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；　you　see。　I　could　not　live　if
  your　affection　did　not　make　me　insensible　to　troubles　that　I
  should　once　have　thought　too　hard　to　bear。　At　this　moment　I　have
  but　one　fear　left；　but　one　misery　to　dreadto　lose　the　love　that
  has　made　me　feel　glad　to　live。　Everything　else　is　as　nothing　to
  me　compared　with　our　love；　I　care　for　nothing　else；　for　you　are
  all　the　world　to　me。　If　I　feel　glad　to　be　rich；　it　is　for　your
  sake。　To　my　shame　be　it　said；　I　think　of　my　lover　before　my
  father。　Do　you　ask　why？　I　cannot　tell　you；　but　all　my　life　is　in
  you。　My　father　gave　me　a　heart；　but　you　have　taught　it　to　beat。
  The　whole　world　may　condemn　me；　what　does　it　matter　if　I　stand
  acquitted　in　your　eyes；　for　you　have　no　right　to　think　ill　of　me
  for　the　faults　which　a　tyrannous　love　has　forced　me　to　commit　for
  you！　Do　you　think　me　an　unnatural　daughter？　Oh！　no；　no　one　could
  help　loving　such　a　dear　kind　father　as　ours。　But　how　could　I　hide
  the　inevitable　consequences　of　our　miserable　marriages　from　him？
  Why　did　he　allow　us　to　marry　when　we　did？　Was　it　not　his　duty　to
  think　for　us　and　foresee　for　us？　To…day　I　know　he　suffers　as　much
  as　we　do；　but　how　can　it　be　helped？　And　as　for　comforting　him；　we
  could　not　comfort　him　in　the　least。　Our　resignation　would　give
  him　more　pain　and　hurt　him　far　more　than　complaints　and
  upbraidings。　There　are　times　in　life　when　everything　turns　to
  bitterness。〃
  Eugene　was　silent；　the　artless　and　sincere　outpouring　made　an
  impression　on　him。
  Parisian　women　are　often　false；　intoxicated　with　vanity；　selfish
  and　self…absorbed；　frivolous　and　shallow；　yet　of　all　women；　when
  they　love；　they　sacrifice　their　personal　feelings　to　their
  passion；　they　rise　but　so　much　the　higher　for　all　the　pettiness
  overcome　in　their　nature；　and　become　sublime。　Then　Eugene　was
  struck　by　the　profound　discernment　and　insight　displayed　by　this
  woman　in　judging　of　natural　affection；　when　a　privileged
  affection　had　separated　and　set　her　at　a　distance　apart。　Mme。　de
  Nucingen　was　piqued　by　the　silence；
  〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　she　asked。
  〃I　am　thinking　about　what　you　said　just　now。　Hitherto　I　have
  always　felt　sure　that　I　cared　far　more　for　you　than　you　did　for
  me。〃
  She　smiled；　and　would　not　give　way　to　the　happiness　she　felt；
  lest　their　talk　should　exceed　the　conventional　limits　of
  propriety。　She　had　never　heard　the　vibrating　tones　of　a　sincere
  and　youthful　love；　a　few　more　words；　and　she　feared　for　her　self…
  control。
  〃Eugene；〃　she　said；　changing　the　conversation；　〃I　wonder　whether
  you　know　what　has　been　happening？　All　Paris　will　go　to　Mme。　de
  Beauseant's　to…morrow。　The　Rochefides　and　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda
  have　agreed　to　keep　the　matter　a　profound　secret；　but　to…morrow
  the　king　will　sign　the　marriage…contract；　and　your　poor　cousin
  the　Vicomtesse　knows　nothing　of　it　as　yet。　She　cannot　put　off　her
  ball；　and　the　Marquis　will　not　be　there。　People　are　wondering
  what　will　happen？〃
  〃The　world　laughs　at　baseness　and　connives　at　it。　But　this　will
  kill　Mme。　de　Beauseant。〃
  〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Delphine；　smiling；　〃you　do　not　know　that　kind　of
  woman。　Why；　all　Paris　will　be　there；　and　so　shall　I；　I　ought　to
  go　there　for　your　sake。〃
  〃Perhaps；　after　all；　it　is　one　of　those　absurd　reports　that
  people　set　in　circulation　here。〃
  〃We　shall　know　the　truth　to…morrow。〃
