eugenie grandet-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But；　my　daughter；　why　should　I　not　consult　the　Cruchots？〃

〃No；　no；　it　would　be　delivering　me　up　to　them；　and　putting　ourselves
in　their　power。　Besides；　I　have　chosen　my　course。　I　have　done　right；　I
repent　of　nothing。　God　will　protect　me。　His　will　be　done！　Ah！　mother；
if　you　had　read　his　letter；　you；　too；　would　have　thought　only　of　him。〃

The　next　morning；　January　1；　1820；　the　horrible　fear　to　which　mother
and　daughter　were　a　prey　suggested　to　their　minds　a　natural　excuse　by
which　to　escape　the　solemn　entrance　into　Grandet's　chamber。　The　winter
of　1819…1820　was　one　of　the　coldest　of　that　epoch。　The　snow　encumbered
the　roofs。

Madame　Grandet　called　to　her　husband　as　soon　as　she　heard　him　stirring
in　his　chamber；　and　said；

〃Grandet；　will　you　let　Nanon　light　a　fire　here　for　me？　The　cold　is　so
sharp　that　I　am　freezing　under　the　bedclothes。　At　my　age　I　need　some
comforts。　Besides；〃　she　added；　after　a　slight　pause；　〃Eugenie　shall
come　and　dress　here；　the　poor　child　might　get　an　illness　from　dressing
in　her　cold　room　in　such　weather。　Then　we　will　go　and　wish　you　a　happy
New　Year　beside　the　fire　in　the　hall。〃

〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta；　what　a　tongue！　a　pretty　way　to　begin　the　new　year；
Madame　Grandet！　You　never　talked　so　much　before；　but　you　haven't　been
sopping　your　bread　in　wine；　I　know　that。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。

〃Well；〃　resumed　the　goodman；　who　no　doubt　had　some　reason　of　his　own
for　agreeing　to　his　wife's　request；　〃I'll　do　what　you　ask；　Madame
Grandet。　You　are　a　good　woman；　and　I　don't　want　any　harm　to　happen　to
you　at　your　time　of　life；though　as　a　general　thing　the　Bertellieres
are　as　sound　as　a　roach。　Hein！　isn't　that　so？〃　he　added　after　a　pause。
〃Well；　I　forgive　them；　we　got　their　property　in　the　end。〃　And　he
coughed。

〃You　are　very　gay　this　morning；　monsieur；〃　said　the　poor　woman
gravely。

〃I'm　always　gay；

　　〃'Gai；　gai；　gai；　le　tonnelier；
　　Raccommodez　votre　cuvier！'〃

he　answered；　entering　his　wife's　room　fully　dressed。　〃Yes；　on　my　word；
it　is　cold　enough　to　freeze　you　solid。　We　shall　have　a　fine　breakfast；
wife。　Des　Grassins　has　sent　me　a　pate…de…foie…gras　truffled！　I　am
going　now　to　get　it　at　the　coach…office。　There'll　be　a　double　napoleon
for　Eugenie　in　the　package；〃　he　whispered　in　Madame　Grandet's　ear。　〃I
have　no　gold　left；　wife。　I　had　a　few　stray　piecesI　don't　mind
telling　you　thatbut　I　had　to　let　them　go　in　business。〃

Then；　by　way　of　celebrating　the　new　year；　he　kissed　her　on　the
forehead。

〃Eugenie；〃　cried　the　mother；　when　Grandet　was　fairly　gone；　〃I　don't
know　which　side　of　the　bed　your　father　got　out　of；　but　he　is　good…
tempered　this　morning。　Perhaps　we　shall　come　out　safe　after　all？〃

〃What's　happened　to　the　master？〃　said　Nanon；　entering　her　mistress's
room　to　light　the　fire。　〃First　place；　he　said；　'Good…morning；　happy
New　Year；　you　big　fool！　Go　and　light　my　wife's　fire；　she's　cold'；　and
then；　didn't　I　feel　silly　when　he　held　out　his　hand　and　gave　me　a　six…
franc　piece；　which　isn't　worn　one　bit？　Just　look　at　it；　madame！　Oh；
the　kind　man！　He　is　a　good　man；　that's　a　fact。　There　are　some　people
who　the　older　they　get　the　harder　they　grow；　but　he；why　he's　getting
soft　and　improving　with　time；　like　your　ratafia！　He　is　a　good；　good
man〃

