yet；　however　vile　his　life　might　be；　the　feeling　of　repulsion
  which　he　aroused　in　others　was　not　so　strong　that　he　must　be
  banished　from　their　societyhe　paid　his　way。　Besides；　Goriot　had
  his　uses；　every　one　vented　his　spleen　or　sharpened　his　wit　on
  him；　he　was　pelted　with　jokes　and　belabored　with　hard　words。　The
  general　consensus　of　opinion　was　in　favor　of　a　theory　which
  seemed　the　most　likely；　this　was　Mme。　Vauquer's　view。　According
  to　her；　the　man　so　well　preserved　at　his　time　of　life；　as　sound
  as　her　eyesight；　with　whom　a　woman　might　be　very　happy；　was　a
  libertine　who　had　strange　tastes。　These　are　the　facts　upon　which
  Mme。　Vauquer's　slanders　were　based。
  Early　one　morning；　some　few　months　after　the　departure　of　the
  unlucky　Countess　who　had　managed　to　live　for　six　months　at　the
  widow's　expense；　Mme。　Vauquer　（not　yet　dressed）　heard　the　rustle
  of　a　silk　dress　and　a　young　woman's　light　footstep　on　the　stair；
  some　one　was　going　to　Goriot's　room。　He　seemed　to　expect　the
  visit；　for　his　door　stood　ajar。　The　portly　Sylvie　presently　came
  up　to　tell　her　mistress　that　a　girl　too　pretty　to　be　honest；
  〃dressed　like　a　goddess；〃　and　not　a　speck　of　mud　on　her　laced
  cashmere　boots；　had　glided　in　from　the　street　like　a　snake；　had
  found　the　kitchen；　and　asked　for　M。　Goriot's　room。　Mme。　Vauquer
  and　the　cook；　listening；　overheard　several　words　affectionately
  spoken　during　the　visit；　which　lasted　for　some　time。　When　M。
  Goriot　went　downstairs　with　the　lady；　the　stout　Sylvie　forthwith
  took　her　basket　and　followed　the　lover…like　couple；　under　pretext
  of　going　to　do　her　marketing。
  〃M。　Goriot　must　be　awfully　rich；　all　the　same；　madame；〃　she
  reported　on　her　return；　〃to　keep　her　in　such　style。　Just　imagine
  it！　There　was　a　splendid　carriage　waiting　at　the　corner　of　the
  Place　de　l'Estrapade；　and　SHE　got　into　it。〃
  While　they　were　at　dinner　that　evening；　Mme。　Vauquer　went　to　the
  window　and　drew　the　curtain；　as　the　sun　was　shining　into　Goriot's
  eyes。
  〃You　are　beloved　of　fair　ladies；　M。　Goriotthe　sun　seeks　you
  out；〃　she　said；　alluding　to　his　visitor。　〃Peste！　you　have　good
  taste；　she　was　very　pretty。〃
  〃That　was　my　daughter；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　pride　in　his
  voice；　and　the　rest　chose　to　consider　this　as　the　fatuity　of　an
  old　man　who　wishes　to　save　appearances。
  A　month　after　this　visit　M。　Goriot　received　another。　The　same
  daughter　who　had　come　to　see　him　that　morning　came　again　after
  dinner；　this　time　in　evening　dress。　The　boarders；　in　deep
  discussion　in　the　dining…room；　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　lovely；
  fair…haired　woman；　slender；　graceful；　and　much　too　distinguished…
  looking　to　be　a　daughter　of　Father　Goriot's。
  〃Two　of　them！〃　cried　the　portly　Sylvie；　who　did　not　recognize　the
  lady　of　the　first　visit。
  A　few　days　later；　and　another　young　ladya　tall；　well…moulded
  brunette；　with　dark　hair　and　bright　eyescame　to　ask　for　M。
  Goriot。
  〃Three　of　them！〃　said　Sylvie。
