eugenie grandet-第40节

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stood　a　certain　saucer　and　the　old　Sevres　sugar…bowl　which　she　used
every　morning　at　her　breakfast。

This　day　was　destined　to　be　solemn　throughout　and　full　of　events。
Nanon　announced　the　cure　of　the　parish　church。　He　was　related　to　the
Cruchots；　and　therefore　in　the　interests　of　Monsieur　de　Bonfons。　For
some　time　past　the　old　abbe　had　urged　him　to　speak　to　Mademoiselle
Grandet；　from　a　purely　religious　point　of　view；　about　the　duty　of
marriage　for　a　woman　in　her　position。　When　she　saw　her　pastor；　Eugenie
supposed　he　had　come　for　the　thousand　francs　which　she　gave　monthly　to
the　poor；　and　she　told　Nanon　to　go　and　fetch　them；　but　the　cure　only
smiled。

〃To…day；　mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　come　to　speak　to　you　about　a
poor　girl　in　whom　the　whole　town　of　Saumur　takes　an　interest；　who；
through　lack　of　charity　to　herself；　neglects　her　Christian　duties。〃

〃Monsieur　le　cure；　you　have　come　to　me　at　a　moment　when　I　cannot　think
of　my　neighbor；　I　am　filled　with　thoughts　of　myself。　I　am　very
unhappy；　my　only　refuge　is　in　the　Church；　her　bosom　is　large　enough　to
hold　all　human　woe；　her　love　so　full　that　we　may　draw　from　its　depths
and　never　drain　it　dry。〃

〃Mademoiselle；　in　speaking　of　this　young　girl　we　shall　speak　of　you。
Listen！　If　you　wish　to　insure　your　salvation　you　have　only　two　paths
to　take；either　leave　the　world　or　obey　its　laws。　Obey　either　your
earthly　destiny　or　your　heavenly　destiny。〃

〃Ah！　your　voice　speaks　to　me　when　I　need　to　hear　a　voice。　Yes；　God　has
sent　you　to　me；　I　will　bid　farewell　to　the　world　and　live　for　God
alone；　in　silence　and　seclusion。〃

〃My　daughter；　you　must　think　long　before　you　take　so　violent　a　step。
Marriage　is　life；　the　veil　is　death。〃

〃Yes；　death；a　quick　death！〃　she　said；　with　dreadful　eagerness。

〃Death？　but　you　have　great　obligations　to　fulfil　to　society；
mademoiselle。　Are　you　not　the　mother　of　the　poor；　to　whom　you　give
clothes　and　wood　in　winter　and　work　in　summer？　Your　great　fortune　is　a
loan　which　you　must　return；　and　you　have　sacredly　accepted　it　as　such。
To　bury　yourself　in　a　convent　would　be　selfishness；　to　remain　an　old
maid　is　to　fail　in　duty。　In　the　first　place；　can　you　manage　your　vast
property　alone？　May　you　not　lose　it？　You　will　have　law…suits；　you　will
find　yourself　surrounded　by　inextricable　difficulties。　Believe　your
pastor：　a　husband　is　useful；　you　are　bound　to　preserve　what　God　has
bestowed　upon　you。　I　speak　to　you　as　a　precious　lamb　of　my　flock。　You
love　God　too　truly　not　to　find　your　salvation　in　the　midst　of　his
world；　of　which　you　are　noble　ornament　and　to　which　you　owe　your
example。〃

At　this　moment　Madame　des　Grassins　was　announced。　She　came　incited　by
vengeance　and　the　sense　of　a　great　despair。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　she　said〃Ah！　here　is　monsieur　le　cure；　I　am　silent。
I　came　to　speak　to　you　on　business；　but　I　see　that　you　are　conferring
with〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　cure；　〃I　leave　the　field　to　you。〃

〃Oh！　monsieur　le　cure；〃　said　Eugenie；　〃come　back　later；　your　support
is　very　necessary　to　me　just　now。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　indeed；　my　poor　child！〃　said　Madame　des　Grassins。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Eugenie　and　the　cure　together。

