gobseck-第5部分

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Every　one　who　comes　to　us　lets　us　into　his　neighbor's　secrets。

Thwarted　passion　and　mortified　vanity　are　great　babblers。　Vice　and

disappointment　and　vindictiveness　are　the　best　of　all　detectives。　My

colleagues；　like　myself；　have　enjoyed　all　things；　are　sated　with　all

things；　and　have　reached　the　point　when　power　and　money　are　loved　for

their　own　sake。



〃　'Here；'　he　said；　indicating　his　bare；　chilly　room；　'here　the　most

high…mettled　gallant；　who　chafes　at　a　word　and　draws　swords　for　a

syllable　elsewhere　will　entreat　with　clasped　hands。　There　is　no　city

merchant　so　proud；　no　woman　so　vain　of　her　beauty；　no　soldier　of　so

bold　a　spirit；　but　that　they　entreat　me　here；　one　and　all；　with　tears

of　rage　or　anguish　in　their　eyes。　Here　they　kneelthe　famous　artist；

and　the　man　of　letters；　whose　name　will　go　down　to　posterity。　Here；　in

short'　（he　lifted　his　hand　to　his　forehead）；　'all　the　inheritances　and

all　the　concerns　of　all　Paris　are　weighed　in　the　balance。　Are　you

still　of　the　opinion　that　there　are　no　delights　behind　the　blank　mask

which　so　often　has　amazed　you　by　its　impassiveness？'　he　asked；

stretching　out　that　livid　face　which　reeked　of　money。



〃I　went　back　to　my　room；　feeling　stupefied。　The　little；　wizened　old

man　had　grown　great。　He　had　been　metamorphosed　under　my　eyes　into　a

strange　visionary　symbol；　he　had　come　to　be　the　power　of　gold

personified。　I　shrank；　shuddering；　from　life　and　my　kind。



〃　'Is　it　really　so？'　I　thought；　'must　everything　be　resolved　into

gold？'



