酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

Father Goriot-Part11_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页


Eugene had a second time waved a magic wand when he uttered

Goriot's name, but the effect seemed to be entirely opposite to



that produced by the formula "related to Mme. de Beauseant." His

position was not unlike that of some visitor permitted as a favor



to inspect a private collection of curiosities, when by

inadvertence he comes into collision with a glass case full of



sculptured figures, and three or four heads, imperfectly secured,

fall at the shock. He wished the earth would open and swallow



him. Mme. de Restaud's expression was reserved and chilly, her

eyes had grown indifferent, and sedulously avoided meeting those



of the unlucky student of law.

"Madame," he said, "you wish to talk with M. de Restaud; permit



me to wish you good-day----"

The Countess interrupted him by a gesture, saying hastily,



"Whenever you come to see us, both M. de Restaud and I shall be

delighted to see you."



Eugene made a profound bow and took his leave, followed by M. de

Restaud, who insisted, in spite of his remonstrances, on



accompanying him into the hall.

"Neither your mistress nor I are at home to that gentleman when



he calls," the Count said to Maurice.

As Eugene set foot on the steps, he saw that it was raining.



"Come," said he to himself, "somehow I have just made a mess of

it, I do not know how. And now I am going to spoil my hat and



coat into the bargain. I ought to stop in my corner, grind away

at law, and never look to be anything but a boorish country



magistrate. How can I go into society, when to manage properly

you want a lot of cabs, varnished boots, gold watch chains, and



all sorts of things; you have to wear white doeskin gloves that

cost six francs in the morning, and primrose kid gloves every



evening? A fig for that old humbug of a Goriot!"

When he reached the street door, the driver of a hackney coach,



who had probably just deposited a wedding party at their door,

and asked nothing better than a chance of making a little money



for himself without his employer's knowledge, saw that Eugene had

no umbrella, remarked his black coat, white waistcoat, yellow



gloves, and varnished boots, and stopped and looked at him

inquiringly. Eugene, in the blind desperation that drives a young



man to plunge deeper and deeper into an abyss, as if he might

hope to find a fortunate issue in its lowest depths, nodded in



reply to the driver's signal, and stepped into the cab; a few

stray petals of orange blossom and scraps of wire bore witness to



its recent occupation by a wedding party.

"Where am I to drive, sir?" demanded the man, who, by this time,



had taken off his white gloves.

"Confound it!" Eugene said to himself, "I am in for it now, and



at least I will not spend cab-hire for nothing!--Drive to the

Hotel Beauseant," he said aloud.



"Which?" asked the man, a portentous word that reduced Eugene to

confusion. This young man of fashion, species incerta, did not



know that there were two Hotels Beauseant; he was not aware how

rich he was in relations who did not care about him.



"The Vicomte de Beauseant, Rue----"

"De Grenelle," interrupted the driver, with a jerk of his head.



"You see, there are the hotels of the Marquis and Comte de

Beauseant in the Rue Saint-Dominique," he added, drawing up the



step.

"I know all about that," said Eugene, severely.--"Everybody is



laughing at me to-day, it seems!" he said to himself, as he

deposited his hat on the opposite seat. "This escapade will cost



me a king's ransom, but, at any rate, I shall call on my so-

called cousin in a thoroughlyaristocratic fashion. Goriot has



cost me ten francs already, the old scoundrel. My word! I will

tell Mme. de Beauseant about my adventure; perhaps it may amuse



her. Doubtless she will know the secret of the criminal relation

between that handsome woman and the old rat without a tail. It



would be better to find favor in my cousin's eyes than to come in

contact with that shameless woman, who seems to me to have very



expensive tastes. Surely the beautiful Vicomtesse's personal

interest would turn the scale for me, when the mere mention of



her name produces such an effect. Let us look higher. If you set

yourself to carry the heights of heaven, you must face God."



The innumerable thoughts that surged through his brain might be

summed up in these phrases. He grew calmer, and recovered



something of his assurance as he watched the falling rain. He

told himself that though he was about to squander two of the






文章总共2页
文章标签:翻译  译文  翻译文  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号