eugenie grandet-第21节

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As　soon　as　the　goodman　was　certain　that　Charles　could　hear　nothing　and
was　probably　deep　in　his　letter…writing；　he　said；　with　a　dissimulating
glance　at　his　wife；

〃Madame　Grandet；　what　we　have　to　talk　about　will　be　Latin　to　you；　it
is　half…past　seven；　you　can　go　and　attend　to　your　household　accounts。
Good…night；　my　daughter。〃

He　kissed　Eugenie；　and　the　two　women　departed。　A　scene　now　took　place
in　which　Pere　Grandet　brought　to　bear；　more　than　at　any　other　moment
of　his　life；　the　shrewd　dexterity　he　had　acquired　in　his　intercourse
with　men；　and　which　had　won　him　from　those　whose　flesh　he　sometimes
bit　too　sharply　the　nickname　of　〃the　old　dog。〃　If　the　mayor　of　Saumur
had　carried　his　ambition　higher　still；　if　fortunate　circumstances；
drawing　him　towards　the　higher　social　spheres；　had　sent　him　into
congresses　where　the　affairs　of　nations　were　discussed；　and　had　he
there　employed　the　genius　with　which　his　personal　interests　had
endowed　him；　he　would　undoubtedly　have　proved　nobly　useful　to　his
native　land。　Yet　it　is　perhaps　equally　certain　that　outside　of　Saumur
the　goodman　would　have　cut　a　very　sorry　figure。　Possibly　there　are
minds　like　certain　animals　which　cease　to　breed　when　transplanted　from
the　climates　in　which　they　are　born。

〃M…m…mon…sieur　le　p…p…president；　you　said　t…t…that　b…b…bankruptcy〃

The　stutter　which　for　years　the　old　miser　had　assumed　when　it　suited
him；　and　which；　together　with　the　deafness　of　which　he　sometimes
complained　in　rainy　weather；　was　thought　in　Saumur　to　be　a　natural
defect；　became　at　this　crisis　so　wearisome　to　the　two　Cruchots　that
while　they　listened　they　unconsciously　made　faces　and　moved　their
lips；　as　if　pronouncing　the　words　over　which　he　was　hesitating　and
stuttering　at　will。　Here　it　may　be　well　to　give　the　history　of　this
impediment　of　the　speech　and　hearing　of　Monsieur　Grandet。　No　one　in
Anjou　heard　better；　or　could　pronounce　more　crisply　the　French
language　（with　an　Angevin　accent）　than　the　wily　old　cooper。　Some　years
earlier；　in　spite　of　his　shrewdness；　he　had　been　taken　in　by　an
Israelite；　who　in　the　course　of　the　discussion　held　his　hand　behind
his　ear　to　catch　sounds；　and　mangled　his　meaning　so　thoroughly　in
trying　to　utter　his　words　that　Grandet　fell　a　victim　to　his　humanity
and　was　compelled　to　prompt　the　wily　Jew　with　the　words　and　ideas　he
seemed　to　seek；　to　complete　himself　the　arguments　of　the　said　Jew；　to
say　what　that　cursed　Jew　ought　to　have　said　for　himself；　in　short；　to
be　the　Jew　instead　of　being　Grandet。　When　the　cooper　came　out　of　this
curious　encounter　he　had　concluded　the　only　bargain　of　which　in　the
course　of　a　long　commercial　life　he　ever　had　occasion　to　complain。　But
if　he　lost　at　the　time　pecuniarily；　he　gained　morally　a　valuable
lesson；　later；　he　gathered　its　fruits。　Indeed；　the　goodman　ended　by
blessing　that　Jew　for　having　taught　him　the　art　of　irritating　his
commercial　antagonist　and　leading　him　to　forget　his　own　thoughts　in
his　impatience　to　suggest　those　over　which　his　tormentor　was
stuttering。　No　affair　had　ever　needed　the　assistance　of　deafness；
impediments　of　speech；　and　all　the　incomprehensible　circumlocutions
with　which　Grandet　enveloped　his　ideas；　as　much　as　the　affair　now　in
hand。　In　the　first　place；　he　did　not　mean　to　shoulder　the
responsibility　of　his　own　scheme；　in　the　next；　he　was　determined　to
remain　master　of　the　conversation　and　to　leave　his　real　intentions　in
doubt。

