eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第35节

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care　might　prolong　her　life　until　the　autumn。
〃Will　all　that　cost　much？〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Will　she　need
medicines？〃
〃Not　much　medicine；　but　a　great　deal　of　care；〃　answered　the　doctor；
who　could　scarcely　restrain　a　smile。
〃Now；　Monsieur　Bergerin；〃　said　Grandet；　〃you　are　a　man　of　honor；　are
not　you？　I　trust　to　you！　Come　and　see　my　wife　how　and　when　you　think
necessary。　Save　my　good　wife！　I　love　her；don't　you　see？though　I
never　talk　about　it；　I　keep　things　to　myself。　I'm　full　of　trouble。
Troubles　began　when　my　brother　died；　I　have　to　spend　enormous　sums　on
his　affairs　in　Paris。　Why；　I'm　paying　through　my　nose；　there's　no　end
to　it。　Adieu；　monsieur！　If　you　can　save　my　wife；　save　her。　I'll　spare
no　expense；　not　even　if　it　costs　me　a　hundred　or　two　hundred　francs。〃
In　spite　of　Grandet's　fervent　wishes　for　the　health　of　his　wife；　whose
death　threatened　more　than　death　to　him；　in　spite　of　the　consideration
he　now　showed　on　all　occasions　for　the　least　wish　of　his　astonished
wife　and　daughter；　in　spite　of　the　tender　care　which　Eugenie　lavished
upon　her　mother；Madame　Grandet　rapidly　approached　her　end。　Every　day
she　grew　weaker　and　wasted　visibly；　as　women　of　her　age　when　attacked
by　serious　illness　are　wont　to　do。　She　was　fragile　as　the　foliage　in
autumn；　the　radiance　of　heaven　shone　through　her　as　the　sun　strikes
athwart　the　withering　leaves　and　gilds　them。　It　was　a　death　worthy　of
her　life；a　Christian　death；　and　is　not　that　sublime？　In　the　month　of
October；　1822；　her　virtues；　her　angelic　patience；　her　love　for　her
daughter；　seemed　to　find　special　expression；　and　then　she　passed　away
without　a　murmur。　Lamb　without　spot；　she　went　to　heaven；　regretting
only　the　sweet　companion　of　her　cold　and　dreary　life；　for　whom　her
last　glance　seemed　to　prophesy　a　destiny　of　sorrows。　She　shrank　from
leaving　her　ewe…lamb；　white　as　herself；　alone　in　the　midst　of　a
selfish　world　that　sought　to　strip　her　of　her　fleece　and　grasp　her
treasures。
〃My　child；〃　she　said　as　she　expired；　〃there　is　no　happiness　except　in
heaven；　you　will　know　it　some　day。〃

XII
On　the　morrow　of　this　death　Eugenie　felt　a　new　motive　for　attachment
to　the　house　in　which　she　was　born；　where　she　had　suffered　so　much；
where　her　mother　had　just　died。　She　could　not　see　the　window　and　the
chair　on　its　castors　without　weeping。　She　thought　she　had　mistaken　the
heart　of　her　old　father　when　she　found　herself　the　object　of　his
tenderest　cares。　He　came　in　the　morning　and　gave　her　his　arm　to　take
her　to　breakfast；　he　looked　at　her　for　hours　together　with　an　eye　that
was　almost　kind；　he　brooded　over　her　as　though　she　had　been　gold。　The
old　man　was　so　unlike　himself；　he　trembled　so　often　before　his
daughter；　that　Nanon　and　the　Cruchotines；　who　witnessed　his　weakness；
attributed　it　to　his　great　age；　and　feared　that　his　faculties　were
giving　away。　But　the　day　on　which　the　family　put　on　their　mourning；
and　after　dinner；　to　which　meal　Maitre　Cruchot　（the　only　person　who
knew　his　secret）　had　been　invited；　the　conduct　of　the　old　miser　was