〃Don't　I　know　about　your　cousin's　return；　and　his　marriage　with
Mademoiselle　d'Aubrion？　A　woman　doesn't　carry　her　wits　in　her　pocket。〃

Eugenie　blushed；　and　remained　silent　for　a　moment。　From　this　day　forth
she　assumed　the　impassible　countenance　for　which　her　father　had　been
so　remarkable。

〃Well；　madame；〃　she　presently　said；　ironically；　〃no　doubt　I　carry　my
wits　in　my　pocket；　for　I　do　not　understand　you。　Speak；　say　what　you
mean；　before　monsieur　le　cure；　you　know　he　is　my　director。〃

〃Well；　then；　mademoiselle；　here　is　what　des　Grassins　writes　me。　Read
it。〃

Eugenie　read　the　following　letter：

　　My　dear　Wife；Charles　Grandet　has　returned　from　the　Indies　and
　　has　been　in　Paris　about　a　month

〃A　month！〃　thought　Eugenie；　her　hand　falling　to　her　side。　After　a
pause　she　resumed　the　letter；

　　I　had　to　dance　attendance　before　I　was　allowed　to　see　the　future
　　Vicomte　d'Aubrion。　Though　all　Paris　is　talking　of　his　marriage　and
　　the　banns　are　published

〃He　wrote　to　me　after　that！〃　thought　Eugenie。　She　did　not　conclude　the
thought；　she　did　not　cry　out；　as　a　Parisian　woman　would　have　done；
〃The　villain！〃　but　though　she　said　it　not；　contempt　was　none　the　less
present　in　her　mind。

　　The　marriage；　however；　will　not　come　off。　The　Marquis　d'Aubrion
　　will　never　give　his　daughter　to　the　son　of　a　bankrupt。　I　went　to
　　tell　Grandet　of　the　steps　his　uncle　and　I　took　in　his　father's
　　business；　and　the　clever　manoeuvres　by　which　we　had　managed　to
　　keep　the　creditor's　quiet　until　the　present　time。　The　insolent
　　fellow　had　the　face　to　say　to　meto　me；　who　for　five　years　have
　　devoted　myself　night　and　day　to　his　interests　and　his　honor！that
　　/his　father's　affairs　were　not　his/！　A　solicitor　would　have　had
　　the　right　to　demand　fees　amounting　to　thirty　or　forty　thousand
　　francs；　one　per　cent　on　the　total　of　the　debts。　But　patience！
　　there　are　twelve　hundred　thousand　francs　legitimately　owing　to　the
　　creditors；　and　I　shall　at　once　declare　his　father　a　bankrupt。

　　I　went　into　this　business　on　the　word　of　that　old　crocodile
　　Grandet；　and　I　have　made　promises　in　the　name　of　his　family。　If
　　Monsieur　de　vicomte　d'Aubrion　does　not　care　for　his　honor；　I　care
　　for　mine。　I　shall　explain　my　position　to　the　creditors。　Still；　I
　　have　too　much　respect　for　Mademoiselle　Eugenie　（to　whom　under
　　happier　circumstances　we　once　hoped　to　be　allied）　to　act　in　this
　　matter　before　you　have　spoken　to　her　about　it

There　Eugenie　paused；　and　coldly　returned　the　letter　without　finishing
it。

〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said　to　Madame　des　Grassins。

〃Ah！　you　have　the　voice　and　manner　of　your　deceased　father；〃　Madame
des　Grassins　replied。

〃Madame；　you　have　eight　thousand　francs　to　pay　us；〃　said　Nanon；
producing　Charles's　cheque。

〃That's　true；　have　the　kindness　to　come　with　me　now；　Madame
Cornoiller。〃

〃Monsieur　le　cure；〃　said　Eugenie　with　a　noble　composure；　inspired　by
the　thought　she　was　about　to　express；　〃would　it　be　a　sin　to　remain　a
virgin　after　marriage？〃