  Then　the　second　daughter；　who　had　first　come　in　the　morning　to
  see　her　father；　came　shortly　afterwards　in　the　evening。　She　wore
  a　ball　dress；　and　came　in　a　carriage。
  〃Four　of　them！〃　commented　Mme。　Vauquer　and　her　plump　handmaid。
  Sylvie　saw　not　a　trace　of　resemblance　between　this　great　lady　and
  the　girl　in　her　simple　morning　dress　who　had　entered　her　kitchen
  on　the　occasion　of　her　first　visit。
  At　that　time　Goriot　was　paying　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　to
  his　landlady；　and　Mme。　Vauquer　saw　nothing　out　of　the　common　in
  the　fact　that　a　rich　man　had　four　or　five　mistresses；　nay；　she
  thought　it　very　knowing　of　him　to　pass　them　off　as　his　daughters。
  She　was　not　at　all　inclined　to　draw　a　hard…and…fast　line；　or　to
  take　umbrage　at　his　sending　for　them　to　the　Maison　Vauquer；　yet；
  inasmuch　as　these　visits　explained　her　boarder's　indifference　to
  her；　she　went　so　far　（at　the　end　of　the　second　year）　as　to　speak
  of　him　as　an　〃ugly　old　wretch。〃　When　at　length　her　boarder
  declined　to　nine　hundred　francs　a　year；　she　asked　him　very
  insolently　what　he　took　her　house　to　be；　after　meeting　one　of
  these　ladies　on　he　stairs。　Father　Goriot　answered　that　the　lady
  was　his　eldest　daughter。
  〃So　you　have　two　or　three　dozen　daughters；　have　you？〃　said　Mme。
  Vauquer　sharply。
  〃I　have　only　two；〃　her　boarder　answered　meekly；　like　a　ruined　man
  who　is　broken　in　to　all　the　cruel　usage　of　misfortune。
  Towards　the　end　of　the　third　year　Father　Goriot　reduced　his
  expenses　still　further；　he　went　up　to　the　third　story；　and　now
  paid　forty…five　francs　a　month。　He　did　without　snuff；　told　his
  hairdresser　that　he　no　longer　required　his　services；　and　gave　up
  wearing　powder。　When　Goriot　appeared　for　the　first　time　in　this
  condition；　an　exclamation　of　astonishment　broke　from　his　hostess
  at　the　color　of　his　haira　dingy　olive　gray。　He　had　grown　sadder
  day　by　day　under　the　influence　of　some　hidden　trouble；　among　all
  the　faces　round　the　table；　his　was　the　most　woe…begone。　There　was
  no　longer　any　doubt。　Goriot　was　an　elderly　libertine；　whose　eyes
  had　only　been　preserved　by　the　skill　of　the　physician　from　the
  malign　influence　of　the　remedies　necessitated　by　the　state　of　his
  health。　The　disgusting　color　of　his　hair　was　a　result　of　his
  excesses　and　of　the　drugs　which　he　had　taken　that　he　might
  continue　his　career。　The　poor　old　man's　mental　and　physical
  condition　afforded　some　grounds　for　the　absurd　rubbish　talked
  about　him。　When　his　outfit　was　worn　out；　he　replaced　the　fine
  linen　by　calico　at　fourteen　sous　the　ell。　His　diamonds；　his　gold
  snuff…box；　watch…chain　and　trinkets；　disappeared　one　by　one。　He
  had　left　off　wearing　the　corn…flower　blue　coat；　and　was
  sumptuously　arrayed；　summer　as　well　as　winter；　in　a　coarse
  chestnut…brown　coat；　a　plush　waistcoat；　and　doeskin　breeches。　He
  grew　thinner　and　thinner；　his　legs　were　shrunken；　his　cheeks；
  once　so　puffed　out　by　contented　bourgeois　prosperity；　were
  covered　with　wrinkles；　and　the　outlines　of　the　jawbones　were
