eugenie grandet-第18章
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girl。〃
〃If you knew me； my cousin； you would know that I abhor ridicule； it
withers the heart and jars upon all my feelings。〃 Here he swallowed
his buttered sippet very gracefully。 〃No； I really have not enough
mind to make fun of others； and doubtless it is a great defect。 In
Paris； when they want to disparage a man； they say： 'He has a good
heart。' The phrase means： 'The poor fellow is as stupid as a
rhinoceros。' But as I am rich； and known to hit the bull's…eye at
thirty paces with any kind of pistol； and even in the open fields；
ridicule respects me。〃
〃My dear nephew； that bespeaks a good heart。〃
〃You have a very pretty ring；〃 said Eugenie； 〃is there any harm in
asking to see it？〃
Charles held out his hand after loosening the ring； and Eugenie
blushed as she touched the pink nails of her cousin with the tips of
her fingers。
〃See； mamma； what beautiful workmanship。〃
〃My！ there's a lot of gold！〃 said Nanon； bringing in the coffee。
〃What is that？〃 exclaimed Charles； laughing； as he pointed to an
oblong pot of brown earthenware； glazed on the inside； and edged with
a fringe of ashes； from the bottom of which the coffee…grounds were
bubbling up and falling in the boiling liquid。
〃It is boiled coffee；〃 said Nanon。
〃Ah！ my dear aunt； I shall at least leave one beneficent trace of my
visit here。 You are indeed behind the age！ I must teach you to make
good coffee in a Chaptal coffee…pot。〃
He tried to explain the process of a Chaptal coffee…pot。
〃Gracious！ if there are so many things as all that to do；〃 said Nanon；
〃we may as well give up our lives to it。 I shall never make coffee
that way； I know that！ Pray； who is to get the fodder for the cow
while I make the coffee？〃
〃I will make it；〃 said Eugenie。
〃Child！〃 said Madame Grandet； looking at her daughter。
The word recalled to their minds the sorrow that was about to fall
upon the unfortunate young man； the three women were silent； and
looked at him with an air of commiseration that caught his attention。
〃Is anything the matter； my cousin？〃 he said。
〃Hush！〃 said Madame Grandet to Eugenie； who was about to answer； 〃you
know； my daughter； that your father charged us not to speak to
monsieur〃
〃Say Charles；〃 said young Grandet。
〃Ah！ you are called Charles？ What a beautiful name！〃 cried Eugenie。
Presentiments of evil are almost always justified。 At this moment
Nanon； Madame Grandet； and Eugenie； who had all three been thinking
with a shudder of the old man's return； heard the knock whose echoes
they knew but too well。
〃There's papa！〃 said Eugenie。
She removed the saucer filled with sugar； leaving a few pieces on the
table…cloth； Nanon carried off the egg…cup； Madame Grandet sat up like
a frightened hare。 It was evidently a panic； which amazed Charles； who
was wholly unable to understand it。
〃Why！ what is the matter？〃 he asked。
〃My father has come；〃 answered Eugenie。
〃Well； what of that？〃
Monsieur Grandet entered the room； threw his keen eye upon the table；
upon Charles； and saw the whole thing。
〃Ha！ ha！ so you have been making a feast for your nephew； very good；
very good； very good indeed！〃 he said； without stuttering。 〃When the
cat's away； the mice will play。〃
〃Feast！〃 thought Charles； incapable of suspecting or imagining the
rules and customs of the household。
〃Give me my glass； Nanon；〃 said the master
Eugenie brought the glass。 Grandet drew a horn…handled knife with a
big blade from his breeches' pocket； cut a slice of bread； took a
small bit of butter； spread it carefully on the bread； and ate it
standing。 At this moment Charlie was sweetening his coffee。 Pere
Grandet saw the bits of sugar； looked at his wife； who turned pale；
and made three steps forward； he leaned down to the poor woman's ear
and said；
〃Where did you get all that sugar？〃
〃Nanon fetched it from Fessard's； there was none。〃
It is impossible to picture the profound interest the three women took
in this mute scene。 Nanon had left her kitchen and stood looking into
the room to see what would happen。 Charles； having tasted his coffee；
