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frenzied clasp。 〃Oh my boy！ I will be more than a father to you；
if I had God's power； I would fling worlds at your feet。 Why
don't you kiss him； Nasie？ He is not a man； but an angel； a angel
out of heaven。〃
〃Never mind her； father； she is mad just now。〃
〃Mad！ am I？ And what are you？〃 cried Mme。 de Restaud。
〃Children； children； I shall die if you go on like this；〃 cried
the old man； and he staggered and fell on the bed as if a bullet
had struck him。〃They are killing me between them；〃 he said to
himself。
The Countess fixed her eyes on Eugene； who stood stock still； all
his faculties were numbed by this violent scene。
〃Sir？ 。 。 。〃 she said； doubt and inquiry in her face； tone； and
bearing； she took no notice now of her father nor of Delphine；
who was hastily unfastening his waistcoat。
〃Madame；〃 said Eugene； answering the question before it was
asked； 〃I will meet the bill； and keep silence about it。〃
〃You have killed our father； Nasie！〃 said Delphine； pointing to
Goriot； who lay unconscious on the bed。 The Countess fled。
〃I freely forgive her；〃 said the old man； opening his eyes； 〃her
position is horrible； it would turn an older head than hers。
Comfort Nasie； and be nice to her； Delphine； promise it to your
poor father before he dies；〃 he asked； holding Delphine's hand in
a convulsive clasp。
〃Oh！ what ails you； father？〃 she cried in real alarm。
〃Nothing； nothing；〃 said Goriot； 〃it will go off。 There is
something heavy pressing on my forehead； a little headache。 。 。 。
Ah！ poor Nasie； what a life lies before her！〃
Just as he spoke； the Countess came back again and flung herself
on her knees before him。 〃Forgive me！〃 she cried。
〃Come；〃 said her father； 〃you are hurting me still more。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 the Countess said； turning to Rastignac； 〃misery made
me unjust to you。 You will be a brother to me； will you not？〃 and
she held out her hand。 Her eyes were full of tears as she spoke。
〃Nasie；〃 cried Delphine； flinging her arms round her sister； 〃my
little Nasie； let us forget and forgive。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Nasie； 〃I shall never forget！〃
〃Dear angels；〃 cried Goriot； 〃it is as if a dark curtain over my
eyes had been raised； your voices have called me back to life。
Kiss each other once more。 Well； now； Nasie； that bill will save
you； won't it？〃
〃I hope so。 I say； papa； will you write your name on it？〃
〃There！ how stupid of me to forget that！ But I am not feeling at
all well； Nasie； so you must not remember it against me。 Send and
let me know as soon as you are out of your strait。 No； I will go
to you。 No； after all； I will not go； I might meet your husband；
and I should kill him on the spot。 And as for signing away your
property； I shall have a word to say about that。 Quick； my child；
and keep Maxime in order in future。〃
Eugene was too bewildered to speak。
〃Poor Anastasie； she always had a violent temper；〃 said Mme。 de
Nucingen； 〃but she has a good heart。〃
〃She came back for the endorsement；〃 said Eugene in Delphine's
ear。
〃Do you think so？〃
〃I only wish I could think otherwise。 Do not trust her；〃 he
answered； raising his eyes as if he confided to heaven the
thoughts that he did not venture to express。
〃Yes。 She is always acting a part to some extent。〃
〃How do you feel now； dear Father Goriot？〃 asked Rastignac。
〃I should like to go to sleep；〃 he replied。
Eugene helped him to bed； and Delphine sat by the bedside；
holding his hand until he fell asleep。 Then she went。
〃This evening at the Italiens；〃 she said to Eugene； 〃and you can
let me know how he is。 To…morrow you will leave this place；
monsieur。 Let us go into your room。Oh！ how frightful！〃 she
cried on the threshold。 〃Why； you are even worse lodged than our
father。 Eugene； you have behaved well。 I would love you more if
that were possible； but； dear boy； if you are to succeed in life；
you must not begin by flinging twelve thousand francs out of the
windows like that。 The Comte de Trailles is a confirmed gambler。
My sister shuts her eyes to it。 He would have made the twelve
thousand francs in the same way that he wins and loses heaps of
gold。〃
A groan from the next room brought them back to Goriot's bedside；
to all appearances he was asleep； but the two lovers caught the
words； 〃They are not happy！〃 Whether he was awake or sleeping；
the tone in which they were spoken went to his daughter's heart。
She stole up to the pallet…bed on which her father lay； and
kissed his forehead。 He opened his eyes。
〃Ah！ Delphine！〃 he said。
〃How are you now？〃 she asked。
〃Quite comfortable。 Do not worry about me； I shall get up
presently。 Don't stay with me； children； go； go and be happy。〃
Eugene went back with Delphine as far as her door； but he was not
easy about Goriot； and would not stay to dinner； as she proposed。
He wanted to be back at the Maison Vauquer。 Father Goriot had
left his room； and was just sitting down to dinner as he came in。
Bianchon had placed himself where he could watch the old man
carefully； and when the old vermicelli maker took up his square
of bread and smelled it to find out the quality of the flour； the
medical student； studying him closely； saw that the action was
purely mechanical； and shook his head。
〃Just come and sit over here； hospitaller of Cochin；〃 said
Eugene。
Bianchon went the more willingly because his change of place
brought him next to the old lodger。
〃What is wrong with him？〃 asked Rastignac。
〃It is all up with him； or I am much mistaken！ Something very
extraordinary must have taken place； he looks to me as if he were
in imminent danger of serous apoplexy。 The lower part of his face
is composed enough； but the upper part is drawn and distorted。
Then there is that peculiar look about the eyes that indicates an
effusion of serum in the brain； they look as though they were
covered with a film of fine dust； do you notice？ I shall know
more about it by to…morrow morning。〃
〃Is there any cure for it？〃
〃None。 It might be possible to stave death off for a time if a
way could be found of setting up a reaction in the lower
extremities； but if the symptoms do not abate by to…morrow
evening； it will be all over with him； poor old fellow！ Do you
know what has happened to bring this on？ There must have been
some violent shock； and his mind has given way。〃
〃Yes； there was；〃 said Rastignac； remembering how the two
daughters had struck blow on blow at their father's heart。
〃But Delphine at any rate loves her father；〃 he said to himself。
That evening at the opera Rastignac chose his words carefully；
lest he should give Mme。 de Nucingen needless alarm。
〃Do not be anxious about him；〃 she said； however； as soon as
Eugene began； 〃our father has really a strong constitution； but
this morning we gave him a shock。 Our whole fortunes were in
peril； so the thing was serious；