eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第15部分

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〃You　are　not　eating　your　breakfast；　wife。〃
The　poor　helot　came　forward　with　a　piteous　look；　cut　herself　a　piece
of　bread；　and　took　a　pear。　Eugenie　boldly　offered　her　father　some
grapes；　saying；
〃Taste　my　preserves；　papa。　My　cousin；　you　will　eat　some；　will　you　not？
I　went　to　get　these　pretty　grapes　expressly　for　you。〃
〃If　no　one　stops　them；　they　will　pillage　Saumur　for　you；　nephew。　When
you　have　finished；　we　will　go　into　the　garden；　I　have　something　to
tell　you　which　can't　be　sweetened。〃
Eugenie　and　her　mother　cast　a　look　on　Charles　whose　meaning　the　young
man　could　not　mistake。
〃What　is　it　you　mean；　uncle？　Since　the　death　of　my　poor　mother〃at
these　words　his　voice　softened〃no　other　sorrow　can　touch　me。〃
〃My　nephew；　who　knows　by　what　afflictions　God　is　pleased　to　try　us？〃
said　his　aunt。
〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta；〃　said　Grandet；　〃there's　your　nonsense　beginning。　I　am
sorry　to　see　those　white　hands　of　yours；　nephew〃；　and　he　showed　the
shoulder…of…mutton　fists　which　Nature　had　put　at　the　end　of　his　own
arms。　〃There's　a　pair　of　hands　made　to　pick　up　silver　pieces。　You've
been　brought　up　to　put　your　feet　in　the　kid　out　of　which　we　make　the
purses　we　keep　our　money　in。　A　bad　look…out！　Very　bad！〃
〃What　do　you　mean；　uncle？　I'll　be　hanged　if　I　understand　a　single　word
of　what　you　are　saying。〃
〃Come！〃　said　Grandet。
The　miser　closed　the　blade　of　his　knife　with　a　snap；　drank　the　last　of
his　wine；　and　opened　the　door。
〃My　cousin；　take　courage！〃
The　tone　of　the　young　girl　struck　terror　to　Charles's　heart；　and　he
followed　his　terrible　uncle；　a　prey　to　disquieting　thoughts。　Eugenie；
her　mother；　and　Nanon　went　into　the　kitchen；　moved　by　irresistible
curiosity　to　watch　the　two　actors　in　the　scene　which　was　about　to　take
place　in　the　garden；　where　at　first　the　uncle　walked　silently　ahead　of
the　nephew。　Grandet　was　not　at　all　troubled　at　having　to　tell　Charles
of　the　death　of　his　father；　but　he　did　feel　a　sort　of　compassion　in
knowing　him　to　be　without　a　penny；　and　he　sought　for　some　phrase　or
formula　by　which　to　soften　the　communication　of　that　cruel　truth。　〃You
have　lost　your　father；〃　seemed　to　him　a　mere　nothing　to　say；　fathers
die　before　their　children。　But　〃you　are　absolutely　without　means；〃
all　the　misfortunes　of　life　were　summed　up　in　those　words！　Grandet
walked　round　the　garden　three　times；　the　gravel　crunching　under　his
heavy　step。
In　the　crucial　moments　of　life　our　minds　fasten　upon　the　locality
where　joys　or　sorrows　overwhelm　us。　Charles　noticed　with　minute
attention　the　box…borders　of　the　little　garden；　the　yellow　leaves　as
they　fluttered　down；　the　dilapidated　walls；　the　gnarled　fruit…trees；
picturesque　details　which　were　destined　to　remain　forever　in　his
memory；　blending　eternally；　by　the　mnemonics　that　belong　exclusively
to　the　passions；　with　the　recollections　of　this　solemn　hour。
〃It　is　very　fine　weather；　very　warm；〃　said　Grandet；　drawing　a　long
breath。
〃Yes；　uncle；　but　why〃
〃Well；　my　lad；〃　answered　his　uncle；　〃I　have　some　bad　news　to　give　you。
Your　father　is　ill〃
〃Then　why　am　I　here？〃　said　Charles。　〃Nanon；〃　he　cried；　〃order　post…
horses！　I　can　get　a　carriage　somewhere？〃　he　added；　turning　to　his
uncle；　who　stood　motionless。
〃Horses　and　carriages　are　useless；〃　answered　Grandet；　looking　at
Charles；　who　remained　silent；　his　eyes　growing　fixed。　〃Yes；　my　poor
boy；　you　guess　the　truth；he　is　dead。　But　that's　nothing；　there　is