found it bitter and glanced about for the sugar； which Grandet had
already put away。
〃What do you want？〃 said his uncle。
〃The sugar。〃
〃Put in more milk；〃 answered the master of the house； 〃your coffee
will taste sweeter。〃
Eugenie took the saucer which Grandet had put away and placed it on
the table； looking calmly at her father as she did so。 Most assuredly；
the Parisian woman who held a silken ladder with her feeble arms to
facilitate the flight of her lover； showed no greater courage than
Eugenie displayed when she replaced the sugar upon the table。 The
lover rewarded his mistress when she proudly showed him her beautiful
bruised arm； and bathed every swollen vein with tears and kisses till
it was cured with happiness。 Charles； on the other hand； never so much
as knew the secret of the cruel agitation that shook and bruised the
heart of his cousin； crushed as it was by the look of the old miser。
〃You are not eating your breakfast； wife。〃
The poor helot came forward with a piteous look； cut herself a piece
of bread； and took a pear。 Eugenie boldly offered her father some
grapes； saying；
〃Taste my preserves； papa。 My cousin； you will eat some； will you not？
I went to get these pretty grapes expressly for you。〃
〃If no one stops them； they will pillage Saumur for you； nephew。 When
you have finished； we will go into the garden； I have something to
tell you which can't be sweetened。〃
Eugenie and her mother cast a look on Charles whose meaning the young
man could not mistake。
〃What is it you mean； uncle？ Since the death of my poor mother〃at
these words his voice softened〃no other sorrow can touch me。〃
〃My nephew； who knows by what afflictions God is pleased to try us？〃
said his aunt。
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta；〃 said Grandet； 〃there's your nonsense beginning。 I am
sorry to see those white hands of yours； nephew〃； and he showed the
shoulder…of…mutton fists which Nature had put at the end of his own
arms。 〃There's a pair of hands made to pick up silver pieces。 You've
been brought up to put your feet in the kid out of which we make the
purses we keep our money in。 A bad look…out！ Very bad！〃
〃What do you mean； uncle？ I'll be hanged if I understand a single word
of what you are saying。〃
〃Come！〃 said Grandet。
The miser closed the blade of his knife with a snap； drank the last of
his wine； and opened the door。
〃My cousin； take courage！〃
The tone of the young girl struck terror to Charles's heart； and he
followed his terrible uncle； a prey to disquieting thoughts。 Eugenie；
her mother； and Nanon went into the kitchen； moved by irresistible
curiosity to watch the two actors in the scene which was about to take
place in the garden； where at first the uncle walked silently ahead of
the nephew。 Grandet was not at all troubled at having to tell Charles
of the death of his father； but he did feel a sort of compassion in
knowing him to be without a penny； and he sought for some phrase or
formula by which to soften the communication of that cruel truth。 〃You
have lost your father；〃 seemed to him a mere nothing to say； fathers
die before their children。 But 〃you are absolutely without means；〃
all the misfortunes of life were summed up in those words！ Grandet
walked round the garden three times； the gravel crunching under his
heavy step。
In the crucial moments of life our minds fasten upon the locality
where joys or sorrows overwhelm us。 Charles noticed with minute
attention the box…borders of the little garden； the yellow leaves as
they fluttered down； the dilapidated walls； the gnarled fruit…trees；
picturesque details which were destined to remain forever in his
memory； blending eternally； by the mnemonics that belong exclusively
to the passions； with the recollections of this solemn hour。
〃It is very fine weather； very warm；〃 said Grandet； drawing a long
breath。
〃Yes； uncle； but why〃
〃Well； my lad；〃 answered his uncle； 〃I have some bad news to give you。
Your father is ill〃
〃Then why am I here？〃 said Charles。 〃Nanon；〃 he cried； 〃order post…
horses！ I can get a carriage somewhere？〃 he