〃M…m…monsieur　de　B…B…Bonfons；〃for　the　second　time　in　three　years
Grandet　called　the　Cruchot　nephew　Monsieur　de　Bonfons；　the　president
felt　he　might　consider　himself　the　artful　old　fellow's　son…in…law；
〃you…ou　said　th…th…that　b…b…bankruptcy　c…c…could；　in　some　c…c…cases；
b…b…be　p…p…prevented　b…b…by〃

〃By　the　courts　of　commerce　themselves。　It　is　done　constantly；〃　said
Monsieur　C。　de　Bonfons；　bestriding　Grandet's　meaning；　or　thinking　he
guessed　it；　and　kindly　wishing　to　help　him　out　with　it。　〃Listen。〃

〃Y…yes；〃　said　Grandet　humbly；　with　the　mischievous　expression　of　a　boy
who　is　inwardly　laughing　at　his　teacher　while　he　pays　him　the　greatest
attention。

〃When　a　man　so　respected　and　important　as；　for　example；　your　late
brother〃

〃M…my　b…b…brother；　yes。〃

〃is　threatened　with　insolvency〃

〃They　c…c…call　it　in…ins…s…solvency？〃

〃Yes；　when　his　failure　is　imminent；　the　court　of　commerce；　to　which　he
is　amenable　（please　follow　me　attentively）；　has　the　power；　by　a
decree；　to　appoint　a　receiver。　Liquidation；　you　understand；　is　not　the
same　as　failure。　When　a　man　fails；　he　is　dishonored；　but　when　he
merely　liquidates；　he　remains　an　honest　man。〃

〃T…t…that's　very　d…d…different；　if　it　d…d…doesn't　c…c…cost　m…m…more；〃
said　Grandet。

〃But　a　liquidation　can　be　managed　without　having　recourse　to　the
courts　at　all。　For；〃　said　the　president；　sniffing　a　pinch　of　snuff；
〃don't　you　know　how　failures　are　declared？〃

〃N…n…no；　I　n…n…never　t…t…thought；〃　answered　Grandet。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　resumed　the　magistrate；　〃by　filing　the　schedule
in　the　record　office　of　the　court；　which　the　merchant　may　do　himself；
or　his　representative　for　him　with　a　power　of　attorney　duly　certified。
In　the　second　place；　the　failure　may　be　declared　under　compulsion　from
the　creditors。　Now　if　the　merchant　does　not　file　his　schedule；　and　if
no　creditor　appears　before　the　courts　to　obtain　a　decree　of　insolvency
against　the　merchant；　what　happens？〃

〃W…w…what　h…h…happens？〃

〃Why；　the　family　of　the　deceased；　his　representatives；　his　heirs；　or
the　merchant　himself；　if　he　is　not　dead；　or　his　friends　if　he　is　only
hiding；　liquidate　his　business。　Perhaps　you　would　like　to　liquidate
your　brother's　affairs？〃

〃Ah！　Grandet；〃　said　the　notary；　〃that　would　be　the　right　thing　to　do。
There　is　honor　down　here　in　the　provinces。　If　you　save　your　namefor
it　is　your　nameyou　will　be　a　man〃

〃A　noble　man！〃　cried　the　president；　interrupting　his　uncle。

〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　old　man；　〃my　b…b…brother's　name　was
G…G…Grandet；　like　m…m…mine。　Th…that's　c…c…certain；　I　d…d…don't
d…d…deny　it。　And　th…th…this　l…l…liquidation　might　be；　in　m…m…many
ways；　v…v…very　advan…t…t…tageous　t…t…to　the　interests　of　m…m…my
n…n…nephew；　whom　I　l…l…love。　But　I　must　consider。　I　don't　k…k…know　the
t…t…tricks　of　P…P…Paris。　I　b…b…belong　to　Sau…m…mur；　d…d…don't　you　see？
M…m…my　vines；　my　d…d…drainsin　short；　I've　my　own　b…b…business。　I
never　g…g…give　n…n…notes。　What　are　n…n…notes？　I　t…t…take　a　good
m…m…many；　but　I　have　never　s…s…signed　one。　I　d…d…don't　understand　such
things。　I　have　h…h…heard　say　that　n…n…notes　c…c…can　be　b…b…bought　up。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　the　president。　〃Notes　can　be　bought　in　the　market；
less　so　much　per　cent。　Don't　you　understand？〃

