eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第18部分

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should　make　him　on　the　morrow　an　object　of　admiration　to　the　whole
town　without　its　costing　him　a　single　penny。
In　her　father's　absence　Eugenie　had　the　happiness　of　busying　herself
openly　with　her　much…loved　cousin；　of　spending　upon　him　fearlessly　the
treasures　of　her　pity；woman's　sublime　superiority；　the　sole　she
desires　to　have　recognized；　the　sole　she　pardons　man　for　letting　her
assume。　Three　or　four　times　the　young　girl　went　to　listen　to　her
cousin's　breathing；　to　know　if　he　were　sleeping　or　awake；　then；　when
he　had　risen；　she　turned　her　thoughts　to　the　cream；　the　eggs；　the
fruits；　the　plates；　the　glasses；all　that　was　a　part　of　his　breakfast
became　the　object　of　some　special　care。　At　length　she　ran　lightly　up
the　old　staircase　to　listen　to　the　noise　her　cousin　made。　Was　he
dressing？　Did　he　still　weep？　She　reached　the　door。
〃My　cousin！〃
〃Yes；　cousin。〃
〃Will　you　breakfast　downstairs；　or　in　your　room？〃
〃Where　you　like。〃
〃How　do　you　feel？〃
〃Dear　cousin；　I　am　ashamed　of　being　hungry。〃
This　conversation；　held　through　the　closed　door；　was　like　an　episode
in　a　poem　to　Eugenie。
〃Well；　then；　we　will　bring　your　breakfast　to　your　own　room；　so　as　not
to　annoy　my　father。〃
She　ran　to　the　kitchen　with　the　swiftness　and　lightness　of　a　bird。
〃Nanon；　go　and　do　his　room！〃
That　staircase；　so　often　traversed；　which　echoed　to　the　slightest
noise；　now　lost　its　decaying　aspect　in　the　eyes　of　Eugenie。　It　grew
luminous；　it　had　a　voice　and　spoke　to　her；　it　was　young　like　herself；
young　like　the　love　it　was　now　serving。　Her　mother；　her　kind；
indulgent　mother；　lent　herself　to　the　caprices　of　the　child's　love；
and　after　the　room　was　put　in　order；　both　went　to　sit　with　the　unhappy
youth　and　keep　him　company。　Does　not　Christian　charity　make
consolation　a　duty？　The　two　women　drew　a　goodly　number　of　little
sophistries　from　their　religion　wherewith　to　justify　their　conduct。
Charles　was　made　the　object　of　the　tenderest　and　most　loving　care。　His
saddened　heart　felt　the　sweetness　of　the　gentle　friendship；　the
exquisite　sympathy　which　these　two　souls；　crushed　under　perpetual
restraint；　knew　so　well　how　to　display　when；　for　an　instant；　they　were
left　unfettered　in　the　regions　of　suffering；　their　natural　sphere。
Claiming　the　right　of　relationship；　Eugenie　began　to　fold　the　linen
and　put　in　order　the　toilet　articles　which　Charles　had　brought；　thus
she　could　marvel　at　her　ease　over　each　luxurious　bauble　and　the
various　knick…knacks　of　silver　or　chased　gold；　which　she　held　long　in
her　hand　under　a　pretext　of　examining　them。　Charles　could　not　see
without　emotion　the　generous　interest　his　aunt　and　cousin　felt　in　him；
he　knew　society　in　Paris　well　enough　to　feel　assured　that；　placed　as
he　now　was；　he　would　find　all　hearts　indifferent　or　cold。　Eugenie　thus
appeared　to　him　in　the　splendor　of　a　special　beauty；　and　from
thenceforth　he　admired　the　innocence　of　life　and　manners　which　the
previous　evening　he　had　been　inclined　to　ridicule。　So　when　Eugenie
took　from　Nanon　the　bowl　of　coffee　and　cream；　and　began　to　pour　it　out
for　her　cousin　with　the　simplicity　of　real　feeling；　giving　him　a
kindly　glance；　the　eyes　of　the　Parisian　filled　with　tears；　he　took　her
hand　and　kissed　it。
〃What　troubles　you？〃　she　said。
〃Oh！　these　are　tears　of　gratitude；〃　he　answered。
Eugenie　turned　abruptly　to　the　chimney…piece　to　take　the　candlesticks。
