eugenie grandet-第16节

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movements　of　a　coxcomb。　The　compassionate　sympathy　and　tenderness　of　a
young　girl　possess　a　power　that　is　actually　magnetic；　so　that　Charles；
finding　himself　the　object　of　the　attentions　of　his　aunt　and　cousin；
could　not　escape　the　influence　of　feelings　which　flowed　towards　him；
as　it　were；　and　inundated　him。　He　gave　Eugenie　a　bright；　caressing
look　full　of　kindness；a　look　which　seemed　itself　a　smile。　He
perceived；　as　his　eyes　lingered　upon　her；　the　exquisite　harmony　of
features　in　the　pure　face；　the　grace　of　her　innocent　attitude；　the
magic　clearness　of　the　eyes；　where　young　love　sparkled　and　desire
shone　unconsciously。

〃Ah！　my　dear　cousin；　if　you　were　in　full　dress　at　the　Opera；　I　assure
you　my　aunt's　words　would　come　true；you　would　make　the　men　commit
the　mortal　sin　of　envy；　and　the　women　the　sin　of　jealousy。〃

The　compliment　went　to　Eugenie's　heart　and　set　it　beating；　though　she
did　not　understand　its　meaning。

〃Oh！　cousin；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　laughing　at　a　poor　little　country
girl。〃

〃If　you　knew　me；　my　cousin；　you　would　know　that　I　abhor　ridicule；　it
withers　the　heart　and　jars　upon　all　my　feelings。〃　Here　he　swallowed
his　buttered　sippet　very　gracefully。　〃No；　I　really　have　not　enough
mind　to　make　fun　of　others；　and　doubtless　it　is　a　great　defect。　In
Paris；　when　they　want　to　disparage　a　man；　they　say：　'He　has　a　good
heart。'　The　phrase　means：　'The　poor　fellow　is　as　stupid　as　a
rhinoceros。'　But　as　I　am　rich；　and　known　to　hit　the　bull's…eye　at
thirty　paces　with　any　kind　of　pistol；　and　even　in　the　open　fields；
ridicule　respects　me。〃

〃My　dear　nephew；　that　bespeaks　a　good　heart。〃

〃You　have　a　very　pretty　ring；〃　said　Eugenie；　〃is　there　any　harm　in
asking　to　see　it？〃

Charles　held　out　his　hand　after　loosening　the　ring；　and　Eugenie
blushed　as　she　touched　the　pink　nails　of　her　cousin　with　the　tips　of
her　fingers。

〃See；　mamma；　what　beautiful　workmanship。〃

〃My！　there's　a　lot　of　gold！〃　said　Nanon；　bringing　in　the　coffee。

〃What　is　that？〃　exclaimed　Charles；　laughing；　as　he　pointed　to　an
oblong　pot　of　brown　earthenware；　glazed　on　the　inside；　and　edged　with
a　fringe　of　ashes；　from　the　bottom　of　which　the　coffee…grounds　were
bubbling　up　and　falling　in　the　boiling　liquid。

〃It　is　boiled　coffee；〃　said　Nanon。

〃Ah！　my　dear　aunt；　I　shall　at　least　leave　one　beneficent　trace　of　my
visit　here。　You　are　indeed　behind　the　age！　I　must　teach　you　to　make
good　coffee　in　a　Chaptal　coffee…pot。〃

He　tried　to　explain　the　process　of　a　Chaptal　coffee…pot。

〃Gracious！　if　there　are　so　many　things　as　all　that　to　do；〃　said　Nanon；
〃we　may　as　well　give　up　our　lives　to　it。　I　shall　never　make　coffee
that　way；　I　know　that！　Pray；　who　is　to　get　the　fodder　for　the　cow
while　I　make　the　coffee？〃

〃I　will　make　it；〃　said　Eugenie。

〃Child！〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　looking　at　her　daughter。

The　word　recalled　to　their　minds　the　sorrow　that　was　about　to　fall
upon　the　unfortunate　young　man；　the　three　women　were　silent；　and
looked　at　him　with　an　air　of　commiseration　that　caught　his　attention。