something　worse：　he　blew　out　his　brains。〃
〃My　father！〃
〃Yes；　but　that's　not　the　worst；　the　newspapers　are　all　talking　about
it。　Here；　read　that。〃
Grandet；　who　had　borrowed　the　fatal　article　from　Cruchot；　thrust　the
paper　under　his　nephew's　eyes。　The　poor　young　man；　still　a　child；
still　at　an　age　when　feelings　wear　no　mask；　burst　into　tears。
〃That's　good！〃　thought　Grandet；　〃his　eyes　frightened　me。　He'll　be　all
right　if　he　weeps；That　is　not　the　worst；　my　poor　nephew；〃　he　said
aloud；　not　noticing　whether　Charles　heard　him；　〃that　is　nothing；　you
will　get　over　it：　but〃
〃Never；　never！　My　father！　Oh；　my　father！〃
〃He　has　ruined　you；　you　haven't　a　penny。〃
〃What　does　that　matter？　My　father！　Where　is　my　father？〃
His　sobs　resounded　horribly　against　those　dreary　walls　and
reverberated　in　the　echoes。　The　three　women；　filled　with　pity；　wept
also；　for　tears　are　often　as　contagious　as　laughter。　Charles；　without
listening　further　to　his　uncle；　ran　through　the　court　and　up　the
staircase　to　his　chamber；　where　he　threw　himself　across　the　bed　and
hid　his　face　in　the　sheets；　to　weep　in　peace　for　his　lost　parents。
〃The　first　burst　must　have　its　way；〃　said　Grandet；　entering　the
living…room；　where　Eugenie　and　her　mother　had　hastily　resumed　their
seats　and　were　sewing　with　trembling　hands；　after　wiping　their　eyes。
〃But　that　young　man　is　good　for　nothing；　his　head　is　more　taken　up
with　the　dead　than　with　his　money。〃
Eugenie　shuddered　as　she　heard　her　father's　comment　on　the　most　sacred
of　all　griefs。　From　that　moment　she　began　to　judge　him。　Charles's
sobs；　though　muffled；　still　sounded　through　the　sepulchral　house；　and
his　deep　groans；　which　seemed　to　come　from　the　earth　beneath；　only
ceased　towards　evening；　after　growing　gradually　feebler。
〃Poor　young　man！〃　said　Madame　Grandet。
Fatal　exclamation！　Pere　Grandet　looked　at　his　wife；　at　Eugenie；　and　at
the　sugar…bowl。　He　recollected　the　extraordinary　breakfast　prepared
for　the　unfortunate　youth；　and　he　took　a　position　in　the　middle　of　the
room。
〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　said；　with　his　usual　composure。　〃I　hope　that　you
will　not　continue　this　extravagance；　Madame　Grandet。　I　don't　give　you
MY　money　to　stuff　that　young　fellow　with　sugar。〃
〃My　mother　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　said　Eugenie；　〃it　was　I　who〃
〃Is　it　because　you　are　of　age；〃　said　Grandet；　interrupting　his
daughter；　〃that　you　choose　to　contradict　me？　Remember；　Eugenie〃
〃Father；　the　son　of　your　brother　ought　to　receive　from　us〃
〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！〃　exclaimed　the　cooper　on　four　chromatic　tones；　〃the
son　of　my　brother　this；　my　nephew　that！　Charles　is　nothing　at　all　to
us；　he　hasn't　a　farthing；　his　father　has　failed；　and　when　this　dandy
has　cried　his　fill；　off　he　goes　from　here。　I　won't　have　him
revolutionize　my　household。〃
〃What　is　'failing；'　father？〃　asked　Eugenie。
〃To　fail；〃　answered　her　father；　〃is　to　commit　the　most　dishonorable
action　that　can　disgrace　a　man。〃
〃It　must　be　a　great　sin；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　〃and　our　brother　may　be
damned。〃
〃There；　there；　don't　begin　with　your　litanies！〃　said　Grandet；
shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃To　fail；　Eugenie；〃　he　resumed；　〃is　to　commit
a　theft　which　the　law；　unfortunately；　takes　under　its　protection。
People　have　given　their　property　to　Guillaume　Grandet　trusting　to　his
reputation　for　honor　and　integrity；　he　has　made　away　with　it　all；　and
