eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第9部分

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to　find　himself　the　object　of　general　attention。
〃Monsieur　is　your　son？〃　he　said　to　Madame　des　Grassins。
The　abbe　looked　at　her　maliciously。
〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　she　answered。
〃Then　you　were　very　young　when　you　were　in　Paris？〃　said　Charles；
addressing　Adolphe。
〃You　must　know；　monsieur；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃that　we　send　them　to
Babylon　as　soon　as　they　are　weaned。〃
Madame　des　Grassins　examined　the　abbe　with　a　glance　of　extreme
penetration。
〃It　is　only　in　the　provinces；〃　he　continued；　〃that　you　will　find　women
of　thirty　and　more　years　as　fresh　as　madame；　here；　with　a　son　about　to
take　his　degree。　I　almost　fancy　myself　back　in　the　days　when　the　young
men　stood　on　chairs　in　the　ball…room　to　see　you　dance；　madame；〃　said
the　abbe；　turning　to　his　female　adversary。　〃To　me；　your　triumphs　are
but　of　yesterday〃
〃The　old　rogue！〃　thought　Madame　Grassins；　〃can　he　have　guessed　my
intentions？〃
〃It　seems　that　I　shall　have　a　good　deal　of　success　in　Saumur；〃　thought
Charles　as　he　unbuttoned　his　great…coat；　put　a　hand　into　his
waistcoat；　and　cast　a　glance　into　the　far　distance；　to　imitate　the
attitude　which　Chantrey　has　given　to　Lord　Byron。
The　inattention　of　Pere　Grandet；　or；　to　speak　more　truly；　the
preoccupation　of　mind　into　which　the　reading　of　the　letter　had　plunged
him；　did　not　escape　the　vigilance　of　the　notary　and　the　president；　who
tried　to　guess　the　contents　of　the　letter　by　the　almost　imperceptible
motions　of　the　miser's　face；　which　was　then　under　the　full　light　of
the　candle。　He　maintained　the　habitual　calm　of　his　features　with
evident　difficulty；　we　may；　in　fact；　picture　to　ourselves　the
countenance　such　a　man　endeavored　to　preserve　as　he　read　the　fatal
letter　which　here　follows：
　　My　Brother；It　is　almost　twenty…three　years　since　we　have　seen
　　each　other。　My　marriage　was　the　occasion　of　our　last　interview；
　　after　which　we　parted；　and　both　of　us　were　happy。　Assuredly　I
　　could　not　then　foresee　that　you　would　one　day　be　the　prop　of　the
　　family　whose　prosperity　you　then　predicted。
　　When　you　hold　this　letter　within　your　hands　I　shall　be　no　longer
　　living。　In　the　position　I　now　hold　I　cannot　survive　the　disgrace
　　of　bankruptcy。　I　have　waited　on　the　edge　of　the　gulf　until　the
　　last　moment；　hoping　to　save　myself。　The　end　has　come；　I　must　sink
　　into　it。　The　double　bankruptcies　of　my　broker　and　of　Roguin；　my
　　notary；　have　carried　off　my　last　resources　and　left　me　nothing。　I
　　have　the　bitterness　of　owing　nearly　four　millions；　with　assets　not
　　more　than　twenty…five　per　cent　in　value　to　pay　them。　The　wines　in
　　my　warehouses　suffer　from　the　fall　in　prices　caused　by　the　
　　abundance　and　quality　of　your　vintage。　In　three　days　Paris　will
　　cry　out：　〃Monsieur　Grandet　was　a　knave！〃　and　I；　an　honest　man；
　　shall　be　lying　in　my　winding…sheet　of　infamy。　I　deprive　my　son　of
　　a　good　name；　which　I　have　stained；　and　the　fortune　of　his　mother；
　　which　I　have　lost。　He　knows　nothing　of　all　this；my　unfortunate
　　child　whom　I　idolize！　We　parted　tenderly。　He　was　ignorant；
　　happily；　that　the　last　beatings　of　my　heart　were　spent　in　that
　　farewell。　Will　he　not　some　day　curse　me？　My　brother；　my　brother！
　　the　curses　of　our　children　are　horrible；　they　can　appeal　against
　　ours；　but　theirs　are　irrevocable。　Grandet；　you　are　my　elder
