eugenie grandet-第31节

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In　a　few　moments　all　were　carried　up　to　his　inner　room；　where　he　shut
himself　in　with　them。　〃When　breakfast　is　ready；　knock　on　the　wall；〃　he
said　as　he　disappeared。　〃Take　the　barrow　back　to　the　coach…office。〃

The　family　did　not　breakfast　that　day　until　ten　o'clock。

〃Your　father　will　not　ask　to　see　your　gold　downstairs；〃　said　Madame
Grandet　as　they　got　back　from　Mass。　〃You　must　pretend　to　be　very
chilly。　We　may　have　time　to　replace　the　treasure　before　your　fete…
day。〃

Grandet　came　down　the　staircase　thinking　of　his　splendid　speculation
in　government　securities；　and　wondering　how　he　could　metamorphose　his
Parisian　silver　into　solid　gold；　he　was　making　up　his　mind　to　invest
in　this　way　everything　he　could　lay　hands　on　until　the　Funds　should
reach　a　par　value。　Fatal　reverie　for　Eugenie！　As　soon　as　he　came　in；
the　two　women　wished　him　a　happy　New　Year；his　daughter　by　putting
her　arms　round　his　neck　and　caressing　him；　Madame　Grandet　gravely　and
with　dignity。

〃Ha！　ha！　my　child；〃　he　said；　kissing　his　daughter　on　both　cheeks。　〃I
work　for　you；　don't　you　see？　I　think　of　your　happiness。　Must　have
money　to　be　happy。　Without　money　there's　not　a　particle　of　happiness。
Here！　there's　a　new　napoleon　for　you。　I　sent　to　Paris　for　it。　On　my
word　of　honor；　it's　all　the　gold　I　have；　you　are　the　only　one　that　has
got　any　gold。　I　want　to　see　your　gold；　little　one。〃

〃Oh！　it　is　too　cold；　let　us　have　breakfast；〃　answered　Eugenie。

〃Well；　after　breakfast；　then；　it　will　help　the　digestion。　That　fat
des　Grassins　sent　me　the　pate。　Eat　as　much　as　you　like；　my　children；
it　costs　nothing。　Des　Grassins　is　getting　along　very　well。　I　am
satisfied　with　him。　The　old　fish　is　doing　Charles　a　good　service；　and
gratis　too。　He　is　making　a　very　good　settlement　of　that　poor　deceased
Grandet's　business。　Hoo！　hoo！〃　he　muttered；　with　his　mouth　full；　after
a　pause；　〃how　good　it　is！　Eat　some；　wife；　that　will　feed　you　for　at
least　two　days。〃

〃I　am　not　hungry。　I　am　very　poorly；　you　know　that。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　you　can　stuff　yourself　as　full　as　you　please　without　danger；
you're　a　Bertelliere；　they　are　all　hearty。　You　are　a　bit　yellow；
that's　true；　but　I　like　yellow；　myself。〃

The　expectation　of　ignominious　and　public　death　is　perhaps　less
horrible　to　a　condemned　criminal　than　the　anticipation　of　what　was
coming　after　breakfast　to　Madame　Grandet　and　Eugenie。　The　more
gleefully　the　old　man　talked　and　ate；　the　more　their　hearts　shrank
within　them。　The　daughter；　however；　had　an　inward　prop　at　this　crisis；
she　gathered　strength　through　love。

〃For　him！　for　him！〃　she　cried　within　her；　〃I　would　die　a　thousand
deaths。〃

At　this　thought；　she　shot　a　glance　at　her　mother　which　flamed　with
courage。

〃Clear　away；〃　said　Grandet　to　Nanon　when；　about　eleven　o'clock；
breakfast　was　over；　〃but　leave　the　table。　We　can　spread　your　little
treasure　upon　it；〃　he　said；　looking　at　Eugenie。　〃Little？　Faith！　no；　it
isn't　little。　You　possess；　in　actual　value；　five　thousand　nine　hundred
and　fifty…nine　francs　and　the　forty　I　gave　you　just　now。　That　makes
six　thousand　francs；　less　one。　Well；　now　see　here；　little　one！　I'll
give　you　that　one　franc　to　make　up　the　round　number。　Hey！　what　are　you
listening　for；　Nanon？　Mind　your　own　business；　go　and　do　your　work。〃

