eugenie grandet-第23部分

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Eugenie　gave　no　thought　to　these　rarities；　nor　to　her　father's　mania
for　them；　nor　to　the　danger　she　incurred　in　depriving　herself　of　a
treasure　so　dear　to　him；　no；　she　thought　only　of　her　cousin；　and　soon
made　out；　after　a　few　mistakes　of　calculation；　that　she　possessed
about　five　thousand　eight　hundred　francs　in　actual　value；　which　might
be　sold　for　their　additional　value　to　collectors　for　nearly　six
thousand。　She　looked　at　her　wealth　and　clapped　her　hands　like　a　happy
child　forced　to　spend　its　overflowing　joy　in　artless　movements　of　the
body。　Father　and　daughter　had　each　counted　up　their　fortune　this
night；he；　to　sell　his　gold；　Eugenie　to　fling　hers　into　the　ocean　of
affection。　She　put　the　pieces　back　into　the　old　purse；　took　it　in　her
hand；　and　ran　upstairs　without　hesitation。　The　secret　misery　of　her
cousin　made　her　forget　the　hour　and　conventional　propriety；　she　was
strong　in　her　conscience；　in　her　devotion；　in　her　happiness。

As　she　stood　upon　the　threshold　of　the　door；　holding　the　candle　in　one
hand　and　the　purse　in　the　other；　Charles　woke；　caught　sight　of　her；
and　remained　speechless　with　surprise。　Eugenie　came　forward；　put　the
candle　on　the　table；　and　said　in　a　quivering　voice：

〃My　cousin；　I　must　beg　pardon　for　a　wrong　I　have　done　you；　but　God
will　pardon　meif　youwill　help　me　to　wipe　it　out。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Charles；　rubbing　his　eyes。

〃I　have　read　those　letters。〃

Charles　colored。

〃How　did　it　happen？〃　she　continued；　〃how　came　I　here？　Truly；　I　do　not
know。　I　am　tempted　not　to　regret　too　much　that　I　have　read　them；　they
have　made　me　know　your　heart；　your　soul；　and〃

〃And　what？〃　asked　Charles。

〃Your　plans；　your　need　of　a　sum〃

〃My　dear　cousin〃

〃Hush；　hush！　my　cousin；　not　so　loud；　we　must　not　wake　others。　See；〃
she　said；　opening　her　purse；　〃here　are　the　savings　of　a　poor　girl　who
wants　nothing。　Charles；　accept　them！　This　morning　I　was　ignorant　of
the　value　of　money；　you　have　taught　it　to　me。　It　is　but　a　means；　after
all。　A　cousin　is　almost　a　brother；　you　can　surely　borrow　the　purse　of
your　sister。〃

Eugenie；　as　much　a　woman　as　a　young　girl；　never　dreamed　of　refusal；
but　her　cousin　remained　silent。

〃Oh！　you　will　not　refuse？〃　cried　Eugenie；　the　beatings　of　whose　heart
could　be　heard　in　the　deep　silence。

Her　cousin's　hesitation　mortified　her；　but　the　sore　need　of　his
position　came　clearer　still　to　her　mind；　and　she　knelt　down。

〃I　will　never　rise　till　you　have　taken　that　gold！〃　she　said。　〃My
cousin；　I　implore　you；　answer　me！　let　me　know　if　you　respect　me；　if
you　are　generous；　if〃

As　he　heard　this　cry　of　noble　distress　the　young　man's　tears　fell　upon
his　cousin's　hands；　which　he　had　caught　in　his　own　to　keep　her　from
kneeling。　As　the　warm　tears　touched　her；　Eugenie　sprang　to　the　purse
and　poured　its　contents　upon　the　table。

〃Ah！　yes；　yes；　you　consent？〃　she　said；　weeping　with　joy。　〃Fear
nothing；　my　cousin；　you　will　be　rich。　This　gold　will　bring　you
happiness；　some　day　you　shall　bring　it　back　to　me；are　we　not
partners？　I　will　obey　all　conditions。　But　you　should　not　attach　such
value　to　the　gift。〃

Charles　was　at　last　able　to　express　his　feelings。

〃Yes；　Eugenie；　my　soul　would　be　small　indeed　if　I　did　not　accept。　And
yet；gift　for　gift；　confidence　for　confidence。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said；　frightened。

