eugenie grandet-第13章

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guess　the　cause　of　his　amazement；　and　took　the　glance　for　an
expression　of　friendliness；　which　they　answered　by　a　smile　that　made
him　desperate。

〃Why　the　devil　did　my　father　send　me　to　such　a　place？〃　he　said　to
himself。

When　they　reached　the　first　landing　he　saw　three　doors　painted　in
Etruscan　red　and　without　casings；doors　sunk　in　the　dusty　walls　and
provided　with　iron　bars；　which　in　fact　were　bolts；　each　ending　with
the　pattern　of　a　flame；　as　did　both　ends　of　the　long　sheath　of　the
lock。　The　first　door　at　the　top　of　the　staircase；　which　opened　into　a
room　directly　above　the　kitchen；　was　evidently　walled　up。　In　fact；　the
only　entrance　to　that　room　was　through　Grandet's　bedchamber；　the　room
itself　was　his　office。　The　single　window　which　lighted　it；　on　the　side
of　the　court；　was　protected　by　a　lattice　of　strong　iron　bars。　No　one；
not　even　Madame　Grandet；　had　permission　to　enter　it。　The　old　man　chose
to　be　alone；　like　an　alchemist　in　his　laboratory。　There；　no　doubt；
some　hiding…place　had　been　ingeniously　constructed；　there　the　title…
deeds　of　property　were　stored；　there　hung　the　scales　on　which　to　weigh
the　louis；　there　were　devised；　by　night　and　secretly；　the　estimates；
the　profits；　the　receipts；　so　that　business　men；　finding　Grandet
prepared　at　all　points；　imagined　that　he　got　his　cue　from　fairies　or
demons；　there；　no　doubt；　while　Nanon's　loud　snoring　shook　the　rafters；
while　the　wolf…dog　watched　and　yawned　in　the　courtyard；　while　Madame
and　Mademoiselle　Grandet　were　quietly　sleeping；　came　the　old　cooper　to
cuddle；　to　con　over；　to　caress　and　clutch　and　clasp　his　gold。　The
walls　were　thick；　the　screens　sure。　He　alone　had　the　key　of　this
laboratory；　whereso　people　declaredhe　studied　the　maps　on　which
his　fruit…trees　were　marked；　and　calculated　his　profits　to　a　vine；　and
almost　to　a　twig。

The　door　of　Eugenie's　chamber　was　opposite　to　the　walled…up　entrance
to　this　room。　At　the　other　end　of　the　landing　were　the　appartements　of
the　married　pair；　which　occupied　the　whole　front　of　the　house。　Madame
Grandet　had　a　room　next　to　that　of　Eugenie；　which　was　entered　through
a　glass　door。　The　master's　chamber　was　separated　from　that　of　his　wife
by　a　partition；　and　from　the　mysterious　strong…room　by　a　thick　wall。
Pere　Grandet　lodged　his　nephew　on　the　second　floor；　in　the　high
mansarde　attic　which　was　above　his　own　bedroom；　so　that　he　might　hear
him　if　the　young　man　took　it　into　his　head　to　go　and　come。　When
Eugenie　and　her　mother　reached　the　middle　of　the　landing　they　kissed
each　other　for　good…night；　then　with　a　few　words　of　adieu　to　Charles；
cold　upon　the　lips；　but　certainly　very　warm　in　the　heart　of　the　young
girl；　they　withdrew　into　their　own　chambers。

〃Here　you　are　in　your　room；　my　nephew；〃　said　Pere　Grandet　as　he　opened
the　door。　〃If　you　need　to　go　out；　call　Nanon；　without　her；　beware！　the
dog　would　eat　you　up　without　a　word。　Sleep　well。　Good…night。　Ha！　why；
they　have　made　you　a　fire！〃　he　cried。

At　this　moment　Nanon　appeared　with　the　warming　pan。

〃Here's　something　more！〃　said　Monsieur　Grandet。　〃Do　you　take　my　nephew
for　a　lying…in　woman？　Carry　off　your　brazier；　Nanon！〃

〃But；　monsieur；　the　sheets　are　damp；　and　this　gentleman　is　as　delicate
as　a　woman。〃

〃Well；　go　on；　as　you've　taken　it　into　your　head；〃　said　Grandet；
pushing　her　by　the　shoulders；　〃but　don't　set　things　on　fire。〃　So
saying；　the　miser　went　down…stairs；　grumbling　indistinct　sentences。

Charles　stood　aghast　in　the　midst　of　his　trunks。　After　casting　his
eyes　on　the　attic…walls　covered　with　that　yellow　paper　sprinkled　with
bouquets　so　well　known　in　dance…houses；　on　the　fireplace　of　ribbed
stone　whose　very　look　was　chilling；　on　the　chairs　of　yellow　wood　with
varnished　cane　seats　that　seemed　to　have　more　than　the　usual　four
angles；　on　the　open　night…table　capacious　enough　to　hold　a　small
sergeant…at…arms；　on　the　meagre　bit　of　rag…carpet　beside　the　bed；　on
the　tester　whose　cloth　valance　shook　as　if；　devoured　by　moths；　it　was
about　to　fall；　he　turned　gravely　to　la　Grande　Nanon　and　said；