Grandet　made　an　ear…trumpet　of　his　hand；　and　the　president　repeated
his　words。

〃Well；　then；〃　replied　the　man；　〃there's　s…s…something　to　be　g…g…got
out　of　it？　I　k…know　n…nothing　at　my　age　about　such　th…th…things。　I
l…l…live　here　and　l…l…look　after　the　v…v…vines。　The　vines　g…g…grow；
and　it's　the　w…w…wine　that　p…p…pays。　L…l…look　after　the　v…v…vintage；
t…t…that's　my　r…r…rule。　My　c…c…chief　interests　are　at　Froidfond。　I
c…c…can't　l…l…leave　my　h…h…house　to　m…m…muddle　myself　with　a
d…d…devilish　b…b…business　I　kn…know　n…n…nothing　about。　You　say　I　ought
to　l…l…liquidate　my　b…b…brother's　af…f…fairs；　to　p…p…prevent　the
f…f…failure。　I　c…c…can't　be　in　two　p…p…places　at　once；　unless　I　were　a
little　b…b…bird；　and〃

〃I　understand；〃　cried　the　notary。　〃Well；　my　old　friend；　you　have
friends；　old　friends；　capable　of　devoting　themselves　to　your
interests。〃

〃All　right！〃　thought　Grandet；　〃make　haste　and　come　to　the　point！〃

〃Suppose　one　of　them　went　to　Paris　and　saw　your　brother　Guillaume's
chief　creditor　and　said　to　him〃

〃One　m…m…moment；〃　interrupted　the　goodman；　〃said　wh…wh…what？　Something
l…l…like　this。　Monsieur　Gr…Grandet　of　Saumur　this；　Monsieur　Grandet　of
Saumur　that。　He　l…loves　his　b…b…brother；　he　loves　his　n…nephew。
Grandet　is　a　g…g…good　uncle；　he　m…m…means　well。　He　has　sold　his
v…v…vintage。　D…d…don't　declare　a　f…f…failure；　c…c…call　a　meeting；
l…l…liquidate；　and　then　Gr…Gr…Grandet　will　see　what　he　c…c…can　do。
B…b…better　liquidate　than　l…let　the　l…l…law　st…st…stick　its　n…n…nose
in。　Hein？　isn't　it　so？〃

〃Exactly　so；〃　said　the　president。

〃B…because；　don't　you　see；　Monsieur　de　B…Bonfons；　a　man　must　l…l…look
b…b…before　he　l…leaps。　If　you　c…c…can't；　you　c…c…can't。　M…m…must　know
all　about　the　m…m…matter；　all　the　resources　and　the　debts；　if　you
d…d…don't　want　to　be　r…r…ruined。　Hein？　isn't　it　so？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　president。　〃I'm　of　opinion　that　in　a　few　months
the　debts　might　be　bought　up　for　a　certain　sum；　and　then　paid　in　full
by　an　agreement。　Ha！　ha！　you　can　coax　a　dog　a　long　way　if　you　show　him
a　bit　of　lard。　If　there　has　been　no　declaration　of　failure；　and　you
hold　a　lien　on　the　debts；　you　come　out　of　the　business　as　white　as　the
driven　snow。〃

〃Sn…n…now；〃　said　Grandet；　putting　his　hand　to　his　ear；　〃wh…wh…what
about　s…now？〃

〃But；〃　cried　the　president；　〃do　pray　attend　to　what　I　am　saying。〃

〃I　am　at…t…tending。〃

〃A　note　is　merchandise；an　article　of　barter　which　rises　and　falls　in
prices。　That　is　a　deduction　from　Jeremy　Bentham's　theory　about　usury。
That　writer　has　proved　that　t