〃I　remember　that　it　was　long　before　I　slept　that　night。　I　saw　heaps　of

gold　all　about　me。　My　thoughts　were　full　of　the　lovely　Countess；　I

confess；　to　my　shame；　that　the　vision　completely　eclipsed　another

quiet；　innocent　figure；　the　figure　of　the　woman　who　had　entered　upon　a

life　of　toil　and　obscurity；　but　on　the　morrow；　through　the　clouds　of

slumber；　Fanny's　sweet　face　rose　before　me　in　all　its　beauty；　and　I

thought　of　nothing　else。〃







〃Will　you　take　a　glass　of　eau　sucree？〃　asked　the　Vicomtesse；

interrupting　Derville。



〃I　should　be　glad　of　it。〃



〃But　I　can　see　nothing　in　this　that　can　touch　our　concerns；〃　said　Mme。

de　Grandlieu；　as　she　rang　the　bell。



〃Sardanapalus！〃　cried　Derville；　flinging　out　his　favorite　invocation。

〃Mademoiselle　Camille　will　be　wide　awake　in　a　moment　if　I　say　that　her

happiness　depended　not　so　long　ago　upon　Daddy　Gobseck；　but　as　the　old

gentleman　died　at　the　age　of　ninety；　M。　de　Restaud　will　soon　be　in

possession　of　a　handsome　fortune。　This　requires　some　explanation。　As

for　poor　Fanny　Malvaut；　you　know　her；　she　is　my　wife。〃



〃Poor　fellow；　he　would　admit　that；　with　his　usual　frankness；　with　a

score　of　people　to　hear　him！〃　said　the　Vicomtesse。



〃I　would　proclaim　it　to　the　universe；〃　said　the　attorney。



〃Go　on；　drink　your　glass；　my　poor　Derville。　You　will　never　be　anything

but　the　happiest　and　the　best　of　men。〃



〃I　left　you　in　the　Rue　du　Helder；〃　remarked　the　uncle；　raising　his

face　after　a　gentle　doze。　〃You　had　gone　to　see　a　Countess；　what　have

you　done　with　her？〃







〃A　few　days　after　my　conversation　with　the　old　Dutchman；〃　Derville

continued；　〃I　sent　in　my　thesis；　and　became　first　a　licentiate　in　law；

and　afterwards　an　advocate。　The　old　miser's　opinion　of　me　went　up

considerably。　He　consulted　me　（gratuitously）　on　all　the　ticklish　bits

of　business　which　he　undertook　when　he　had　made　quite　sure　how　he

stood；　business　which　would　have　seemed　unsafe　to　any　ordinary

practitioner。　This　man；　over　whom　no　one　appeared　to　have　the

slightest　influence；　listened　to　my　advice　with　something　like

respect。　It　is　true　that　he　always　found　that　it　turned　out　very　well。



〃At　length　I　became　head…clerk　in　the　office　where　I　had　worked　for

three　years　and　then　I　left　the　Rue　des　Gres　for　rooms　in　my

employer's　house。　I　had　my　board　and　lodging　and　a　hundred　and　fifty

francs　per　month。　It　was　a　great　day　for　me！



〃When　I　went　to　bid　the　usurer　good…bye；　he　showed　no　sign　of　feeling；

he　was　neither　cordial　nor　sorry　to　lose　me；　he　did　not　ask　me　to　come

to　see　him；　and　only　gave　me　one　of　those　glances　which　seemed　in　some

sort　to　reveal　a　power　of　second…sight。



〃By　the　end　of　a　week　my　old　neighbor　came　to　see　me　with　a　tolerably

thorny　bit　of　business；　an　expropriation；　and　he　continued　to　ask　for

my　advice　with　as　much　freedom　as　if　he　paid　for　it。



〃My　principal　was　a　man　of　pleasure　and　expensive　tastes；　before　the

second　year　（1818…1819）　was　out　he　had　got　himself　into　difficulties；

and　was　obliged　to　sell　his　practice。　A　professional　connection　in

those　days　did　not　fetch　the　present　exorbitant　prices；　and　my

principal　asked　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　Now　an　active

man；　of　competent　knowledge　and　intelligence；　might　hope　to　pay　off

the　capital　in　ten　years；　paying　interest　and　living　respectably　in

the　meantimeif　he　could　command　confidence。　But　I　as　the　seventh

child　of　a　small　tradesman　at　Noyon；　I　had　not　a　sou　to　my　name；　nor

personal　knowledge　of　any　capitalist　but　Daddy　Gobseck。　An　ambitious

idea；　and　an　indefinable　glimmer　of　hope；　put　heart　into　me。　To

Gobseck　I　betook　myself；　and　slowly　one　evening　I　made　my　way　to　the

Rue　des　Gres。　My　heart　thumped　heavily　as　I　knocked　at　his　door　in　the

gloomy　house。　I　recollected　all　the　things　that　he　used　to　tell　me；　at

a　time　when　I　myself　was　very　far　from　suspecting　the　violence　of　the

anguish　awaiting　those　who　crossed　his　threshold。　Now　it　was　I　who　was

about　to　beg　and　pray　like　so　many　others。



〃　'Well；　no；　not　THAT；'　I　said　to　myself；　'an　honest　man　must　keep　his

self…respect　wherever　he　goes。　Success　is　not　worth　cringing　for；　let

us　show　him　a　front　as　decided　as　his　own。'



〃Daddy　Gobseck　had　taken　my　room　since　I　left　the　house；　so　as　to　have

no　neighbor；　he　had　made　a　little　grated　window　too　in　his　door　since

then；　and　did　not　open　until　he　had　taken　a　look　at　me　and　saw　who　I

was。



〃　'Well；'　said　he；　in　his　thin；　flute　notes；　'so　your　principal　is

selling　his　practice？'



〃　'How　did　you　know　that？'　said　I；　'he　has　not　spoken　of　it　as　yet

except　to　me。'



