old man goriot

Chapter 29: Father's Death (1)
The next day, Goriot and Rastignac left the plebeian apartment only to wait for someone to carry their luggage.Unexpectedly, at noon, the sound of a carriage sounded on the Rue Neuve Saint-Geneviève, and a carriage stopped abruptly at the door of Vogue's apartment.Madame de Nucingen got out of the car and asked if her father was still at the apartment.Sylvie replied yes, and she hurried upstairs.Eugene was in his own room, and his neighbors did not know it.It turned out that during the meal, he had asked the old man to take the things away for him, and promised to meet in the Rue d'Artois at four o'clock.When the old man went out to look for the porter, Eugene hurried to the school to handle the roll call, and then came back quietly. He wanted to settle the bill with Madame Vauquer, and he didn't want to entrust this matter to Goriot, lest he get angry and want to replace Ou. Also paid out.The landlady is out.Eugene went upstairs to see if he had forgotten anything in the room, and he was glad that he had thought of this floor, because in the drawer of the desk he saw the unsigned IOU that had been given to Vautrin at the time, and it was on the day of repaying the money. dropped.Because there was no fire, he was about to tear the IOU into pieces when he suddenly heard Danfina's voice, so he didn't want to make a sound, and immediately stopped to listen, thinking that Danfina would not have any secrets to hide from him.After listening to it for a while, he felt that the conversation between father and daughter was of great importance, so he had to keep listening.

"Alas, father," said Danfina, "God should have given you the thought of asking my property sooner, so that I would not be at the end of my rope! May I speak?"

"Yes, there is no one in the room." Old Man Gao replied, even his voice changed.

"What is the matter with you, father?" asked Madame de Nucingen.

"You are," replied the old man, "a blow to my head. God forgive you, boy! You don't know how much I love you, and you don't blurt out such things when you know, and the matter is not yet hopeless." What is the urgent matter, you come here to see me? Aren't we all going to the Rue d'Artois soon?"

"Ah! father, don't people be at a loss when disaster strikes? I'm so frantic! Your agent has warned us that there is potential danger. We need your old business experience at once." ;I come to you now as if a man were drowning and grasping at a branch. M. de Vere, seeing Nucingen's sophistry in front of him, threatened him with an indictment, saying that the presiding judge would bring it down immediately. This morning, Nucingen came over and asked me if I wanted to go bankrupt together with him. I replied that I don't understand these things at all, that I have a property that should be in my hands, and that all negotiations are in my litigation I don't know anything about the presence of an agent, and I don't understand at all. Didn't you tell me to say so?"

"Yes." Old Man Gao replied.

"Well," Dafina said, "he explained the business situation to me. It turns out that he invested both of his funds in the business. The project has just started, and he will invest a lot of money outside. If I force him to spit out my He had to liquidate the dowry; if I waited a year, he would double or even triple my property with honor guarantee, and he would use my money to manage the real estate, and when the transaction was completed, I could control all the property .Dear father, he spoke so earnestly that I was terrified. He begged me to forgive his conduct, and set me free, promising me to do as I pleased, as long as he had sole control over the businesses in my name. He Said that in order to prove his sincerity, I could at any time ask Mr. de Vere to bring in any documents concerning my property rights, and check whether they were clearly written. In short, he handed over himself to me bound. He also demanded Be a family for another two years and beg me not to spend any money other than the amount he gave. He proved to me that all he could do was save face; Try to save as much as possible, so as to survive until the end of the speculative business, so as not to affect credit. I quarreled with him, and I didn't believe anything. I pushed him to the end, so I could learn more about the truth; he showed me the account books, and finally shed tears. I have never seen a man That look. He's in a daze, talking about committing suicide, talking crazy, poor thing."