explained。
〃My　dear　child；〃　he　said　to　Eugenie　when　the　table　had　been　cleared
and　the　doors　carefully　shut；　〃you　are　now　your　mother's　heiress；　and
we　have　a　few　little　matters　to　settle　between　us。　Isn't　that　so；
Cruchot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is　it　necessary　to　talk　of　them　to…day；　father？〃
〃Yes；　yes；　little　one；　I　can't　bear　the　uncertainty　in　which　I'm
placed。　I　think　you　don't　want　to　give　me　pain？〃
〃Oh！　father〃
〃Well；　then！　let　us　settle　it　all　to…night。〃
〃What　is　it　you　wish　me　to　do？〃
〃My　little　girl；　it　is　not　for　me　to　say。　Tell　her；　Cruchot。〃
〃Mademoiselle；　your　father　does　not　wish　to　divide　the　property；　nor
sell　the　estate；　nor　pay　enormous　taxes　on　the　ready　money　which　he
may　possess。　Therefore；　to　avoid　all　this；　he　must　be　released　from
making　the　inventory　of　his　whole　fortune；　part　of　which　you　inherit
from　your　mother；　and　which　is　now　undivided　between　you　and　your
father〃
〃Cruchot；　are　you　quite　sure　of　what　you　are　saying　before　you　tell　it
to　a　mere　child？〃
〃Let　me　tell　it　my　own　way；　Grandet。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　my　friend。　Neither　you　nor　my　daughter　wish　to　rob　me；do
you；　little　one？〃
〃But；　Monsieur　Cruchot；　what　am　I　to　do？〃　said　Eugenie　impatiently。
〃Well；〃　said　the　notary；　〃it　is　necessary　to　sign　this　deed；　by　which
you　renounce　your　rights　to　your　mother's　estate　and　leave　your　father
the　use　and　disposition；　during　his　lifetime；　of　all　the　property
undivided　between　you；　of　which　he　guarantees　you　the　capital。〃
〃I　do　not　understand　a　word　of　what　you　are　saying；〃　returned　Eugenie；
〃give　me　the　deed；　and　show　me　where　I　am　to　sign　it。〃
Pere　Grandet　looked　alternately　at　the　deed　and　at　his　daughter；　at
his　daughter　and　at　the　deed；　undergoing　as　he　did　so　such　violent
emotion　that　he　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　brow。
〃My　little　girl；〃　he　said；　〃if；　instead　of　signing　this　deed；　which
will　cost　a　great　deal　to　record；　you　would　simply　agree　to　renounce
your　rights　as　heir　to　your　poor　dear；　deceased　mother's　property；　and
would　trust　to　me　for　the　future；　I　should　like　it　better。　In　that
case　I　will　pay　you　monthly　the　good　round　sum　of　a　hundred　francs。
See；　now；　you　could　pay　for　as　many　masses　as　you　want　for　anybody
Hein！　a　hundred　francs　a　monthin　/livres/？〃
〃I　will　do　all　you　wish；　father。〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　notary；　〃it　is　my　duty　to　point　out　to　you
that　you　are　despoiling　yourself　without　guarantee〃
〃Good　heavens！　what　is　all　that　to　me？〃
〃Hold　your　tongue；　Cruchot！　It's　settled；　all　settled；〃　cried　Grandet；
taking　his　daughter's　hand　and　striking　it　with　his　own。　〃Eugenie；　you
won't　go　back　on　your　word？you　are　an　honest　girl；　hein？〃
〃Oh！　father！〃
He　kissed　her　effusively；　and　pressed　her　in　his　arms　till　he　almost
choked　her。
〃Go；　my　good　child；　you　restore　your　father's　life；　but　you　only
return　to　him　that　which　he　gave　you：　we　are　quits。　This　is　how
business　should　be　done。　Life　is　a　business。　I　bless　you！　you　are　a
virtuous　girl；　and　you　love　your　father。　Do　just　what　you　like　in
future。　To…morrow；　Cruchot；〃　he　added；　looking　at　the　horrified
