eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第7部分

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all　jumped　in　their　chairs。
〃There　is　no　man　in　Saumur　who　would　knock　like　that；〃　said　the
notary。
〃How　can　they　bang　in　that　way！〃　exclaimed　Nanon；　〃do　they　want　to
break　in　the　door？〃
〃Who　the　devil　is　it？〃　cried　Grandet。

III
Nanon　took　one　of　the　candles　and　went　to　open　the　door；　followed　by
her　master。
〃Grandet！　Grandet！〃　cried　his　wife；　moved　by　a　sudden　impulse　of　fear；
and　running　to　the　door　of　the　room。
All　the　players　looked　at　each　other。
〃Suppose　we　all　go？〃　said　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　〃that　knock　strikes
me　as　evil…intentioned。〃
Hardly　was　Monsieur　des　Grassins　allowed　to　see　the　figure　of　a　young
man；　accompanied　by　a　porter　from　the　coach…office　carrying　two　large
trunks　and　dragging　a　carpet…bag　after　him；　than　Monsieur　Grandet
turned　roughly　on　his　wife　and　said；
〃Madame　Grandet；　go　back　to　your　loto；　leave　me　to　speak　with
monsieur。〃
Then　he　pulled　the　door　quickly　to；　and　the　excited　players　returned
to　their　seats；　but　did　not　continue　the　game。
〃Is　it　any　one　belonging　to　Saumur；　Monsieur　des　Grassins？〃　asked　his
wife。
〃No；　it　is　a　traveller。〃
〃He　must　have　come　from　Paris。〃
〃Just　so；〃　said　the　notary；　pulling　out　his　watch；　which　was　two
inches　thick　and　looked　like　a　Dutch　man…of…war；　〃it's　nine　o'clock；
the　diligence　of　the　Grand　Bureau　is　never　late。〃
〃Is　the　gentleman　young？〃　inquired　the　Abbe　Cruchot。
〃Yes；〃　answered　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　〃and　he　has　brought　luggage
which　must　weigh　nearly　three　tons。〃
〃Nanon　does　not　come　back；〃　said　Eugenie。
〃It　must　be　one　of　your　relations；〃　remarked　the　president。
〃Let　us　go　on　with　our　game；〃　said　Madame　Grandet　gently。　〃I　know　from
Monsieur　Grandet's　tone　of　voice　that　he　is　annoyed；　perhaps　he　would
not　like　to　find　us　talking　of　his　affairs。〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Adolphe　to　his　neighbor；　〃it　is　no　doubt　your
cousin　Grandet；a　very　good…looking　young　man；　I　met　him　at　the　ball
of　Monsieur　de　Nucingen。〃　Adolphe　did　not　go　on；　for　his　mother　trod
on　his　toes；　and　then；　asking　him　aloud　for　two　sous　to　put　on　her
stake；　she　whispered：　〃Will　you　hold　your　tongue；　you　great　goose！〃
At　this　moment　Grandet　returned；　without　la　Grande　Nanon；　whose　steps；
together　with　those　of　the　porter；　echoed　up　the　staircase；　and　he　was
followed　by　the　traveller　who　had　excited　such　curiosity　and　so　filled
the　lively　imaginations　of　those　present　that　his　arrival　at　this
dwelling；　and　his　sudden　fall　into　the　midst　of　this　assembly；　can
only　be　likened　to　that　of　a　snail　into　a　beehive；　or　the　introduction
of　a　peacock　into　some　village　poultry…yard。
〃Sit　down　near　the　fire；〃　said　Grandet。
Before　seating　himself；　the　young　stranger　saluted　the　assembled
company　very　gracefully。　The　men　rose　to　answer　by　a　courteous
inclination；　and　the　women　made　a　ceremonious　bow。
〃You　are　cold；　no　doubt；　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　〃you　have；
perhaps；　travelled　from〃
〃Just　like　all　women！〃　said　the　old　wine…grower；　looking　up　from　a
letter　he　was　reading。　〃Do　let　monsieur　rest　himself！〃
〃But；　father；　perhaps　monsieur　would　like　to　take　something；〃　said
Eugenie。
〃He　has　got　a　tongue；〃　said　the　old　man　sternly。
The　stranger　was　the　only　person　surprised　by　this　scene；　all　the
others　were　well…used　to　the　despotic　ways　of　the　master。　However；
