a second home-第15部分

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〃Now　and　then；　master。〃

〃And　you　restore　them？〃

〃It　depends　on　the　reward　offered。〃

〃You're　the　man　for　me；〃　cried　the　Count；　giving　the　man　a　thousand…　franc　note。　〃Take　this；　but；　remember；　I　give　it　to　you　on　condition　of　your　spending　it　at　the　wineshop；　of　your　getting　drunk；　fighting；　beating　your　wife；　blacking　your　friends'　eyes。　That　will　give　work　to　the　watch；　the　surgeon；　the　druggistperhaps　to　the　police；　the　public　prosecutor；　the　judge；　and　the　prison　warders。　Do　not　try　to　do　anything　else；　or　the　devil　will　be　revenged　on　you　sooner　or　later。〃

A　draughtsman　would　need　at　once　the　pencil　of　Charlet　and　of　Callot；　the　brush　of　Teniers　and　of　Rembrandt；　to　give　a　true　notion　of　this　night…scene。

〃Now　I　have　squared　accounts　with　hell；　and　had　some　pleasure　for　my　money；〃　said　the　Count　in　a　deep　voice；　pointing　out　the　indescribable　physiognomy　of　the　gaping　scavenger　to　the　doctor；　who　stood　stupefied。　〃As　for　Caroline　Crochard！she　may　die　of　hunger　and　thirst；　hearing　the　heartrending　shrieks　of　her　starving　children；　and　convinced　of　the　baseness　of　the　man　she　loves。　I　will　not　give　a　sou　to　rescue　her；　and　because　you　have　helped　her；　I　will　see　you　no　more〃

The　Count　left　Bianchon　standing　like　a　statue；　and　walked　as　briskly　as　a　young　man　to　the　Rue　Saint…Lazare；　soon　reaching　the　little　house　where　he　resided；　and　where；　to　his　surprise；　he　found　a　carriage　waiting　at　the　door。

〃Monsieur；　your　son；　the　attorney…general；　came　about　an　hour　since；〃　said　the　man…servant；　〃and　is　waiting　for　you　in　your　bedroom。〃

Granville　signed　to　the　man　to　leave　him。

〃What　motive　can　be　strong　enough　to　require　you　to　infringe　the　order　I　have　given　my　children　never　to　come　to　me　unless　I　send　for　them？〃　asked　the　Count　of　his　son　as　he　went　into　the　room。

〃Father；〃　replied　the　younger　man　in　a　tremulous　voice；　and　with　great　respect；　〃I　venture　to　hope　that　you　will　forgive　me　when　you　have　heard　me。〃

〃Your　reply　is　proper；〃　said　the　Count。　〃Sit　down；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　chair；　〃But　whether　I　walk　up　and　down；　or　take　a　seat；　speak　without　heeding　me。〃

〃Father；〃　the　son　went　on；　〃this　afternoon；　at　four　o'clock；　a　very　young　man　who　was　arrested　in　the　house　of　a　friend　of　mine；　whom　he　had　robbed　to　a　considerable　extent；　appealed　to　you。He　says　he　is　your　son。〃

〃His　name？〃　asked　the　Count　hoarsely。

〃Charles　Crochard。〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　father；　with　an　imperious　wave　of　the　hand。

Granville　paced　the　room　in　solemn　silence；　and　his　son　took　care　not　to　break　it。

〃My　son；〃　he　began；　and　the　words　were　pronounced　in　a　voice　so　mild　and　fatherly；　that　the　young　lawyer　started；　〃Charles　Crochard　spoke　the　truth。I　am　glad　you　came　to　me　to…night；　my　good　Eugene；〃　he　added。　〃Here　is　a　considerable　sum　of　money〃and　he　gave　him　a　bundle　of　banknotes〃you　can　make　any　use　of　them　you　think　proper　in　this　matter。　I　trust　you　implicitly；　and　approve　beforehand　whatever　arrangements　you　may　make；　either　in　the　present　or　for　the　future。　Eugene　my　dear　son；　kiss　me。　We　part　perhaps　for　the　last　time。　I　shall　to…morrow　crave　my　dismissal　from　the　King；　and　I　am　going　to　Italy。

〃Though　a　father　owes　no　account　of　his　life　to　his　children；　he　is　bound　to　bequeath　to　them　the　experience　Fate　sells　him　so　dearlyis　it　not　a　part　of　their　inheritance？When　you　marry；〃　the　count　went　on；　with　a　little　involuntary　shudder；　〃do　not　undertake　it　lightly；　that　act　is　the　most　important　of　all　which　society　requires　of　us。　Remember　to　study　at　your　leisure　the　character　of　the　woman　who　is　to　be　your　partner；　but　consult　me　too；　I　will　judge　of　her　myself。　A　lack　of　union　between　husband　and　wife；　from　whatever　cause；　leads　to　terrible　misfortune；　sooner　or　later　we　are　always　punished　for　contravening　the　social　law。But　I　will　write　to　you　on　this　subject　from　Florence。　A　father　who　has　the　honor　of　presiding　over　a　supreme　court　of　justice　must　not　have　to　blush　in　the　presence　of　his　son。　Good…bye。〃



PARIS；　February　1830…January　1842。








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