eugenie grandet-第25节

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　　friends；　but　let　me　assure　you　that　while　I　doubt　the　friendship
　　of　the　world；　I　have　never　doubted　yours。　I　beg　you　therefore　to
　　settle　all　my　affairs；　and　I　trust　to　you　to　get　as　much　as　you
　　can　out　of　my　possessions。　By　this　time　you　know　my　situation。　I
　　have　nothing　left；　and　I　intend　to　go　at　once　to　the　Indies。　I
　　have　just　written　to　all　the　people　to　whom　I　think　I　owe　money；
　　and　you　will　find　enclosed　a　list　of　their　names；　as　correct　as　I
　　can　make　it　from　memory。　My　books；　my　furniture；　my　pictures；　my
　　horses；　etc。；　ought；　I　think；　to　pay　my　debts。　I　do　not　wish　to
　　keep　anything；　except；　perhaps；　a　few　baubles　which　might　serve　as
　　the　beginning　of　an　outfit　for　my　enterprise。　My　dear　Alphonse；　I
　　will　send　you　a　proper　power　of　attorney　under　which　you　can　make
　　these　sales。　Send　me　all　my　weapons。　Keep　Briton　for　yourself；
　　nobody　would　pay　the　value　of　that　noble　beast；　and　I　would　rather
　　give　him　to　youlike　a　mourning…ring　bequeathed　by　a　dying　man　to
　　his　executor。　Farry；　Breilmann；　&　Co。　built　me　a　very　comfortable
　　travelling…carriage；　which　they　have　not　yet　delivered；　persuade
　　them　to　keep　it　and　not　ask　for　any　payment　on　it。　If　they　refuse；
　　do　what　you　can　in　the　matter；　and　avoid　everything　that　might
　　seem　dishonorable　in　me　under　my　present　circumstances。　I　owe　the
　　British　Islander　six　louis；　which　I　lost　at　cards；　don't　fail　to
　　pay　him

〃Dear　cousin！〃　whispered　Eugenie；　throwing　down　the　letter　and　running
softly　back　to　her　room；　carrying　one　of　the　lighted　candles。　A　thrill
of　pleasure　passed　over　her　as　she　opened　the　drawer　of　an　old　oak
cabinet；　a　fine　specimen　of　the　period　called　the　Renaissance；　on
which　could　still　be　seen；　partly　effaced；　the　famous　royal
salamander。　She　took　from　the　drawer　a　large　purse　of　red　velvet　with
gold　tassels；　edged　with　a　tarnished　fringe　of　gold　wire；a　relic
inherited　from　her　grandmother。　She　weighed　it　proudly　in　her　hand；
and　began　with　delight　to　count　over　the　forgotten　items　of　her　little
hoard。　First　she　took　out　twenty　/portugaises/；　still　new；　struck　in
the　reign　of　John　V。；　1725；　worth　by　exchange；　as　her　father　told　her；
five　/lisbonnines/；　or　a　hundred　and　sixty…eight　francs；　sixty…four
centimes　each；　their　conventional　value；　however；　was　a　hundred　and
eighty　francs　apiece；　on　account　of　the　rarity　and　beauty　of　the
coins；　which　shone　like　little　suns。　Item；　five　/genovines/；　or　five
hundred…franc　pieces　of　Genoa；　another　very　rare　coin　worth　eighty…
seven　francs　on　exchange；　but　a　hundred　francs　to　collectors。　These
had　formerly　belonged　to　old　Monsieur　de　la　Bertelliere。　Item；　three
gold　/quadruples/；　Spanish；　of　Philip　V。；　struck　in　1729；　given　to　her
one　by　one　by　Madame　Gentillet；　who　never　failed　to　say；　using　the
same　words；　when　she　made　the　gift；　〃This　dear　little　canary；　this
little　yellow…boy；　is　worth　ninety…eight　francs！　Keep　it；　my　pretty
one；　it　will　be　the　flower　of　your　treasure。〃　Item　（that　which　her
father　valued　most　of　all；　the　gold　of　these　coins　being　twenty…three
carats　and　a　fraction）；　a　hundred　Dutch　ducats；　made　in　the　year　1756；
and　worth　thirteen　francs　apiece。　Item；　a　great　curiosity；　a　species
of　medal　precious　to　the　soul　of　misers；three　rupees　with　the　sign
of　the　Scales；　and　five　rupees　with　the　sign　of　the　Virgin；　all　in
pure　gold　of　twenty…four　carats；　the　magnificent　money　of　the　Great
Mogul；　each　of　which　was　worth　by　mere　weight　thirty…seven　francs；
forty　centimes；　but　at　least　fifty　francs　to　those　connoisseurs　who
love　to　handle　gold。　Item；　the　napoleon　of　forty　francs　received　the
day　before；　which　she　had　forgotten　to　put　away　in　the　velvet　purse。
This　treasure　was　all　in　virgin　coins；　true　works　of　art；　which
Grandet　from　time　to　time　inquired　after　and　asked　to　see；　pointing
out　to　his　daughter　their　intrinsic　merits；such　as　the　beauty　of　the
milled　edge；　the　clearness　of　the　flat　surface；　the　richness　of　the
lettering；　whose　angles　were　not　yet　rubbed　off。

