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Eugene to himself when the bar was nearly finished。
Father Goriot looked sadly at his handiwork； tears fell from his
eyes； he blew out the dip which had served him for a light while
he manipulated the silver； and Eugene heard him sigh as he lay
down again。
〃He is mad；〃 thought the student。
〃Poor child！〃 Father Goriot said aloud。 Rastignac； hearing those
words； concluded to keep silence； he would not hastily condemn
his neighbor。 He was just in the doorway of his room when a
strange sound from the staircase below reached his ears； it might
have been made by two men coming up in list slippers。 Eugene
listened； two men there certainly were； he could hear their
breathing。 Yet there had been no sound of opening the street
door； no footsteps in the passage。 Suddenly； too； he saw a faint
gleam of light on the second story； it came from M。 Vautrin's
room。
〃There are a good many mysteries here for a lodging…house！〃 he
said to himself。
He went part of the way downstairs and listened again。 The rattle
of gold reached his ears。 In another moment the light was put
out； and again he distinctly heard the breathing of two men； but
no sound of a door being opened or shut。 The two men went
downstairs； the faint sounds growing fainter as they went。
〃Who is there？〃 cried Mme。 Vauquer out of her bedroom window。
〃I； Mme。 Vauquer；〃 answered Vautrin's deep bass voice。 〃I am
coming in。〃
〃That is odd！ Christophe drew the bolts；〃 said Eugene； going back
to his room。 〃You have to sit up at night； it seems； if you
really mean to know all that is going on about you in Paris。〃
These incidents turned his thought from his ambitious dreams； he
betook himself to his work； but his thought wandered back to
Father Goriot's suspicious occupation； Mme。 de Restaud's face
swam again and again before his eyes like a vision of a brilliant
future； and at last he lay down and slept with clenched fists。
When a young man makes up his mind that he will work all night；
the chances are that seven times out of ten he will sleep till
morning。 Such vigils do not begin before we are turned twenty。
The next morning Paris was wrapped in one of the dense fogs that
throw the most punctual people out in their calculations as to
the time； even the most business…like folk fail to keep their
appointments in such weather； and ordinary mortals wake up at
noon and fancy it is eight o'clock。 On this morning it was half…
past nine； and Mme。 Vauquer still lay abed。 Christophe was late；
Sylvie was late； but the two sat comfortably taking their coffee
as usual。 It was Sylvie's custom to take the cream off the milk
destined for the boarders' breakfast for her own； and to boil the
remainder for some time； so that madame should not discover this
illegal exaction。
〃Sylvie；〃 said Christophe； as he dipped a piece of toast into the
coffee； 〃M。 Vautrin； who is not such a bad sort； all the same；
had two people come to see him again last night。 If madame says
anything； mind you say nothing about it。〃
〃Has he given you something？〃
〃He gave me a five…franc piece this month； which is as good as
saying； 'Hold your tongue。' 〃
〃Except him and Mme。 Couture； who doesn't look twice at every
penny； there's no one in the house that doesn't try to get back
with the left hand all that they give with the right at New
Year；〃 said Sylvie。
〃And； after all；〃 said Christophe； 〃what do they give you？ A
miserable five…franc piece。 There is Father Goriot； who has
cleaned his shoes himself these two years past。 There is that old
beggar Poiret； who goes without blacking altogether； he would
sooner drink it than put it on his boots。 Then there is that
whipper…snapper of a student； who gives me a couple of francs；
Two francs will not pay for my brushes； and he sells his old
clothes； and gets more for them than they are worth。 Oh！ they're
a shabby lot！〃
〃Pooh！〃 said Sylvie； sipping her coffee； 〃our places are the best
in the Quarter； that I know。 But about that great big chap
Vautrin； Christophe； has any one told you anything about him？〃
〃Yes。 I met a gentleman in the street a few days ago； he said to
me； 'There's a gentleman in your place； isn't there？ a tall man
that dyes his whiskers？' I told him； 'No； sir； they aren't dyed。
A gay fellow like him hasn't the time to do it。' And when I told
M。 Vautrin about it afterwards； he said； 'Quite right； my boy。
That is the way to answer them。 There is nothing more unpleasant
than to have your little weaknesses known； it might spoil many a
match。' 〃
〃Well； and for my part；〃 said Sylvie； 〃a man tried to humbug me
at the market wanting to know if I had seen him put on his shirt。
Such bosh！ There；〃 she cried； interrupting herself； 〃that's a
quarter to ten striking at the Val…de…Grace； and not a soul
stirring！〃
〃Pooh！ they are all gone out。 Mme。 Couture and the girl went out
at eight o'clock to take the wafer at Saint…Etienne。 Father
Goriot started off somewhere with a parcel； and the student won't
be back from his lecture till ten o'clock。 I saw them go while I
was sweeping the stairs； Father Goriot knocked up against me； and
his parcel was as hard as iron。 What is the old fellow up to； I
wonder？ He is as good as a plaything for the rest of them； they
can never let him alone； but he is a good man； all the same； and
worth more than all of them put together。 He doesn't give you
much himself； but he sometimes sends you with a message to ladies
who fork out famous tips； they are dressed grandly； too。〃
〃His daughters； as he calls them； eh？ There are a dozen of them。〃
〃I have never been to more than twothe two who came here。〃
〃There is madame moving overhead； I shall have to go； or she will
raise a fine racket。 Just keep an eye on the milk； Christophe；
don't let the cat get at it。〃
Sylvie went up to her mistress' room。
〃Sylvie！ How is this？ It's nearly ten o'clock； and you let me
sleep like a dormouse！ Such a thing has never happened before。〃
〃It's the fog； it is that thick； you could cut it with a knife。〃
〃But how about breakfast？〃
〃Bah！ the boarders are possessed； I'm sure。 They all cleared out
before there was a wink of daylight。〃
〃Do speak properly； Sylvie；〃 Mme。 Vauquer retorted； 〃say a blink
of daylight。〃
〃Ah； well； madame； whichever you please。 Anyhow； you can have
breakfast at ten o'clock。 La Michonnette and Poiret have neither
of them stirred。 There are only those two upstairs； and they are
sleeping like the logs they are。〃
〃But； Sylvie； you put their names together as if〃
〃As if what？〃 said Sylvie； bursting into a guffaw。 〃The two of
them make a pair。〃
〃It is a strange thing； isn't it； Sylvie； how M。 Vautrin got in
last night after Christophe had bolted the door？〃
〃Not at all； madame。 Christophe heard M。 Vautrin； and went down
and undid the door。 And here are you imagining that？〃
〃Give me my bodice； and be