eugenie grandet-第6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！


side　of　her　neck　with　a　complacency　that　made　her　blush。　The
president；　who　looked　like　a　rusty　iron　nail；　felt　that　his　courtship
was　progressing。

〃Don't　stand　on　ceremony；〃　said　Grandet；　entering。　〃How　well　you　do
things　on　fete…days；　Monsieur　le　president！〃

〃When　it　concerns　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　abbe；　armed　with　his　own
bouquet；　〃every　day　is　a　fete…day　for　my　nephew。〃

The　abbe　kissed　Eugenie's　hand。　As　for　Maitre　Cruchot；　he　boldly
kissed　her　on　both　cheeks；　remarking：　〃How　we　sprout　up；　to　be　sure！
Every　year　is　twelve　months。〃

As　he　replaced　the　candlestick　beside　the　clock；　Grandet；　who　never
forgot　his　own　jokes；　and　repeated　them　to　satiety　when　he　thought
them　funny；　said；

〃As　this　is　Eugenie's　birthday　let　us　illuminate。〃

He　carefully　took　off　the　branches　of　the　candelabra；　put　a　socket　on
each　pedestal；　took　from　Nanon　a　new　tallow　candle　with　paper　twisted
round　the　end　of　it；　put　it　into　the　hollow；　made　it　firm；　lit　it；　and
then　sat　down　beside　his　wife；　looking　alternately　at　his　friends；　his
daughter；　and　the　two　candles。　The　Abbe　Cruchot；　a　plump；　puffy　little
man；　with　a　red　wig　plastered　down　and　a　face　like　an　old　female
gambler；　said　as　he　stretched　out　his　feet；　well　shod　in　stout　shoes
with　silver　buckles：　〃The　des　Grassins　have　not　come？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　said　Grandet。

〃But　are　they　coming？〃　asked　the　old　notary；　twisting　his　face；　which
had　as　many　holes　as　a　collander；　into　a　queer　grimace。

〃I　think　so；〃　answered　Madame　Grandet。

〃Are　your　vintages　all　finished？〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bonfons　to　Grandet。

〃Yes；　all　of　them；〃　said　the　old　man；　rising　to　walk　up　and　down　the
room；　his　chest　swelling　with　pride　as　he　said　the　words；　〃all　of
them。〃　Through　the　door　of　the　passage　which　led　to　the　kitchen　he　saw
la　Grande　Nanon　sitting　beside　her　fire　with　a　candle　and　preparing　to
spin　there；　so　as　not　to　intrude　among　the　guests。

〃Nanon；〃　he　said；　going　into　the　passage；　〃put　out　that　fire　and　that
candle；　and　come　and　sit　with　us。　Pardieu！　the　hall　is　big　enough　for
all。〃

〃But　monsieur；　you　are　to　have　the　great　people。〃

〃Are　not　you　as　good　as　they？　They　are　descended　from　Adam；　and　so　are
you。〃

Grandet　came　back　to　the　president　and　said；

〃Have　you　sold　your　vintage？〃

〃No；　not　I；　I　shall　keep　it。　If　the　wine　is　good　this　year；　it　will　be
better　two　years　hence。　The　proprietors；　you　know；　have　made　an
agreement　to　keep　up　the　price；　and　this　year　the　Belgians　won't　get
the　better　of　us。　Suppose　they　are　sent　off　empty…handed　for　once；
faith！　they'll　come　back。〃

〃Yes；　but　let　us　mind　what　we　are　about；〃　said　Grandet　in　a　tone　which
made　the　president　tremble。

〃Is　he　driving　some　bargain？〃　thought　Cruchot。

At　this　moment　the　knocker　announced　the　des　Grassins　family；　and
their　arrival　interrupted　a　conversation　which　had　begun　between
Madame　Grandet　and　the　abbe。

Madame　des　Grassins　was　one　of　those　lively；　plump　little　women；　with
pink…and…white　skins；　who；　thanks　to　the　claustral　calm　of　the
provinces　and　the　habits　of　a　virtuous　life；　keep　their　youth　until
they　are　past　forty。　She　was　like　the　last　rose　of　autumn；pleasant
to　the　eye；　though　the　petals　have　a　certain　frostiness；　and　their
perfume　is　slight。　She　dressed　well；　got　her　fashions　from　Paris；　set
the　tone　to　Saumur；　and　gave　parties。　Her　husband；　formerly　a
quartermaster　in　the　Imperial　guard；　who　had　been　desperately　wounded
at　Austerlitz；　and　had　since　retired；　still　retained；　in　spite　of　his
respect　for　Grandet；　the　seeming　frankness　of　an　old　soldier。

