eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第2节

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vineyards。　He　was　appointed　a　member　of　the　administration　of　Saumur；
and　his　pacific　influence　made　itself　felt　politically　and
commercially。　Politically；　he　protected　the　ci…devant　nobles；　and
prevented；　to　the　extent　of　his　power；　the　sale　of　the　lands　and
property　of　the　/emigres/；　commercially；　he　furnished　the　Republican
armies　with　two　or　three　thousand　puncheons　of　white　wine；　and　took
his　pay　in　splendid　fields　belonging　to　a　community　of　women　whose
lands　had　been　reserved　for　the　last　lot。
Under　the　Consulate　Grandet　became　mayor；　governed　wisely；　and
harvested　still　better　pickings。　Under　the　Empire　he　was　called
Monsieur　Grandet。　Napoleon；　however；　did　not　like　republicans；　and
superseded　Monsieur　Grandet　（who　was　supposed　to　have　worn　the
Phrygian　cap）　by　a　man　of　his　own　surroundings；　a　future　baron　of　the
Empire。　Monsieur　Grandet　quitted　office　without　regret。　He　had
constructed　in　the　interests　of　the　town　certain　fine　roads　which　led
to　his　own　property；　his　house　and　lands；　very　advantageously
assessed；　paid　moderate　taxes；　and　since　the　registration　of　his
various　estates；　the　vineyards；　thanks　to　his　constant　care；　had
become　the　〃head　of　the　country；〃a　local　term　used　to　denote　those
that　produced　the　finest　quality　of　wine。　He　might　have　asked　for　the
cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor。
This　event　occurred　in　1806。　Monsieur　Grandet　was　then　fifty…seven
years　of　age；　his　wife　thirty…six；　and　an　only　daughter；　the　fruit　of
their　legitimate　love；　was　ten　years　old。　Monsieur　Grandet；　whom
Providence　no　doubt　desired　to　compensate　for　the　loss　of　his
municipal　honors；　inherited　three　fortunes　in　the　course　of　this　year；
that　of　Madame　de　la　Gaudiniere；　born　de　la　Bertelliere；　the　mother
of　Madame　Grandet；　that　of　old　Monsieur　de　la　Bertelliere；　her
grandfather；　and；　lastly；　that　of　Madame　Gentillet；　her　grandmother　on
the　mother's　side：　three　inheritances；　whose　amount　was　not　known　to
any　one。　The　avarice　of　the　deceased　persons　was　so　keen　that　for　a
long　time　they　had　hoarded　their　money　for　the　pleasure　of　secretly
looking　at　it。　Old　Monsieur　de　la　Bertelliere　called　an　investment　an
extravagance；　and　thought　he　got　better　interest　from　the　sight　of　his
gold　than　from　the　profits　of　usury。　The　inhabitants　of　Saumur
consequently　estimated　his　savings　according　to　〃the　revenues　of　the
sun's　wealth；〃　as　they　said。
Monsieur　Grandet　thus　obtained　that　modern　title　of　nobility　which　our
mania　for　equality　can　never　rub　out。　He　became　the　most　imposing
personage　in　the　arrondissement。　He　worked　a　hundred　acres　of
vineyard；　which　in　fruitful　years　yielded　seven　or　eight　hundred
hogsheads　of　wine。　He　owned　thirteen　farms；　an　old　abbey；　whose
windows　and　arches　he　had　walled　up　for　the　sake　of　economy；a
measure　which　preserved　them；also　a　hundred　and　twenty…seven　acres
of　meadow…land；　where　three　thousand　poplars；　planted　in　1793；　grew
and　flourished；　and　finally；　the　house　in　which　he　lived。　Such　was　his
visible　estate；　as　to　his　other　property；　only　two　persons　could　give
even　a　vague　guess　at　its　value：　one　was　Monsieur　Cruchot；　a　notary
employed　in　the　usurious　investments　of　Monsieur　Grandet；　the　other
was　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　the　richest　banker　in　Saumur；　in　whose
profits　Grandet　had　a　certain　covenanted　and　secret　share。
Although　old　Cruchot　and　Monsieur　des　Grassins　were　both　gifted　with
the　deep　discretion　which　wealth　and　trust　beget　in　the　provinces；
they　publicly　testified　so　much　respect　to　Monsieur　Grandet　that
observers　estimated　the　amount　of　his　property　by　the　obsequious
attention　which　they　bestowed　upon　him。　In　all　Saumur　there　was　no　one
not　persuaded　that　Monsieur　Grandet　had　a　private　treasure；　some
hiding…place　full　of　louis；　where　he　nightly　took　ineffable　delight　in
gazing　upon　great　masses　of　gold。　Avaricious　people　gathered　proof　of
this　when　they　looked　at　the　eyes　of　the　good　man；　to　which　the　yellow
metal　seemed　to　have　conveyed　its　tints。　The　glance　of　a　man
accustomed　to　draw　enormous　interest　from　his　capital　acquires；　like
that　of　the　libertine；　the　gambler；　or　the　sycophant；　certain
indefinable　habits；furtive；　eager；　mysterious　movements；　which　never
escape　the　notice　of　his　co…religionists。　This　secret　language　is　in　a
certain　way　the　freemasonry　of　the　passions。　Monsieur　Grandet　inspired
the　respectful　esteem　due　to　one　who　owed　no　man　anything；　who；
skilful　cooper　and　experienced　wine…grower　that　he　was；　guessed　with
the　precision　of　an　astronomer　whether　he　ought　to　manufacture　a
