eugenie grandet-第36节

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a　third　of　the　jewels　he　had　taken　from　his　nephew；　and　gave　them　to
her。

〃There；　little　one；〃　he　said　in　a　sarcastic　tone；　〃do　you　want　those
for　your　twelve　hundred　francs？〃

〃Oh！　father；　truly？　will　you　really　give　them　to　me？〃

〃I'll　give　you　as　many　more　next　year；〃　he　said；　throwing　them　into
her　apron。　〃So　before　long　you'll　get　all　his　gewgaws；〃　he　added；
rubbing　his　hands；　delighted　to　be　able　to　speculate　on　his　daughter's
feelings。

Nevertheless；　the　old　man；　though　still　robust；　felt　the　importance　of
initiating　his　daughter　into　the　secrets　of　his　thrift　and　its
management。　For　two　consecutive　years　he　made　her　order　the　household
meals　in　his　presence　and　receive　the　rents；　and　he　taught　her　slowly
and　successively　the　names　and　remunerative　capacity　of　his　vineyards
and　his　farms。　About　the　third　year　he　had　so　thoroughly　accustomed
her　to　his　avaricious　methods　that　they　had　turned　into　the　settled
habits　of　her　own　life；　and　he　was　able　to　leave　the　household　keys　in
her　charge　without　anxiety；　and　to　install　her　as　mistress　of　the
house。

*****

Five　years　passed　away　without　a　single　event　to　relieve　the
monotonous　existence　of　Eugenie　and　her　father。　The　same　actions　were
performed　daily　with　the　automatic　regularity　of　clockwork。　The　deep
sadness　of　Mademoiselle　Grandet　was　known　to　every　one；　but　if　others
surmised　the　cause；　she　herself　never　uttered　a　word　that　justified
the　suspicions　which　all　Saumur　entertained　about　the　state　of　the
rich　heiress's　heart。　Her　only　society　was　made　up　of　the　three
Cruchots　and　a　few　of　their　particular　friends　whom　they　had；　little
by　little；　introduced　into　the　Grandet　household。　They　had　taught　her
to　play　whist；　and　they　came　every　night　for　their　game。　During　the
year　1827　her　father；　feeling　the　weight　of　his　infirmities；　was
obliged　to　initiate　her　still　further　into　the　secrets　of　his　landed
property；　and　told　her　that　in　case　of　difficulty　she　was　to　have
recourse　to　Maitre　Cruchot；　whose　integrity　was　well　known　to　him。

Towards　the　end　of　this　year　the　old　man；　then　eighty…two；　was　seized
by　paralysis；　which　made　rapid　progress。　Dr。　Bergerin　gave　him　up。
Eugenie；　feeling　that　she　was　about　to　be　left　alone　in　the　world；
came；　as　it　were；　nearer　to　her　father；　and　clasped　more　tightly　this
last　living　link　of　affection。　To　her　mind；　as　in　that　of　all　loving
women；　love　was　the　whole　of　life。　Charles　was　not　there；　and　she
devoted　all　her　care　and　attention　to　the　old　father；　whose　faculties
had　begun　to　weaken；　though　his　avarice　remained　instinctively　acute。
The　death　of　this　man　offered　no　contrast　to　his　life。　In　the　morning
he　made　them　roll　him　to　a　spot　between　the　chimney　of　his　chamber　and
the　door　of　the　secret　room；　which　was　filled；　no　doubt；　with　gold。　He
asked　for　an　explanation　of　every　noise　he　heard；　even　the　slightest；
to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　notary；　he　even　heard　the　watch…dog
yawning　in　the　court…yard。　He　woke　up　from　his　apparent　stupor　at　the
day　and　hour　when　the　rents　were　due；　or　when　accounts　had　to　be
settled　with　his　vine…dressers；　and　receipts　given。　At　such　times　he
worked　his　chair　forward　on　its　castors　until　he　faced　the　door　of　the
inner　room。　He　made　his　daughter　open　it；　and　watched　while　she　placed
the　bags　of　money　one　upon　another　in　his　secret　receptacles　and
relocked　the　door。　Then　she　returned　silently　to　her　seat；　after
giving　him　the　key；　which　he　replaced　in　his　waistcoat　pocket　and
fingered　from　time　to　time。　His　old　friend　the　notary；　feeling　sure
that　the　rich　heiress　would　inevitably　marry　his　nephew　the　president；
if　Charles　Grandet　did　not　return；　redoubled　all　his　attentions；　he
came　every　day　to　take　Grandet's　orders；　went　on　his　errands　to
Froidfond；　to　the　farms　and　the　fields　and　the　vineyards；　sold　the
vintages；　and　turned　everything　into　gold　and　silver；　which　found
their　way　in　sacks　to　the　secret　hiding…place。

At　length　the　last　struggle　came；　in　which　the　strong　frame　of　the　old
man　slowly　yielded　to　destruction。　He　was　determined　to　sit　at　the
chimney…corner　facing　the　door　of　the　secret　room。　He　drew　off　and
rolled　up　all　the　coverings　which　were　laid　over　him；　saying　to　Nanon；
〃Put　them　away；　lock　them　up；　for　fear　they　should　be　stolen。〃

So　long　as　he　could　open　his　eyes；　in　which　his　whole　being　had　now
taken　refuge；　he　turned　them　to　the　door　behind　which　lay　his
treasures；　saying　to　his　daughter；　〃Are　they　there？　are　they　there？〃
in　a　tone　of　voice　which　revealed　a　sort　of　panic　fear。