notary；　〃you　will　see　about　preparing　the　deed　of　relinquishment；　and
then　enter　it　on　the　records　of　the　court。〃
The　next　morning　Eugenie　signed　the　papers　by　which　she　herself
completed　her　spoliation。　At　the　end　of　the　first　year；　however；　in
spite　of　his　bargain；　the　old　man　had　not　given　his　daughter　one　sou
of　the　hundred　francs　he　had　so　solemnly　pledged　to　her。　When　Eugenie
pleasantly　reminded　him　of　this；　he　could　not　help　coloring；　and　went
hastily　to　his　secret　hiding…place；　from　whence　he　brought　down　about
a　third　of　the　jewels　he　had　taken　from　his　nephew；　and　gave　them　to
her。
〃There；　little　one；〃　he　said　in　a　sarcastic　tone；　〃do　you　want　those
for　your　twelve　hundred　francs？〃
〃Oh！　father；　truly？　will　you　really　give　them　to　me？〃
〃I'll　give　you　as　many　more　next　year；〃　he　said；　throwing　them　into
her　apron。　〃So　before　long　you'll　get　all　his　gewgaws；〃　he　added；
rubbing　his　hands；　delighted　to　be　able　to　speculate　on　his　daughter's
feelings。
Nevertheless；　the　old　man；　though　still　robust；　felt　the　importance　of
initiating　his　daughter　into　the　secrets　of　his　thrift　and　its
management。　For　two　consecutive　years　he　made　her　order　the　household
meals　in　his　presence　and　receive　the　rents；　and　he　taught　her　slowly
and　successively　the　names　and　remunerative　capacity　of　his　vineyards
and　his　farms。　About　the　third　year　he　had　so　thoroughly　accustomed
her　to　his　avaricious　methods　that　they　had　turned　into　the　settled
habits　of　her　own　life；　and　he　was　able　to　leave　the　household　keys　in
her　charge　without　anxiety；　and　to　install　her　as　mistress　of　the
house。
*****
Five　years　passed　away　without　a　single　event　to　relieve　the
monotonous　existence　of　Eugenie　and　her　father。　The　same　actions　were
performed　daily　with　the　automatic　regularity　of　clockwork。　The　deep
sadness　of　Mademoiselle　Grandet　was　known　to　every　one；　but　if　others
surmised　the　cause；　she　herself　never　uttered　a　word　that　justified
the　suspicions　which　all　Saumur　entertained　about　the　state　of　the
rich　heiress's　heart。　Her　only　society　was　made　up　of　the　three
Cruchots　and　a　few　of　their　particular　friends　whom　they　had；　little
by　little；　introduced　into　the　Grandet　household。　They　had　taught　her
to　play　whist；　and　they　came　every　night　for　their　game。　During　the
year　1827　her　father；　feeling　the　weight　of　his　infirmities；　was
obliged　to　initiate　her　still　further　into　the　secrets　of　his　landed
property；　and　told　her　that　in　case　of　difficulty　she　was　to　have
recourse　to　Maitre　Cruchot；　whose　integrity　was　well　known　to　him。
Towards　the　end　of　this　year　the　old　man；　then　eighty…two；　was　seized
by　paralysis；　which　made　rapid　progress。　Dr。　Bergerin　gave　him　up。
Eugenie；　feeling　that　she　was　about　to　be　left　alone　in　the　world；
came；　as　it　were；　nearer　to　her　father；　and　clasped　more　tightly　this
last　living　link　of　affection。　To　her　mind；　as　in　that　of　all　loving
women；　love　was　the　whole　of　life。　Charles　was　not　there；　and　she
devoted　all　her　care　and　attention　to　the　old　father；　whose　faculties
had　begun　to　weaken；　though　his　avarice　remained　instinctively　acute。
The　death　of　this　man　offe