Nanon　disappeared。

〃Now　listen；　Eugenie；　you　must　give　me　back　your　gold。　You　won't
refuse　your　father；　my　little　girl；　hein？〃

The　two　women　were　dumb。

〃I　have　no　gold　myself。　I　had　some；　but　it　is　all　gone。　I'll　give　you
in　return　six　thousand　francs　in　/livres/；　and　you　are　to　put　them
just　where　I　tell　you。　You　mustn't　think　anything　more　about　your
'dozen。'　When　I　marry　you　（which　will　be　soon）　I　shall　get　you　a
husband　who　can　give　you　the　finest　'dozen'　ever　seen　in　the
provinces。　Now　attend　to　me；　little　girl。　There's　a　fine　chance　for
you；　you　can　put　your　six　thousand　francs　into　government　funds；　and
you　will　receive　every　six　months　nearly　two　hundred　francs　interest；
without　taxes；　or　repairs；　or　frost；　or　hail；　or　floods；　or　anything
else　to　swallow　up　the　money。　Perhaps　you　don't　like　to　part　with　your
gold；　hey；　my　girl？　Never　mind；　bring　it　to　me　all　the　same。　I'll　get
you　some　more　like　it；like　those　Dutch　coins　and　the　/portugaises/；
the　rupees　of　Mogul；　and　the　/genovines/；I'll　give　you　some　more　on
your　fete…days；　and　in　three　years　you'll　have　got　back　half　your
little　treasure。　What's　that　you　say？　Look　up；　now。　Come；　go　and　get
it；　the　precious　metal。　You　ought　to　kiss　me　on　the　eyelids　for
telling　you　the　secrets　and　the　mysteries　of　the　life　and　death　of
money。　Yes；　silver　and　gold　live　and　swarm　like　men；　they　come；　and
go；　and　sweat；　and　multiply〃

Eugenie　rose；　but　after　making　a　few　steps　towards　the　door　she　turned
abruptly；　looked　her　father　in　the　face；　and　said；

〃I　have　not　got　/my/　gold。〃

〃You　have　not　got　your　gold！〃　cried　Grandet；　starting　up　erect；　like　a
horse　that　hears　a　cannon　fired　beside　him。

〃No；　I　have　not　got　it。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　Eugenie。〃

〃No。〃

〃By　the　shears　of　my　father！〃

Whenever　the　old　man　swore　that　oath　the　rafters　trembled。

〃Holy　Virgin！　Madame　is　turning　pale；〃　cried　Nanon。

〃Grandet；　your　anger　will　kill　me；〃　said　the　poor　mother。

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！　nonsense；　you　never　die　in　your　family！　Eugenie；　what
have　you　done　with　your　gold？〃　he　cried；　rushing　upon　her。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　daughter；　falling　at　Madame　Grandet's　knees；　〃my
mother　is　ill。　Look　at　her；　do　not　kill　her。〃

Grandet　was　frightened　by　the　pallor　which　overspread　his　wife's　face；
usually　so　yellow。

〃Nanon；　help　me　to　bed；〃　said　the　poor　woman　in　a　feeble　voice；　〃I　am
dying〃

Nanon　gave　her　mistress　an　arm；　Eugenie　gave　her　another；　but　it　was
only　with　infinite　difficulty　that　they　could　get　her　upstairs；　she
fell　with　exhaustion　at　every　step。　Grandet　remained　alone。　However；
in　a　few　moments　he　went　up　six　or　eight　stairs　and　called　out；

〃Eugenie；　when　your　mother　is　in　bed；　come　down。〃

〃Yes；　father。〃

She　soon　came；　after　reassuring　her　mother。

〃My　daughter；〃　said　Grandet；　〃you　will　now　tell　me　what　you　have　done
with　your　gold。〃

