eugenie grandet-第34节

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once　get　their　foot　in　your　house；　will　come　five　and　six　times　a
day。〃

〃Of　course　you　will　do　as　you　think　best。　We　are　old　friends；　there　is
no　one　in　all　Saumur　who　takes　more　interest　than　I　in　what　concerns
you。　Therefore；　I　was　bound　to　tell　you　this。　However；　happen　what
may；　you　have　the　right　to　do　as　you　please；　you　can　choose　your　own
course。　Besides；　that　is　not　what　brings　me　here。　There　is　another
thing　which　may　have　serious　results　for　you。　After　all；　you　can't
wish　to　kill　your　wife；　her　life　is　too　important　to　you。　Think　of
your　situation　in　connection　with　your　daughter　if　Madame　Grandet
dies。　You　must　render　an　account　to　Eugenie；　because　you　enjoy　your
wife's　estate　only　during　her　lifetime。　At　her　death　your　daughter　can
claim　a　division　of　property；　and　she　may　force　you　to　sell　Froidfond。
In　short；　she　is　her　mother's　heir；　and　you　are　not。〃

These　words　fell　like　a　thunderbolt　on　the　old　man；　who　was　not　as
wise　about　law　as　he　was　about　business。　He　had　never　thought　of　a
legal　division　of　the　estate。

〃Therefore　I　advise　you　to　treat　her　kindly；〃　added　Cruchot；　in
conclusion。

〃But　do　you　know　what　she　has　done；　Cruchot？〃

〃What？〃　asked　the　notary；　curious　to　hear　the　truth　and　find　out　the
cause　of　the　quarrel。

〃She　has　given　away　her　gold！〃

〃Well；　wasn't　it　hers？〃　said　the　notary。

〃They　all　tell　me　that！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man；　letting　his　arms　fall
to　his　sides　with　a　movement　that　was　truly　tragic。

〃Are　you　goingfor　a　mere　nothing；〃resumed　Cruchot；　〃to　put
obstacles　in　the　way　of　the　concessions　which　you　will　be　obliged　to
ask　from　your　daughter　as　soon　as　her　mother　dies？〃

〃Do　you　call　six　thousand　francs　a　mere　nothing？〃

〃Hey！　my　old　friend；　do　you　know　what　the　inventory　of　your　wife's
property　will　cost；　if　Eugenie　demands　the　division？〃

〃How　much？〃

〃Two；　three；　four　thousand　francs；　perhaps！　The　property　would　have　to
be　put　up　at　auction　and　sold；　to　get　at　its　actual　value。　Instead　of
that；　if　you　are　on　good　terms　with〃

〃By　the　shears　of　my　father！〃　cried　Grandet；　turning　pale　as　he
suddenly　sat　down；　〃we　will　see　about　it；　Cruchot。〃

After　a　moment's　silence；　full　of　anguish　perhaps；　the　old　man　looked
at　the　notary　and　said；

〃Life　is　very　hard！　It　has　many　griefs！　Cruchot；〃　he　continued
solemnly；　〃you　would　not　deceive　me？　Swear　to　me　upon　your　honor　that
all　you've　told　me　is　legally　true。　Show　me　the　law；　I　must　see　the
law！〃

〃My　poor　friend；〃　said　the　notary；　〃don't　I　know　my　own　business？〃

〃Then　it　is　true！　I　am　robbed；　betrayed；　killed；　destroyed　by　my　own
daughter！〃

〃It　is　true　that　your　daughter　is　her　mother's　heir。〃

〃Why　do　we　have　children？　Ah！　my　wife；　I　love　her！　Luckily　she's　sound
and　healthy；　she's　a　Bertelliere。〃

〃She　has　not　a　month　to　live。〃

Grandet　struck　his　forehead；　went　a　few　steps；　came　back；　cast　a
dreadful　look　on　Cruchot；　and　said；