〃Is　anything　the　matter；　my　cousin？〃　he　said。

〃Hush！〃　said　Madame　Grandet　to　Eugenie；　who　was　about　to　answer；　〃you
know；　my　daughter；　that　your　father　charged　us　not　to　speak　to
monsieur〃

〃Say　Charles；〃　said　young　Grandet。

〃Ah！　you　are　called　Charles？　What　a　beautiful　name！〃　cried　Eugenie。

Presentiments　of　evil　are　almost　always　justified。　At　this　moment
Nanon；　Madame　Grandet；　and　Eugenie；　who　had　all　three　been　thinking
with　a　shudder　of　the　old　man's　return；　heard　the　knock　whose　echoes
they　knew　but　too　well。

〃There's　papa！〃　said　Eugenie。

She　removed　the　saucer　filled　with　sugar；　leaving　a　few　pieces　on　the
table…cloth；　Nanon　carried　off　the　egg…cup；　Madame　Grandet　sat　up　like
a　frightened　hare。　It　was　evidently　a　panic；　which　amazed　Charles；　who
was　wholly　unable　to　understand　it。

〃Why！　what　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked。

〃My　father　has　come；〃　answered　Eugenie。

〃Well；　what　of　that？〃

Monsieur　Grandet　entered　the　room；　threw　his　keen　eye　upon　the　table；
upon　Charles；　and　saw　the　whole　thing。

〃Ha！　ha！　so　you　have　been　making　a　feast　for　your　nephew；　very　good；
very　good；　very　good　indeed！〃　he　said；　without　stuttering。　〃When　the
cat's　away；　the　mice　will　play。〃

〃Feast！〃　thought　Charles；　incapable　of　suspecting　or　imagining　the
rules　and　customs　of　the　household。

〃Give　me　my　glass；　Nanon；〃　said　the　master

Eugenie　brought　the　glass。　Grandet　drew　a　horn…handled　knife　with　a
big　blade　from　his　breeches'　pocket；　cut　a　slice　of　bread；　took　a
small　bit　of　butter；　spread　it　carefully　on　the　bread；　and　ate　it
standing。　At　this　moment　Charlie　was　sweetening　his　coffee。　Pere
Grandet　saw　the　bits　of　sugar；　looked　at　his　wife；　who　turned　pale；
and　made　three　steps　forward；　he　leaned　down　to　the　poor　woman's　ear
and　said；

〃Where　did　you　get　all　that　sugar？〃

〃Nanon　fetched　it　from　Fessard's；　there　was　none。〃

It　is　impossible　to　picture　the　profound　interest　the　three　women　took
in　this　mute　scene。　Nanon　had　left　her　kitchen　and　stood　looking　into
the　room　to　see　what　would　happen。　Charles；　having　tasted　his　coffee；
found　it　bitter　and　glanced　about　for　the　sugar；　which　Grandet　had
already　put　away。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　his　uncle。

〃The　sugar。〃

〃Put　in　more　milk；〃　answered　the　master　of　the　house；　〃your　coffee
will　taste　sweeter。〃

Eugenie　took　the　saucer　which　Grandet　had　put　away　and　placed　it　on
the　table；　looking　calmly　at　her　father　as　she　did　so。　Most　assuredly；
the　Parisian　woman　who　held　a　silken　ladder　with　her　feeble　arms　to
facilitate　the　flight　of　her　lover；　showed　no　greater　courage　than
Eugenie　displayed　when　she　replaced　the　sugar　upon　the　table。　The
lover　rewarded　his　mistress　when　she　proudly　showed　him　her　beautiful
bruised　arm；　and　bathed　every　swollen　vein　with　tears　and　kisses　till
it　was　cured　with　happiness。　Charles；　on　the　other　hand；　never　so　much
as　knew　the　secret　of　the　cruel　agitation　that　shook　and　bruised　the
heart　of　his　cousin；　crushed　as　it　was　by　the　look　of　the　old　miser。