　　brother；　you　owe　me　your　protection；　act　for　me　so　that　Charles
　　may　cast　no　bitter　words　upon　my　grave！　My　brother；　if　I　were
　　writing　with　my　blood；　with　my　tears；　no　greater　anguish　could　I
　　put　into　this　letter；nor　as　great；　for　then　I　should　weep；　I
　　should　bleed；　I　should　die；　I　should　suffer　no　more；　but　now　I
　　suffer　and　look　at　death　with　dry　eyes。
　　From　henceforth　you　are　my　son's　father；　he　has　no　relations；　as
　　you　well　know；　on　his　mother's　side。　Why　did　I　not　consider　social
　　prejudices？　Why　did　I　yield　to　love？　Why　did　I　marry　the　natural
　　daughter　of　a　great　lord？　Charles　has　no　family。　Oh；　my　unhappy
　　son！　my　son！　Listen；　Grandet！　I　implore　nothing　for　myself；
　　besides；　your　property　may　not　be　large　enough　to　carry　a　mortgage
　　of　three　millions；but　for　my　son！　Brother；　my　suppliant　hands
　　are　clasped　as　I　think　of　you；　behold　them！　Grandet；　I　confide　my
　　son　to　you　in　dying；　and　I　look　at　the　means　of　death　with　less
　　pain　as　I　think　that　you　will　be　to　him　a　father。　He　loved　me
　　well；　my　Charles；　I　was　good　to　him；　I　never　thwarted　him；　he　will
　　not　curse　me。　Ah；　you　see！　he　is　gentle；　he　is　like　his　mother；　he
　　will　cause　you　no　grief。　Poor　boy！　accustomed　to　all　the
　　enjoyments　of　luxury；　he　knows　nothing　of　the　privations　to　which
　　you　and　I　were　condemned　by　the　poverty　of　our　youth。　And　I　leave
　　him　ruined！　alone！　Yes；　all　my　friends　will　avoid　him；　and　it　is　I
　　who　have　brought　this　humiliation　upon　him！　Would　that　I　had　the
　　force　to　send　him　with　one　thrust　into　the　heavens　to　his　mother's
　　side！　Madness！　I　come　back　to　my　disasterto　his。　I　send　him　to
　　you　that　you　may　tell　him　in　some　fitting　way　of　my　death；　of　his
　　future　fate。　Be　a　father　to　him；　but　a　good　father。　Do　not　tear
　　him　all　at　once　from　his　idle　life；　it　would　kill　him。　I　beg　him
　　on　my　knees　to　renounce　all　rights　that；　as　his　mother's　heir；　he
　　may　have　on　my　estate。　But　the　prayer　is　superfluous；　he　is
　　honorable；　and　he　will　feel　that　he　must　not　appear　among　my
　　creditors。　Bring　him　to　see　this　at　the　right　time；　reveal　to　him
　　the　hard　conditions　of　the　life　I　have　made　for　him：　and　if　he
　　still　has　tender　thoughts　of　me；　tell　him　in　my　name　that　all　is
　　not　lost　for　him。　Yes；　work；　labor；　which　saved　us　both；　may　give
　　him　back　the　fortune　of　which　I　have　deprived　him；　and　if　he
　　listens　to　his　father's　voice　as　it　reaches　him　from　the　grave；　he
　　will　go　the　Indies。　My　brother；　Charles　is　an　upright　and
　　courageous　young　man；　give　him　the　wherewithal　to　make　his
　　venture；　he　will　die　sooner　than　not　repay　you　the　funds　which　you
　　may　lend　him。　Grandet！　if　you　will　not　do　this；　you　will　lay　up
　　for　yourself　remorse。　Ah；　should　my　child　find　neither　tenderness
　　nor　succor　in　you；　I　would　call　down　the　vengeance　of　God　upon
　　your　cruelty！
　　If　I　had　been　able　to　save　something　from　the　wreck；　I　might　have
　　had　the　right　to　leave　him　at　least　a　portion　of　his　mother's
　　property；　but　my　last　monthly　payments　have　absorbed　everything。　I
　　did　not　wish　to　die　uncertain　of　my　child's　fate；　I　hoped　to　feel
　　a　sacred　promise　in　a　clasp　of　your　hand　which　might　have　warmed
　　my　heart：　but　time　fails　me。　While　Charles　is　journeying　to　you　I
　　shall　be　preparing　my　assignment。　I　shall　endeavor　to　show　by　the
　　order　and　good　faith　of　my　accounts　that　my　disaster　comes　neither
　　from　a　faulty　life　nor　from　dishonesty。　It　is　for　my　son's　sake
　　that　I　strive　to　do　this。
