eugenie grandet-第30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！


of　her　mother；　and　there　Nanon　brought　her　breakfast。　The　poor　girl；
sad；　and　suffering　through　the　sufferings　of　her　mother；　would　turn
her　face　to　the　old　servant　with　a　mute　gesture；　weeping；　and　yet　not
daring　to　speak　of　her　cousin。　It　was　Madame　Grandet　who　first　found
courage　to　say；

〃Where　is　/he/？　Why　does　/he/　not　write？〃

〃Let　us　think　about　him；　mother；　but　not　speak　of　him。　You　are　ill
you；　before　all。〃

〃All〃　meant　〃him。〃

〃My　child；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　〃I　do　not　wish　to　live。　God　protects
me　and　enables　me　to　look　with　joy　to　the　end　of　my　misery。〃

Every　utterance　of　this　woman　was　unfalteringly　pious　and　Christian。
Sometimes；　during　the　first　months　of　the　year；　when　her　husband　came
to　breakfast　with　her　and　tramped　up　and　down　the　room；　she　would　say
to　him　a　few　religious　words；　always　spoken　with　angelic　sweetness；
yet　with　the　firmness　of　a　woman　to　whom　approaching　death　lends　a
courage　she　had　lacked　in　life。

〃Monsieur；　I　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　my　health；〃　she
would　answer　when　he　made　some　commonplace　inquiry；　〃but　if　you　really
desire　to　render　my　last　moments　less　bitter　and　to　ease　my　grief；
take　back　your　daughter：　be　a　Christian；　a　husband；　and　a　father。〃

When　he　heard　these　words；　Grandet　would　sit　down　by　the　bed　with　the
air　of　a　man　who　sees　the　rain　coming　and　quietly　gets　under　the
shelter　of　a　gateway　till　it　is　over。　When　these　touching；　tender；　and
religious　supplications　had　all　been　made；　he　would　say；

〃You　are　rather　pale　to…day；　my　poor　wife。〃

Absolute　forgetfulness　of　his　daughter　seemed　graven　on　his　stony
brow；　on　his　closed　lips。　He　was　unmoved　by　the　tears　which　flowed
down　the　white　cheeks　of　his　unhappy　wife　as　she　listened　to　his
meaningless　answers。

〃May　God　pardon　you；〃　she　said；　〃even　as　I　pardon　you！　You　will　some
day　stand　in　need　of　mercy。〃

Since　Madame　Grandet's　illness　he　had　not　dared　to　make　use　of　his
terrible　〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！〃　Yet；　for　all　that；　his　despotic　nature　was
not　disarmed　by　this　angel　of　gentleness；　whose　ugliness　day　by　day
decreased；　driven　out　by　the　ineffable　expression　of　moral　qualities
which　shone　upon　her　face。　She　was　all　soul。　The　spirit　of　prayer
seemed　to　purify　her　and　refine　those　homely　features　and　make　them
luminous。　Who　has　not　seen　the　phenomenon　of　a　like　transfiguration　on
sacred　faces　where　the　habits　of　the　soul　have　triumphed　over　the
plainest　features；　giving　them　that　spiritual　illumination　whose　light
comes　from　the　purity　and　nobility　of　the　inward　thought？　The
spectacle　of　this　transformation　wrought　by　the　struggle　which
consumed　the　last　shreds　of　the　human　life　of　this　woman；　did　somewhat
affect　the　old　cooper；　though　feebly；　for　his　nature　was　of　iron；　if
his　language　ceased　to　be　contemptuous；　an　imperturbable　silence；
which　saved　his　dignity　as　master　of　the　household；　took　its　place　and
ruled　his　conduct。

When　the　faithful　Nanon　appeared　in　the　market；　many　quips　and　quirks
and　complaints　about　the　master　whistled　in　her　ears；　but　however
loudly　public　opinion　condemned　Monsieur　Grandet；　the　old　servant
defended　him；　for　the　honor　of　the　family。

〃Well！〃　she　would　say　to　his　detractors；　〃don't　we　all　get　hard　as　we
grow　old？　Why　shouldn't　he　get　horny　too？　Stop　telling　lies。
Mademoiselle　lives　like　a　queen。　She's　alone；　that's　true；　but　she
likes　it。　Besides；　my　masters　have　good　reasons。〃

