eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第13节

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！


head；　with　the　masculine　yet　delicate　forehead　of　the　Jupiter　of
Phidias；　and　gray　eyes；　to　which　her　chaste　life；　penetrating　fully
into　them；　carried　a　flood　of　light。　The　features　of　her　round　face；
formerly　fresh　and　rosy；　were　at　one　time　swollen　by　the　small…pox；
which　destroyed　the　velvet　texture　of　the　skin；　though　it　kindly　left
no　other　traces；　and　her　cheek　was　still　so　soft　and　delicate　that　her
mother's　kiss　made　a　momentary　red　mark　upon　it。　Her　nose　was　somewhat
too　thick；　but　it　harmonized　well　with　the　vermilion　mouth；　whose
lips；　creased　in　many　lines；　were　full　of　love　and　kindness。　The
throat　was　exquisitely　round。　The　bust；　well　curved　and　carefully
covered；　attracted　the　eye　and　inspired　reverie。　It　lacked；　no　doubt；
the　grace　which　a　fitting　dress　can　bestow；　but　to　a　connoisseur　the
non…flexibility　of　her　figure　had　its　own　charm。　Eugenie；　tall　and
strongly　made；　had　none　of　the　prettiness　which　pleases　the　masses；
but　she　was　beautiful　with　a　beauty　which　the　spirit　recognizes；　and
none　but　artists　truly　love。　A　painter　seeking　here　below　for　a　type
of　Mary's　celestial　purity；　searching　womankind　for　those　proud　modest
eyes　which　Raphael　divined；　for　those　virgin　lines；　often　due　to
chances　of　conception；　which　the　modesty　of　Christian　life　alone　can
bestow　or　keep　unchanged；such　a　painter；　in　love　with　his　ideal；
would　have　found　in　the　face　of　Eugenie　the　innate　nobleness　that　is
ignorant　of　itself；　he　would　have　seen　beneath　the　calmness　of　that
brow　a　world　of　love；　he　would　have　felt；　in　the　shape　of　the　eyes；　in
the　fall　of　the　eyelids；　the　presence　of　the　nameless　something　that
we　call　divine。　Her　features；　the　contour　of　her　head；　which　no
expression　of　pleasure　had　ever　altered　or　wearied；　were　like　the
lines　of　the　horizon　softly　traced　in　the　far　distance　across　the
tranquil　lakes。　That　calm　and　rosy　countenance；　margined　with　light
like　a　lovely　full…blown　flower；　rested　the　mind；　held　the　eye；　and
imparted　the　charm　of　the　conscience　that　was　there　reflected。　Eugenie
was　standing　on　the　shore　of　life　where　young　illusions　flower；　where
daisies　are　gathered　with　delights　ere　long　to　be　unknown；　and　thus
she　said；　looking　at　her　image　in　the　glass；　unconscious　as　yet　of
love：　〃I　am　too　ugly；　he　will　not　notice　me。〃
Then　she　opened　the　door　of　her　chamber　which　led　to　the　staircase；
and　stretched　out　her　neck　to　listen　for　the　household　noises。　〃He　is
not　up；〃　she　thought；　hearing　Nanon's　morning　cough　as　the　good　soul
went　and　came；　sweeping　out　the　halls；　lighting　her　fire；　chaining　the
dog；　and　speaking　to　the　beasts　in　the　stable。　Eugenie　at　once　went
down　and　ran　to　Nanon；　who　was　milking　the　cow。
〃Nanon；　my　good　Nanon；　make　a　little　cream　for　my　cousin's　breakfast。〃
〃Why；　mademoiselle；　you　should　have　thought　of　that　yesterday；〃　said
Nanon；　bursting　into　a　loud　peal　of　laughter。　〃I　can't　make　cream。
Your　cousin　is　a　darling；　a　darling！　oh；　that　he　is！　You　should　have
seen　him　in　his　dressing…gown；　all　silk　and　gold！　I　saw　him；　I　did！　He