Eugenie　gave　no　thought　to　these　rarities；　nor　to　her　father's　mania
for　them；　nor　to　the　danger　she　incurred　in　depriving　herself　of　a
treasure　so　dear　to　him；　no；　she　thought　only　of　her　cousin；　and　soon
made　out；　after　a　few　mistakes　of　calculation；　that　she　possessed
about　five　thousand　eight　hundred　francs　in　actual　value；　which　might
be　sold　for　their　additional　value　to　collectors　for　nearly　six
thousand。　She　looked　at　her　wealth　and　clapped　her　hands　like　a　happy
child　forced　to　spend　its　overflowing　joy　in　artless　movements　of　the
body。　Father　and　daughter　had　each　counted　up　their　fortune　this
night；he；　to　sell　his　gold；　Eugenie　to　fling　hers　into　the　ocean　of
affection。　She　put　the　pieces　back　into　the　old　purse；　took　it　in　her
hand；　and　ran　upstairs　without　hesitation。　The　secret　misery　of　her
cousin　made　her　forget　the　hour　and　conventional　propriety；　she　was
strong　in　her　conscience；　in　her　devotion；　in　her　happiness。

As　she　stood　upon　the　threshold　of　the　door；　holding　the　candle　in　one
hand　and　the　purse　in　the　other；　Charles　woke；　caught　sight　of　her；
and　remained　speechless　with　surprise。　Eugenie　came　forward；　put　the
candle　on　the　table；　and　said　in　a　quivering　voice：

〃My　cousin；　I　must　beg　pardon　for　a　wrong　I　have　done　you；　but　God
will　pardon　meif　youwill　help　me　to　wipe　it　out。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Charles；　rubbing　his　eyes。

〃I　have　read　those　letters。〃

Charles　colored。

〃How　did　it　happen？〃　she　continued；　〃how　came　I　here？　Truly；　I　do　not
know。　I　am　tempted　not　to　regret　too　much　that　I　have　read　them；　they
have　made　me　know　your　heart；　your　soul；　and〃

〃And　what？〃　asked　Charles。

〃Your　plans；　your　need　of　a　sum〃

〃My　dear　cousin〃

〃Hush；　hush！　my　cousin；　not　so　loud；　we　must　not　wake　others。　See；〃
she　said；　opening　her　purse；　〃here　are　the　savings　of　a　poor　girl　who
wants　nothing。　Charles；　accept　them！　This　morning　I　was　ignorant　of
the　value　of　money；　you　have　taught　it　to　me。　It　is　but　a　means；　after
all。　A　cousin　is　almost　a　brother；　you　can　surely　borrow　the　purse　of
your　sister。〃

Eugenie；　as　much　a　woman　as　a　young　girl；　never　dreamed　of　refusal；
but　her　cousin　remained　silent。