left　them　nothing　but　their　eyes　to　weep　with。　A　highway　robber　is
better　than　a　bankrupt：　the　one　attacks　you　and　you　can　defend
yourself；　he　risks　his　own　life；　but　the　otherin　short；　Charles　is
dishonored。〃
The　words　rang　in　the　poor　girl's　heart　and　weighed　it　down　with　their
heavy　meaning。　Upright　and　delicate　as　a　flower　born　in　the　depths　of
a　forest；　she　knew　nothing　of　the　world's　maxims；　of　its　deceitful
arguments　and　specious　sophisms；　she　therefore　believed　the　atrocious
explanation　which　her　father　gave　her　designedly；　concealing　the
distinction　which　exists　between　an　involuntary　failure　and　an
intentional　one。
〃Father；　could　you　not　have　prevented　such　a　misfortune？〃
〃My　brother　did　not　consult　me。　Besides；　he　owes　four　millions。〃
〃What　is　a　'million；'　father？〃　she　asked；　with　the　simplicity　of　a
child　which　thinks　it　can　find　out　at　once　all　that　it　wants　to　know。
〃A　million？〃　said　Grandet；　〃why；　it　is　a　million　pieces　of　twenty　sous
each；　and　it　takes　five　twenty　sous　pieces　to　make　five　francs。〃
〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Eugenie；　〃how　could　my　uncle　possibly　have　had　four
millions？　Is　there　any　one　else　in　France　who　ever　had　so　many
millions？〃　Pere　Grandet　stroked　his　chin；　smiled；　and　his　wen　seemed
to　dilate。　〃But　what　will　become　of　my　cousin　Charles？〃
〃He　is　going　off　to　the　West　Indies　by　his　father's　request；　and　he
will　try　to　make　his　fortune　there。〃
〃Has　he　got　the　money　to　go　with？〃
〃I　shall　pay　for　his　journey　as　far　asyes；　as　far　as　Nantes。〃
Eugenie　sprang　into　his　arms。
〃Oh；　father；　how　good　you　are！〃
She　kissed　him　with　a　warmth　that　almost　made　Grandet　ashamed　of
himself；　for　his　conscience　galled　him　a　little。
〃Will　it　take　much　time　to　amass　a　million？〃　she　asked。
〃Look　here！〃　said　the　old　miser；　〃you　know　what　a　napoleon　is？　Well；
it　takes　fifty　thousand　napoleons　to　make　a　million。〃
〃Mamma；　we　must　say　a　great　many　/neuvaines/　for　him。〃
〃I　was　thinking　so；〃　said　Madame　Grandet。
〃That's　the　way；　always　spending　my　money！〃　cried　the　father。　〃Do　you
think　there　are　francs　on　every　bush？〃
At　this　moment　a　muffled　cry；　more　distressing　than　all　the　others；
echoed　through　the　garrets　and　struck　a　chill　to　the　hearts　of　Eugenie
and　her　mother。
〃Nanon；　go　upstairs　and　see　that　he　does　not　kill　himself；〃　said
Grandet。　〃Now；　then；〃　he　added；　looking　at　his　wife　and　daughter；　who
had　turned　pale　at　his　words；　〃no　nonsense；　you　two！　I　must　leave　you；
I　have　got　to　see　about　the　Dutchmen　who　are　going　away　to…day。　And
then　I　must　find　Cruchot；　and　talk　with　him　about　all　this。〃
He　departed。　As　soon　as　he　had　shut　the　door　Eugenie　and　her　mother
breathed　more　freely。　Until　this　morning　the　young　girl　had　never　felt
constrained　in　the　presence　of　her　father；　but　for　the　last　few　hours
every　moment　wrought　a　change　in　her　feelings　and　ideas。
〃Mamma；　how　many　louis　are　there　in　a　cask　of　wine？〃
〃Your　father　sells　his　from　a　hundred　to　a　hundred　and　fifty　francs；
sometimes　two　hundred；at　least；　so　I've　heard　say。〃
〃Then　papa　must　be　rich？〃
〃Perhaps　he　is。　But　Monsieur　Cruchot　told　me　he　bought　Froidfond　two
years　ago；　that　may　have　pinched　him。〃
Eugenie；　not　being　able　to　understand　the　question　of　her　father's
fortune；　stopped　short　in　her　calculations。
〃He　didn't　even　see　me；　the　darling！〃　said　Nanon；　coming　back　from　her
errand。　〃He's　stretched　out　like　a　calf　on　his　bed　and　crying　like　the
Madeleine；　and　that's　a　blessing！　What's　the　matter　with　the　poor　dear
young　man！〃
〃Let　us　go　and　console　him；　mamma；　if　any　one　knock