Father Goriot HonorĂ© de Balzac (love books to read .TXT) đ
- Author: Honoré de Balzac
Book online «Father Goriot HonorĂ© de Balzac (love books to read .TXT) đ». Author HonorĂ© de Balzac
Rash resolve! He did not know that M. le Comte Maxime de Trailles would wait till he was insulted, so as to fire first and kill his man. EugĂšne was a sportsman and a good shot, but he had not yet hit the bullsâs eye twenty times out of twenty-two. The young Count dropped into a low chair by the hearth, took up the tongs, and made up the fire so violently and so sulkily, that Anastasieâs fair face suddenly clouded over. She turned to EugĂšne, with a cool, questioning glance that asked plainly, âWhy do you not go?â a glance which well-bred people regard as a cue to make their exit.
EugĂšne assumed an amiable expression.
âMadame,â he began, âI hastened to call upon youâ ââ
He stopped short. The door opened, and the owner of the tilbury suddenly appeared. He had left his hat outside, and did not greet the Countess; he looked meditatively at Rastignac, and held out his hand to Maxime with a cordial âGood morning,â that astonished EugĂšne not a little. The young provincial did not understand the amenities of a triple alliance.
âM. de Restaud,â said the Countess, introducing her husband to the law student.
EugĂšne bowed profoundly.
âThis gentleman,â she continued, presenting EugĂšne to her husband, âis M. de Rastignac; he is related to Mme. la Vicomtesse de BeausĂ©ant through the Marcillacs; I had the pleasure of meeting him at her last ball.â
Related to Mme. la Vicomtesse de BeausĂ©ant through the Marcillacs! These words, on which the countess threw ever so slight an emphasis, by reason of the pride that the mistress of a house takes in showing that she only receives people of distinction as visitors in her house, produced a magical effect. The Countâs stiff manner relaxed at once as he returned the studentâs bow.
âDelighted to have an opportunity of making your acquaintance,â he said.
Maxime de Trailles himself gave EugĂšne an uneasy glance, and suddenly dropped his insolent manner. The mighty name had all the power of a fairyâs wand; those closed compartments in the southern brain flew open again; Rastignacâs carefully drilled faculties returned. It was as if a sudden light had pierced the obscurity of this upper world of Paris, and he began to see, though everything was indistinct as yet. Mme. Vauquerâs lodging-house and Father Goriot were very far remote from his thoughts.
âI thought that the Marcillacs were extinct,â the Comte de Restaud said, addressing EugĂšne.
âYes, they are extinct,â answered the law student. âMy great-uncle, the Chevalier de Rastignac, married the heiress of the Marcillac family. They had only one daughter, who married the MarĂ©chal de Clarimbault, Mme. de BeausĂ©antâs grandfather on the motherâs side. We are the younger branch of the family, and the younger branch is all the poorer because my great-uncle, the Vice-Admiral, lost all that he had in the Kingâs service. The Government during the Revolution refused to admit our claims when the Compagnie des Indes was liquidated.â
âWas not your great-uncle in command of the Vengeur before 1789?â
âYes.â
âThen he would be acquainted with my grandfather, who commanded the Warwick.â
Maxime looked at Mme. de Restaud and shrugged his shoulders, as who should say, âIf he is going to discuss nautical matters with that fellow, it is all over with us.â Anastasie understood the glance that M. de Trailles gave her. With a womanâs admirable tact, she began to smile and said:
âCome with me, Maxime; I have something to say to you. We will leave you two gentlemen to sail in company on board the Warwick and the Vengeur.â
She rose to her feet and signed to Maxime to follow her, mirth and mischief in her whole attitude, and the two went in the direction of the boudoir. The morganatic couple (to use a convenient German expression which has no exact equivalent) had reached the door, when the Count interrupted himself in his talk with EugĂšne.
âAnastasie!â he cried pettishly, âjust stay a moment, dear; you know very well thatâ ââ
âI am coming back in a minute,â she interrupted; âI have a commission for Maxime to execute, and I want to tell him about it.â
She came back almost immediately. She had noticed the inflection in her husbandâs voice, and knew that it would not be safe to retire to the boudoir; like all women who are compelled to study their husbandsâ characters in order to have their own way, and whose business it is to know exactly how far they can go without
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