eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


would　tear　down　the　ceilings　of　my　house　to　boil　the　fellow's　eggs。〃
Hearing　these　words；　mother　and　daughter　slipped　back　into　their　rooms
and　burrowed　in　their　beds；　with　the　celerity　of　frightened　mice
getting　back　to　their　holes。
〃Madame　Grandet；　have　you　found　a　mine？〃　said　the　man；　coming　into　the
chamber　of　his　wife。
〃My　friend；　wait；　I　am　saying　my　prayers；〃　said　the　poor　mother　in　a
trembling　voice。
〃The　devil　take　your　good　God！〃　growled　Grandet　in　reply。
Misers　have　no　belief　in　a　future　life；　the　present　is　their　all　in
all。　This　thought　casts　a　terrible　light　upon　our　present　epoch；　in
which；　far　more　than　at　any　former　period；　money　sways　the　laws　and
politics　and　morals。　　Institutions；　books；　men；　and　dogmas；　all
conspire　to　undermine　belief　in　a　future　life；a　belief　upon　which
the　social　edifice　has　rested　for　eighteen　hundred　years。　The　grave；
as　a　means　of　transition；　is　little　feared　in　our　day。　The　future；
which　once　opened　to　us　beyond　the　requiems；　has　now　been　imported
into　the　present。　To　obtain　/per　fas　et　nefas/　a　terrestrial　paradise
of　luxury　and　earthly　enjoyment；　to　harden　the　heart　and　macerate　the
body　for　the　sake　of　fleeting　possessions；　as　the　martyrs　once
suffered　all　things　to　reach　eternal　joys；　this　is　now　the　universal
thoughta　thought　written　everywhere；　even　in　the　very　laws　which　ask
of　the　legislator；　〃What　do　you　pay？〃　instead　of　asking　him；　〃What　do
you　think？〃　When　this　doctrine　has　passed　down　from　the　bourgeoisie　to
the　populace；　where　will　this　country　be？
〃Madame　Grandet；　have　you　done？〃　asked　the　old　man。
〃My　friend；　I　am　praying　for　you。〃
〃Very　good！　Good…night；　to…morrow　morning　we　will　have　a　talk。〃
The　poor　woman　went　to　sleep　like　a　schoolboy　who；　not　having　learned
his　lessons；　knows　he　will　see　his　master's　angry　face　on　the　morrow。
At　the　moment　when；　filled　with　fear；　she　was　drawing　the　sheet　above
her　head　that　she　might　stifle　hearing；　Eugenie；　in　her　night…gown　and
with　naked　feet；　ran　to　her　side　and　kissed　her　brow。
〃Oh！　my　good　mother；〃　she　said；　〃to…morrow　I　will　tell　him　it　was　I。〃
〃No；　he　would　send　you　to　Noyers。　Leave　me　to　manage　it；　he　cannot　eat
me。〃
〃Do　you　hear；　mamma？〃
〃What？〃
〃/He/　is　weeping　still。〃
〃Go　to　bed；　my　daughter；　you　will　take　cold　in　your　feet：　the　floor　is
damp。〃
*****
Thus　passed　the　solemn　day　which　was　destined　to　weight　upon　the　whole
life　of　the　rich　and　poor　heiress；　whose　sleep　was　never　again　to　be
so　calm；　nor　yet　so　pure；　as　it　had　been　up　to　this　moment。　It　often
happens　that　certain　actions　of　human　life　seem；　literally　speaking；
improbable；　though　actual。　Is　not　this　because　we　constantly　omit　to
turn　the　stream　of　psychological　light　upon　our　impulsive
determinations；　and　fail　to　explain　the　subtile　reasons；　mysteriously
conceived　in　our　minds；　which　impelled　them？　Perhaps　Eugenie's　deep
passion　should　be　analyzed　in　its　most　delicate　fibres；　for　it　became；
scoffers　might　say；　a　malady　which　influenced　her　whole　existence。
Many　people　prefer　to　deny　results　rather　than　estimate　the　force　of
ties　and　links　and　bonds；　which　secretly　join　one　fact　to　another　in
the　moral　order。　Here；　therefore；　Eugenie's　past　life　will　offer　to
observers　of　human　nature　an　explanation　of　her　naive　want　of
reflection　and　the　suddenness　of　the　emotions　which　overflowed　her
soul。　The　more　tranquil　her　life　had　been；　the　more　vivid　was　her
