eugenie grandet-第23节

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first；　if　my　uncle　is　willing。〃

〃Farewell　for　the　present！〃　said　Madame　des　Grassins。

When　the　Cruchots　were　a　few　steps　off；　Adolphe　remarked　to　his
father；

〃Are　not　they　fuming；　hein？〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　my　son！〃　said　his　mother；　〃they　might　hear　you。
Besides；　what　you　say　is　not　in　good　taste；law…school　language。〃

〃Well；　uncle；〃　cried　the　president　when　he　saw　the　des　Grassins
disappearing；　〃I　began　by　being　de　Bonfons；　and　I　have　ended　as
nothing　but　Cruchot。〃

〃I　saw　that　that　annoyed　you；　but　the　wind　has　set　fair　for　the　des
Grassins。　What　a　fool　you　are；　with　all　your　cleverness！　Let　them　sail
off　on　Grandet's　'We'll　see　about　it；'　and　keep　yourself　quiet；　young
man。　Eugenie　will　none　the　less　be　your　wife。〃

In　a　few　moments　the　news　of　Grandet's　magnanimous　resolve　was
disseminated　in　three　houses　at　the　same　moment；　and　the　whole　town
began　to　talk　of　his　fraternal　devotion。　Every　one　forgave　Grandet　for
the　sale　made　in　defiance　of　the　good　faith　pledged　to　the　community；
they　admired　his　sense　of　honor；　and　began　to　laud　a　generosity　of
which　they　had　never　thought　him　capable。　It　is　part　of　the　French
nature　to　grow　enthusiastic；　or　angry；　or　fervent　about　some　meteor　of
the　moment。　Can　it　be　that　collective　beings；　nationalities；　peoples；
are　devoid　of　memory？

When　Pere　Grandet　had　shut　the　door　he　called　Nanon。

〃Don't　let　the　dog　loose；　and　don't　go　to　bed；　we　have　work　to　do
together。　At　eleven　o'clock　Cornoiller　will　be　at　the　door　with　the
chariot　from　Froidfond。　Listen　for　him　and　prevent　his　knocking；　tell
him　to　come　in　softly。　Police　regulations　don't　allow　nocturnal
racket。　Besides；　the　whole　neighborhood　need　not　know　that　I　am
starting　on　a　journey。〃

So　saying；　Grandet　returned　to　his　private　room；　where　Nanon　heard　him
moving　about；　rummaging；　and　walking　to　and　fro；　though　with　much
precaution；　for　he　evidently　did　not　wish　to　wake　his　wife　and
daughter；　and　above　all　not　to　rouse　the　attention　of　his　nephew；　whom
he　had　begun　to　anathematize　when　he　saw　a　thread　of　light　under　his
door。　About　the　middle　of　the　night　Eugenie；　intent　on　her　cousin；
fancied　she　heard　a　cry　like　that　of　a　dying　person。　It　must　be
Charles；　she　thought；　he　was　so　pale；　so　full　of　despair　when　she　had
seen　him　last；could　he　have　killed　himself？　She　wrapped　herself
quickly　in　a　loose　garment；a　sort　of　pelisse　with　a　hood；and　was
about　to　leave　the　room　when　a　bright　light　coming　through　the　chinks
of　her　door　made　her　think　of　fire。　But　she　recovered　herself　as　she
heard　Nanon's　heavy　steps　and　gruff　voice　mingling　with　the　snorting
of　several　horses。

〃Can　my　father　be　carrying　off　my　cousin？〃　she　said　to　herself；
opening　her　door　with　great　precaution　lest　it　should　creak；　and　yet
enough　to　let　her　see　into　the　corridor。

Suddenly　her　eye　encountered　that　of　her　father；　and　his　glance；　vague
and　unnoticing　as　it　was；　terrified　her。　The　goodman　and　Nanon　were
yoked　together　by　a　stout　stick；　each　end　of　which　rested　on　their
shoulders；　a　stout　rope　was　passed　over　it；　on　which　was　slung　a　small
barrel　or　keg　like　those　Pere　Grandet　still　made　in　his　bakehouse　as
an　amusement　for　his　leisure　hours。