At　last；　towards　the　end　of　spring；　Madame　Grandet；　worn　out　by　grief
even　more　than　by　illness；　having　failed；　in　spite　of　her　prayers；　to
reconcile　the　father　and　daughter；　confided　her　secret　troubles　to　the
Cruchots。

〃Keep　a　girl　of　twenty…three　on　bread　and　water！〃　cried　Monsieur　de
Bonfons；　〃without　any　reason；　too！　Why；　that　constitutes　wrongful
cruelty；　she　can　contest；　as　much　in　as　upon〃

〃Come；　nephew；　spare　us　your　legal　jargon；〃　said　the　notary。　〃Set　your
mind　at　ease；　madame；　I　will　put　a　stop　to　such　treatment　to…morrow。〃

Eugenie；　hearing　herself　mentioned；　came　out　of　her　room。

〃Gentlemen；〃　she　said；　coming　forward　with　a　proud　step；　〃I　beg　you
not　to　interfere　in　this　matter。　My　father　is　master　in　his　own　house。
As　long　as　I　live　under　his　roof　I　am　bound　to　obey　him。　His　conduct
is　not　subject　to　the　approbation　or　the　disapprobation　of　the　world；
he　is　accountable　to　God　only。　I　appeal　to　your　friendship　to　keep
total　silence　in　this　affair。　To　blame　my　father　is　to　attack　our
family　honor。　I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　the　interest　you　have　shown
in　me；　you　will　do　me　an　additional　service　if　you　will　put　a　stop　to
the　offensive　rumors　which　are　current　in　the　town；　of　which　I　am
accidentally　informed。〃

〃She　is　right；〃　said　Madame　Grandet。

〃Mademoiselle；　the　best　way　to　stop　such　rumors　is　to　procure　your
liberty；〃　answered　the　old　notary　respectfully；　struck　with　the　beauty
which　seclusion；　melancholy；　and　love　had　stamped　upon　her　face。

〃Well；　my　daughter；　let　Monsieur　Cruchot　manage　the　matter　if　he　is　so
sure　of　success。　He　understands　your　father；　and　how　to　manage　him。　If
you　wish　to　see　me　happy　for　my　few　remaining　days；　you　must；　at　any
cost；　be　reconciled　to　your　father。〃

On　the　morrow　Grandet；　in　pursuance　of　a　custom　he　had　begun　since
Eugenie's　imprisonment；　took　a　certain　number　of　turns　up　and　down　the
little　garden；　he　had　chosen　the　hour　when　Eugenie　brushed　and
arranged　her　hair。　When　the　old　man　reached　the　walnut…tree　he　hid
behind　its　trunk　and　remained　for　a　few　moments　watching　his
daughter's　movements；　hesitating；　perhaps；　between　the　course　to　which
the　obstinacy　of　his　character　impelled　him　and　his　natural　desire　to
embrace　his　child。　Sometimes　he　sat　down　on　the　rotten　old　bench　where
Charles　and　Eugenie　had　vowed　eternal　love；　and　then　she；　too；　looked
at　her　father　secretly　in　the　mirror　before　which　she　stood。　If　he
rose　and　continued　his　walk；　she　sat　down　obligingly　at　the　window　and
looked　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　where　the　pale　flowers　hung；　where　the
Venus…hair　grew　from　the　crevices　with　the　bindweed　and　the　sedum；a
white　or　yellow　stone…crop　very　abundant　in　the　vineyards　of　Saumur
and　at　Tours。　Maitre　Cruchot　came　early；　and　found　the　old　wine…grower
sitting　in　the　fine　June　weather　on　the　little　bench；　his　back　against
the　division　wall　of　the　garden；　engaged　in　watching　his　daughter。

〃What　may　you　want；　Maitre　Cruchot？〃　he　said；　perceiving　the　notary。

〃I　came　to　speak　to　you　on　business。〃

〃Ah！　ah！　have　you　brought　some　gold　in　exchange　for　my　silver？〃

〃No；　no；　I　have　not　come　about　money；　it　is　about　your　daughter
Eugenie。　All　the　town　is　talking　of　her　and　you。〃

〃What　does　the　town　meddle　for？　A　man's　house　is　his　castle。〃

〃Very　true；　and　a　man　may　kill　himself　if　he　likes；　or；　what　is　worse；
he　may　fling　his　money　into　the　gutter。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　your　wife　is　very　ill；　my　friend。　You　ought　to　consult　Monsieur
Bergerin；　she　is　likely　to　die。　If　she　does　die　without　receiving
proper　care；　you　will　not　be　very　easy　in　mind；　I　take　it。〃

