eugenie grandet-第22章

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〃I　am　going　to　loiter　about　the　market…place　and　find　Cruchot。〃

〃Eugenie；　your　father　certainly　has　something　on　his　mind。〃

Grandet；　who　was　a　poor　sleeper；　employed　half　his　nights　in　the
preliminary　calculations　which　gave　such　astonishing　accuracy　to　his
views　and　observations　and　schemes；　and　secured　to　them　the　unfailing
success　at　sight　of　which　his　townsmen　stood　amazed。　All　human　power
is　a　compound　of　time　and　patience。　Powerful　beings　will　and　wait。　The
life　of　a　miser　is　the　constant　exercise　of　human　power　put　to　the
service　of　self。　It　rests　on　two　sentiments　only；self…love　and　self…
interest；　but　self…interest　being　to　a　certain　extent　compact　and
intelligent　self…love；　the　visible　sign　of　real　superiority；　it
follows　that　self…love　and　self…interest　are　two　parts　of　the　same
whole；egotism。　From　this　arises；　perhaps；　the　excessive　curiosity
shown　in　the　habits　of　a　miser's　life　whenever　they　are　put　before　the
world。　Every　nature　holds　by　a　thread　to　those　beings　who　challenge
all　human　sentiments　by　concentrating　all　in　one　passion。　Where　is　the
man　without　desire？　and　what　social　desire　can　be　satisfied　without
money？

Grandet　unquestionably　〃had　something　on　his　mind；〃　to　use　his　wife's
expression。　There　was　in　him；　as　in　all　misers；　a　persistent　craving
to　play　a　commercial　game　with　other　men　and　win　their　money　legally。
To　impose　upon　other　people　was　to　him　a　sign　of　power；　a　perpetual
proof　that　he　had　won　the　right　to　despise　those　feeble　beings　who
suffer　themselves　to　be　preyed　upon　in　this　world。　Oh！　who　has　ever
truly　understood　the　lamb　lying　peacefully　at　the　feet　of　God？
touching　emblem　of　all　terrestrial　victims；　myth　of　their　future；
suffering　and　weakness　glorified！　This　lamb　it　is　which　the　miser
fattens；　puts　in　his　fold；　slaughters；　cooks；　eats；　and　then　despises。
The　pasture　of　misers　is　compounded　of　money　and　disdain。　During　the
night　Grandet's　ideas　had　taken　another　course；　which　was　the　reason
of　his　sudden　clemency。　He　had　hatched　a　plot　by　which　to　trick　the
Parisians；　to　decoy　and　dupe　and　snare　them；　to　drive　them　into　a
trap；　and　make　them　go　and　come　and　sweat　and　hope　and　turn　pale；a
plot　by　which　to　amuse　himself；　the　old　provincial　cooper；　sitting
there　beneath　his　gloomy　rafters；　or　passing　up　and　down　the　rotten
staircase　of　his　house　in　Saumur。　His　nephew　filled　his　mind。　He
wished　to　save　the　honor　of　his　dead　brother　without　the　cost　of　a
penny　to　the　son　or　to　himself。　His　own　funds　he　was　about　to　invest
for　three　years；　he　had　therefore　nothing　further　to　do　than　to　manage
his　property　in　Saumur。　He　needed　some　nutriment　for　his　malicious
activity；　and　he　found　it　suddenly　in　his　brother's　failure。　Feeling
nothing　to　squeeze　between　his　own　paws；　he　resolved　to　crush　the
Parisians　in　behalf　of　Charles；　and　to　play　the　part　of　a　good　brother
on　the　cheapest　terms。　The　honor　of　the　family　counted　for　so　little
in　this　scheme　that　his　good　intentions　might　be　likened　to　the
interest　a　gambler　takes　in　seeing　a　game　well　played　in　which　he　has
no　stake。　The　Cruchots　were　a　necessary　part　of　his　plan；　but　he　would
not　seek　them；he　resolved　to　make　them　come　to　him；　and　to　lead　up
that　very　evening　to　a　comedy　whose　plot　he　had　just　conceived；　which
should　make　him　on　the　morrow　an　object　of　admiration　to　the　whole
town　without　its　costing　him　a　single　penny。

In　her　father's　absence　Eugenie　had　the　happiness　of　busying　herself
openly　with　her　much…loved　cousin；　of　spending　upon　him　fearlessly　the
treasures　of　her　pity；woman's　sublime　superiority；　the　sole　she
desires　to　have　recognized；　the　sole　she　pardons　man　for　letting　her
assume。　Three　or　four　times　the　young　girl　went　to　listen　to　her
cousin's　breathing；　to　know　if　he　were　sleeping　or　awake；　then；　when
he　had　risen；　she　turned　her　thoughts　to　the　cream；　the　eggs；　the
fruits；　the　plates；　the　glasses；all　that　was　a　part　of　his　breakfast
became　the　object　of　some　special　care。　At　length　she　ran　lightly　up
the　old　staircase　to　listen　to　the　noise　her　cousin　made。　Was　he
dressing？　Did　he　still　weep？　She　reached　the　door。