　　Farewell；　my　brother！　May　the　blessing　of　God　be　yours　for　the
　　generous　guardianship　I　lay　upon　you；　and　which；　I　doubt　not；　you
　　will　accept。　A　voice　will　henceforth　and　forever　pray　for　you　in
　　that　world　where　we　must　all　go；　and　where　I　am　now　as　you　read
　　these　lines。
Victor…Ange…Guillaume　Grandet。

〃So　you　are　talking？〃　said　Pere　Grandet　as　he　carefully　folded　the
letter　in　its　original　creases　and　put　it　into　his　waistcoat…pocket。
He　looked　at　his　nephew　with　a　humble；　timid　air；　beneath　which　he　hid
his　feelings　and　his　calculations。　〃Have　you　warmed　yourself？〃　he　said
to　him。
〃Thoroughly；　my　dear　uncle。〃
〃Well；　where　are　the　women？〃　said　his　uncle；　already　forgetting　that
his　nephew　was　to　sleep　at　the　house。　At　this　moment　Eugenie　and
Madame　Grandet　returned。
〃Is　the　room　all　ready？〃　said　Grandet；　recovering　his　composure。
〃Yes；　father。〃
〃Well　then；　my　nephew；　if　you　are　tired；　Nanon　shall　show　you　your
room。　It　isn't　a　dandy's　room；　but　you　will　excuse　a　poor　wine…grower
who　never　has　a　penny　to　spare。　Taxes　swallow　up　everything。〃
〃We　do　not　wish　to　intrude；　Grandet；〃　said　the　banker；　〃you　may　want
to　talk　to　your　nephew；　and　therefore　we　will　bid　you　good…night。〃
At　these　words　the　assembly　rose；　and　each　made　a　parting　bow　in
keeping　with　his　or　her　own　character。　The　old　notary　went　to　the　door
to　fetch　his　lantern　and　came　back　to　light　it；　offering　to　accompany
the　des　Grassins　on　their　way。　Madame　des　Grassins　had　not　foreseen
the　incident　which　brought　the　evening　prematurely　to　an　end；　her
servant　therefore　had　not　arrived。
〃Will　you　do　me　the　honor　to　take　my　arm；　madame？〃　said　the　abbe。
〃Thank　you；　monsieur　l'abbe；　but　I　have　my　son；〃　she　answered　dryly。
〃Ladies　cannot　compromise　themselves　with　me；〃　said　the　abbe。
〃Take　Monsieur　Cruchot's　arm；〃　said　her　husband。
The　abbe　walked　off　with　the　pretty　lady　so　quickly　that　they　were
soon　some　distance　in　advance　of　the　caravan。
〃That　is　a　good…looking　young　man；　madame；〃　he　said；　pressing　her　arm。
〃Good…by　to　the　grapes；　the　vintage　is　done。　It　is　all　over　with　us。
We　may　as　well　say　adieu　to　Mademoiselle　Grandet。　Eugenie　will　belong
to　the　dandy。　Unless　this　cousin　is　enamoured　of　some　Parisian　woman；
your　son　Adolphe　will　find　another　rival　in〃
〃Not　at　all；　monsieur　l'abbe。　This　young　man　cannot　fail　to　see　that
Eugenie　is　a　little　fool；a　girl　without　the　least　freshness。　Did　you
notice　her　to…night？　She　was　as　yellow　as　a　quince。〃
〃Perhaps　you　made　the　cousin　notice　it？〃
〃I　did　not　take　the　trouble〃
〃Place　yourself　always　beside　Eugenie；　madame；　and　you　need　never　take
the　trouble　to　say　anything　to　the　young　man　against　his　cousin；　he
will　make　his　own　comparisons；　which〃
〃Well；　he　has　promised　to　dine　with　me　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃
〃Ah！　if　you　only　/would/；　madame〃　said　the　abbe。
〃What　is　it　that　you　wish　me　to　do；　monsieur　l'abbe？　Do　you　mean　to
offer　me　bad　advice？　I　have　not　reached　the　age　of　thirty…nine；
without　a　stain　upon　my　reputation；　thank　God！　to　compromise　myself
now；　even　for　the　empire　of　the　Great　Mogul。　You　and　I　are　of　an　age
when　we　both　know　the　meaning　of　words。　For　an　ecclesiastic；　you
certainly　have　ideas　that　are　very　incongruous。　Fie！　it　is　worthy　of
Faublas！〃
〃You　have　read　Faublas？〃
〃No；　monsieur　l'abbe；　I　meant　to　say　the　/Liaisons　dangereuses/。〃
〃Ah！　that　book　is　infinitely　more　moral；〃　said　the　abbe；　laughing。
〃But　you　make　me　out　as　wicked　as　a　young　man　of　the　present　day；　I