womanly　pity；　the　more　simple…minded　were　the　sentiments　now　developed
in　her　soul。
Made　restless　by　the　events　of　the　day；　she　woke　at　intervals　to
listen　to　her　cousin；　thinking　she　heard　the　sighs　which　still　echoed
in　her　heart。　Sometimes　she　saw　him　dying　of　his　trouble；　sometimes
she　dreamed　that　he　fainted　from　hunger。　Towards　morning　she　was
certain　that　she　heard　a　startling　cry。　She　dressed　at　once　and　ran；
in　the　dawning　light；　with　a　swift　foot　to　her　cousin's　chamber；　the
door　of　which　he　had　left　open。　The　candle　had　burned　down　to　the
socket。　Charles；　overcome　by　nature；　was　sleeping；　dressed　and　sitting
in　an　armchair　beside　the　bed；　on　which　his　head　rested；　he　dreamed　as
men　dream　on　an　empty　stomach。　Eugenie　might　weep　at　her　ease；　she
might　admire　the　young　and　handsome　face　blotted　with　grief；　the　eyes
swollen　with　weeping；　that　seemed；　sleeping　as　they　were；　to　well
forth　tears。　Charles　felt　sympathetically　the　young　girl's　presence；
he　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　her　pitying　him。
〃Pardon　me；　my　cousin；〃　he　said；　evidently　not　knowing　the　hour　nor
the　place　in　which　he　found　himself。
〃There　are　hearts　who　hear　you；　cousin；　and　/we/　thought　you　might
need　something。　You　should　go　to　bed；　you　tire　yourself　by　sitting
thus。〃
〃That　is　true。〃
〃Well；　then；　adieu！〃
She　escaped；　ashamed　and　happy　at　having　gone　there。　Innocence　alone
can　dare　to　be　so　bold。　Once　enlightened；　virtue　makes　her
calculations　as　well　as　vice。　Eugenie；　who　had　not　trembled　beside　her
cousin；　could　scarcely　stand　upon　her　legs　when　she　regained　her
chamber。　Her　ignorant　life　had　suddenly　come　to　an　end；　she　reasoned；
she　rebuked　herself　with　many　reproaches。
〃What　will　he　think　of　me？　He　will　think　that　I　love　him！〃
That　was　what　she　most　wished　him　to　think。　An　honest　love　has　its　own
prescience；　and　knows　that　love　begets　love。　What　an　event　for　this
poor　solitary　girl　thus　to　have　entered　the　chamber　of　a　young　man！
Are　there　not　thoughts　and　actions　in　the　life　of　love　which　to
certain　souls　bear　the　full　meaning　of　the　holiest　espousals？　An　hour
later　she　went　to　her　mother　and　dressed　her　as　usual。　Then　they　both
came　down　and　sat　in　their　places　before　the　window　waiting　for
Grandet；　with　that　cruel　anxiety　which；　according　to　the　individual
character；　freezes　the　heart　or　warms　it；　shrivels　or　dilates　it；　when
a　scene　is　feared；　a　punishment　expected；a　feeling　so　natural　that
even　domestic　animals　possess　it；　and　whine　at　the　slightest　pain　of
punishment；　though　they　make　no　outcry　when　they　inadvertently　hurt
themselves。　The　goodman　came　down；　but　he　spoke　to　his　wife　with　an
absent　manner；　kissed　Eugenie；　and　sat　down　to　table　without　appearing
to　remember　his　threats　of　the　night　before。
〃What　has　become　of　my　nephew？　The　lad　gives　no　trouble。〃
〃Monsieur；　he　is　asleep；〃　answered　Nanon。
〃So　much　the　better；　he　won't　want　a　wax　candle；〃　said　Grandet　in　a
jeering　tone。
This　unusual　clemency；　this　bitter　gaiety；　struck　Madame　Grandet　with
amazement；　and　she　looked　at　her　husband　attentively。　The　goodman
here　it　may　be　well　to　explain　that　in　Touraine；　Anjou；　Pitou；　and
Bretagne　the　word　〃goodman；〃　already　used　to　designate　Grandet；　is
bestowed　as　often　upon　harsh　and　cruel　men　as　upon　those　of　kindly
temperament；　when　either　have　reached　a　certain　age；　the　title　means
nothing　on　the　score　of　individual　gentlenessthe　goodman　took　his
