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are not beside me in less than two hours； I do not know whether I
could forgive such treason。〃
Rastignac took up a pen and wrote：
〃I am waiting till the doctor comes to know if there is any hope
of your father's life。 He is lying dangerously ill。 I will come
and bring you the news； but I am afraid it may be a sentence of
death。 When I come you can decide whether you can go to the
ball。Yours a thousand times。〃
At half…past eight the doctor arrived。 He did not take a very
hopeful view of the case； but thought that there was no immediate
danger。 Improvements and relapses might be expected； and the good
man's life and reason hung in the balance。
〃It would be better for him to die at once；〃 the doctor said as
he took leave。
Eugene left Goriot to Bianchon's care； and went to carry the sad
news to Mme。 de Nucingen。 Family feeling lingered in her； and
this must put an end for the present to her plans of amusement。
〃Tell her to enjoy her evening as if nothing had happened；〃 cried
Goriot。 He had been lying in a sort of stupor； but he suddenly
sat upright as Eugene went out。
Eugene； half heartbroken； entered Delphine's。 Her hair had been
dressed； she wore her dancing slippers； she had only to put on
her ball…dress； but when the artist is giving the finishing
stroke to his creation； the last touches require more time than
the whole groundwork of the picture。
〃Why； you are not dressed！〃 she cried。
〃Madame； your father〃
〃My father again！〃 she exclaimed； breaking in upon him。 〃You need
not teach me what is due to my father； I have known my father
this long while。 Not a word； Eugene。 I will hear what you have to
say when you are dressed。 My carriage is waiting； take it； go
round to your rooms and dress； Therese has put out everything in
readiness for you。 Come back as soon as you can； we will talk
about my father on the way to Mme。 de Beauseant's。 We must go
early； if we have to wait our turn in a row of carriages； we
shall be lucky if we get there by eleven o'clock。〃
〃Madame〃
〃Quick！ not a word！〃 she cried； darting into her dressing…room
for a necklace。
〃Do go； Monsieur Eugene； or you will vex madame；〃 said Therese；
hurrying him away； and Eugene was too horror…stricken by this
elegant parricide to resist。
He went to his rooms and dressed； sad； thoughtful； and
dispirited。 The world of Paris was like an ocean of mud for him
just then； and it seemed that whoever set foot in that black mire
must needs sink into it up to the chin。
〃Their crimes are paltry；〃 said Eugene to himself。 〃Vautrin was
greater。〃
He had seen society in its three great phasesObedience；
Struggle； and Revolt； the Family； the World； and Vautrin； and he
hesitated in his choice。 Obedience was dull； Revolt impossible；
Struggle hazardous。 His thoughts wandered back to the home
circle。 He thought of the quiet uneventful life； the pure
happiness of the days spent among those who loved him there。
Those loving and beloved beings passed their lives in obedience
to the natural laws of the hearth； and in that obedience found a
deep and constant serenity； unvexed by torments such as these。
Yet； for all his good impulses； he could not bring himself to
make profession of the religion of pure souls to Delphine； nor to
prescribe the duties of piety to her in the name of love。 His
education had begun to bear its fruits； he loved selfishly
already。 Besides； his tact had discovered to him the real nature
of Delphine； he divined instinctively that she was capable of
stepping over her father's corpse to go to the ball； and within
himself he felt that he had neither the strength of mind to play
the part of mentor； nor the strength of character to vex her； nor
the courage to leave her to go alone。
〃She would never forgive me for putting her in the wrong over
it；〃 he said to himself。 Then he turned the doctor's dictum over
in his mind； he tried to believe that Goriot was not so
dangerously ill as he had imagined； and ended by collecting
together a sufficient quantity of traitorous excuses for
Delphine's conduct。 She did not know how ill her father was； the
kind old man himself would have made her go to the ball if she
had gone to see him。 So often it happens that this one or that
stands condemned by the social laws that govern family relations；
and yet there are peculiar circumstances in the case； differences
of temperament； divergent interests； innumerable complications of
family life that excuse the apparent offence。
Eugene did not wish to see too clearly； he was ready to sacrifice
his conscience to his mistress。 Within the last few days his
whole life had undergone a change。 Woman had entered into his
world and thrown it into chaos； family claims dwindled away
before her； she had appropriated all his being to her uses。
Rastignac and Delphine found each other at a crisis in their
lives when their union gave them the most poignant bliss。 Their
passion； so long proved； had only gained in strength by the
gratified desire that often extinguishes passion。 This woman was
his； and Eugene recognized that not until then had he loved her；
perhaps love is only gratitude for pleasure。 This woman； vile or
sublime； he adored for the pleasure she had brought as her dower；
and Delphine loved Rastignac as Tantalus would have loved some
angel who had satisfied his hunger and quenched the burning
thirst in his parched throat。
〃Well；〃 said Mme。 de Nucingen when he came back in evening dress；
〃how is my father？〃
〃Very dangerously ill；〃 he answered； 〃if you will grant me a
proof of your affections； we will just go in to see him on the
way。〃
〃Very well；〃 she said。 〃Yes； but afterwards。 Dear Eugene； do be
nice； and don't preach to me。 Come。〃
They set out。 Eugene said nothing for a while。
〃What is it now？〃 she asked。
〃I can hear the death…rattle in your father's throat；〃 he said
almost angrily。 And with the hot indignation of youth； he told
the story of Mme。 de Restaud's vanity and cruelty； of her
father's final act of self…sacrifice； that had brought about this
struggle between life and death； of the price that had been paid
for Anastasie's golden embroideries。 Delphine cried。
〃I shall look frightful；〃 she thought。 She dried her tears。
〃I will nurse my father； I will not leave his bedside；〃 she said
aloud。
〃Ah！ now you are as I would have you；〃 exclaimed Rastignac。
The lamps of five hundred carriages lit up the darkness about the
Hotel de Beauseant。 A gendarme in all the glory of his uniform
stood on either side of the brightly lighted gateway。 The great
world was flocking thither that night in its eager curiosity to
see the great lady at the moment of her fall； and the rooms on
the ground floor were already full to overflowing； when Mme。 de
Nucingen and Rastignac appeared。 Never since Louis XIV。 tore her
lover away from La grand Mademoiselle； and