〃Listen；　dear　cousin；　I　have　here〃　He　interrupted　himself　to　point
out　a　square　box　covered　with　an　outer　case　of　leather　which　was　on
the　drawers。　〃There；〃　he　continued；　〃is　something　as　precious　to　me　as
life　itself。　This　box　was　a　present　from　my　mother。　All　day　I　have
been　thinking　that　if　she　could　rise　from　her　grave；　she　would　herself
sell　the　gold　which　her　love　for　me　lavished　on　this　dressing…case；
but　were　I　to　do　so；　the　act　would　seem　to　me　a　sacrilege。〃　Eugenie
pressed　his　hand　as　she　heard　these　last　words。　〃No；〃　he　added；　after
a　slight　pause；　during　which　a　liquid　glance　of　tenderness　passed
between　them；　〃no；　I　will　neither　sell　it　nor　risk　its　safety　on　my
journey。　Dear　Eugenie；　you　shall　be　its　guardian。　Never　did　friend
commit　anything　more　sacred　to　another。　Let　me　show　it　to　you。〃

He　went　to　the　box；　took　it　from　its　outer　coverings；　opened　it；　and
showed　his　delighted　cousin　a　dressing…case　where　the　rich　workmanship
gave　to　the　gold　ornaments　a　value　far　above　their　weight。

〃What　you　admire　there　is　nothing；〃　he　said；　pushing　a　secret　spring
which　opened　a　hidden　drawer。　〃Here　is　something　which　to　me　is　worth
the　whole　world。〃　He　drew　out　two　portraits；　masterpieces　of　Madame
Mirbel；　richly　set　with　pearls。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful！　Is　it　the　lady　to　whom　you　wrote　that〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃this　is　my　mother；　and　here　is　my　father；
your　aunt　and　uncle。　Eugenie；　I　beg　you　on　my　knees；　keep　my　treasure
safely。　If　I　die　and　your　little　fortune　is　lost；　this　gold　and　these
pearls　will　repay　you。　To　you　alone　could　I　leave　these　portraits；　you
are　worthy　to　keep　them。　But　destroy　them　at　last；　so　that　they　may
pass　into　no　other　hands。〃　Eugenie　was　silent。　〃Ah；　yes；　say　yes！　You
consent？〃　he　added　with　winning　grace。

Hearing　the　very　words　she　had　just　used　to　her　cousin　now　addressed
to　herself；　she　turned　upon　him　a　look　of　love；　her　first　look　of
loving　womanhood；a　glance　in　which　there　is　nearly　as　much　of
coquetry　as　of　inmost　depth。　He　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it。

〃Angel　of　purity！　between　us　two　money　is　nothing；　never　can　be
anything。　Feeling；　sentiment；　must　be　all　henceforth。〃

〃You　are　like　your　mother；was　her　voice　as　soft　as　yours？〃

〃Oh！　much　softer〃

〃Yes；　for　you；〃　she　said；　dropping　her　eyelids。　〃Come；　Charles；　go　to
bed；　I　wish　it；　you　must　be　tired。　Good…night。〃　She　gently　disengaged
her　hand　from　those　of　her　cousin；　who　followed　her　to　her　room；
lighting　the　way。　When　they　were　both　upon　the　threshold；

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃why　am　I　ruined？〃

〃What　matter？my　father　is　rich；　I　think　so；〃　she　answered。

〃Poor　child！〃　said　Charles；　making　a　step　into　her　room　and　leaning
his　back　against　the　wall；　〃if　that　were　so；　he　would　never　have　let
my　father　die；　he　would　not　let　you　live　in　this　poor　way；　he　would
live　otherwise　himself。〃

〃But　he　owns　Froidfond。〃

〃What　is　Froidfond　worth？〃

〃I　don't　know；　but　he　has　Noyers。〃

〃Nothing　but　a　poor　farm！〃

〃He　has　vineyards　and　fields。〃

〃Mere　nothing；〃　said　Charles　disdainfully。　〃If　your　father　had　only
twenty…four　thousand　francs　a　year　do　you　suppose　you　would　live　in
this　cold；　barren　room？〃　he　added；　making　a　step　in　advance。　〃Ah！
there　you　will　keep　my　treasures；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　the　old
cabinet；　as　if　to　hide　his　thoughts。

