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！
〃 'True。'
〃 'You make a sponge of me； begad！ you do。 You encourage me to go and
swell myself out in society； so that you can squeeze me when I am hard
up； but you yourselves are sponges； just as I am； and death will give
you a squeeze some day。'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃 'If there were no spendthrifts； what would become of you？ The pair
of us are like soul and body。'
〃 'Precisely so。'
〃 'Come； now； give us your hand； Grandaddy Gobseck； and be magnanimous
if this is 〃true〃 and 〃possible〃 and 〃precisely so。〃 '
〃 'You come to me；' the usurer answered coldly； 'because Girard；
Palma； Werbrust； and Gigonnet are full up of your paper； they are
offering it at a loss of fifty per cent； and as it is likely they only
gave you half the figure on the face of the bills； they are not worth
five…and…twenty per cent of their supposed value。 I am your most
obedient！ Can I in common decency lend a stiver to a man who owes
thirty thousand francs； and has not one farthing？' Gobseck continued。
'The day before yesterday you lost ten thousand francs at a ball at
the Baron de Nucingen's。'
〃 'Sir；' said the Count； with rare impudence； 'my affairs are no
concern of yours；' and he looked the old man up and down。 'A man has
no debts till payment is due。'
〃 'True。'
〃 'My bills will be duly met。'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃 'And at this moment the question between you and me is simply
whether the security I am going to offer is sufficient for the sum I
have come to borrow。'
〃 'Precisely。'
〃A cab stopped at the door； and the sound of wheels filled the room。
〃 'I will bring something directly which perhaps will satisfy you；'
cried the young man； and he left the room。
〃 'Oh！ my son；' exclaimed Gobseck； rising to his feet； and stretching
out his arms to me； 'if he has good security； you have saved my life。
It would be the death of me。 Werbrust and Gigonnet imagined that they
were going to play off a trick on me； and now； thanks to you； I shall
have a good laugh at their expense to…night。'
〃There was something frightful about the old man's ecstasy。 It was the
one occasion when he opened his heart to me； and that flash of joy；
swift though it was； will never be effaced from my memory。
〃 'Favor me so far as to stay here；' he added。 'I am armed； and a sure
shot。 I have gone tiger…hunting； and fought on the deck when there was
nothing for it but to win or die； but I don't care to trust yonder
elegant scoundrel。'
〃He sat down again in his armchair before his bureau； and his face
grew pale and impassive as before。
〃 'Ah！' he continued； turning to me； 'you will see that lovely
creature I once told you about； I can hear a fine lady's step in the
corridor； it is she； no doubt；' and； as a matter of fact； the young
man came in with a woman on his arm。 I recognized the Countess； whose
levee Gobseck had described for me； one of old Goriot's two daughters。
〃The Countess did not see me at first； I stayed where I was in the
window bay； with my face against the pane； but I saw her give Maxime a
suspicious glance as she came into the money…lender's damp； dark room。
So beautiful she was； that in spite of her faults I felt sorry for
her。 There was a terrible storm of anguish in her heart； her haughty；
proud features were drawn and distorted with pain which she strove in
vain to disguise。 The young man had come to be her evil genius。 I
admired Gobseck； whose perspicacity had foreseen their future four
years ago at the first bill which she endorsed。
〃 'Probably；' said I to myself； 'this monster with the angel face
controls every possible spring of action in her： rules her through
vanity； jealousy； pleasure； and the current of life in the world。' 〃
The Vicomtesse de Grandlieu broke in on the story。
〃Why； the woman's very virtues have been turned against her；〃 she
exclaimed。 〃He has made her shed tears of devotion； and then abused
her kindness and made her pay very dearly for unhallowed bliss。〃
Derville did not understand the signs which Mme。 de Grandlieu made to
him。
〃I confess；〃 he said； 〃that I had no inclination to shed tears over
the lot of this unhappy creature； so brilliant in society； so
repulsive to eyes that could read her heart； I shuddered rather at the
sight of her murderer； a young angel with such a clear brow； such red