〃What　can　be　done？〃

〃Eugenie　can　relinquish　her　claim　to　her　mother's　property。　Should　she
do　this　you　would　not　disinherit　her；　I　presume？but　if　you　want　to
come　to　such　a　settlement；　you　must　not　treat　her　harshly。　What　I　am
telling　you；　old　man；　is　against　my　own　interests。　What　do　I　live　by；
if　it　isn't　liquidations；　inventories；　conveyances；　divisions　of
property？〃

〃We'll　see；　we'll　see！　Don't　let's　talk　any　more　about　it；　Cruchot；　it
wrings　my　vitals。　Have　you　received　any　gold？〃

〃No；　but　I　have　a　few　old　louis；　a　dozen　or　so；　which　you　may　have。　My
good　friend；　make　it　up　with　Eugenie。　Don't　you　know　all　Saumur　is
pelting　you　with　stones？〃

〃The　scoundrels！〃

〃Come；　the　Funds　are　at　ninety…nine。　Do　be　satisfied　for　once　in　your
life。〃

〃At　ninety…nine！　Are　they；　Cruchot？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Hey；　hey！　Ninety…nine！〃　repeated　the　old　man；　accompanying　the　notary
to　the　street…door。　Then；　too　agitated　by　what　he　had　just　heard　to
stay　in　the　house；　he　went　up　to　his　wife's　room　and　said；

〃Come；　mother；　you　may　have　your　daughter　to　spend　the　day　with　you。
I'm　going　to　Froidfond。　Enjoy　yourselves；　both　of　you。　This　is　our
wedding…day；　wife。　See！　here　are　sixty　francs　for　your　altar　at　the
Fete…Dieu；　you've　wanted　one　for　a　long　time。　Come；　cheer　up；　enjoy
yourself；　and　get　well！　Hurrah　for　happiness！〃

He　threw　ten　silver　pieces　of　six　francs　each　upon　the　bed；　and　took
his　wife's　head　between　his　hands　and　kissed　her　forehead。

〃My　good　wife；　you　are　getting　well；　are　not　you？〃

〃How　can　you　think　of　receiving　the　God　of　mercy　in　your　house　when
you　refuse　to　forgive　your　daughter？〃　she　said　with　emotion。

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！〃　said　Grandet　in　a　coaxing　voice。　〃We'll　see　about
that。〃

〃Merciful　heaven！　Eugenie；〃　cried　the　mother；　flushing　with　joy；　〃come
and　kiss　your　father；　he　forgives　you！〃

But　the　old　man　had　disappeared。　He　was　going　as　fast　as　his　legs
could　carry　him　towards　his　vineyards；　trying　to　get　his　confused
ideas　into　order。　Grandet　had　entered　his　seventy…sixth　year。　During
the　last　two　years　his　avarice　had　increased　upon　him；　as　all　the
persistent　passions　of　men　increase　at　a　certain　age。　As　if　to
illustrate　an　observation　which　applies　equally　to　misers；　ambitious
men；　and　others　whose　lives　are　controlled　by　any　dominant　idea；　his
affections　had　fastened　upon　one　special　symbol　of　his　passion。　The
sight　of　gold；　the　possession　of　gold；　had　become　a　monomania。　His
despotic　spirit　had　grown　in　proportion　to　his　avarice；　and　to　part
with　the　control　of　the　smallest　fraction　of　his　property　at　the　death
of　his　wife　seemed　to　him　a　thing　〃against　nature。〃　To　declare　his
fortune　to　his　daughter；　to　give　an　inventory　of　his　property；　landed
and　personal；　for　the　purposes　of　division

〃Why；〃　he　cried　aloud　in　the　midst　of　a　field　where　he　was　pretending
to　examine　a　vine；　〃it　would　be　cutting　my　throat！〃

He　came　at　last　to　a　decision；　and　returned　to　Saumur　in　time　for
dinner；　resolved　to　unbend　to　Eugenie；　and　pet　and　coax　her；　that　he
might　die　regally；　holding　the　reins　of　his　millions　in　his　own　hands
so　long　as　the　breath　was　in　his　body。　At　the　moment　when　the　old　man；
who　chanced　to　have　his　pass…key　in　his　pocket；　opened　the　door　and
climbed　with　a　stealthy　step　up　the　stairway　to　go　into　his　wife's
room；　Eugenie　had　brought　the　beautiful　dressing…case　from　the　oak
cabinet　and　placed　it　on　her　mother's　bed。　Mother　and　daughter；　in
Grandet's　absence；　allowed　themselves　the　pleasure　of　looking　for　a
likeness　to　Charles　in　the　portrait　of　his　mother。