〃You　are　not　eating　your　breakfast；　wife。〃

The　poor　helot　came　forward　with　a　piteous　look；　cut　herself　a　piece
of　bread；　and　took　a　pear。　Eugenie　boldly　offered　her　father　some
grapes；　saying；

〃Taste　my　preserves；　papa。　My　cousin；　you　will　eat　some；　will　you　not？
I　went　to　get　these　pretty　grapes　expressly　for　you。〃

〃If　no　one　stops　them；　they　will　pillage　Saumur　for　you；　nephew。　When
you　have　finished；　we　will　go　into　the　garden；　I　have　something　to
tell　you　which　can't　be　sweetened。〃

Eugenie　and　her　mother　cast　a　look　on　Charles　whose　meaning　the　young
man　could　not　mistake。

〃What　is　it　you　mean；　uncle？　Since　the　death　of　my　poor　mother〃at
these　words　his　voice　softened〃no　other　sorrow　can　touch　me。〃

〃My　nephew；　who　knows　by　what　afflictions　God　is　pleased　to　try　us？〃
said　his　aunt。

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta；〃　said　Grandet；　〃there's　your　nonsense　beginning。　I　am
sorry　to　see　those　white　hands　of　yours；　nephew〃；　and　he　showed　the
shoulder…of…mutton　fists　which　Nature　had　put　at　the　end　of　his　own
arms。　〃There's　a　pair　of　hands　made　to　pick　up　silver　pieces。　You've
been　brought　up　to　put　your　feet　in　the　kid　out　of　which　we　make　the
purses　we　keep　our　money　in。　A　bad　look…out！　Very　bad！〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　uncle？　I'll　be　hanged　if　I　understand　a　single　word
of　what　you　are　saying。〃

〃Come！〃　said　Grandet。

The　miser　closed　the　blade　of　his　knife　with　a　snap；　drank　the　last　of
his　wine；　and　opened　the　door。

〃My　cousin；　take　courage！〃

The　tone　of　the　young　girl　struck　terror　to　Charles's　heart；　and　he
followed　his　terrible　uncle；　a　prey　to　disquieting　thoughts。　Eugenie；
her　mother；　and　Nanon　went　into　the　kitchen；　moved　by　irresistible
curiosity　to　watch　the　two　actors　in　the　scene　which　was　about　to　take
place　in　the　garden；　where　at　first　the　uncle　walked　silently　ahead　of
the　nephew。　Grandet　was　not　at　all　troubled　at　having　to　tell　Charles
of　the　death　of　his　father；　but　he　did　feel　a　sort　of　compassion　in
knowing　him　to　be　without　a　penny；　and　he　sought　for　some　phrase　or
formula　by　which　to　soften　the　communication　of　that　cruel　truth。　〃You
have　lost　your　father；〃　seemed　to　him　a　mere　nothing　to　say；　fathers
die　before　their　children。　But　〃you　are　absolutely　without　means；〃
all　the　misfortunes　of　life　were　summed　up　in　those　words！　Grandet
walked　round　the　garden　three　times；　the　gravel　crunching　under　his
heavy　step。

In　the　crucial　moments　of　life　our　minds　fasten　upon　the　locality
where　joys　or　sorrows　overwhelm　us。　Charles　noticed　with　minute
attention　the　box…borders　of　the　little　garden；　the　yellow　leaves　as
they　fluttered　down；　the　dilapidated　walls；　the　gnarled　fruit…trees；
picturesque　details　which　were　destined　to　remain　forever　in　his
memory；　blending　eternally；　by　the　mnemonics　that　belong　exclusively
to　the　passions；　with　the　recollections　of　this　solemn　hour。

〃It　is　very　fine　weather；　very　warm；〃　said　Grandet；　drawing　a　long
breath。

〃Yes；　uncle；　but　why〃

〃Well；　my　lad；〃　answered　his　uncle；　〃I　have　some　bad　news　to　give　you。
Your　father　is　ill〃

〃Then　why　am　I　here？〃　said　Charles。　〃Nanon；〃　he　cried；　〃order　post…
horses！　I　can　get　a　carriage　somewhere？〃　he　added；