wears　linen　as　fine　as　the　surplice　of　monsieur　le　cure。〃
〃Nanon；　please　make　us　a　/galette/。〃
〃And　who'll　give　me　wood　for　the　oven；　and　flour　and　butter　for　the
cakes？〃　said　Nanon；　who　in　her　function　of　prime…minister　to　Grandet
assumed　at　times　enormous　importance　in　the　eyes　of　Eugenie　and　her
mother。　〃Mustn't　rob　the　master　to　feast　the　cousin。　You　ask　him　for
butter　and　flour　and　wood：　he's　your　father；　perhaps　he'll　give　you
some。　See！　there　he　is　now；　coming　to　give　out　the　provisions。〃
Eugenie　escaped　into　the　garden；　quite　frightened　as　she　heard　the
staircase　shaking　under　her　father's　step。　Already　she　felt　the
effects　of　that　virgin　modesty　and　that　special　consciousness　of
happiness　which　lead　us　to　fancy；　not　perhaps　without　reason；　that　our
thoughts　are　graven　on　our　foreheads　and　are　open　to　the　eyes　of　all。
Perceiving　for　the　first　time　the　cold　nakedness　of　her　father's
house；　the　poor　girl　felt　a　sort　of　rage　that　she　could　not　put　it　in
harmony　with　her　cousin's　elegance。　She　felt　the　need　of　doing
something　for　him；what；　she　did　not　know。　Ingenuous　and　truthful；
she　followed　her　angelic　nature　without　mistrusting　her　impressions　or
her　feelings。　The　mere　sight　of　her　cousin　had　wakened　within　her　the
natural　yearnings　of　a　woman；yearnings　that　were　the　more　likely　to
develop　ardently　because；　having　reached　her　twenty…third　year；　she
was　in　the　plenitude　of　her　intelligence　and　her　desires。　For　the
first　time　in　her　life　her　heart　was　full　of　terror　at　the　sight　of
her　father；　in　him　she　saw　the　master　of　the　fate；　and　she　fancied
herself　guilty　of　wrong…doing　in　hiding　from　his　knowledge　certain
thoughts。　She　walked　with　hasty　steps；　surprised　to　breathe　a　purer
air；　to　feel　the　sun's　rays　quickening　her　pulses；　to　absorb　from
their　heat　a　moral　warmth　and　a　new　life。　As　she　turned　over　in　her
mind　some　stratagem　by　which　to　get　the　cake；　a　quarrelan　event　as
rare　as　the　sight　of　swallows　in　winterbroke　out　between　la　Grande
Nanon　and　Grandet。　Armed　with　his　keys；　the　master　had　come　to　dole
out　provisions　for　the　day's　consumption。
〃Is　there　any　bread　left　from　yesterday？〃　he　said　to　Nanon。
〃Not　a　crumb；　monsieur。〃
Grandet　took　a　large　round　loaf；　well　floured　and　moulded　in　one　of
the　flat　baskets　which　they　use　for　baking　in　Anjou；　and　was　about　to
cut　it；　when　Nanon　said　to　him；
〃We　are　five；　to…day；　monsieur。〃
〃That's　true；〃　said　Grandet；　〃but　your　loaves　weigh　six　pounds；
there'll　be　some　left。　Besides；　these　young　fellows　from　Paris　don't
eat　bread；　you'll　see。〃
〃Then　they　must　eat　/frippe/？〃　said　Nanon。
/Frippe/　is　a　word　of　the　local　lexicon　of　Anjou；　and　means　any
accompaniment　of　bread；　from　butter　which　is　spread　upon　it；　the
commonest　kind　of　/frippe/；　to　peach　preserve；　the　most　distinguished
of　all　the　/frippes/；　those　who　in　their　childhood　have　licked　the
/frippe/　and　left　the　bread；　will　comprehend　the　meaning　of　Nanon's
speech。
〃No；〃　answered　Grandet；　〃they　eat　neither　bread　nor　/frippe/；　they　are
something　like　marriageable　girls。〃
After　ordering　the　meals　for　the　day　with　his　usual　parsimony；　the