〃My　cousin！〃

〃Yes；　cousin。〃

〃Will　you　breakfast　downstairs；　or　in　your　room？〃

〃Where　you　like。〃

〃How　do　you　feel？〃

〃Dear　cousin；　I　am　ashamed　of　being　hungry。〃

This　conversation；　held　through　the　closed　door；　was　like　an　episode
in　a　poem　to　Eugenie。

〃Well；　then；　we　will　bring　your　breakfast　to　your　own　room；　so　as　not
to　annoy　my　father。〃

She　ran　to　the　kitchen　with　the　swiftness　and　lightness　of　a　bird。

〃Nanon；　go　and　do　his　room！〃

That　staircase；　so　often　traversed；　which　echoed　to　the　slightest
noise；　now　lost　its　decaying　aspect　in　the　eyes　of　Eugenie。　It　grew
luminous；　it　had　a　voice　and　spoke　to　her；　it　was　young　like　herself；
young　like　the　love　it　was　now　serving。　Her　mother；　her　kind；
indulgent　mother；　lent　herself　to　the　caprices　of　the　child's　love；
and　after　the　room　was　put　in　order；　both　went　to　sit　with　the　unhappy
youth　and　keep　him　company。　Does　not　Christian　charity　make
consolation　a　duty？　The　two　women　drew　a　goodly　number　of　little
sophistries　from　their　religion　wherewith　to　justify　their　conduct。
Charles　was　made　the　object　of　the　tenderest　and　most　loving　care。　His
saddened　heart　felt　the　sweetness　of　the　gentle　friendship；　the
exquisite　sympathy　which　these　two　souls；　crushed　under　perpetual
restraint；　knew　so　well　how　to　display　when；　for　an　instant；　they　were
left　unfettered　in　the　regions　of　suffering；　their　natural　sphere。

Claiming　the　right　of　relationship；　Eugenie　began　to　fold　the　linen
and　put　in　order　the　toilet　articles　which　Charles　had　brought；　thus
she　could　marvel　at　her　ease　over　each　luxurious　bauble　and　the
various　knick…knacks　of　silver　or　chased　gold；　which　she　held　long　in
her　hand　under　a　pretext　of　examining　them。　Charles　could　not　see
without　emotion　the　generous　interest　his　aunt　and　cousin　felt　in　him；
he　knew　society　in　Paris　well　enough　to　feel　assured　that；　placed　as
he　now　was；　he　would　find　all　hearts　indifferent　or　cold。　Eugenie　thus
appeared　to　him　in　the　splendor　of　a　special　beauty；　and　from
thenceforth　he　admired　the　innocence　of　life　and　manners　which　the
previous　evening　he　had　been　inclined　to　ridicule。　So　when　Eugenie
took　from　Nanon　the　bowl　of　coffee　and　cream；　and　began　to　pour　it　out
for　her　cousin　with　the　simplicity　of　real　feeling；　giving　him　a
kindly　glance；　the　eyes　of　the　Parisian　filled　with　tears；　he　took　her
hand　and　kissed　it。

〃What　troubles　you？〃　she　said。

〃Oh！　these　are　tears　of　gratitude；〃　he　answered。

Eugenie　turned　abruptly　to　the　chimney…piece　to　take　the　candlesticks。

〃Here；　Nanon；　carry　them　away！〃　she　said。

When　she　looked　again　towards　her　cousin　she　was　still　blushing；　but
her　looks　could　at　least　deceive；　and　did　not　betray　the　excess　of　joy
which　innundated　her　heart；　yet　the　eyes　of　both　expressed　the　same
sentiment　as　their　souls　flowed　together　in　one　thought；the　future
was　theirs。　This　soft　emotion　was　all　the　more　precious　to　Charles　in
the　midst　of　his　heavy　grief　because　it　was　wholly　unexpected。　The
sound　of　the　knocker　recalled　the　women　to　their　usual　station。
Happily　they　were　able　to　run　downstairs　with　sufficient　rapidity　to
be　seated　at　their　work　when　Grandet　entered；　had　he　met　them　under
the　archway　it　would　have　been　enough　to　rouse　his　suspicions。　After
breakfast；　which　the　goodman　took　standing；　the　keeper　from　Froidfond；
to　whom　the　promised　indemnity　had　never　yet　been　paid；　made　his
appearance；　bearing　a　hare　and　some　partridges　shot　in　the　park；　with
eels　and　two　pike　sent　as　tribute　by　the　millers。

〃Ha；　ha！　poor　Cornoiller；　here　he　comes；　like　fish　in　Lent。　Is　all
that　fit　to　eat？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear；　generous　master；　it　has　been　killed　two　days。〃

〃Come；　Nanon；　bestir　yourself；〃　said　Grandet；　〃take　these　things；
they'll　do　for　dinner。　I　have　invited　the　two　Cruchots。〃

Nanon　opened　her　eyes；　stupid　with　amazement；　and　looked　at　everybody
in　the　room。

〃Well！〃　she　said；　〃and　how　am　I　to　get　the　lard　and　the　spices？〃

〃Wife；〃　said　Grandet；　〃give　Nanon　six　francs；　and　remind　me　to　get
some　of　the　good　wine　out　of　the　cellar。〃