〃That　is　a　case　of　conscience　whose　solution　is　not　within　my
knowledge。　If　you　wish　to　know　what　the　celebrated　Sanchez　says　of　it
in　his　treatise　'De　Matrimonio；'　I　shall　be　able　to　tell　you
to…morrow。〃

The　cure　went　away；　Mademoiselle　Grandet　went　up　to　her　father's
secret　room　and　spent　the　day　there　alone；　without　coming　down　to
dinner；　in　spite　of　Nanon's　entreaties。　She　appeared　in　the　evening　at
the　hour　when　the　usual　company　began　to　arrive。　Never　was　the　old
hall　so　full　as　on　this　occasion。　The　news　of　Charles's　return　and　his
foolish　treachery　had　spread　through　the　whole　town。　But　however
watchful　the　curiosity　of　the　visitors　might　be；　it　was　left
unsatisfied。　Eugenie；　who　expected　scrutiny；　allowed　none　of　the　cruel
emotions　that　wrung　her　soul　to　appear　on　the　calm　surface　of　her
face。　She　was　able　to　show　a　smiling　front　in　answer　to　all　who　tried
to　testify　their　interest　by　mournful　looks　or　melancholy　speeches。
She　hid　her　misery　behind　a　veil　of　courtesy。　Towards　nine　o'clock　the
games　ended　and　the　players　left　the　tables；　paying　their　losses　and
discussing　points　of　the　game　as　they　joined　the　rest　of　the　company。
At　the　moment　when　the　whole　party　rose　to　take　leave；　an　unexpected
and　striking　event　occurred；　which　resounded　through　the　length　and
breadth　of　Saumur；　from　thence　through　the　arrondissement；　and　even　to
the　four　surrounding　prefectures。

〃Stay；　monsieur　le　president；〃　said　Eugenie　to　Monsieur　de　Bonfons　as
she　saw　him　take　his　cane。

There　was　not　a　person　in　that　numerous　assembly　who　was　unmoved　by
these　words。　The　president　turned　pale；　and　was　forced　to　sit　down。

〃The　president　gets　the　millions；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Gribeaucourt。

〃It　is　plain　enough；　the　president　marries　Mademoiselle　Grandet；〃
cried　Madame　d'Orsonval。

〃All　the　trumps　in　one　hand；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃A　love　game；〃　said　the　notary。

Each　and　all　said　his　say；　made　his　pun；　and　looked　at　the　heiress
mounted　on　her　millions　as　on　a　pedestal。　The　drama　begun　nine　years
before　had　reached　its　conclusion。　To　tell　the　president；　in　face　of
all　Saumur；　to　〃stay；〃　was　surely　the　same　thing　as　proclaiming　him
her　husband。　In　provincial　towns　social　conventionalities　are　so
rigidly　enforced　than　an　infraction　like　this　constituted　a　solemn
promise。

〃Monsieur　le　president；〃　said　Eugenie　in　a　voice　of　some　emotion　when
they　were　left　alone；　〃I　know　what　pleases　you　in　me。　Swear　to　leave
me　free　during　my　whole　life；　to　claim　none　of　the　rights　which
marriage　will　give　you　over　me；　and　my　hand　is　yours。　Oh！〃　she　added；
seeing　him　about　to　kneel　at　her　feet；　〃I　have　more　to　say。　I　must　not
deceive　you。　In　my　heart　I　cherish　one　inextinguishable　feeling。
Friendship　is　the　only　sentiment　which　I　can　give　to　a　husband。　I　wish
neither　to　affront　him　nor　to　violate　the　laws　of　my　own　heart。　But
you　can　possess　my　hand　and　my　fortune　only　at　the　cost　of　doing　me　an
inestimable　service。〃

〃I　am　ready　for　all　things；〃　said　the　president。

〃Here　are　fifteen　hundred　thousand　francs；〃