after　the　two　questions　and　the　two　replies　had　been　exchanged；　the
newcomer　rose；　turned　his　back　towards　the　fire；　lifted　one　foot　so　as
to　warm　the　sole　of　its　boot；　and　said　to　Eugenie；
〃Thank　you；　my　cousin；　but　I　dined　at　Tours。　And；〃　he　added；　looking
at　Grandet；　〃I　need　nothing；　I　am　not　even　tired。〃
〃Monsieur　has　come　from　the　capital？〃　asked　Madame　des　Grassins。
Monsieur　Charles；such　was　the　name　of　the　son　of　Monsieur　Grandet　of
Paris；hearing　himself　addressed；　took　a　little　eye…glass；　suspended
by　a　chain　from　his　neck；　applied　it　to　his　right　eye　to　examine　what
was　on　the　table；　and　also　the　persons　sitting　round　it。　He　ogled
Madame　des　Grassins　with　much　impertinence；　and　said　to　her；　after　he
had　observed　all　he　wished；
〃Yes；　madame。　You　are　playing　at　loto；　aunt；〃　he　added。　〃Do　not　let　me
interrupt　you；　I　beg；　go　on　with　your　game：　it　is　too　amusing　to
leave。〃
〃I　was　certain　it　was　the　cousin；〃　thought　Madame　des　Grassins；
casting　repeated　glances　at　him。
〃Forty…seven！〃　cried　the　old　abbe。　〃Mark　it　down；　Madame　des　Grassins。
Isn't　that　your　number？〃
Monsieur　des　Grassins　put　a　counter　on　his　wife's　card；　who　sat
watching　first　the　cousin　from　Paris　and　then　Eugenie；　without
thinking　of　her　loto；　a　prey　to　mournful　presentiments。　From　time　to
time　the　young　the　heiress　glanced　furtively　at　her　cousin；　and　the
banker's　wife　easily　detected　a　/crescendo/　of　surprise　and　curiosity
in　her　mind。
Monsieur　Charles　Grandet；　a　handsome　young　man　of　twenty…two；
presented　at　this　moment　a　singular　contrast　to　the　worthy
provincials；　who；　considerably　disgusted　by　his　aristocratic　manners；
were　all　studying　him　with　sarcastic　intent。　This　needs　an
explanation。　At　twenty…two；　young　people　are　still　so　near　childhood
that　they　often　conduct　themselves　childishly。　In　all　probability；　out
of　every　hundred　of　them　fully　ninety…nine　would　have　behaved
precisely　as　Monsieur　Charles　Grandet　was　now　behaving。
Some　days　earlier　than　this　his　father　had　told　him　to　go　and　spend
several　months　with　his　uncle　at　Saumur。　Perhaps　Monsieur　Grandet　was
thinking　of　Eugenie。　Charles；　sent　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　into
the　provinces；　took　a　fancy　to　make　his　appearance　with　the
superiority　of　a　man　of　fashion；　to　reduce　the　whole　arrondissement　to
despair　by　his　luxury；　and　to　make　his　visit　an　epoch；　importing　into
those　country　regions　all　the　refinements　of　Parisian　life。　In　short；
to　explain　it　in　one　word；　he　mean　to　pass　more　time　at　Saumur　in
brushing　his　nails　than　he　ever　thought　of　doing　in　Paris；　and　to
assume　the　extra　nicety　and　elegance　of　dress　which　a　young　man　of
fashion　often　lays　aside　for　a　certain　negligence　which　in　itself　is
not　devoid　of　grace。　Charles　therefore　brought　with　him　a　complete
hunting…costume；　the　finest　gun；　the　best　hunting…knife　in　the
prettiest　sheath　to　be　found　in　all　Paris。　He　brought　his　whole
collection　of　waistcoats。　They　were　of　all　kinds；gray；　black；　white；
scarabaeus…colored：　some　were　shot　with　gold；　some　spangled；　some
/chined/；　some　were　double…breasted　and　crossed　like　a　shawl；　others
were　straight　in　the　collar；　some　had　turned…over　collars；　some
buttoned　up　to　the　top　with　gilt　buttons。　He　brought　every　variety　of
collar　and　cravat　in　fashion　at　that　epoch。　He　brought　two　of
Buisson's　coats　and　all　his　finest　linen　He　brought　his　pretty　gold
toilet…set；a　present　from　his　mother。　He　brought　all　his　dandy
knick…knacks；　not　forgetting　a　ravishing　little　desk　presented　to　him
