eugenie grandet-第8部分

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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　to　lay　its　grimy　and　decaying　stains
upon　it。　There　was　perfect　unison　of　ill…grace　and　senility　about
them；　their　faces；　as　faded　as　their　threadbare　coats；　as　creased　as
their　trousers；　were　worn…out；　shrivelled…up；　and　puckered。　As　for　the
others；　the　general　negligence　of　their　dress；　which　was　incomplete
and　wanting　in　freshness；like　the　toilet　of　all　country　places；
where　insensibly　people　cease　to　dress　for　others　and　come　to　think
seriously　of　the　price　of　a　pair　of　gloves；was　in　keeping　with　the
negligence　of　the　Cruchots。　A　horror　of　fashion　was　the　only　point　on
which　the　Grassinists　and　the　Cruchotines　agreed。

When　the　Parisian　took　up　his　eye…glass　to　examine　the　strange
accessories　of　this　dwelling；the　joists　of　the　ceiling；　the　color　of
the　woodwork；　and　the　specks　which　the　flies　had　left　there　in
sufficient　number　to　punctuate　the　〃Moniteur〃　and　the　〃Encyclopaedia
of　Sciences；〃the　loto…players　lifted　their　noses　and　looked　at　him
with　as　much　curiosity　as　they　might　have　felt　about　a　giraffe。
Monsieur　des　Grassins　and　his　son；　to　whom　the　appearance　of　a　man　of
fashion　was　not　wholly　unknown；　were　nevertheless　as　much　astonished
as　their　neighbors；　whether　it　was　that　they　fell　under　the
indefinable　influence　of　the　general　feeling；　or　that　they　really
shared　it　as　with　satirical　glances　they　seemed　to　say　to　their
compatriots；

〃That　is　what　you　see　in　Paris！〃

They　were　able　to　examine　Charles　at　their　leisure　without　fearing　to
displease　the　master　of　the　house。　Grandet　was　absorbed　in　the　long
letter　which　he　held　in　his　hand；　and　to　read　it　he　had　taken　the　only
candle　upon　the　card…table；　paying　no　heed　to　his　guests　or　their
pleasure。　Eugenie；　to　whom　such　a　type　of　perfection；　whether　of　dress
or　of　person；　was　absolutely　unknown；　thought　she　beheld　in　her　cousin
a　being　descended　from　seraphic　spheres。　She　inhaled　with　delight　the
fragrance　wafted　from　the　graceful　curls　of　that　brilliant　head。　She
would　have　liked　to　touch　the　soft　kid　of　the　delicate　gloves。　She
envied　Charles　his　small　hands；　his　complexion；　the　freshness　and
refinement　of　his　features。　In　short；if　it　is　possible　to　sum　up　the
effect　this　elegant　being　produced　upon　an　ignorant　young　girl
perpetually　employed　in　darning　stockings　or　in　mending　her　father's
clothes；　and　whose　life　flowed　on　beneath　these　unclean　rafters；
seeing　none　but　occasional　passers　along　the　silent　street；this
vision　of　her　cousin　roused　in　her　soul　an　emotion　of　delicate　desire
like　that　inspired　in　a　young　man　by　the　fanciful　pictures　of　women
drawn　by　Westall　for　the　English　〃Keepsakes；〃　and　that　engraved　by　the
Findens　with　so　clever　a　tool　that　we　fear；　as　we　breathe　upon　the
paper；　that　the　celestial　apparitions　may　be　wafted　away。　Charles　drew
from　his　pocket　a　handkerchief　embroidered　by　the　great　lady　now
travelling　in　Scotland。　As　Eugenie　saw　this　pretty　piece　of　work；　done
in　the　vacant　hours　which　were　lost　to　love；　she　looked　at　her　cousin
to　see　if　it　were　possible　that　he　meant　to　make　use　of　it。　The
manners　of　the　young　man；　his　gestures；　the　way　in　which　he　took　up
his　eye…glass；　his　affected　superciliousness；　his　contemptuous　glance
at　the　coffer　which　had　just　given　so　much　pleasure　to　the　rich
heiress；　and　which　he　evidently　regarded　as　without　value；　or　even　as
ridiculous；all　these　things；　which　shocked　the　Cruchots　and　the　des
Grassins；　pleased　Eugenie　so　deeply　that　before　she　slept　she　dreamed
long　dreams　of　her　phoenix　cousin。