〃Here；　Nanon；　carry　them　away！〃　she　said。
When　she　looked　again　towards　her　cousin　she　was　still　blushing；　but
her　looks　could　at　least　deceive；　and　did　not　betray　the　excess　of　joy
which　innundated　her　heart；　yet　the　eyes　of　both　expressed　the　same
sentiment　as　their　souls　flowed　together　in　one　thought；the　future
was　theirs。　This　soft　emotion　was　all　the　more　precious　to　Charles　in
the　midst　of　his　heavy　grief　because　it　was　wholly　unexpected。　The
sound　of　the　knocker　recalled　the　women　to　their　usual　station。
Happily　they　were　able　to　run　downstairs　with　sufficient　rapidity　to
be　seated　at　their　work　when　Grandet　entered；　had　he　met　them　under
the　archway　it　would　have　been　enough　to　rouse　his　suspicions。　After
breakfast；　which　the　goodman　took　standing；　the　keeper　from　Froidfond；
to　whom　the　promised　indemnity　had　never　yet　been　paid；　made　his
appearance；　bearing　a　hare　and　some　partridges　shot　in　the　park；　with
eels　and　two　pike　sent　as　tribute　by　the　millers。
〃Ha；　ha！　poor　Cornoiller；　here　he　comes；　like　fish　in　Lent。　Is　all
that　fit　to　eat？〃
〃Yes；　my　dear；　generous　master；　it　has　been　killed　two　days。〃
〃Come；　Nanon；　bestir　yourself；〃　said　Grandet；　〃take　these　things；
they'll　do　for　dinner。　I　have　invited　the　two　Cruchots。〃
Nanon　opened　her　eyes；　stupid　with　amazement；　and　looked　at　everybody
in　the　room。
〃Well！〃　she　said；　〃and　how　am　I　to　get　the　lard　and　the　spices？〃
〃Wife；〃　said　Grandet；　〃give　Nanon　six　francs；　and　remind　me　to　get
some　of　the　good　wine　out　of　the　cellar。〃
〃Well；　then；　Monsieur　Grandet；〃　said　the　keeper；　who　had　come　prepared
with　an　harangue　for　the　purpose　of　settling　the　question　of　the
indemnity；　〃Monsieur　Grandet〃
〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！〃　said　Grandet；　〃I　know　what　you　want　to　say。　You　are
a　good　fellow；　we　will　see　about　it　to…morrow；　I'm　too　busy　to…day。
Wife；　give　him　five　francs；〃　he　added　to　Madame　Grandet　as　he
decamped。
The　poor　woman　was　only　too　happy　to　buy　peace　at　the　cost　of　eleven
francs。　She　knew　that　Grandet　would　let　her　alone　for　a　fortnight
after　he　had　thus　taken　back；　franc　by　franc；　the　money　he　had　given
her。
〃Here；　Cornoiller；〃　she　said；　slipping　ten　francs　into　the　man's　hand；
〃some　day　we　will　reward　your　services。〃
Cornoiller　could　say　nothing；　so　he　went　away。
〃Madame；〃　said　Nanon；　who　had　put　on　her　black　coif　and　taken　her
basket；　〃I　want　only　three　francs。　You　keep　the　rest；　it'll　go　fast
enough　somehow。〃
〃Have　a　good　dinner；　Nanon；　my　cousin　will　come　down；〃　said　Eugenie。
〃Something　very　extraordinary　is　going　on；　I　am　certain　of　it；〃　said
Madame　Grandet。　〃This　is　only　the　third　time　since　our　marriage　that
your　father　has　given　a　dinner。〃
*****
About　four　o'clock；　just　as　Eugenie　and　her　mother　had　finished
setting　the　table　for　six　persons；　and　after　the　master　of　the　house
had　brought　up　a　few　bottles　of　the　exquisite　wine　which　provincials
cherish　with　true　affection；　Charles　came　down　into　the　hall。　The
young　fellow　was　pale；　his　gestures；　the　expression　of　his　face；　his
glance；　and　the　tones　of　his　voice；　all　had　a　sadness　which　was　full
of　grace。　He　was　not　pretending　grief；　he　truly　suffered；　and　the　veil
of　pain　cast　over　his　features　gave　him　an　interesting　air　dear　to　the
heart　of　women。　Eugenie　loved　him　the　more　for　it。　Perhaps　she　felt
that　sorrow　drew　him　nearer　to　her。　Charles　was　no　longer　the　rich　and
distinguished　young　man　placed　in　a　sphere　far　above　her；　but　a