by　the　most　amiable　of　women；amiable　for　him；　at　least；a　fine　lady
whom　he　called　Annette　and　who　at　this　moment　was　travelling；
matrimonially　and　wearily；　in　Scotland；　a　victim　to　certain　suspicions
which　required　a　passing　sacrifice　of　happiness；　in　the　desk　was　much
pretty　note…paper　on　which　to　write　to　her　once　a　fortnight。
In　short；　it　was　as　complete　a　cargo　of　Parisian　frivolities　as　it　was
possible　for　him　to　get　together；a　collection　of　all　the　implements
of　husbandry　with　which　the　youth　of　leisure　tills　his　life；　from　the
little　whip　which　helps　to　begin　a　duel；　to　the　handsomely　chased
pistols　which　end　it。　His　father　having　told　him　to　travel　alone　and
modestly；　he　had　taken　the　coupe　of　the　diligence　all　to　himself；
rather　pleased　at　not　having　to　damage　a　delightful　travelling…
carriage　ordered　for　a　journey　on　which　he　was　to　meet　his　Annette；
the　great　lady　who；　etc。；whom　he　intended　to　rejoin　at　Baden　in　the
following　June。　Charles　expected　to　meet　scores　of　people　at　his
uncle's　house；　to　hunt　in　his　uncle's　forests；to　live；　in　short；　the
usual　chateau　life；　he　did　not　know　that　his　uncle　was　in　Saumur；　and
had　only　inquired　about　him　incidentally　when　asking　the　way　to
Froidfond。　Hearing　that　he　was　in　town；　he　supposed　that　he　should
find　him　in　a　suitable　mansion。
In　order　that　he　might　make　a　becoming　first　appearance　before　his
uncle　either　at　Saumur　or　at　Froidfond；　he　had　put　on　his　most　elegant
travelling　attire；　simple　yet　exquisite；〃adorable；〃　to　use　the　word
which　in　those　days　summed　up　the　special　perfections　of　a　man　or　a
thing。　At　Tours　a　hairdresser　had　re…curled　his　beautiful　chestnut
locks；　there　he　changed　his　linen　and　put　on　a　black　satin　cravat；
which；　combined　with　a　round　shirt…collar；　framed　his　fair　and　smiling
countenance　agreeably。　A　travelling　great…coat；　only　half　buttoned　up；
nipped　in　his　waist　and　disclosed　a　cashmere　waistcoat　crossed　in
front；　beneath　which　was　another　waistcoat　of　white　material。　His
watch；　negligently　slipped　into　a　pocket；　was　fastened　by　a　short　gold
chain　to　a　buttonhole。　His　gray　trousers；　buttoned　up　at　the　sides；
were　set　off　at　the　seams　with　patterns　of　black　silk　embroidery。　He
gracefully　twirled　a　cane；　whose　chased　gold　knob　did　not　mar　the
freshness　of　his　gray　gloves。　And　to　complete　all；　his　cap　was　in
excellent　taste。　None　but　a　Parisian；　and　a　Parisian　of　the　upper
spheres；　could　thus　array　himself　without　appearing　ridiculous；　none
other　could　give　the　harmony　of　self…conceit　to　all　these　fopperies；
which　were　carried　off；　however；　with　a　dashing　air；the　air　of　a
young　man　who　has　fine　pistols；　a　sure　aim；　and　Annette。
Now　if　you　wish　to　understand　the　mutual　amazement　of　the　provincial
party　and　the　young　Parisian；　if　you　would　clearly　see　the　brilliance
which　the　traveller's　elegance　cast　among　the　gray　shadows　of　the　room
and　upon　the　faces　of　this　family　group；endeavor　to　picture　to　your
minds　the　Cruchots。　All　three　took　snuff；　and　had　long　ceased　to
repress　the　habit　of　snivelling　or　to　remove　the　brown　blotches　which
strewed　the　frills　of　their　dingy　shirts　and　the　yellowing　creases　of
their　crumpled　collars。　Their　flabby　cravats　were　twisted　into　ropes
as　soon　as　they　wound　them　about　their　throats。　The　enormous　quantity
of　linen　which　allowed　these　people　to　have　their　clothing　washed　only
once　in　six　months；　and　to　keep　it　during　that　time　in　the　depths　of
their　closets；　also　enabled　time