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in thought in a corner； and laid a hand on the young man's arm。
〃Come；〃 he said； with gladness in his eyes。
〃Then you haven't heard the news？〃 said Eugene。 〃Vautrin was an
escaped convict； they have just arrested him； and young Taillefer
is dead。〃
〃Very well； but what business is it of ours？〃 replied Father
Goriot。 〃I am going to dine with my daughter in YOUR HOUSE； do
you understand？ She is expecting you。 Come！〃
He carried off Rastignac with him by main force； and they
departed in as great a hurry as a pair of eloping lovers。
〃Now； let us have dinner；〃 cried the painter； and every one drew
his chair to the table。
〃Well； I never；〃 said the portly Sylvie。 〃Nothing goes right to…
day！ The haricot mutton has caught！ Bah！ you will have to eat it；
burned as it is； more's the pity！〃
Mme。 Vauquer was so dispirited that she could not say a word as
she looked round the table and saw only ten people where eighteen
should be； but every one tried to comfort and cheer her。 At first
the dinner contingent； as was natural； talked about Vautrin and
the day's events； but the conversation wound round to such topics
of interest as duels； jails； justice； prison life； and
alterations that ought to be made in the laws。 They soon wandered
miles away from Jacques Collin and Victorine and her brother。
There might be only ten of them； but they made noise enough for
twenty； indeed； there seemed to be more of them than usual； that
was the only difference between yesterday and to…day。
Indifference to the fate of others is a matter of course in this
selfish world； which； on the morrow of tragedy； seeks among the
events of Paris for a fresh sensation for its daily renewed
appetite； and this indifference soon gained the upper hand。 Mme。
Vauquer herself grew calmer under the soothing influence of hope；
and the mouthpiece of hope was the portly Sylvie。
That day had gone by like a dream for Eugene； and the sense of
unreality lasted into the evening； so that； in spite of his
energetic character and clear…headedness； his ideas were a chaos
as he sat beside Goriot in the cab。 The old man's voice was full
of unwonted happiness； but Eugene had been shaken by so many
emotions that the words sounded in his ears like words spoken in
a dream。
〃It was finished this morning！ All three of us are going to dine
there together； together！ Do you understand？ I have not dined
with my Delphine； my little Delphine； these four years； and I
shall have her for a whole evening！ We have been at your lodging
the whole time since morning。 I have been working like a porter
in my shirt sleeves； helping to carry in the furniture。 Aha！ you
don't know what pretty ways she has； at table she will look after
me； 'Here； papa； just try this； it is nice。' And I shall not be
able to eat。 Oh； it is a long while since I have been with her in
quiet every…day life as we shall have her。〃
〃It really seems as if the world has been turned upside down。〃
〃Upside down？〃 repeated Father Goriot。 〃Why； the world has never
been so right…side up。 I see none but smiling faces in the
streets； people who shake hands cordially and embrace each other；
people who all look as happy as if they were going to dine with
their daughter； and gobble down a nice little dinner that she
went with me to order of the chef at the Cafe des Anglais。 But；
pshaw！ with her beside you gall and wormwood would be as sweet as
honey。〃
〃I feel as if I were coming back to life again；〃 said Eugene。
〃Why； hurry up there！〃 cried Father Goriot； letting down the
window in front。 〃Get on faster； I will give you five francs if
you get to the place I told you of in ten minutes time。〃
With this prospect before him the cabman crossed Paris with
miraculous celerity。
〃How that fellow crawls！〃 said Father Goriot。
〃But where are you taking me？〃 Eugene asked him。
〃To your own house；〃 said Goriot。
The cab stopped in the Rue d'Artois。 Father Goriot stepped out
first and flung ten francs to the man with the recklessness of a
widower returning to bachelor ways。
〃Come along upstairs；〃 he said to Rastignac。 They crossed a
courtyard； and climbed up to the third floor of a new and
handsome house。 There they stopped before a door； but before
Goriot could ring； it was opened by Therese； Mme。 de Nucingen's
maid。 Eugene found himself in a charming set of chambers； an
ante…room； a little drawing…room； a bedroom； and a study； looking
out upon a garden。 The furniture and the decorations of the
little drawing…room were of the most daintily charming
description； the room was full of soft light； and Delphine rose
up from a low chair by the fire and stood before him。 She set her
fire…screen down on the chimney…piece； and spoke with tenderness
in every tone of her voice。
〃So we had to go in search of you； sir； you who are so slow to
understand！〃
Therese left the room。 The student took Delphine in his arms and
held her in a tight clasp； his eyes filled with tears of joy。
This last contrast between his present surroundings and the
scenes he had just witnessed was too much for Rastignac's over…
wrought nerves； after the day's strain and excitement that had
wearied heart and brain； he was almost overcome by it。
〃I felt sure myself that he loved you；〃 murmured Father Goriot；
while Eugene lay back bewildered on the sofa； utterly unable to
speak a word or to reason out how and why the magic wand had been
waved to bring about this final transformation scene。
〃But you must see your rooms；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen。 She took
his hand and led him into a room carpeted and furnished like her
own； indeed； down to the smallest details； it was a reproduction
in miniature of Delphine's apartment。
〃There is no bed；〃 said Rastignac。
〃No； monsieur；〃 she answered； reddening； and pressing his hand。
Eugene； looking at her； understood； young though he yet was； how
deeply modesty is implanted in the heart of a woman who loves。
〃You are one of those beings whom we cannot choose but to adore
for ever；〃 he said in her ear。 〃Yes； the deeper and truer love
is； the more mysterious and closely veiled it should be； I can
dare to say so； since we understand each other so well。 No one
shall learn our secret。〃
〃Oh！ so I am nobody； I suppose；〃 growled the father。
〃You know quite well that 'we' means you。〃
〃Ah！ that is what I wanted。 You will not mind me； will you？ I
shall go and come like a good fairy who makes himself felt
everywhere without being seen； shall I not？ Eh； Delphinette；
Ninette； Dedelwas it not a good idea of mine to say to you；
'There are some nice rooms to let in the Rue d'Artois； let us
furnish them for him？' And she would not hear of it！ Ah！ your
happiness has been all my doing。 I am the author of your
happiness and of your existence。 Fathers must always be giving if
they would be happy themselves； always givingthey would not be
fathers else。〃