〃Oh！　you　will　not　refuse？〃　cried　Eugenie；　the　beatings　of　whose　heart
could　be　heard　in　the　deep　silence。

Her　cousin's　hesitation　mortified　her；　but　the　sore　need　of　his
position　came　clearer　still　to　her　mind；　and　she　knelt　down。

〃I　will　never　rise　till　you　have　taken　that　gold！〃　she　said。　〃My
cousin；　I　implore　you；　answer　me！　let　me　know　if　you　respect　me；　if
you　are　generous；　if〃

As　he　heard　this　cry　of　noble　distress　the　young　man's　tears　fell　upon
his　cousin's　hands；　which　he　had　caught　in　his　own　to　keep　her　from
kneeling。　As　the　warm　tears　touched　her；　Eugenie　sprang　to　the　purse
and　poured　its　contents　upon　the　table。

〃Ah！　yes；　yes；　you　consent？〃　she　said；　weeping　with　joy。　〃Fear
nothing；　my　cousin；　you　will　be　rich。　This　gold　will　bring　you
happiness；　some　day　you　shall　bring　it　back　to　me；are　we　not
partners？　I　will　obey　all　conditions。　But　you　should　not　attach　such
value　to　the　gift。〃

Charles　was　at　last　able　to　express　his　feelings。

〃Yes；　Eugenie；　my　soul　would　be　small　indeed　if　I　did　not　accept。　And
yet；gift　for　gift；　confidence　for　confidence。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said；　frightened。

〃Listen；　dear　cousin；　I　have　here〃　He　interrupted　himself　to　point
out　a　square　box　covered　with　an　outer　case　of　leather　which　was　on
the　drawers。　〃There；〃　he　continued；　〃is　something　as　precious　to　me　as
life　itself。　This　box　was　a　present　from　my　mother。　All　day　I　have
been　thinking　that　if　she　could　rise　from　her　grave；　she　would　herself
sell　the　gold　which　her　love　for　me　lavished　on　this　dressing…case；
but　were　I　to　do　so；　the　act　would　seem　to　me　a　sacrilege。〃　Eugenie
pressed　his　hand　as　she　heard　these　last　words。　〃No；〃　he　added；　after
a　slight　pause；　during　which　a　liquid　glance　of　tenderness　passed
between　them；　〃no；　I　will　neither　sell　it　nor　risk　its　safety　on　my
journey。　Dear　Eugenie；　you　shall　be　its　guardian。　Never　did　friend
commit　anything　more　sacred　to　another。　Let　me　show　it　to　you。〃

He　went　to　the　box；　took　it　from　its　outer　coverings；　opened　it；　and
showed　his　delighted　cousin　a　dressing…case　where　the　rich　workmanship
gave　to　the　gold　ornaments　a　value　far　above　their　weight。

〃What　you　admire　there　is　nothing；〃　he　said；　pushing　a　secret　spring
which　opened　a　hidden　drawer。　〃Here　is　something　which　to　me　is　worth
the　whole　world。〃　He　drew　out　two　portraits；　masterpieces　of　Madame
Mirbel；　richly　set　with　pearls。

〃Oh；　how　beautiful！　Is　it　the　lady　to　whom　you　wrote　that〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃this　is　my　mother；　and　here　is　my　father；
your　aunt　and　uncle。　Eugenie；　I　beg　you　on　my　knees；　keep　my　treasure
safely。　If　I　die　and　your　little　fortune　is　lost；　this　gold　and　these
pearls　will　repay　you。　To　you　alone　could　I　leave　these　portraits；　you
are　worthy　to　keep　them。　But　destroy　them　at　last；　so　that　they　may
pass　into　no　other　hands。〃　Eugenie　was　silent。　〃Ah；　yes；　say　yes！　You
consent？〃　he　added　with　winning　grace。

Hearing　the　very　words　she　had　just　used　to　her　cousin　now　addressed
to　herself；　she　turned　upon　him　a　l