thousand　puncheons　for　his　vintage；　or　only　five　hundred；　who　never
failed　in　any　speculation；　and　always　had　casks　for　sale　when　casks
were　worth　more　than　the　commodity　that　filled　them；　who　could　store
his　whole　vintage　in　his　cellars　and　bide　his　time　to　put　the
puncheons　on　the　market　at　two　hundred　francs；　when　the　little
proprietors　had　been　forced　to　sell　theirs　for　five　louis。　His　famous
vintage　of　1811；　judiciously　stored　and　slowly　disposed　of；　brought
him　in　more　than　two　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs。
Financially　speaking；　Monsieur　Grandet　was　something　between　a　tiger
and　a　boa…constrictor。　He　could　crouch　and　lie　low；　watch　his　prey　a
long　while；　spring　upon　it；　open　his　jaws；　swallow　a　mass　of　louis；
and　then　rest　tranquilly　like　a　snake　in　process　of　digestion；
impassible；　methodical；　and　cold。　No　one　saw　him　pass　without　a
feeling　of　admiration　mingled　with　respect　and　fear；　had　not　every　man
in　Saumur　felt　the　rending　of　those　polished　steel　claws？　For　this
one；　Maitre　Cruchot　had　procured　the　money　required　for　the　purchase
of　a　domain；　but　at　eleven　per　cent。　For　that　one；　Monsieur　des
Grassins　discounted　bills　of　exchange；　but　at　a　frightful　deduction　of
interest。　Few　days　ever　passed　that　Monsieur　Grandet's　name　was　not
mentioned　either　in　the　markets　or　in　social　conversations　at　the
evening　gatherings。　To　some　the　fortune　of　the　old　wine…grower　was　an
object　of　patriotic　pride。　More　than　one　merchant；　more　than　one
innkeeper；　said　to　strangers　with　a　certain　complacency：　〃Monsieur；　we
have　two　or　three　millionaire　establishments；　but　as　for　Monsieur
Grandet；　he　does　not　himself　know　how　much　he　is　worth。〃
In　1816　the　best　reckoners　in　Saumur　estimated　the　landed　property　of
the　worthy　man　at　nearly　four　millions；　but　as；　on　an　average；　he　had
made　yearly；　from　1793　to　1817；　a　hundred　thousand　francs　out　of　that
property；　it　was　fair　to　presume　that　he　possessed　in　actual　money　a
sum　nearly　equal　to　the　value　of　his　estate。　So　that　when；　after　a
game　of　boston　or　an　evening　discussion　on　the　matter　of　vines；　the
talk　fell　upon　Monsieur　Grandet；　knowing　people　said：　〃Le　Pere
Grandet？　le　Pere　Grandet　must　have　at　least　five　or　six　millions。〃
〃You　are　cleverer　than　I　am；　I　have　never　been　able　to　find　out　the
amount；〃　answered　Monsieur　Cruchot　or　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　when
either　chanced　to　overhear　the　remark。
If　some　Parisian　mentioned　Rothschild　or　Monsieur　Lafitte；　the　people
of　Saumur　asked　if　he　were　as　rich　as　Monsieur　Grandet。　When　the
Parisian；　with　a　smile；　tossed　them　a　disdainful　affirmative；　they
looked　at　each　other　and　shook　their　heads　with　an　incredulous　air。　So
large　a　fortune　covered　with　a　golden　mantle　all　the　actions　of　this
man。　If　in　early　days　some　peculiarities　of　his　life　gave　occasion　for
laughter　or　ridicule；　laughter　and　ridicule　had　long　since　died　away。
His　least　important　actions　had　the　authority　of　results　repeatedly
shown。　His　speech；　his　clothing；　his　gestures；　the　blinking　of　his
eyes；　were　law　to　the　country…side；　where　every　one；　after　studying
him　as　a　naturalist　studies　the　result　of　instinct　in　the　lower
animals；　had　come　to　understand　the　deep　mute　wisdom　of　his　slightest
actions。
〃It　will　be　a　hard　winter；〃　said　one；　〃Pere　Grandet　has　put　on　his　fur
gloves。〃
〃Pere　Grandet　is　buying　quantities　of　staves；　there　will　be　plenty　of
wine　this　year。〃
Monsieur　Grandet　never　bought　either　bread　or　meat。　His　farmers
supplied　him　weekly　with　a　sufficiency　of　capons；　chickens；　eggs；
butter；　and　his　tithe　of　wheat。　He　owned　a　mill；　and　the　tenant　was
bound；　over　and　above　his　rent；　to　take　a　certain　quantity　of　grain
and　return　him　the　flour　and　bran。　La　Grande　Nanon；　his　only　servant；
though　she　was　no　longer　young；　baked　the　bread　of　the　household
herself　every　Saturday。　Monsieur　Grandet　arranged　with　kitchen…
gardeners　who　were　his　tenants　to　supply　him　with　vegetables。　As　to
fruits；　he　gathered　such　quantities　that　he　sold　the　greater　part　in
the　market。　His　fire…wood　was　cut　from　his　own　hedgerows　or　taken　from
the　half…rotten　old　sheds　which　he　built　at　the　corners　of　his　fields；
and　whose　planks　the　farmers　carted　into　town　for　him；　all　cut　up；　and
obligingly　stacked　in　his　wood…house；　receiving　in　return　his　thanks。
His　only　known　expenditures　were　for　the　consecrated　bread；　the
clothing　of　his　wife　and　daughter；　the　hire　of　their　chairs　in　church；
the　wages　of　la　Grand　Nanon；　the　tinning　of　the　saucepans；　lights；
taxes；　repairs　on　his　buildings；　and　the　costs　of　his　various
industries。　He　had　six　hundred　acres　of　woodland；　lately　purchased；
which　he　induced　a　neighbor's　keeper　to　watch；　under　the　promise　of　an
i