〃Yes；　my　father；〃　she　would　answer。

〃Take　care　of　the　goldput　gold　before　me。〃

Eugenie　would　then　spread　coins　on　a　table　before　him；　and　he　would
sit　for　hours　together　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　them；　like　a　child
who；　at　the　moment　it　first　begins　to　see；　gazes　in　stupid
contemplation　at　the　same　object；　and　like　the　child；　a　distressful
smile　would　flicker　upon　his　face。

〃It　warms　me！〃　he　would　sometimes　say；　as　an　expression　of　beatitude
stole　across　his　features。

When　the　cure　of　the　parish　came　to　administer　the　last　sacraments；
the　old　man's　eyes；　sightless；　apparently；　for　some　hours；　kindled　at
the　sight　of　the　cross；　the　candlesticks；　and　the　holy…water　vessel　of
silver；　he　gazed　at　them　fixedly；　and　his　wen　moved　for　the　last　time。
When　the　priest　put　the　crucifix　of　silver…gilt　to　his　lips；　that　he
might　kiss　the　Christ；　he　made　a　frightful　gesture；　as　if　to　seize　it；
and　that　last　effort　cost　him　his　life。　He　called　Eugenie；　whom　he　did
not　see；　though　she　was　kneeling　beside　him　bathing　with　tears　his
stiffening　hand；　which　was　already　cold。

〃My　father；　bless　me！〃　she　entreated。

〃Take　care　of　it　all。　You　will　render　me　an　account　yonder！〃　he　said；
proving　by　these　last　words　that　Christianity　must　always　be　the
religion　of　misers。

*****

Eugenie　Grandet　was　now　alone　in　the　world　in　that　gray　house；　with
none　but　Nanon　to　whom　she　could　turn　with　the　certainty　of　being
heard　and　understood；Nanon　the　sole　being　who　loved　her　for　herself
and　with　whom　she　could　speak　of　her　sorrows。　La　Grande　Nanon　was　a
providence　for　Eugenie。　She　was　not　a　servant；　but　a　humble　friend。
After　her　father's　death　Eugenie　learned　from　Maitre　Cruchot　that　she
possessed　an　income　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs　from　landed　and
personal　property　in　the　arrondissement　of　Saumur；　also　six　millions
invested　at　three　per　cent　in　the　Funds　（bought　at　sixty；　and　now
worth　seventy…six　francs）；　also　two　millions　in　gold　coin；　and　a
hundred　thousand　francs　in　silver　crown…pieces；　besides　all　the
interest　which　was　still　to　be　collected。　The　sum　total　of　her
property　reached　seventeen　millions。

〃Where　is　my　cousin？〃　was　her　one　thought。

The　day　on　which　Maitre　Cruchot　handed　in　to　his　client　a　clear　and
exact　schedule　of　the　whole　inheritance；　Eugenie　remained　alone　with
Nanon；　sitting　beside　the　fireplace　in　the　vacant　hall；　where　all　was
now　a　memory；　from　the　chair　on　castors　which　her　mother　had　sat　in；
to　the　glass　from　which　her　cousin　drank。

〃Nanon；　we　are　alone〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　and　if　I　knew　where　he　was；　the　darling；　I'd　go　on
foot　to　find　him。〃

〃The　ocean　is　between　us；〃　she　said。

While　the　poor　heiress　wept　in　company　of　an　old　servant；　in　that　cold
dark　house；　which　was　to　her　the　universe；　the　whole　province　rang；
from　Nantes　to　Orleans；　with　the　seventeen　millions　of　Mademoiselle
Grandet。　Among　her　first　acts　she　had　settled　an　annuity　of　twelve
hundred　francs　on　Nanon；　who；　already　possessed　of　six　hundred　more；
became　a　rich　and　enviable　match。　In　less　than　a　month　that　good　soul
passed　from　single　to　wedded　life　under　the　protection　of　Antoine
Cornoiller；　who　was　appointed　keeper　of　all　Mademoiselle　Grandet's
estates。　Madame　Cornoiller　possessed　one　striking　advantage　over　her
contemporaries。　Although　she　was　fifty…nine　years　of　age；　she　did　not
look　more　than　forty。　Her　strong　features　had　resisted　the　ravages　of
time。　Thanks　to　the　healthy　customs　of　her　semi…conventual　life；　she
laughed　at　old　age　from　the　vantage…ground　of　a　rosy　skin　and　an　iron
constitution。　Perhaps　she　never　looked　as　well　in　her　life　as　she　did
on　her　marriage…day。　She　had　all　the　benefits　of　her　ugliness；　and　was
big　and　fat　and　strong；　with　a　look　of　happiness　on　her　indestructible
features　which　made　a　good　many　people　envy　Cornoiller。

〃Fast　colors！〃　said　the　draper。

〃Quite　likely　to　have　children；〃　said　the　salt　merchant。　〃She's
pickled　in　brine；　saving　your　presence。〃

〃She　is　rich；　and　that　fellow　Cornoiller　has　done　a　good　thing　for
himself；〃　said　a　third　man。

When　she　came　forth　from　the　old　house　on　her　way　to　the　parish
church；　Nanon；　who　was　loved　by　all　the　neighborhood；　received　many
compliments　as　she　walked　down　the　tortuous　street。　Eugenie　had　given
her　three　dozen　silver　forks　and　spoons　as　a　wedding　present。
Cornoiller；　amazed　at　such　magnificence；　spoke　of　his　mistress　with
tears　in　his　eyes；　he　would　willingly　have　been　hacked　in　pieces　in
her　behalf。　Madame　Cornoiller；　appointed　housekeeper　to　Mademoiselle
Grandet；　got　as　much　happiness　out　of　her　new　position　as　she　did　from
the　possession　of　a　husband。　She　took　charge　of　the　w