　of　man　that　calls　forth　the　remark：　〃He　looks　a　jovial　sort！〃　He　had　broad　shoulders；　a　well…developed　chest；　muscular　arms；　and　strong　square…fisted　hands；　the　joints　of　his　fingers　were　covered　with　tufts　of　fiery　red　hair。　His　face　was　furrowed　by　premature　wrinkles；　there　was　a　certain　hardness　about　it　in　spite　of　his　bland　and　insinuating　manner。　His　bass　voice　was　by　no　means　unpleasant；　and　was　in　keeping　with　his　boisterous　laughter。　He　was　always　obliging；　always　in　good　spirits；　if　anything　went　wrong　with　one　of　the　locks；　he　would　soon　unscrew　it；　take　it　to　pieces；　file　it；　oil　and　clean　and　set　it　in　order；　and　put　it　back　in　its　place　again；　〃I　am　an　old　hand　at　it；〃　he　used　to　say。　Not　only　so；　he　knew　all　about　ships；　the　sea；　France；　foreign　countries；　men；　business；　law；　great　houses　and　prisons；there　was　nothing　that　he　did　not　know。　If　any　one　complained　rather　more　than　usual；　he　would　offer　his　services　at　once。　He　had　several　times　lent　money　to　Mme。　Vauquer；　or　to　the　boarders；　but；　somehow；　those　whom　he　obliged　felt　that　they　would　sooner　face　death　than　fail　to　repay　him；　a　certain　resolute　look；　sometimes　seen　on　his　face；　inspired　fear　of　him；　for　all　his　appearance　of　easy　good…nature。　In　the　way　he　spat　there　was　an　imperturbable　coolness　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　a　man　who　would　not　stick　at　a　crime　to　extricate　himself　from　a　false　position。　His　eyes；　like　those　of　a　pitiless　judge；　seemed　to　go　to　the　very　bottom　of　all　questions；　to　read　all　natures；　all　feelings　and　thoughts。　His　habit　of　life　was　very　regular；　he　usually　went　out　after　breakfast；　returning　in　time　for　dinner；　and　disappeared　for　the　rest　of　the　evening；　letting　himself　in　about　midnight　with　a　latch　key；　a　privilege　that　Mme。　Vauquer　accorded　to　no　other　boarder。　But　then　he　was　on　very　good　terms　with　the　widow；　he　used　to　call　her　〃mamma；〃　and　put　his　arm　round　her　waist；　a　piece　of　flattery　perhaps　not　appreciated　to　the　full！　The　worthy　woman　might　imagine　this　to　be　an　easy　feat；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　no　arm　but　Vautrin's　was　long　enough　to　encircle　her。

It　was　a　characteristic　trait　of　his　generously　to　pay　fifteen　francs　a　month　for　the　cup　of　coffee　with　a　dash　of　brandy　in　it；　which　he　took　after　dinner。　Less　superficial　observers　than　young　men　engulfed　by　the　whirlpool　of　Parisian　life；　or　old　men；　who　took　no　interest　in　anything　that　did　not　directly　concern　them；　would　not　have　stopped　short　at　the　vaguely　unsatisfactory　impression　that　Vautrin　made　upon　them。　He　knew　or　guessed　the　concerns　of　every　one　about　him；　but　none　of　them　had　been　able　to　penetrate　his　thoughts；　or　to　discover　his　occupation。　He　had　deliberately　made　his　apparent　good…nature；　his　unfailing　readiness　to　oblige；　and　his　high　spirits　into　a　barrier　between　himself　and　the　rest　of　them；　but　not　seldom　he　gave　glimpses　of　appalling　depths　of　character。　He　seemed　to　delight　in　scourging　the　upper　classes　of　society　with　the　lash　of　his　tongue；　to　take　pleasure　in　convicting　it　of　inconsistency；　in　mocking　at　law　and　order　with　some　grim　jest　worthy　of　Juvenal；　as　if　some　grudge　against　the　social　system　rankled　in　him；　as　if　there　were　some　mystery　carefully　hidden　away　in　his　life。

Mlle。　Taillefer　felt　attracted；　perhaps　unconsciously；　by　the　strength　of　the　one　man；　and　the　good　looks　of　the　other；　her　stolen　glances　and　secret　thoughts　were　divided　between　them；　but　neither　of　them　seemed　to　take　any　notice　of　her；　although　some　day　a　chance　might　alter　her　position；　and　she　would　be　a　wealthy　heiress。　For　that　matter；　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　house　who　took　any　trouble　to　investigate　the　various　chronicles　of　misfortunes；　real　or　imaginary；　related　by　the　rest。　Each　one　regarded　the　others　with　indifference；　tempered　by　suspicion；　it　was　a　natural　result　of　their　relative　positions。　Practical　assistance　not　one　could　give；　this　they　all　knew；　and　they　had　long　since　exhausted　their　stock　of　condolence　over　previous　discussions　of　their　grievances。　They　were　in　something　the　same　position　as　an　elderly　couple　who　have　nothing　left　to　say　to　each　other。　The　routine　of　existence　kept　them　in　contact；　but　they　were　parts　of　a　mechanism　which　wanted　oil。　There　was　not　one　of　them　but　would　have　passed　a　blind　man　begging　in　the　street；　not　one　that　felt　moved　to　pity　by　a　tale　of　misfortune；　not　one　who　did　not　see　in　death　the　solution　of　the　all…　absorbing　problem　of　misery　which　left　them　cold　to　the　most　terrible　anguish　in　others。

The　happiest　of　these　hapless　beings　was　certainly　Mme。　Vauquer；　who　reigned　supreme　over　this　hospital　supported　by　voluntary　contributions。　For　her；　the　little　garden；　which　silence；　and　cold；　and　rain；　and　drought　combined　to　make　as　dreary　as　an　Asian　steppe；　was　a　pleasant　shaded　nook；　the　gaunt　yellow　house；　the　musty　odors　of　a　back　shop　had　charms　for　her；　and　for　her　alone。　Those　cells　belonged　to　her。　She　fed　those　convicts　condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　life；　and　her　authority　was　recognized　among　them。　Where　else　in　Paris　would　they　have　found　wholesome　food　in　sufficient　quantity　at　the　prices　she　charged　them；　and　rooms　which　they　were　at　liberty　to　make；　if　not　exactly　elegant　or　comfortable；　at　any　r