〃Holy　Virgin；　how　heavy　it　is！〃　said　the　voice　of　Nanon。

〃What　a　pity　that　it　is　only　copper　sous！〃　answered　Grandet。　〃Take
care　you　don't　knock　over　the　candlestick。〃

The　scene　was　lighted　by　a　single　candle　placed　between　two　rails　of
the　staircase。

〃Cornoiller；〃　said　Grandet　to　his　keeper　/in　partibus/；　〃have　you
brought　your　pistols？〃

〃No；　monsieur。　Mercy！　what's　there　to　fear　for　your　copper　sous？〃

〃Oh！　nothing；〃　said　Pere　Grandet。

〃Besides；　we　shall　go　fast；〃　added　the　man；　〃your　farmers　have　picked
out　their　best　horses。〃

〃Very　good。　You　did　not　tell　them　where　I　was　going？〃

〃I　didn't　know　where。〃

〃Very　good。　Is　the　carriage　strong？〃

〃Strong？　hear　to　that；　now！　Why；　it　can　carry　three　thousand　weight。
How　much　does　that　old　keg　weigh？〃

〃Goodness！〃　exclaimed　Nanon。　〃I　ought　to　know！　There's　pretty　nigh
eighteen　hundred〃

〃Will　you　hold　your　tongue；　Nanon！　You　are　to　tell　my　wife　I　have　gone
into　the　country。　I　shall　be　back　to　dinner。　Drive　fast；　Cornoiller；　I
must　get　to　Angers　before　nine　o'clock。〃

The　carriage　drove　off。　Nanon　bolted　the　great　door；　let　loose　the
dog；　and　went　off　to　bed　with　a　bruised　shoulder；　no　one　in　the
neighborhood　suspecting　either　the　departure　of　Grandet　or　the　object
of　his　journey。　The　precautions　of　the　old　miser　and　his　reticence
were　never　relaxed。　No　one　had　ever　seen　a　penny　in　that　house；　filled
as　it　was　with　gold。　Hearing　in　the　morning；　through　the　gossip　of　the
port；　that　exchange　on　gold　had　doubled　in　price　in　consequence　of
certain　military　preparations　undertaken　at　Nantes；　and　that
speculators　had　arrived　at　Angers　to　buy　coin；　the　old　wine…grower；　by
the　simple　process　of　borrowing　horses　from　his　farmers；　seized　the
chance　of　selling　his　gold　and　of　bringing　back　in　the　form　of
treasury　notes　the　sum　he　intended　to　put　into　the　Funds；　having
swelled　it　considerably　by　the　exchange。



VIII

〃My　father　has　gone；〃　thought　Eugenie；　who　heard　all　that　took　place
from　the　head　of　the　stairs。　Silence　was　restored　in　the　house；　and
the　distant　rumbling　of　the　carriage；　ceasing　by　degrees；　no　longer
echoed　through　the　sleeping　town。　At　this　moment　Eugenie　heard　in　her
heart；　before　the　sound　caught　her　ears；　a　cry　which　pierced　the
partitions　and　came　from　her　cousin's　chamber。　A　line　of　light；　thin
as　the　blade　of　a　sabre；　shone　through　a　chink　in　the　door　and　fell
horizontally　on　the　balusters　of　the　rotten　staircase。

〃He　suffers！〃　she　said；　springing　up　the　stairs。　A　second　moan　brought
her　to　the　landing　near　his　room。　The　door　was　ajar；　she　pushed　it
open。　Charles　was　sleeping；　his　head　hung　over　the　side　of　the　old
armchair；　and　his　hand；　from　which　the　pen　had　fallen；　nearly　touched
the　floor。　The　oppressed　breathing　caused　by　the　strained　posture
suddenly　frightened　Eugenie；　who　entered　the　room　hastily。

〃He　must　be　very　tired；〃　she　said　to　herself；　glancing　at　a　dozen
letters　lying　sealed　upon　the　table。　She　read　their　addresses：　〃To
Messrs。　Farry；　Breilmann；　&　Co。；　carriage…makers〃；　〃To　Monsieur
Buisson；　tailor；〃　etc。