  distinctly　visible；　there　were　deep　furrows　in　his　forehead。　In
  the　fourth　year　of　his　residence　in　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…
  Genevieve　he　was　no　longer　like　his　former　self。　The　hale
  vermicelli　manufacturer；　sixty…two　years　of　age；　who　had　looked
  scarce　forty；　the　stout；　comfortable；　prosperous　tradesman；　with
  an　almost　bucolic　air；　and　such　a　brisk　demeanor　that　it　did　you
  good　to　look　at　him；　the　man　with　something　boyish　in　his　smile；
  had　suddenly　sunk　into　his　dotage；　and　had　become　a　feeble；
  vacillating　septuagenarian。
  The　keen；　bright　blue　eyes　had　grown　dull；　and　faded　to　a　steel…
  gray　color；　the　red　inflamed　rims　looked　as　though　they　had　shed
  tears　of　blood。　He　excited　feelings　of　repulsion　in　some；　and　of
  pity　in　others。　The　young　medical　students　who　came　to　the　house
  noticed　the　drooping　of　his　lower　lip　and　the　conformation　of　the
  facial　angle；　and；　after　teasing　him　for　some　time　to　no　purpose；
  they　declared　that　cretinism　was　setting　in。
  One　evening　after　dinner　Mme。　Vauquer　said　half　banteringly　to
  him；　〃So　those　daughters　of　yours　don't　come　to　see　you　any　more；
  eh？〃　meaning　to　imply　her　doubts　as　to　his　paternity；　but　Father
  Goriot　shrank　as　if　his　hostess　had　touched　him　with　a　sword…
  point。
  〃They　come　sometimes；〃　he　said　in　a　tremulous　voice。
  〃Aha！　you　still　see　them　sometimes？〃　cried　the　students。　〃Bravo；
  Father　Goriot！〃
  The　old　man　scarcely　seemed　to　hear　the　witticisms　at　his　expense
  that　followed　on　the　words；　he　had　relapsed　into　the　dreamy　state
  of　mind　that　these　superficial　observers　took　for　senile　torpor；
  due　to　his　lack　of　intelligence。　If　they　had　only　known；　they
  might　have　been　deeply　interested　by　the　problem　of　his
  condition；　but　few　problems　were　more　obscure。　It　was　easy；　of
  course；　to　find　out　whether　Goriot　had　really　been　a　vermicelli
  manufacturer；　the　amount　of　his　fortune　was　readily　discoverable；
  but　the　old　people；　who　were　most　inquisitive　as　to　his　concerns；
  never　went　beyond　the　limits　of　the　Quarter；　and　lived　in　the
  lodging…house　much　as　oysters　cling　to　a　rock。　As　for　the　rest；
  the　current　of　life　in　Paris　daily　awaited　them；　and　swept　them
  away　with　it；　so　soon　as　they　left　the　Rue　Neuve…Sainte…
  Genevieve；　they　forgot　the　existence　of　the　old　man；　their　butt
  at　dinner。　For　those　narrow　souls；　or　for　careless　youth；　the
  misery　in　Father　Goriot's　withered　face　and　its　dull　apathy　were
  quite　incompatible　with　wealth　or　any　sort　of　intelligence。　As
  for　the　creatures　whom　he　called　his　daughters；　all　Mme。
  Vauquer's　boarders　were　of　her　opinion。　With　the　faculty　for
  severe　logic　sedulously　cultivated　by　elderly　women　during　long
  evenings　of　gossip　till　they　can　always　find　an　hypothesis　to　fit
  all　circumstances；　she　was　wont　to　reason　thus：
  〃If　Father　Goriot　had　daughters　of　his　own　as　rich　as　those
  ladies　who　came　here　seemed　to　be；　he　would　not　be　lodging　in　my
  house；　on　the　third　floor；　at　forty…five　francs　a　month；　and　he
  would　not　go　about　dressed　like　a　p