lips and white teeth； such a winning smile。 There they stood before
their judge； he scrutinizing them much as some fifteenth…century
Dominican inquisitor might have peered into the dungeons of the Holy
Office while the torture was administered to two Moors。
〃The Countess spoke tremulously。 'Sir；' she said； 'is there any way of
obtaining the value of these diamonds； and of keeping the right of
repurchase？' She held out a jewel…case。
〃 'Yes； madame；' I put in； and came forwards。
〃She looked at me； and a shudder ran through her as she recognized me；
and gave me the glance which means； 'Say nothing of this；' all the
world over。
〃 'This；' said I； 'constitutes a sale with faculty of redemption； as
it is called； a formal agreement to transfer and deliver over a piece
of property； either real estate or personalty； for a given time； on
the expiry of which the previous owner recovers his title to the
property in question； upon payment of a stipulated sum。'
〃She breathed more freely。 The Count looked black； he had grave doubts
whether Gobseck would lend very much on the diamonds after such a fall
in their value。 Gobseck； impassive as ever； had taken up his
magnifying glass； and was quietly scrutinizing the jewels。 If I were
to live for a hundred years； I should never forget the sight of his
face at that moment。 There was a flush in his pale cheeks； his eyes
seemed to have caught the sparkle of the stones； for there was an
unnatural glitter in them。 He rose and went to the light； holding the
diamonds close to his toothless mouth； as if he meant to devour them；
mumbling vague words over them； holding up bracelets； sprays；
necklaces； and tiaras one after another； to judge their water；
whiteness； and cutting； taking them out of the jewel…case and putting
them in again； letting the play of the light bring out all their
fires。 He was more like a child than an old man； or； rather； childhood
and dotage seemed to meet in him。
〃 'Fine stones！ The set would have fetched three hundred thousand
francs before the Revolution。 What water！ Genuine Asiatic diamonds
from Golconda or Visapur。 Do you know what they are worth？ No； no； no
one in Paris but Gobseck can appreciate them。 In the time of the
Empire such a set would have cost another two hundred thousand
francs！'
〃He gave a disgusted shrug； and added：
〃 'But now diamonds are going down in value every day。 The Brazilians
have swamped the market with them since the Peace； but the Indian
stones are a better color。 Others wear them now besides court ladies。
Does madame go to court？'
〃While he flung out these terrible words； he examined one stone after
another with delight which no words can describe。
〃 'Flawless！' he said。 'Here is a speck！ 。 。 。 here is a flaw！ 。 。 。 A
fine stone that！'
〃His haggard face was so lighted up by the sparkling jewels； that it
put me in mind of a dingy old mirror； such as you see in country inns。
The glass receives every luminous image without reflecting the light；
and a traveler bold enough to look for his face in it beholds a man in
an apoplectic fit。
〃 'Well？' asked the Count； clapping Gobseck on the shoulder。
〃The old boy trembled。 He put down his playthings on his bureau； took
his seat； and was a money…lender once morehard； cold； and polished
as a marble column。
〃 'How much do you want？'
〃 'One hundred thousand francs for three years；' said the Count。
〃 'That is possible；' said Gobseck； and then from a mahogany box
（Gobseck's jewel…case） he drew out a faultlessly adjusted pair of
scales！
〃He weighed the diamonds； calculating the value of stones and setting
at sight （Heaven knows how！）； delight and severity struggling in the
expression of his face the meanwhile。 The Countess had plunged in a
kind of stupor； to me； watching her； it seemed that she was fathoming
the depths of the abyss into which she had fallen。 There was remorse
still left in that woman's soul。 Perhaps a hand held out in human
charity might save her。 I would try。
〃 'Are the diamonds your personal property； madame？' I asked in a
clear voice。
〃 'Yes； monsieur；' she said； looking at me with proud eyes。
〃 'Make out the deed of purchase with power of redemption；
chatterbox；' said Gobseck to me； resigning his chair at the bureau in
my favor。
〃 'Madame is without doubt a married woman？' I tried again。
〃She nodded abruptly。
〃 'Then I will not draw up the deed；' said I。
〃 'And why not？' asked Gobseck。
〃 'Why not？' e