〃My　father；　if　you　make　me　presents　of　which　I　am　not　the　sole
mistress；　take　them　back；〃　she　answered　coldly；　picking　up　the
napoleon　from　the　chimney…piece　and　offering　it　to　him。

Grandet　seized　the　coin　and　slipped　it　into　his　breeches'　pocket。

〃I　shall　certainly　never　give　you　anything　again。　Not　so　much　as
that！〃　he　said；　clicking　his　thumb…nail　against　a　front　tooth。　〃Do　you
dare　to　despise　your　father？　have　you　no　confidence　in　him？　Don't　you
know　what　a　father　is？　If　he　is　nothing　for　you；　he　is　nothing　at　all。
Where　is　your　gold？〃

〃Father；　I　love　and　respect　you；　in　spite　of　your　anger；　but　I　humbly
ask　you　to　remember　that　I　am　twenty…three　years　old。　You　have　told　me
often　that　I　have　attained　my　majority；　and　I　do　not　forget　it。　I　have
used　my　money　as　I　chose　to　use　it；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　it　was
put　to　a　good　use〃

〃What　use？〃

〃That　is　an　inviolable　secret；〃　she　answered。　〃Have　you　no　secrets？〃

〃I　am　the　head　of　the　family；　I　have　my　own　affairs。〃

〃And　this　is　mine。〃

〃It　must　be　something　bad　if　you　can't　tell　it　to　your　father；
Mademoiselle　Grandet。〃

〃It　is　good；　and　I　cannot　tell　it　to　my　father。〃

〃At　least　you　can　tell　me　when　you　parted　with　your　gold？〃

Eugenie　made　a　negative　motion　with　her　head。

〃You　had　it　on　your　birthday；　hein？〃

She　grew　as　crafty　through　love　as　her　father　was　through　avarice；　and
reiterated　the　negative　sign。

〃Was　there　ever　such　obstinacy！　It's　a　theft；〃　cried　Grandet；　his
voice　going　up　in　a　crescendo　which　gradually　echoed　through　the
house。　〃What！　here；　in　my　own　home；　under　my　very　eyes；　somebody　has
taken　your　gold！the　only　gold　we　have！and　I'm　not　to　know　who　has
got　it！　Gold　is　a　precious　thing。　Virtuous　girls　go　wrong　sometimes；
and　giveI　don't　know　what；　they　do　it　among　the　great　people；　and
even　among　the　bourgeoisie。　But　give　their　gold！for　you　have　given
it　to　some　one；　hein？〃

Eugenie　was　silent　and　impassive。

〃Was　there　ever　such　a　daughter？　Is　it　possible　that　I　am　your　father？
If　you　have　invested　it　anywhere；　you　must　have　a　receipt〃

〃Was　I　freeyes　or　noto　do　what　I　would　with　my　own？　Was　it　not
mine？〃

〃You　are　a　child。〃

〃Of　age。〃

Dumbfounded　by　his　daughter's　logic；　Grandet　turned　pale　and　stamped
and　swore。　When　at　last　he　found　words；　he　cried：　〃Serpent！　Cursed
girl！　Ah；　deceitful　creature！　You　know　I　love　you；　and　you　take
advantage　of　it。　She'd　cut　her　father's　throat！　Good　God！　you've　given
our　fortune　to　that　ne'er…do…well；that　dandy　with　morocco　boots！　By
the　shears　of　my　father！　I　can't　disinherit　you；　but　I　curse　you；you
and　your　cousin　and　your　children！　Nothing　good　will　come　of　it！　Do
you　hear？　If　it　was　to　Charlesbut；　no；　it's　impossible。　What！　has
that　wretched　fellow　robbed　me？〃

He　looked　at　his　daughter；　who　continued　cold　and　silent。

〃She　won't　stir；　she　won't　flinch！　She's　more　Grandet　than　I'm
Grandet！　Ha！　you　have　not　given　your　gold　for　nothing？　Come；　speak　the
truth！〃

Eugenie　looked　at　her　father　with　a　sarcastic　expression　that　stung
him。

〃Eugenie；　you　are　here；　in　my　house；