"Just believe his nonsense," shouted old man Goriot. "He can really act! I have met Germans in business. Almost all these people are honest and honest, but once they pretend to be honest and kind, they will entrap you." People, deceive people, but they are better than anyone else. Your husband is deceiving you. He feels cornered, so he pretends to be dead; he wants to use your name, which is more convenient than himself. He wants to use this to escape Business risk. He's cunning, vicious, and a bad guy. No, no, I won't go into the Pere Lachaise cemetery when you two lose everything. I know a little bit about business. When the business is done, well, then there must be securities, bills, and contracts as evidence! Ask him to take it out and settle it with you one by one. We will choose the best projects to invest in and try our luck; To the identification papers, it says that Daphne Goriot, the wife of the Baron de Nucingen, has a separate property. Does he take us for fools, man? Does he think, think that you have no property, no Meals, I can stand two days? Even a day, a night, not even two hours! If so, I can't live. What! I have worked forty years in my life, carrying flour sacks, Sweating profusely, saving food and clothing all my life, it is for you, for my two angels, as long as I think of you, all tasks and burdens become lighter; but today, my property, my whole life is like It vanished into thin air like a light smoke! I’m so pissed off. I swear by all the gods in the sky and on the earth, we must make things clear, and check all the accounts, money, and investment projects! If there is no evidence Well, I know you have a lot of property, so I don't eat, sleep, or rest. Thank God, your property is separate, and you are represented by Lawyer Dwyer, who is a man of integrity. God knows! When you grow old, you must have your one million property and your annual income of fifty thousand francs; otherwise, I will make a mess of him in Paris, hey! Hey! If the court makes us lose, I will sue Both Houses of Congress. Knowing that you are safe and happy with your money will ease all my pains and soothe my troubles. Money is life. Money is everything. What nonsense is he talking to us, This Alsatian stake? Don't give a cent to this fat pig, Finer, he locks you up so hard and makes you so miserable. Now he needs you, all right, let's teach him a lesson Teach him to behave. God, my head is on fire, something is burning in my head. What, my Danfina sleeps on straw! Oh! My Fifi! Damn it! My gloves Well, let's go, I'm going to see everything, account books, business, money, correspondence, right now. You must know that your property is not at risk, it's true, I've seen it with my own eyes, I Only at ease."

"Dear father! Take care. If you show even the slightest bit of vindictiveness in this matter, if you show any undue hostility, I'm done. He knows you, and of course thinks that I'm afraid that the property is completely At your behest. I'll bet he's not only holding on to my property now, but he's been trying to get it for a while. He's going to take all the money and leave us alone, villain! He knows it too, and I won't I'd be ashamed of myself for going after him. He's a strong man. I've thought of everything. If I push him to the end, I'm broke."

"Is he a liar?"

"Ah! yes, father," said she, weeping and sinking in her chair, "I did not want to tell you, lest you should be grieved for marrying me to such a man! His morals, his conscience, his heart, Flesh, it's all consistent! It's terrible, I hate him and despise him. Yes, the mean Nucingen said all this to me, and I can't think of him anymore. In business, he can do what he said There is no shame in such a man; because I read his mind, I am afraid. He made it plain to me that he, my husband, would set me free. Do you know what that means? Freedom is fine, but I want to be a tool in his hands when he is unlucky, in short, I am willing to be his scapegoat."

"But there is still the law! There is also a beach square for this kind of son-in-law," Old Man Goriot shouted. "If there is no executioner, I will go up there myself and make his head move."

"No, father, there is no law against him. Put aside his superficial rhetoric and listen to what he says in his heart: 'Either it's all over, you've got nothing, and you're bankrupt, because there's nothing I can do but you Pick another partner; or you just let me get the project done.' Isn't that clear? He's stuck with me. I'm a straight woman and he's comfortable knowing I'm not going to take his property, just want to keep it My share. This kind of partnership is dishonorable, it is tantamount to stealing, and I have to agree to it in order to avoid bankruptcy. He bought my conscience at the price of allowing me to be friendly with Eugene.' I allow you to come out. Wall, then you gotta make me commit crimes and bankrupt those wretches!' Isn't that clear? Do you know what he's doing with his so-called project? He's buying up vacant land in his own name and sending a few front-office people To build a house. These people first signed installment contracts with all the contractors, then sold the house to my husband at a low price and took it into his possession; on the other hand they declared bankruptcy and dumped the cheated contractors. Nucingen Bank This sign confuses the poor builder. I understand that. I also understand that Nucingen transferred some huge securities to Amsterdam, London, Naples in order to prove that large sums of money were paid if necessary. , Vienna. How do we get it?"

Eugene heard the heavy knees of Old Man Goriot, probably kneeling on the floor of the room.

"My God, how have I offended you? The daughter has fallen into the hands of this bastard, and is at his mercy. Forgive me, child!" snapped the old man.

"Yes, I fell into the abyss, and maybe it was your fault," said Fina. "When we got married, we were so confused! Do we understand society, business, men, and character? A father should be responsible for us. Think about it. Dear father, I don't blame you for anything, please forgive me for saying that. It's all my fault. Come, don't cry, father," she said, kissing her father on the forehead.

"Don't cry, too, my little Danfina. Lift up your eyes, and let me kiss you and wipe away your tears. Good! My mind will calm down now, and I will take care of your husband's messy business." Come up with an idea."

