“Quite out of the question.
He must stay where he is, and be kept as quiet as possible —”
“Dear Bianchon,” said Eugene, “we will nurse him between us.”
“I have had the head physician round from my hospital to see him.”
“And what did he say?”
“He will give no opinion till to-morrow evening.
He promised to look in again at the end of the day.
Unluckily, the preposterous creature must needs go and do something foolish this morning; he will not say what it was. He is as obstinate as a mule.
As soon as I begin to talk to him he pretends not to hear, and lies as if he were asleep instead of answering, or if he opens his eyes he begins to groan.
Some time this morning he went out on foot in the streets, nobody knows where he went, and he took everything that he had of any value with him. He has been driving some confounded bargain, and it has been too much for his strength.
One of his daughters has been here.”
“Was it the Countess?” asked Eugene.
“A tall, dark-haired woman, with large bright eyes, slender figure, and little feet?”
“Yes.”
“Leave him to me for a bit,” said Rastignac. “I will make him confess; he will tell me all about it.”
“And meanwhile I will get my dinner.
But try not to excite him; there is still some hope left.”
“All right.”
“How they will enjoy themselves to-morrow,” said Father Goriot when they were alone.
“They are going to a grand ball.”
“What were you doing this morning, papa, to make yourself so poorly this evening that you have to stop in bed?”
“Nothing.”
“Did not Anastasie come to see you?” demanded Rastignac.
“Yes,” said Father Goriot.
“Well, then, don’t keep anything from me.
What more did she want of you?”
“Oh, she was very miserable,” he answered, gathering up all his strength to speak.
“It was this way, my boy.
Since that affair of the diamonds, Nasie has not had a penny of her own.
For this ball she had ordered a golden gown like a setting for a jewel.
Her mantuamaker, a woman without a conscience, would not give her credit, so Nasie’s waiting-woman advanced a thousand francs on account.
Poor Nasie! reduced to such shifts!
It cut me to the heart to think of it!
But when Nasie’s maid saw how things were between her master and mistress, she was afraid of losing her money, and came to an understanding with the dressmaker, and the woman refuses to send the ball-dress until the money is paid.
The gown is ready, and the ball is to-morrow night! Nasie was in despair.
She wanted to borrow my forks and spoons to pawn them.
Her husband is determined that she shall go and wear the diamonds, so as to contradict the stories that are told all over Paris.
How can she go to that heartless scoundrel and say,
‘I owe a thousand francs to my dressmaker; pay her for me!’
She cannot.
I saw that myself.
Delphine will be there too in a superb toilette, and Anastasie ought not to be outshone by her younger sister.
And then — she was drowned in tears, poor girl!
I felt so humbled yesterday when I had not the twelve thousand francs, that I would have given the rest of my miserable life to wipe out that wrong.
You see, I could have borne anything once, but latterly this want of money has broken my heart.
Oh!
I did not do it by halves; I titivated myself up a bit, and went out and sold my spoons and forks and buckles for six hundred francs; then I went to old Daddy Gobseck, and sold a year’s interest on my annuity for four hundred francs down.
Pshaw! I can live on dry bread, as I did when I was a young man; if I have done it before, I can do it again.
My Nasie shall have one happy evening, at any rate.
She shall be smart.