〃The　old　man's　lips　were　drawn　in　puckers；　like　a　curtain；　to　either

corner　of　his　mouth；　as　a　soundless　smile　bore　a　hard　glance　company。



〃　'Nothing　else　would　have　brought　you　here；'　he　said　drily；　after　a

pause；　which　I　spent　in　confusion。



〃　'Listen　to　me；　M。　Gobseck；'　I　began；　with　such　serenity　as　I　could

assume　before　the　old　man；　who　gazed　at　me　with　steady　eyes。　There　was

a　clear　light　burning　in　them　that　disconcerted　me。



〃He　made　a　gesture　as　if　to　bid　me　'Go　on。'　'I　know　that　it　is　not

easy　to　work　on　your　feelings；　so　I　will　not　waste　my　eloquence　on　the

attempt　to　put　my　position　before　youI　am　a　penniless　clerk；　with　no

one　to　look　to　but　you；　and　no　heart　in　the　world　but　yours　can　form　a

clear　idea　of　my　probable　future。　Let　us　leave　hearts　out　of　the

question。　Business　is　business；　and　business　is　not　carried　on　with

sentimentality　like　romances。　Now　to　the　facts。　My　principal's

practice　is　worth　in　his　hands　about　twenty　thousand　francs　per　annum；

in　my　hands；　I　think　it　would　bring　in　forty　thousand。　He　is　willing

to　sell　it　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　And　HERE；'　I　said；

striking　my　forehead；　'I　feel　that　if　you　would　lend　me　the　purchase…

money；　I　could　clear　it　off　in　ten　years'　time。'



〃　'Come；　that　is　plain　speaking；'　said　Daddy　Gobseck；　and　he　held　out

his　hand　and　grasped　mine。　'Nobody　since　I　have　been　in　business　has

stated　the　motives　of　his　visit　more　clearly。　Guarantees？'　asked　he；

scanning　me　from　head　to　foot。　'None　to　give；'　he　added　after　a　pause；

'How　old　are　you？'



〃　'Twenty…five　in　ten　days'　time；'　said　I；　'or　I　could　not　open　the

matter。'



〃　'Precisely。'



〃　'Well？'



〃　'It　is　possible。'



〃　'My　word；　we　must　be　quick　about　it；　or　I　shall　have　some　one　buying

over　my　head。'



〃　'Bring　your　certificate　of　birth　round　to…morrow　morning；　and　we

will　talk。　I　will　think　it　over。'



〃　'Next　morning；　at　eight　o'clock；　I　stood　in　the　old　man's　room。　He

took　the　document；　put　on　his　spectacles；　coughed；　spat；　wrapped

himself　up　in　his　black　greatcoat；　and　read　the　whole　certificate

through　from　beginning　to　end。　Then　he　turned　it　over　and　over；　looked

at　me；　coughed　again；　fidgeted　about　in　his　chair；　and　said；　'We　will

try　to　arrange　this　bit　of　business。'



〃I　trembled。



〃　'I　make　fifty　per　cent　on　my　capital；'　he　continued；　'sometimes　I

make　a　hundred；　two　hundred；　five　hundred　per　cent。'



〃I　turned　pale　at　the　words。



〃　'But　as　we　are　acquaintances；　I　shall　be　satisfied　to　take　twelve

and　a　half　per　cent　per（he　hesitated）'well；　yes；　from　you　I　would

be　content　to　take　thirteen　per　cent　per　annum。　Will　that　suit　you？'



〃　'Yes；'　I　answered。



〃　'But　if　it　is　too　much；　stick　up　for　yourself；　Grotius！'　（a　name　he

jokingly　gave　me）。　'When　I　ask　you　for　thirteen　per　cent；　it　is　all　in

the　way　of　business；　look　into　it；　see　if　you　can　pay　it；　I　don't　like

a　man　to　agree　too　easily。　Is　it　too　much？'



〃　'No；'　said　I；　'I　will　make　up　for　it　by　working　a　little　harder。'



〃　'Gad！　your　clients　will　pay　for　it！'　said　he；　looking　at　me　wickedly

out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。



〃　'No；　by　all　the　devils　in　hell！'　cried　I；　'it　shall　be　I　who　will

pay。　I　would　sooner　cut　my　hand　off　than　flay　people。'



〃　'Good…night；'　said　Daddy　Gobseck。



〃　'Why；　fees　are　all　according　to　scale；'　I　added。



〃　'Not　for　compromises　and　settlements　out　of　Court；　and　cases　where

litigants　come　to　terms；'　said　he。　'You　can　send　in　a　bill　for

thousands　of　francs；　six　thousand　even　at　a　swoop　（it　depends　on　the

importance　of　the　case）；　for　conferences　with　So…and…so；　and　expenses；

and　drafts；　and　memorials；　and　your　jargon。　A　man　must　learn　to　look

out　for　business　of　this　kind。　I　will　recommend　you　as　a　most

competent；　clever　attorn