〃Look　here！　my　dear　woman；　just　tell　me；　am　I　in　the　house　of　Monsieur
Grandet；　formerly　mayor　of　Saumur；　and　brother　to　Monsieur　Grandet　of
Paris？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　a　very　good；　a　very　kind；　a　very　perfect
gentleman。　Shall　I　help　you　to　unpack　your　trunks？〃

〃Faith！　yes；　if　you　will；　my　old　trooper。　Didn't　you　serve　in　the
marines　of　the　Imperial　Guard？〃

〃Ho；　ho；　ho！〃　laughed　Nanon。　〃What's　that；the　marines　of　the　guard？
Is　it　salt？　Does　it　go　in　the　water？〃

〃Here；　get　me　my　dressing…gown　out　of　that　valise；　there's　the　key。〃

Nanon　was　wonder…struck　by　the　sight　of　a　dressing…gown　made　of　green
silk；　brocaded　with　gold　flowers　of　an　antique　design。

〃Are　you　going　to　put　that　on　to　go　to　bed　with？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃Holy　Virgin！　what　a　beautiful　altar…cloth　it　would　make　for　the
parish　church！　My　dear　darling　monsieur；　give　it　to　the　church；　and
you'll　save　your　soul；　if　you　don't；　you'll　lose　it。　Oh；　how　nice　you
look　in　it！　I　must　call　mademoiselle　to　see　you。〃

〃Come；　Nanon；　if　Nanon　you　are；　hold　your　tongue；　let　me　go　to　bed。
I'll　arrange　my　things　to…morrow。　If　my　dressing…gown　pleases　you　so
much；　you　shall　save　your　soul。　I'm　too　good　a　Christian　not　to　give
it　to　you　when　I　go　away；　and　you　can　do　what　you　like　with　it。〃

Nanon　stood　rooted　to　the　ground；　gazing　at　Charles　and　unable　to　put
faith　into　his　words。

〃Good　night；　Nanon。〃

〃What　in　the　world　have　I　come　here　for？〃　thought　Charles　as　he　went
to　sleep。　〃My　father　is　not　a　fool；　my　journey　must　have　some　object。
Pshaw！　put　off　serious　thought　till　the　morrow；　as　some　Greek　idiot
said。〃

〃Blessed　Virgin！　how　charming　he　is；　my　cousin！〃　Eugenie　was　saying；
interrupting　her　prayers；　which　that　night　at　least　were　never
finished。

Madame　Grandet　had　no　thoughts　at　all　as　she　went　to　bed。　She　heard
the　miser　walking　up　and　down　his　room　through　the　door　of
communication　which　was　in　the　middle　of　the　partition。　Like　all　timid
women；　she　had　studied　the　character　of　her　lord。　Just　as　the　petrel
foresees　the　storm；　she　knew　by　imperceptible　signs　when　an　inward
tempest　shook　her　husband；　and　at　such　times；　to　use　an　expression　of
her　own；　she　〃feigned　dead。〃

Grandet　gazed　at　the　door　lined　with　sheet…iron　which　he　lately　put　to
his　sanctum；　and　said　to　himself；

〃What　a　crazy　idea　of　my　brother　to　bequeath　his　son　to　me！　A　fine
legacy！　I　have　not　fifty　francs　to　give　him。　What　are　fifty　francs　to
a　dandy　who　looked　at　my　barometer　as　if　he　meant　to　make　firewood　of
it！〃

In　thinking　over　the　consequences　of　that　legacy　of　anguish　Grandet
was　perhaps　more　agitated　than　his　brother　had　been　at　the　moment　of
writing　it。

〃I　shall　have　that　golden　robe；〃　thought　Nanon；　who　went　to　sleep
tricked　out　in　her　altar…cloth；　dreaming　for　the　first　time　in　her
life　of　flowers；　embroidery；　and　damask；　just　as　Eugenie　was　dreaming
of　love。

*****

In　the　pure　and　monotonous　life　of　young　girls　there　comes　a　delicious
hour　when　the　sun　sheds　its　rays　into　their　soul；　when　the　flowers
express　their　thoughts；　when　the　throbbings　of　the　heart　send　upward
to　the　brain　their　fertilizing　warmth　and　melt　all　thoughts　into　a
vague　desire；day　of　innocent　melancholy　and　of　dulcet　joys！　When
babes　begin　to　see；　they　smile；　when　a　young　girl　first　perceives　the
sentiment　of　nature；　she　smiles　as　she　smiled　when　an　infant。　If　light
is　the　first　love　of　life；　is　not　love　a　light　to　the　heart？　The
moment　to　see　within　the　veil　of　earthly　things　had　come　for　Eugenie。

An　early　riser；　like　all　provincial　girls；　she　was　up　betimes　and　said
her　prayers；　and　then　began　the　business　of　dressing；a　business
which　henceforth　was　to　have　a　meaning。　First　she　brushed　and　smoothed
her　chestnut　hair　and　twisted　its　heavy　masses　to　the　top　of　her　head
with　the　utmost　care；　preventing　the　loose　tresses　from　straying；　and
giving　to　her　head　a　symmetry　which　heightened　the　timid　candor　of　her
face；　for　the　simplicity　of　these　accessories　accorded　well　with　the
innocent　sincerity　of　its　lines。　As　she　washed　her　hands　again　and
again　in　the　cold　water　which　hardened　and　reddened　the　skin；　she
looked　at　her　handsome