At this exclamation, Father Goriot looked at the student, and saw the crumpled letter still in his hand.
“You have not read it through! What does this mean? Are you going to be like the rest of them?” he asked.
“Madame, I shall never marry Mlle. Victorine,” said Eugene, turning to Mme. Vauquer with an expression of terror and loathing that surprised the onlookers at this scene.
Father Goriot caught the student’s hand and grasped it warmly. He could have kissed it.
“Oh, ho!” said Vautrin, “the Italians have a good proverb—Col tempo.”
“Is there any answer?” said Mme. de Nucingen’s messenger, addressing Eugene.
“Say that I will come directly.”
The man went. Eugene was in a state of such violent excitement that he could not be prudent.
“What is to be done?” he exclaimed aloud. “There are no proofs!”
Vautrin began to smile. Though the drug he had taken was doing its work, the convict was so vigorous that he rose to his feet, gave Rastignac a look, and said in hollow tones, “Luck comes to us while we sleep, young man,” and fell stiff and stark, as if he were struck dead.