relation　plunged　into　frightful　misery。　Misery　begets　equality。　Women
have　this　in　common　with　the　angels；suffering　humanity　belongs　to
them。　Charles　and　Eugenie　understood　each　other　and　spoke　only　with
their　eyes；　for　the　poor　fallen　dandy；　orphaned　and　impoverished；　sat
apart　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　and　was　proudly　calm　and　silent。　Yet；
from　time　to　time；　the　gentle　and　caressing　glance　of　the　young　girl
shone　upon　him　and　constrained　him　away　from　his　sad　thoughts；　drawing
him　with　her　into　the　fields　of　hope　and　of　futurity；　where　she　loved
to　hold　him　at　her　side。

VII
At　this　moment　the　town　of　Saumur　was　more　excited　about　the　dinner
given　by　Grandet　to　the　Cruchots　than　it　had　been　the　night　before　at
the　sale　of　his　vintage；　though　that　constituted　a　crime　of　high…
treason　against　the　whole　wine…growing　community。　If　the　politic　old
miser　had　given　his　dinner　from　the　same　idea　that　cost　the　dog　of
Alcibiades　his　tail；　he　might　perhaps　have　been　called　a　great　man；
but　the　fact　is；　considering　himself　superior　to　a　community　which　he
could　trick　on　all　occasions；　he　paid　very　little　heed　to　what　Saumur
might　say。
The　des　Grassins　soon　learned　the　facts　of　the　failure　and　the　violent
death　of　Guillaume　Grandet；　and　they　determined　to　go　to　their
client's　house　that　very　evening　to　commiserate　his　misfortune　and
show　him　some　marks　of　friendship；　with　a　view　of　ascertaining　the
motives　which　had　led　him　to　invite　the　Cruchots　to　dinner。　At
precisely　five　o'clock　Monsieur　C。　de　Bonfons　and　his　uncle　the　notary
arrived　in　their　Sunday　clothes。　The　party　sat　down　to　table　and　began
to　dine　with　good　appetites。　Grandet　was　grave；　Charles　silent；
Eugenie　dumb；　and　Madame　Grandet　did　not　say　more　than　usual；　so　that
the　dinner　was；　very　properly；　a　repast　of　condolence。　When　they　rose
from　table　Charles　said　to　his　aunt　and　uncle；
〃Will　you　permit　me　to　retire？　I　am　obliged　to　undertake　a　long　and
painful　correspondence。〃
〃Certainly；　nephew。〃
As　soon　as　the　goodman　was　certain　that　Charles　could　hear　nothing　and
was　probably　deep　in　his　letter…writing；　he　said；　with　a　dissimulating
glance　at　his　wife；
〃Madame　Grandet；　what　we　have　to　talk　about　will　be　Latin　to　you；　it
is　half…past　seven；　you　can　go　and　attend　to　your　household　accounts。
Good…night；　my　daughter。〃
He　kissed　Eugenie；　and　the　two　women　departed。　A　scene　now　took　place
in　which　Pere　Grandet　brought　to　bear；　more　than　at　any　other　moment
of　his　life；　the　shrewd　dexterity　he　had　acquired　in　his　intercourse
with　men；　and　which　had　won　him　from　those　whose　flesh　he　sometimes
bit　too　sharply　the　nickname　of　〃the　old　dog。〃　If　the　mayor　of　Saumur
had　carried　his　ambition　higher　still；　if　fortunate　circumstances；
drawing　him　towards　the　higher　social　spheres；　had　sent　him　into
congresses　where　the　affairs　of　nations　were　discussed；　and　had　he
there　employed　the　genius　with　which　his　personal　interests　had
endowed　him；　he　would　undoubtedly　have　proved　nobly　useful　to　his
native　land。　Yet　it　is　perhaps　equally　certain　that　outside　of　Saumur
the　goodman　would　have　cut　a　very　sorry　figure。　Possibly　there　are
minds　like　certain　animals　which　cease　to　breed　when　transplanted　from
the　climates　in　which　they　are　born。
〃M…m…mon…sieur　le　p…p…president；　you　said　t…t…that　b…b…bankruptcy〃
The　stutter　which　for　years　the　old　miser　had　assumed　when　it　suited
him；　and　which；　together　with　the　deafness　of　which　he　sometimes
compl