〃He　has　been　settling　all　his　affairs；　so　as　to　leave　France　at　once；〃
she　thought。　Her　eyes　fell　upon　two　open　letters。　The　words；　〃My　dear
Annette；〃　at　the　head　of　one　of　them；　blinded　her　for　a　moment。　Her
heart　beat　fast；　her　feet　were　nailed　to　the　floor。

〃His　dear　Annette！　He　loves！　he　is　loved！　No　hope！　What　does　he　say　to
her？〃

These　thoughts　rushed　through　her　head　and　heart。　She　saw　the　words
everywhere；　even　on　the　bricks　of　the　floor；　in　letters　of　fire。

〃Resign　him　already？　No；　no！　I　will　not　read　the　letter。　I　ought　to　go
awayWhat　if　I　do　read　it？〃

She　looked　at　Charles；　then　she　gently　took　his　head　and　placed　it
against　the　back　of　the　chair；　he　let　her　do　so；　like　a　child　which；
though　asleep；　knows　its　mother's　touch　and　receives；　without　awaking；
her　kisses　and　watchful　care。　Like　a　mother　Eugenie　raised　the
drooping　hand；　and　like　a　mother　she　gently　kissed　the　chestnut　hair
〃Dear　Annette！〃　a　demon　shrieked　the　words　in　her　ear。

〃I　am　doing　wrong；　but　I　must　read　it；　that　letter；〃　she　said。　She
turned　away　her　head；　for　her　noble　sense　of　honor　reproached　her。　For
the　first　time　in　her　life　good　and　evil　struggled　together　in　her
heart。　Up　to　that　moment　she　had　never　had　to　blush　for　any　action。
Passion　and　curiosity　triumphed。　As　she　read　each　sentence　her　heart
swelled　more　and　more；　and　the　keen　glow　which　filled　her　being　as　she
did　so；　only　made　the　joys　of　first　love　still　more　precious。

　　My　dear　Annette；Nothing　could　ever　have　separated　us　but　the
　　great　misfortune　which　has　now　overwhelmed　me；　and　which　no　human
　　foresight　could　have　prevented。　My　father　has　killed　himself；　his
　　fortune　and　mine　are　irretrievably　lost。　I　am　orphaned　at　an　age
　　when；　through　the　nature　of　my　education；　I　am　still　a　child；　and
　　yet　I　must　lift　myself　as　a　man　out　of　the　abyss　into　which　I　am
　　plunged。　I　have　just　spent　half　the　night　in　facing　my　position。
　　If　I　wish　to　leave　France　an　honest　man；and　there　is　no　doubt　of
　　that；I　have　not　a　hundred　francs　of　my　own　with　which　to　try　my
　　fate　in　the　Indies　or　in　America。　Yes；　my　poor　Anna；　I　must　seek
　　my　fortune　in　those　deadly　climates。　Under　those　skies；　they　tell
　　me；　I　am　sure　to　make　it。　As　for　remaining　in　Paris；　I　cannot　do
　　so。　Neither　my　nature　nor　my　face　are　made　to　bear　the　affronts；
　　the　neglect；　the　disdain　shown　to　a　ruined　man；　the　son　of　a
　　bankrupt！　Good　God！　think　of　owing　two　millions！　I　should　be
　　killed　in　a　duel　the　first　week；　therefore　I　shall　not　return
　　there。　Your　lovethe　most　tender　and　devoted　love　which　ever
　　ennobled　the　heart　of　mancannot　draw　me　back。　Alas！　my　beloved；
　　I　have　no　money　with　which　to　go　to　you；　to　give　and　receive　a
　　last　kiss　from　which　I　might　derive　some　strength　for　my　forlorn
　　enterprise。

〃Poor　Charles！　I　did　well　to　read　the　letter。　I　have　gold；　I　will　give
it　to　him；〃　thought　Eugenie。

She　wiped　her　eyes；　and　went　o