hat　and　gloves；　saying　as　he　went　out；
〃I　am　going　to　loiter　about　the　market…place　and　find　Cruchot。〃
〃Eugenie；　your　father　certainly　has　something　on　his　mind。〃
Grandet；　who　was　a　poor　sleeper；　employed　half　his　nights　in　the
preliminary　calculations　which　gave　such　astonishing　accuracy　to　his
views　and　observations　and　schemes；　and　secured　to　them　the　unfailing
success　at　sight　of　which　his　townsmen　stood　amazed。　All　human　power
is　a　compound　of　time　and　patience。　Powerful　beings　will　and　wait。　The
life　of　a　miser　is　the　constant　exercise　of　human　power　put　to　the
service　of　self。　It　rests　on　two　sentiments　only；self…love　and　self…
interest；　but　self…interest　being　to　a　certain　extent　compact　and
intelligent　self…love；　the　visible　sign　of　real　superiority；　it
follows　that　self…love　and　self…interest　are　two　parts　of　the　same
whole；egotism。　From　this　arises；　perhaps；　the　excessive　curiosity
shown　in　the　habits　of　a　miser's　life　whenever　they　are　put　before　the
world。　Every　nature　holds　by　a　thread　to　those　beings　who　challenge
all　human　sentiments　by　concentrating　all　in　one　passion。　Where　is　the
man　without　desire？　and　what　social　desire　can　be　satisfied　without
money？
Grandet　unquestionably　〃had　something　on　his　mind；〃　to　use　his　wife's
expression。　There　was　in　him；　as　in　all　misers；　a　persistent　craving
to　play　a　commercial　game　with　other　men　and　win　their　money　legally。
To　impose　upon　other　people　was　to　him　a　sign　of　power；　a　perpetual
proof　that　he　had　won　the　right　to　despise　those　feeble　beings　who
suffer　themselves　to　be　preyed　upon　in　this　world。　Oh！　who　has　ever
truly　understood　the　lamb　lying　peacefully　at　the　feet　of　God？
touching　emblem　of　all　terrestrial　victims；　myth　of　their　future；
suffering　and　weakness　glorified！　This　lamb　it　is　which　the　miser
fattens；　puts　in　his　fold；　slaughters；　cooks；　eats；　and　then　despises。
The　pasture　of　misers　is　compounded　of　money　and　disdain。　During　the
night　Grandet's　ideas　had　taken　another　course；　which　was　the　reason
of　his　sudden　clemency。　He　had　hatched　a　plot　by　which　to　trick　the
Parisians；　to　decoy　and　dupe　and　snare　them；　to　drive　them　into　a
trap；　and　make　them　go　and　come　and　sweat　and　hope　and　turn　pale；a
plot　by　which　to　amuse　himself；　the　old　provincial　cooper；　sitting
there　beneath　his　gloomy　rafters；　or　passing　up　and　down　the　rotten
staircase　of　his　house　in　Saumur。　His　nephew　filled　his　mind。　He
wished　to　save　the　honor　of　his　dead　brother　without　the　cost　of　a
penny　to　the　son　or　to　himself。　His　own　funds　he　was　about　to　invest
for　three　years；　he　had　therefore　nothing　further　to　do　than　to　manage
his　property　in　Saumur。　He　needed　some　nutriment　for　his　malicious
activity；　and　he　found　it　suddenly　in　his　brother's　failure。　Feeling
nothing　to　squeeze　between　his　own　paws；　he　resolved　to　crush　the
Parisians　in　behalf　of　Charles；　and　to　play　the　part　of　a　good　brother
on　the　cheapest　terms。　The　honor　of　the　family　counted　for　so　little
in　this　scheme　that　his　good　intentions　might　be　likened　to　the
interest　a　gambler　takes　in　seeing　a　game　well　played　in　which　he　has
no　stake。　The　Cruchots　were　a　necessary　part　of　his　plan；　but　he　would
not　seek　them；he　resolved　to　make　them　come　to　him；　and　to　lead　up
that　very　evening　to　a　comedy　whose　plot　he　had　just　conceived；　which
should　make　him　on　the　morrow　an　object　of　admiration　to　the　whole
town　without　its　costing　him　a　single