The　loto…numbers　were　drawn　very　slowly；　and　presently　the　game　came
suddenly　to　an　end。　La　Grand　Nanon　entered　and　said　aloud：　〃Madame；　I
want　the　sheets　for　monsieur's　bed。〃

Madame　Grandet　followed　her　out。　Madame　des　Grassins　said　in　a　low
voice：　〃Let　us　keep　our　sous　and　stop　playing。〃　Each　took　his　or　her
two　sous　from　the　chipped　saucer　in　which　they　had　been　put；　then　the
party　moved　in　a　body　toward　the　fire。

〃Have　you　finished　your　game？〃　said　Grandet；　without　looking　up　from
his　letter。

〃Yes；　yes！〃　replied　Madame　des　Grassins；　taking　a　seat　near　Charles。

Eugenie；　prompted　by　a　thought　often　born　in　the　heart　of　a　young　girl
when　sentiment　enters　it　for　the　first　time；　left　the　room　to　go　and
help　her　mother　and　Nanon。　Had　an　able　confessor　then　questioned　her
she　would；　no　doubt；　have　avowed　to　him　that　she　thought　neither　of
her　mother　nor　of　Nanon；　but　was　pricked　by　a　poignant　desire　to　look
after　her　cousin's　room　and　concern　herself　with　her　cousin；　to　supply
what　might　be　needed；　to　remedy　any　forgetfulness；　to　see　that　all　was
done　to　make　it；　as　far　as　possible；　suitable　and　elegant；　and；　in
fact；　she　arrived　in　time　to　prove　to　her　mother　and　Nanon　that
everything　still　remained　to　be　done。　She　put　into　Nanon's　head　the
notion　of　passing　a　warming…pan　between　the　sheets。　She　herself
covered　the　old　table　with　a　cloth　and　requested　Nanon　to　change　it
every　morning；　she　convinced　her　mother　that　it　was　necessary　to　light
a　good　fire；　and　persuaded　Nanon　to　bring　up　a　great　pile　of　wood　into
the　corridor　without　saying　anything　to　her　father。　She　ran　to　get；
from　one　of　the　corner…shelves　of　the　hall；　a　tray　of　old　lacquer
which　was　part　of　the　inheritance　of　the　late　Monsieur　de　la
Bertelliere；　catching　up　at　the　same　time　a　six…sided　crystal　goblet；
a　little　tarnished　gilt　spoon；　an　antique　flask　engraved　with　cupids；
all　of　which　she　put　triumphantly　on　the　corner　of　her　cousin's
chimney…piece。　More　ideas　surged　through　her　head　in　one　quarter　of　an
hour　than　she　had　ever　had　since　she　came　into　the　world。

〃Mamma；〃　she　said；　〃my　cousin　will　never　bear　the　smell　of　a　tallow
candle；　suppose　we　buy　a　wax　one？〃　And　she　darted；　swift　as　a　bird；　to
get　the　five…franc　piece　which　she　had　just　received　for　her　monthly
expenses。　〃Here；　Nanon；〃　she　cried；　〃quick！〃

〃What　will　your　father　say？〃　This　terrible　remonstrance　was　uttered　by
Madame　Grandet　as　she　beheld　her　daughter　armed　with　an　old　Sevres
sugar…basin　which　Grandet　had　brought　home　from　the　chateau　of
Froidfond。　〃And　where　will　you　get　the　sugar？　Are　you　crazy？〃

〃Mamma；　Nanon　can　buy　some　sugar　as　well　as　the　candle。〃

〃But　your　father？〃

〃Surely　his　nephew　ought　not　to　go　without　a　glass　of　/eau　sucree/？
Besides；　he　will　not　notice　it。〃

〃Your　father　sees　everything；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　shaking　her　head。

Nanon　hesitated；　she　knew　her　master。

〃Come；　Nanon；　go；because　it　is　my　birthday。〃

Nanon　gave　a　loud　laugh　as　she　heard　the　first　little　jest　her　young
mistress　had　ever　made；　and　then　obeyed　her。