〃Go　and　sleep；〃　she　said；　hindering　his　entrance　into　the　disordered
room。

Charles　stepped　back；　and　they　bid　each　other　good…night　with　a　mutual
smile。

Both　fell　asleep　in　the　same　dream；　and　from　that　moment　the　youth
began　to　wear　roses　with　his　mourning。　The　next　day；　before　breakfast；
Madame　Grandet　found　her　daughter　in　the　garden　in　company　with
Charles。　The　young　man　was　still　sad；　as　became　a　poor　fellow　who；
plunged　in　misfortune；　measures　the　depths　of　the　abyss　into　which　he
has　fallen；　and　sees　the　terrible　burden　of　his　whole　future　life。

〃My　father　will　not　be　home　till　dinner…time；〃　said　Eugenie；
perceiving　the　anxious　look　on　her　mother's　face。

It　was　easy　to　trace　in　the　face　and　manners　of　the　young　girl　and　in
the　singular　sweetness　of　her　voice　a　unison　of　thought　between　her
and　her　cousin。　Their　souls　had　espoused　each　other；　perhaps　before
they　even　felt　the　force　of　the　feelings　which　bound　them　together。
Charles　spent　the　morning　in　the　hall；　and　his　sadness　was　respected。
Each　of　the　three　women　had　occupations　of　her　own。　Grandet　had　left
all　his　affairs　unattended　to；　and　a　number　of　persons　came　on
business；the　plumber；　the　mason；　the　slater；　the　carpenter；　the
diggers；　the　dressers；　the　farmers；　some　to　drive　a　bargain　about
repairs；　others　to　pay　their　rent　or　to　be　paid　themselves　for
services。　Madame　Grandet　and　Eugenie　were　obliged　to　go　and　come　and
listen　to　the　interminable　talk　of　all　these　workmen　and　country　folk。
Nanon　put　away　in　her　kitchen　the　produce　which　they　brought　as
tribute。　She　always　waited　for　her　master's　orders　before　she　knew
what　portion　was　to　be　used　in　the　house　and　what　was　to　be　sold　in
the　market。　It　was　the　goodman's　custom；　like　that　of　a　great　many
country　gentlemen；　to　drink　his　bad　wine　and　eat　his　spoiled　fruit。

Towards　five　in　the　afternoon　Grandet　returned　from　Angers；　having
made　fourteen　thousand　francs　by　the　exchange　on　his　gold；　bringing
home　in　his　wallet　good　treasury…notes　which　bore　interest　until　the
day　he　should　invest　them　in　the　Funds。　He　had　left　Cornoiller　at
Angers　to　look　after　the　horses；　which　were　well…nigh　foundered；　with
orders　to　bring　them　home　slowly　after　they　were　rested。

〃I　have　got　back　from　Angers；　wife；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　hungry。〃

Nanon　called　out　to　him　from　the　kitchen：　〃Haven't　you　eaten　anything
since　yesterday？〃

〃Nothing；〃　answered　the　old　man。

Nanon　brought　in　the　soup。　Des　Grassins　came　to　take　his　client's
orders　just　as　the　family　sat　down　to　dinner。　Grandet　had　not　even
observed　his　nephew。

〃Go　on　eating；　Grandet；〃　said　the　banker；　〃we　can　talk。　Do　you　know
what　gold　is　worth　in　Angers？　They　have　come　from　Nantes　after　it？　I
shall　send　some　of　ours。〃

〃Don't　send　any；〃　said　Grandet；　〃they　have　got　enough。　We　are　such　old
friends；　I　ought　to　save　you　from　such　a　loss　of　time。〃

〃But　gold　is　worth　thirteen　francs　fifty　centimes。〃

〃Say　/was/　worth〃

〃Where　the　devil　have　they　got　any？〃

〃I　went　to　Angers　last　night；〃　answered　Grandet　in　a　low　voice。

The　banker　shook　with　surprise。　Then　a　whispered　conversation　began
between　the　two；　during　which　Grandet　and　des　Grassins　frequently
looked　at　Charles。　Presently　des　Grassins　gave　a　start　of
astonishment；　probably　Grandet　was　then　instructing　him　to　invest　the
sum　which　was　to　give　him　a　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　in　the
Funds。

〃Monsieur　Grandet；〃　said　the　banker　to　Charles；　〃I　am　starting　for
Paris；　if　you　have　any　commissions〃

〃None；　monsieur；　I　thank　you；〃　answered　Charles。

〃Thank　him　better　than　that；　nephew。　Monsi