〃Good　evening；　Grandet；〃　he　said；　holding　out　his　hand　and　affecting　a
sort　of　superiority；　with　which　he　always　crushed　the　Cruchots。
〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Eugenie；　after　bowing　to　Madame
Grandet；　〃you　are　always　beautiful　and　good；　and　truly　I　do　not　know
what　to　wish　you。〃　So　saying；　he　offered　her　a　little　box　which　his
servant　had　brought　and　which　contained　a　Cape　heather；a　flower
lately　imported　into　Europe　and　very　rare。

Madame　des　Grassins　kissed　Eugenie　very　affectionately；　pressed　her
hand；　and　said：　〃Adolphe　wishes　to　make　you　my　little　offering。〃

A　tall；　blond　young　man；　pale　and　slight；　with　tolerable　manners　and
seemingly　rather　shy；　although　he　had　just　spent　eight　or　ten　thousand
francs　over　his　allowance　in　Paris；　where　he　had　been　sent　to　study
law；　now　came　forward　and　kissed　Eugenie　on　both　cheeks；　offering　her
a　workbox　with　utensils　in　silver…gilt；mere　show…case　trumpery；　in
spite　of　the　monogram　E。G。　in　gothic　letters　rather　well　engraved；
which　belonged　properly　to　something　in　better　taste。　As　she　opened
it；　Eugenie　experienced　one　of　those　unexpected　and　perfect　delights
which　make　a　young　girl　blush　and　quiver　and　tremble　with　pleasure。
She　turned　her　eyes　to　her　father　as　if　to　ask　permission　to　accept
it；　and　Monsieur　Grandet　replied：　〃Take　it；　my　daughter；〃　in　a　tone
which　would　have　made　an　actor　illustrious。

The　three　Cruchots　felt　crushed　as　they　saw　the　joyous；　animated　look
cast　upon　Adolphe　des　Grassins　by　the　heiress；　to　whom　such　riches
were　unheard…of。　Monsieur　des　Grassins　offered　Grandet　a　pinch　of
snuff；　took　one　himself；　shook　off　the　grains　as　they　fell　on　the
ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor　which　was　attached　to　the　button…hole　of
his　blue　surtout；　then　he　looked　at　the　Cruchots　with　an　air　that
seemed　to　say；　〃Parry　that　thrust　if　you　can！〃　Madame　des　Grassins
cast　her　eyes　on　the　blue　vases　which　held　the　Cruchot　bouquets；
looking　at　the　enemy's　gifts　with　the　pretended　interest　of　a
satirical　woman。　At　this　delicate　juncture　the　Abbe　Cruchot　left　the
company　seated　in　a　circle　round　the　fire　and　joined　Grandet　at　the
lower　end　of　the　hall。　As　the　two　men　reached　the　embrasure　of　the
farthest　window　the　priest　said　in　the　miser's　ear：　〃Those　people
throw　money　out　of　the　windows。〃

〃What　does　that　matter　if　it　gets　into　my　cellar？〃　retorted　the　old
wine…grower。

〃If　you　want　to　give　gilt　scissors　to　your　daughter；　you　have　the
means；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃I　give　her　something　better　than　scissors；〃　answered　Grandet。

〃My　nephew　is　a　blockhead；〃　thought　the　abbe　as　he　looked　at　the
president；　whose　rumpled　hair　added　to　the　ill　grace　of　his　brown
countenance。　〃Couldn't　he　have　found　some　little　trifle　which　cost
money？〃

〃We　will　join　you　at　cards；　Madame　Grandet；〃　said　Madame　des　Grassins。

〃We　might　have　two　tables；　as　we　are　all　here。〃

〃As　it　is　Eugenie's　birthday　you　had　better　play　loto　all　together；〃
said　Pere　Grandet：　〃the　two　young　ones　can　join〃；　and　the　old　cooper；
who　never　played　any　game；　motioned　to　his　daughter　and　Adolphe。
〃Come；　Nanon；　set　the　tables。〃

〃We　will　help　you；　Mademoiselle　Nanon；〃　said　Madame　des　Grassins
gaily；　quite　joyous　at　the　joy　she　had　given　Eugenie。