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！　you　know　a　deal　about　my　wife！　These　doctors；　if　they
once　get　their　foot　in　your　house；　will　come　five　and　six　times　a
day。〃

〃Of　course　you　will　do　as　you　think　best。　We　are　old　friends；　there　is
no　one　in　all　Saumur　who　takes　more　interest　than　I　in　what　concerns
you。　Therefore；　I　was　bound　to　tell　you　this。　However；　happen　what
may；　you　have　the　right　to　do　as　you　please；　you　can　choose　your　own
course。　Besides；　that　is　not　what　brings　me　here。　There　is　another
thing　which　may　have　serious　results　for　you。　After　all；　you　can't
wish　to　kill　your　wife；　her　life　is　too　important　to　you。　Think　of
your　situation　in　connection　with　your　daughter　if　Madame　Grandet
dies。　You　must　render　an　account　to　Eugenie；　because　you　enjoy　your
wife's　estate　only　during　her　lifetime。　At　her　death　your　daughter　can
claim　a　division　of　property；　and　she　may　force　you　to　sell　Froidfond。
In　short；　she　is　her　mother's　heir；　and　you　are　not。〃

These　words　fell　like　a　thunderbolt　on　the　old　man；　who　was　not　as
wise　about　law　as　he　was　about　business。　He　had　never　thought　of　a
legal　division　of　the　estate。

〃Therefore　I　advise　you　to　treat　her　kindly；〃　added　Cruchot；　in
conclusion。

〃But　do　you　know　what　she　has　done；　Cruchot？〃

〃What？〃　asked　the　notary；　curious　to　hear　the　truth　and　find　out　the
cause　of　the　quarrel。

〃She　has　given　away　her　gold！〃

〃Well；　wasn't　it　hers？〃　said　the　notary。

〃They　all　tell　me　that！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man；　letting　his　arms　fall
to　his　sides　with　a　movement　that　was　truly　tragic。

〃Are　you　goingfor　a　mere　nothing；〃resumed　Cruchot；　〃to　put
obstacles　in　the　way　of　the　concessions　which　you　will　be　obliged　to
ask　from　your　daughter　as　soon　as　her　mother　dies？〃

〃Do　you　call　six　thousand　francs　a　mere　nothing？〃

〃Hey！　my　old　friend；　do　you　know　what　the　inventory　of　your　wife's
property　will　cost；　if　Eugenie　demands　the　division？〃

〃How　much？〃

〃Two；　three；　four　thousand　francs；　perhaps！　The　property　would　have　to
be　put　up　at　auction　and　sold；　to　get　at　its　actual　value。　Instead　of
that；　if　you　are　on　good　terms　with〃

〃By　the　shears　of　my　father！〃　cried　Grandet；　turning　pale　as　he
suddenly　sat　down；　〃we　will　see　about　it；　Cruchot。〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　full　of　anguish　perhaps；　the　old　man　looked
at　the　notary　and　said；

〃Life　is　very　hard！　It　has　many　griefs！　Cruchot；〃　he　continued
solemnly；　〃you　would　not　deceive　me？　Swear　to　me　upon　your　honor　that
all　you've　told　me　is　legally　true。　Show　me　the　law；　I　must　see　the
law！〃

〃My　poor　friend；〃　said　the　notary；　〃don't　I　know　my　own　business？〃

〃Then　it　is　true！　I　am　robbed；　betrayed；　killed；　destroyed　by　my　own
daughter！〃

〃It　is　true　that　your　daughter　is　her　mother's　heir。〃

〃Why　do　we　have　children？　Ah！　my　wife；　I　love　her！　Luckily　she's　sound
and　healthy；　she's　a　Bertelliere。〃

〃She　has　not　a　month　to　live。〃

Grandet　struck　his　forehead；　went　a　few　steps；　came　back；　cast　a
dreadful　look　on　Cruchot；　and　said；

〃What　can　be　done？〃

〃Eugenie　can　relinquish　her　claim　to　her　mother's　property。　Should　she
do　this　you　would　not　disinherit　her；　I　presume？but　if　you　want　to
come　to　such　a　settlement；　you　must　not　tr