"No, let me do it; I'll deal with him. He loves me, so I'll use my influence over him to get him to put some money in real estate quickly. Maybe I can make him use my Nucingen In the name of Madame, redeem some real estate in Alsace, which he valued. Only you will come over tomorrow to check his accounts and business. M. de Vere knows nothing about business. No, don't come tomorrow. I don't want to get angry. De Vere Mrs. Bossian's ball will be the day after tomorrow. I want to make adjustments, so that I can be beautiful and energetic there, and win honor for dear Eugene! Let's go and see his room."

At that moment a carriage stopped in the Rue Neuve Saint-Geneviève, and Madame de Restaut's voice was heard on the stairs, asking Sylvie, "Is my father there?" Eugene relieved himself, he was going to lie down on the bed and pretend to be asleep.

"Hey! Father, did anyone mention Anastasia to you?" Dafina said, recognizing her sister's voice, "It seems that something strange happened in her family too."

"What!" Old Man Gao said, "It's really killing me. Misfortunes never come singly. My poor head can't bear it."

"Good day, father," said the countess, coming in, "you! Here you are, Danfina."

Mrs. de Resto met her sister unexpectedly, looking a little reserved.

"Hello, Naxi," said the baroness, "do you find it strange that I am here? Well, I visit my father every day."

"When did it start?"

"If you come, you will know."

"Don't laugh at me, Danfina," said the Countess pitifully, "I'm unlucky, I'm ruined. Poor father! Oh! It's all over this time!"

"What's the matter, Naxi?" Old Man Gao shouted, "Although tell us all, child. Her face is pale. But Fina, hurry up, go and support her, treat her better, and do my best in the future , I will hurt you even more."

"Poor Nasi," said Madame de Nucingen, helping her sister to sit down, "tell me, you see, we are the only ones who have always loved you, and we can forgive you anything. See if there is no such thing as kinship." The most reliable." She gave the countess sniffing salts and woke up.

"I'm really going to die this time," Old Man Gao said. "Come on," he turned the fire up as he spoke, "both of you come here. I feel cold. What's the matter with you, Naxi? Tell me quickly, you're killing me..."

"Well," said the poor woman, "my husband knows all about it. Come to think of it, father, do you remember that last time Maxim's borrowed a ticket? Well, that was not the first one. I paid it back. Quite a lot. At the beginning of January, I saw M. de Trauis always sullen and said nothing in front of me; but the thoughts of the beloved are easy to see, a little sign is enough, let alone a presentiment. In short, his I was always more affectionate and gentle than ever before, and I was always happier every day. Poor Maxim! He told me that he wanted to say goodbye to me in his heart and wanted to shoot himself in the head. Anyway, I had trouble with him. Begging him, knelt before him for two hours, before he said he owed a hundred thousand francs! Oh, father, a hundred thousand francs! I'm crazy. You can't get the money, and I've spent everything... ..."

"Yes," Old Man Gao said, "I have no choice but to steal it. But I will steal it, Naxi! I will definitely go."

This sentence was said sadly, like a person's dying gasp, indicating that his father's feelings were powerless and had reached the end of the mountain; the two sisters couldn't help being stunned when they heard this.This voice of despair is like a stone thrown into an abyss, revealing its depth; is there any selfish person in the world who can listen to it and remain indifferent?
"Later I embezzled other people's things and raised money, father," said the countess, with tears streaming down her face.

But Fei Na was emotional and leaned her head on her sister's neck, and she also cried.

"Then it's all true," she said to her sister.

Anastasia lowered her head, and Madame Nucingen hugged her, kissed her affectionately, pressed her to her chest and said, "I will always have only love for you, and no judgments."

"My two little angels," said the old man feebly, "why do you have to be in trouble before you are willing to make peace?"

"In order to save Maxim's life, in a word, to save all my happiness," the countess continued after receiving this warm and touching encouragement, "I went to find that loan shark you know, a fellow made by hell, The hard-hearted Mr. Gobseck has sold all of Mr. de Restor's beloved family diamonds, his and mine. Sold! Do you understand? Maxime is saved! I am ruined. Restor knows it all."

"Who told him? What's going on? I'm going to kill this man!" Old Man Gao roared.

"Yesterday, he sent me to his house. I went... He said to me... Oh! From the sound, I guessed, 'Anastasi, where are all your diamonds?' 'It's with me.' 'No,' he said, looking at me, 'here, on my chest of drawers.' He pointed to the jewel-box covered with a handkerchief, and said: 'You know where it came from Is it?' I knelt before him... I cried and asked him how he wanted me to die."

(End of this chapter)