  Eugene　did　not　return　to　the　Maison　Vauquer。　He　could　not　forego
  the　pleasure　of　occupying　his　new　rooms　in　the　Rue　d'Artois。
  Yesterday　evening　he　had　been　obliged　to　leave　Delphine　soon
  after　midnight；　but　that　night　it　was　Delphine　who　stayed　with
  him　until　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　He　rose　late；　and　waited
  for　Mme。　de　Nucingen；　who　came　about　noon　to　breakfast　with　him。
  Youth　snatches　eagerly　at　these　rosy　moments　of　happiness；　and
  Eugene　had　almost　forgotten　Goriot's　existence。　The　pretty　things
  that　surrounded　him　were　growing　familiar；　this　domestication　in
  itself　was　one　long　festival　for　him；　and　Mme。　de　Nucingen　was
  there　to　glorify　it　all　by　her　presence。　It　was　four　o'clock
  before　they　thought　of　Goriot；　and　of　how　he　had　looked　forward
  to　the　new　life　in　that　house。　Eugene　said　that　the　old　man　ought
  to　be　moved　at　once；　lest　he　should　grow　too　ill　to　move。　He　left
  Delphine　and　hurried　back　to　the　lodging…house。　Neither　Father
  Goriot　nor　young　Bianchon　was　in　the　dining…room　with　the　others。
  〃Aha！〃　said　the　painter　as　Eugene　came　in；　〃Father　Goriot　has
  broken　down　at　last。　Bianchon　is　upstairs　with　him。　One　of　his
  daughtersthe　Comtesse　de　Restauramacame　to　see　the　old
  gentleman；　and　he　would　get　up　and　go　out；　and　made　himself
  worse。　Society　is　about　to　lose　one　of　its　brightest　ornaments。〃
  Rastignac　sprang　to　the　staircase。
  〃Hey！　Monsieur　Eugene！〃
  〃Monsieur　Eugene；　the　mistress　is　calling　you；〃　shouted　Sylvie。
  〃It　is　this；　sir；〃　said　the　widow。　〃You　and　M。　Goriot　should　by
  rights　have　moved　out　on　the　15th　of　February。　That　was　three
  days　ago；　to…day　is　the　18th；　I　ought　really　to　be　paid　a　month
  in　advance；　but　if　you　will　engage　to　pay　for　both；　I　shall　be
  quite　satisfied。〃
  〃Why　can't　you　trust　him？〃
  〃Trust　him；　indeed！　If　the　old　gentleman　went　off　his　head　and
  died；　those　daughters　of　his　would　not　pay　me　a　farthing；　and　his
  things　won't　fetch　ten　francs。　This　morning　he　went　out　with　all
  the　spoons　and　forks　he　has　left；　I　don't　know　why。　He　had　got
  himself　up　to　look　quite　young；　andLord；　forgive　mebut　I
  thought　he　had　rouge　on　his　cheeks；　he　looked　quite　young　again。〃
  〃I　will　be　responsible；〃　said　Eugene；　shuddering　with　horror；　for
  he　foresaw　the　end。
  He　climbed　the　stairs　and　reached　Father　Goriot's　room。　The　old
  man　was　tossing　on　his　bed。　Bianchon　was　with　him。
  〃Good…evening；　father；〃　said　Eugene。
  The　old　man　turned　his　glassy　eyes　on　him；　smiled　gently；　and
  said：
  〃How　is　SHE？〃
  〃She　is　quite　well。　But　how　are　you？〃
  〃There　is　nothing　much　the　matter。〃
  〃Don't　tire　him；〃　said　Bianchon；　drawing　Eugene　into　a　corner　of
  the　room。
  〃Well？〃　asked　Rastignac。
  〃Nothing　but　a　miracle　can　save　him　now。　Serous　congestion　has
  set　in；　I　have　put　on　mustard　plasters；　and　luckily　he　can　feel
  them；　they　are　acting。〃
  〃Is　it　possible　to　move　him？〃
  〃Quite　out　of　the　question。　He　must　stay　where　he　is；　and　be　kept
  as　quiet　as　possible〃
  〃Dear　Bianchon；〃　said　Eugene；　〃we　will　nurse　him　between　us。〃
  〃I　have　had　the　head　physician　round　from　my　hospital　to　see
  him。〃
  〃And　what　did　he　say？〃
  〃He　will　give　no　opinion　till　to…morrow　evening。　He　promised　to
  look　in　again　at　the　end　of　the　day。　Unluckily；　the　preposterous
  creature　must　needs　go　and　do　something　foolish　this　morning；　he
  will　not　say　what　it　was。　He　is　as　obstinate　as　a　mule。　As　soon
  as　I　begin　to　talk　to　him　he　pretends　not　to　hear；　and　lies　as　if
  he　were　asleep　instead　of