goodman；　having　locked　the　closets　containing　the　supplies；　was　about
to　go　towards　the　fruit…garden；　when　Nanon　stopped　him　to　say；
〃Monsieur；　give　me　a　little　flour　and　some　butter；　and　I'll　make　a
/galette/　for　the　young　ones。〃
〃Are　you　going　to　pillage　the　house　on　account　of　my　nephew？〃
〃I　wasn't　thinking　any　more　of　your　nephew　than　I　was　of　your　dog；
not　more　than　you　think　yourself；　for；　look　here；　you've　only　forked
out　six　bits　of　sugar。　I　want　eight。〃
〃What's　all　this；　Nanon？　I　have　never　seen　you　like　this　before。　What
have　you　got　in　your　head？　Are　you　the　mistress　here？　You　sha'n't　have
more　than　six　pieces　of　sugar。〃
〃Well；　then；　how　is　your　nephew　to　sweeten　his　coffee？〃
〃With　two　pieces；　I'll　go　without　myself。〃
〃Go　without　sugar　at　your　age！　I'd　rather　buy　you　some　out　of　my　own
pocket。〃
〃Mind　your　own　business。〃
In　spite　of　the　recent　fall　in　prices；　sugar　was　still　in　Grandet's
eyes　the　most　valuable　of　all　the　colonial　products；　to　him　it　was
always　six　francs　a　pound。　The　necessity　of　economizing　it；　acquired
under　the　Empire；　had　grown　to　be　the　most　inveterate　of　his　habits。
All　women；　even　the　greatest　ninnies；　know　how　to　dodge　and　dodge　to
get　their　ends；　Nanon　abandoned　the　sugar　for　the　sake　of　getting　the
/galette/。
〃Mademoiselle！〃　she　called　through　the　window；　〃do　you　want　some
/galette/？〃
〃No；　no；〃　answered　Eugenie。
〃Come；　Nanon；〃　said　Grandet；　hearing　his　daughter's　voice。　〃See　here。〃
He　opened　the　cupboard　where　the　flour　was　kept；　gave　her　a　cupful；
and　added　a　few　ounces　of　butter　to　the　piece　he　had　already　cut　off。
〃I　shall　want　wood　for　the　oven；〃　said　the　implacable　Nanon。
〃Well；　take　what　you　want；〃　he　answered　sadly；　〃but　in　that　case　you
must　make　us　a　fruit…tart；　and　you'll　cook　the　whole　dinner　in　the
oven。　In　that　way　you　won't　need　two　fires。〃
〃Goodness！〃　cried　Nanon；　〃you　needn't　tell　me　that。〃
Grandet　cast　a　look　that　was　well…nigh　paternal　upon　his　faithful
deputy。
〃Mademoiselle；〃　she　cried；　when　his　back　was　turned；　〃we　shall　have
the　/galette/。〃
Pere　Grandet　returned　from　the　garden　with　the　fruit　and　arranged　a
plateful　on　the　kitchen…table。
〃Just　see；　monsieur；〃　said　Nanon；　〃what　pretty　boots　your　nephew　has。
What　leather！　why　it　smells　good！　What　does　he　clean　it　with；　I
wonder？　Am　I　to　put　your　egg…polish　on　it？〃
〃Nanon；　I　think　eggs　would　injure　that　kind　of　leather。　Tell　him　you
don't　know　how　to　black　morocco；　yes；　that's　morocco。　He　will　get　you
something　himself　in　Saumur　to　polish　those　boots　with。　I　have　heard
that　they　put　sugar　into　the　blacking　to　make　it　shine。〃
〃They　look　good　to　eat；〃　said　the　cook；　putting　the　boots　to　her　nose。
〃Bless　me！　if　they　don't　smell　like　madame's　eau…de…cologne。　Ah！　how
funny！〃
〃Funny！〃　said　her　master。　〃Do　you　call　it　funny　to　put　more　money　into
boots　than　the　man　who　stands　in　them　is　worth？〃
〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　when　Grandet　returned　the　second　time；　after
locking　the　fruit…garden；　〃won't　you　have　the　/pot…au…feu/　put　on　once
or　twice　a　week　on　account　of　your　nephew？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃A