me since she took my arm as she did to-day. Yes, indeed, it must be
quite ten years since I walked side by side with one of my girls. How
pleasant it was to keep step with her, to feel the touch of her gown,
the warmth of her arm! Well, I took Delphine everywhere this morning; I
went shopping with her, and I brought her home again. Oh! you must let
me live near you. You may want some one to do you a service some of
these days, and I shall be on the spot to do it. Oh! if only that great
dolt of an Alsatian would die, if his gout would have the sense to
attack his stomach, how happy my poor child would be! You would be my
son-in-law; you would be her husband in the eyes of the world. Bah! she
has known no happiness, that excuses everything. Our Father in heaven is
surely on the side of fathers on earth who love their children. How fond
of you she is!" he said, raising his head after a pause. "All the time
we were going about together she chatted away about you. 'He is so
nice-looking, papa; isn't he? He is kind-hearted! Does he talk to you
about me?' Pshaw! she said enough about you to fill whole volumes;
between the Rue d'Artois and the Passage des Panoramas she poured her
heart out into mine. I did not feel old once during that delightful
morning; I felt as light as a feather. I told her how you had given the
banknote to me; it moved my darling to tears. But what can this be on
your chimney-piece?" said Father Goriot at last. Rastignac had showed no
sign, and he was dying of impatience.

Eugene stared at his neighbor in dumb and dazed bewilderment. He thought
of Vautrin, of that duel to be fought to-morrow morning, and of this
realization of his dearest hopes, and the violent contrast between the
two sets of ideas gave him all the sensations of nightmare. He went to
the chimney-piece, saw the little square case, opened it, and found
a watch of Breguet's make wrapped in paper, on which these words were
written:

"I want you to think of me every hour, _because_...

"DELPHINE."

That last word doubtless contained an allusion to some scene that
had taken place between them. Eugene felt touched. Inside the gold
watch-case his arms had been wrought in enamel. The chain, the key, the
workmanship and design of the trinket were all such as he had imagined,
for he had long coveted such a possession. Father Goriot was radiant. Of
course he had promised to tell his daughter every l