〃It　is　exactly　his　forehead　and　his　mouth；〃　Eugenie　was　saying　as　the
old　man　opened　the　door。　At　the　look　which　her　husband　cast　upon　the
gold；　Madame　Grandet　cried　out；

〃O　God；　have　pity　upon　us！〃

The　old　man　sprang　upon　the　box　as　a　famished　tiger　might　spring　upon
a　sleeping　child。

〃What's　this？〃　he　said；　snatching　the　treasure　and　carrying　it　to　the
window。　〃Gold；　good　gold！〃　he　cried。　〃All　gold；it　weighs　two　pounds！
Ha；　ha！　Charles　gave　you　that　for　your　money；　did　he？　Hein！　Why　didn't
you　tell　me　so？　It　was　a　good　bargain；　little　one！　Yes；　you　are　my
daughter；　I　see　that〃　Eugenie　trembled　in　every　limb。　〃This　came
from　Charles；　of　course；　didn't　it？〃　continued　the　old　man。

〃Yes；　father；　it　is　not　mine。　It　is　a　sacred　trust。〃

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！　He　took　your　fortune；　and　now　you　can　get　it　back。〃

〃Father！〃

Grandet　took　his　knife　to　pry　out　some　of　the　gold；　to　do　this；　he
placed　the　dressing…case　on　a　chair。　Eugenie　sprang　forward　to　recover
it；　but　her　father；　who　had　his　eye　on　her　and　on　the　treasure　too；
pushed　her　back　so　violently　with　a　thrust　of　his　arm　that　she　fell
upon　her　mother's　bed。

〃Monsieur；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　mother；　lifting　herself　up。

Grandet　had　opened　his　knife；　and　was　about　to　apply　it　to　the　gold。

〃Father！〃　cried　Eugenie；　falling　on　her　knees　and　dragging　herself
close　to　him　with　clasped　hands；　〃father；　in　the　name　of　all　the
saints　and　the　Virgin！　in　the　name　of　Christ　who　died　upon　the　cross！
in　the　name　of　your　eternal　salvation；　father！　for　my　life's　sake；
father！do　not　touch　that！　It　is　neither　yours　nor　mine。　It　is　a
trust　placed　in　my　hands　by　an　unhappy　relation：　I　must　give　it　back
to　him　uninjured！〃

〃If　it　is　a　trust；　why　were　you　looking　at　it？　To　look　at　it　is　as　bad
as　touching　it。〃

〃Father；　don't　destroy　it；　or　you　will　disgrace　me！　Father；　do　you
hear？〃

〃Oh；　have　pity！〃　said　the　mother。

〃Father！〃　cried　Eugenie　in　so　startling　a　voice　that　Nanon　ran
upstairs　terrified。　Eugenie　sprang　upon　a　knife　that　was　close　at
hand。

〃Well；　what　now？〃　said　Grandet　coldly；　with　a　callous　smile。

〃Oh；　you　are　killing　me！〃　said　the　mother。

〃Father；　if　your　knife　so　much　as　cuts　a　fragment　of　that　gold；　I　will
stab　myself　with　this　one！　You　have　already　driven　my　mother　to　her
death；　you　will　now　kill　your　child！　Do　as　you　choose！　Wound　for
wound！〃

Grandet　held　his　knife　over　the　dressing…case　and　hesitated　as　he
looked　at　his　daughter。

〃Are　you　capable　of　doing　it；　Eugenie？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　yes！〃　said　the　mother。

〃She'll　do　it　if　she　says　so！〃　cried　Nanon。　〃Be　reasonable；　monsieur；
for　once　in　your　life。〃

The　old　man　looked　at　the　gold　and　then　at　his　daughter　alternately
for　an　instant。　Madame