〃I　have　never　in　my　life　been　so　pleased；〃　the　heiress　said　to　her；　〃I
have　never　seen　anything　so　pretty。〃

〃Adolphe　brought　it　from　Paris；　and　he　chose　it；〃　Madame　des　Grassins
whispered　in　her　ear。

〃Go　on！　go　on！　damned　intriguing　thing！〃　thought　the　president。　〃If
you　ever　have　a　suit　in　court；　you　or　your　husband；　it　shall　go　hard
with　you。〃

The　notary；　sitting　in　his　corner；　looked　calmly　at　the　abbe；　saying
to　himself：　〃The　des　Grassins　may　do　what　they　like；　my　property　and
my　brother's　and　that　of　my　nephew　amount　in　all　to　eleven　hundred
thousand　francs。　The　des　Grassins；　at　the　most；　have　not　half　that；
besides；　they　have　a　daughter。　They　may　give　what　presents　they　like；
heiress　and　presents　too　will　be　ours　one　of　these　days。〃

At　half…past　eight　in　the　evening　the　two　card…tables　were　set　out。
Madame　des　Grassins　succeeded　in　putting　her　son　beside　Eugenie。　The
actors　in　this　scene；　so　full　of　interest；　commonplace　as　it　seems；
were　provided　with　bits　of　pasteboard　striped　in　many　colors　and
numbered；　and　with　counters　of　blue　glass；　and　they　appeared　to　be
listening　to　the　jokes　of　the　notary；　who　never　drew　a　number　without
making　a　remark；　while　in　fact　they　were　all　thinking　of　Monsieur
Grandet's　millions。　The　old　cooper；　with　inward　self…conceit；　was
contemplating　the　pink　feathers　and　the　fresh　toilet　of　Madame　des
Grassins；　the　martial　head　of　the　banker；　the　faces　of　Adolphe；　the
president；　the　abbe；　and　the　notary；　saying　to　himself：

〃They　are　all　after　my　money。　Hey！　neither　the　one　nor　the　other　shall
have　my　daughter；　but　they　are　usefuluseful　as　harpoons　to　fish
with。〃

This　family　gaiety　in　the　old　gray　room　dimly　lighted　by　two　tallow
candles；　this　laughter；　accompanied　by　the　whirr　of　Nanon's　spinning…
wheel；　sincere　only　upon　the　lips　of　Eugenie　or　her　mother；　this
triviality　mingled　with　important　interests；　this　young　girl；　who；
like　certain　birds　made　victims　of　the　price　put　upon　them；　was　now
lured　and　trapped　by　proofs　of　friendship　of　which　she　was　the　dupe；
all　these　things　contributed　to　make　the　scene　a　melancholy　comedy。　Is
it　not；　moreover；　a　drama　of　all　times　and　all　places；　though　here
brought　down　to　its　simplest　expression？　The　figure　of　Grandet；
playing　his　own　game　with　the　false　friendship　of　the　two　families　and
getting　enormous　profits　from　it；　dominates　the　scene　and　throws　light
upon　it。　The　modern　god；the　only　god　in　whom　faith　is　preserved；
money；　is　here；　in　all　its　power；　manifested　in　a　single　countenance。
The　tender　sentiments　of　life　hold　here　but　a　secondary　place；　only
the　three　pure；　simple　hearts　of　Nanon；　of　Eugenie；　and　of　her　mother
were　inspired　by　them。　And　how　much　of　ignorance　there　was　in　the
simplicity　of　these　poor　women！　Eugenie　and　her　mother　knew　nothing　of
Grandet's　wealth；　they　could　only　estimate　the　things　of　life　by　the
glimmer　of　their　pale　ideas；　and　they　neither　valued　nor　despised
money；　because　they　were　accustomed　to　do　without　it。　Their　feelings；
bruised；　though　they　did　not　know　it；　but　ever…living；　were　the　secret
spring　of　their　existence；　and　made　them　curious　exceptions　in　the
midst　of　these　other　people　whose　lives　were　purely　material。
Frightful　condition　of　the　human　race！　there　is　no　one　of　its　joys
that　does　not　come　from　some　species　of　ignorance。

At　the　moment　when　Madame　Grandet　had　won　a　loto　of　sixteen　sous；the
largest　ever　pooled　in　that