While　Eugenie　and　her　mother　were　trying　to　embellish　the　bedroom
assigned　by　Monsieur　Grandet　for　his　nephew；　Charles　himself　was　the
object　of　Madame　des　Grassins'　attentions；　to　all　appearances　she　was
setting　her　cap　at　him。

〃You　are　very　courageous；　monsieur；〃　she　said　to　the　young　dandy；　〃to
leave　the　pleasures　of　the　capital　at　this　season　and　take　up　your
abode　in　Saumur。　But　if　we　do　not　frighten　you　away；　you　will　find
there　are　some　amusements　even　here。〃

She　threw　him　the　ogling　glance　of　the　provinces；　where　women　put　so
much　prudence　and　reserve　into　their　eyes　that　they　impart　to　them　the
prudish　concupiscence　peculiar　to　certain　ecclesiastics　to　whom　all
pleasure　is　either　a　theft　or　an　error。　Charles　was　so　completely　out
of　his　element　in　this　abode；　and　so　far　from　the　vast　chateau　and　the
sumptuous　life　with　which　his　fancy　had　endowed　his　uncle；　that　as　he
looked　at　Madame　des　Grassins　he　perceived　a　dim　likeness　to　Parisian
faces。　He　gracefully　responded　to　the　species　of　invitation　addressed
to　him；　and　began　very　naturally　a　conversation；　in　which　Madame　des
Grassins　gradually　lowered　her　voice　so　as　to　bring　it　into　harmony
with　the　nature　of　the　confidences　she　was　making。　With　her；　as　with
Charles；　there　was　the　need　of　conference；　so　after　a　few　moments
spent　in　coquettish　phrases　and　a　little　serious　jesting；　the　clever
provincial　said；　thinking　herself　unheard　by　the　others；　who　were
discussing　the　sale　of　wines　which　at　that　season　filled　the　heads　of
every　one　in　Saumur；

〃Monsieur　if　you　will　do　us　the　honor　to　come　and　see　us；　you　will
give　as　much　pleasure　to　my　husband　as　to　myself。　Our　salon　is　the
only　one　in　Saumur　where　you　will　find　the　higher　business　circles
mingling　with　the　nobility。　We　belong　to　both　societies；　who　meet　at
our　house　simply　because　they　find　it　amusing。　My　husbandI　say　it
with　prideis　as　much　valued　by　the　one　class　as　by　the　other。　We
will　try　to　relieve　the　monotony　of　your　visit　here。　If　you　stay　all
the　time　with　Monsieur　Grandet；　good　heavens！　what　will　become　of　you？
Your　uncle　is　a　sordid　miser　who　thinks　of　nothing　but　his　vines；　your
aunt　is　a　pious　soul　who　can't　put　two　ideas　together；　and　your　cousin
is　a　little　fool；　without　education；　perfectly　common；　no　fortune；　who
will　spend　her　life　in　darning　towels。〃

〃She　is　really　very　nice；　this　woman；〃　thought　Charles　Grandet　as　he
duly　responded　to　Madame　des　Grassins'　coquetries。

〃It　seems　to　me；　wife；　that　you　are　taking　possession　of　monsieur；〃
said　the　stout　banker；　laughing。

On　this　remark　the　notary　and　the　president　said　a　few　words　that　were
more　or　less　significant；　but　the　abbe；　looking　at　them　slyly；　brought
their　thoughts　to　a　focus　by　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff　and　saying　as　he
handed　round　his　snuff…box：　〃Who　can　do　the　honors　of　Saumur　for
monsieur　so　well　as　madame？〃

〃Ah！　what　do　you　mean　by　that；　monsieur　l'abbe？〃　demanded　Monsieur　des
Grassins。

〃I　mean　it　in　the　best　possible　sense　for　you；　for　madame；　for　the
town　of　Saumur；　and　for　monsieur；〃　said　the　wily　old　man；　turning　to
Charles。

The　Abbe　Cruchot　had　guessed　the　conversation　between　Charles　and
Madame　des　Grassins　without　see