The　secret　of　Grandet's　joy　lay　in　the　complete　success　of　his
speculation。　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　after　deducting　the　amount　which
the　old　cooper　owed　him　for　the　discount　on　a　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　francs　in　Dutch　notes；　and　for　the　surplus　which　he　had
advanced　to　make　up　the　sum　required　for　the　investment　in　the　Funds
which　was　to　produce　a　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；　had　now　sent
him；　by　the　diligence；　thirty　thousand　francs　in　silver　coin；　the
remainder　of　his　first　half…year's　interest；　informing　him　at　the　same
time　that　the　Funds　had　already　gone　up　in　value。　They　were　then
quoted　at　eighty…nine；　the　shrewdest　capitalists　bought　in；　towards
the　last　of　January；　at　ninety…three。　Grandet　had　thus　gained　in　two
months　twelve　per　cent　on　his　capital；　he　had　simplified　his　accounts；
and　would　in　future　receive　fifty　thousand　francs　interest　every　six
months；　without　incurring　any　taxes　or　costs　for　repairs。　He
understood　at　last　what　it　was　to　invest　money　in　the　public
securities；a　system　for　which　provincials　have　always　shown　a　marked
repugnance；and　at　the　end　of　five　years　he　found　himself　master　of　a
capital　of　six　millions；　which　increased　without　much　effort　of　his
own；　and　which；　joined　to　the　value　and　proceeds　of　his　territorial
possessions；　gave　him　a　fortune　that　was　absolutely　colossal。　The　six
francs　bestowed　on　Nanon　were　perhaps　the　reward　of　some　great　service
which　the　poor　servant　had　rendered　to　her　master　unawares。

〃Oh！　oh！　where's　Pere　Grandet　going？　He　has　been　scurrying　about　since
sunrise　as　if　to　a　fire；〃　said　the　tradespeople　to　each　other　as　they
opened　their　shops　for　the　day。

When　they　saw　him　coming　back　from　the　wharf；　followed　by　a　porter
from　the　coach…office　wheeling　a　barrow　which　was　laden　with　sacks；
they　all　had　their　comments　to　make：

〃Water　flows　to　the　river；　the　old　fellow　was　running　after　his　gold；〃
said　one。

〃He　gets　it　from　Paris　and　Froidfond　and　Holland；〃　said　another。

〃He'll　end　by　buying　up　Saumur；〃　cried　a　third。

〃He　doesn't　mind　the　cold；　he's　so　wrapped　up　in　his　gains；〃　said　a
wife　to　her　husband。

〃Hey！　hey！　Monsieur　Grandet；　if　that's　too　heavy　for　you；〃　said　a
cloth…dealer；　his　nearest　neighbor；　〃I'll　take　it　off　your　hands。〃

〃Heavy？〃　said　the　cooper；　〃I　should　think　so；　it's　all　sous！〃

〃Silver　sous；〃　said　the　porter　in　a　low　voice。

〃If　you　want　me　to　take　care　of　you；　keep　your　tongue　between　your
teeth；〃　said　the　goodman　to　the　porter　as　they　reached　the　door。

〃The　old　fox！　I　thought　he　was　deaf；　seems　he　can　hear　fast　enough　in
frosty　weather。〃

〃Here's　twenty　sous　for　your　New　Year；　and　/mum/！〃　said　Grandet。　〃Be
off　with　you！　Nanon　shall　take　back　your　barrow。　Nanon；　are　the
linnets　at　church？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Then　lend　a　hand！　go　to　work！〃　he　cried；　piling　the　sacks　upon　her。
In　a　few　moments　all　were　carried　up　to　his　inner　room；　where　he　shut
himself　in　with　them。　〃When　breakfast　is　ready；　knock　on　the　wall；〃　he
said　as　he　disappeared。　〃Take　the　barrow　back　to　the　coach…office。〃

The　family　did　not　breakfast　that　day　until　ten　o'clock。

〃Your　father　will　not　ask　to　see　your　gold　downstairs；〃　said　Madame
Grandet　as　they　got　back　from　Mass。　〃You　must　pretend　to　be　very
chilly。　We　may　have　time　to　replace　the　treasure　before　your　fete…
day。〃

Grandet　came　down　the　staircase　thinking　of　his　splendid　speculation
in　government　securities；　and　wondering　how　he　could　metamorphose　his
Parisian　silver　into　solid　gold；　he　was　making　up　his　mind　to　invest
in　this　way　everything　he　could　lay　hands　on　until　the　Funds　should
reach　a　par　value。　Fatal　reverie　for　Eugenie！　As　soon　as　he　came　in；
the　two　women　wished　him　a　happy　New　Year；his　daughter　by　putting
her　arms　round　his　neck　and　caressing　him；　Madame　Grandet　gravely　and
with　dignity。

〃Ha！　ha！　my　child；〃　he　said；　kissing　his　daughter　on　both　cheeks。　〃I
work　for　you；　don't　you　see？　I　think　of　your　happiness。　Must　have
money　to　be　happy。　Without　money　there's　not　a　particle　of　happiness。
Here！　there's　a　new　napoleon　for　you。　I　sent　to　Paris　for　it。　On　my
word　of　honor；　it's　all　the　gold　I　have；　you　are　the　only　one　that　has
got　any　gold。　I　want　to　see　your　gold；　little　one。〃

〃Oh！　it　is　too　cold；　let　us　have　breakfast；〃　answered　Eugenie。

〃Well；　after　breakfast；　then；　it　will　help　the　digestion。　That　fat
des　Grassins　sent　me　the　pate。　Eat　as　much　as　you　like；　my　children；
it　costs　nothing。　Des　Grassins　is　getting　along　very　well。　I　am
satisfied　with　him。　The　old　fish　is　doing　Charles　a　good　service；　and
gratis　too。　He　is　making　a　very　good　settlement　of　that　poor　deceased
Grandet's　business。　Hoo！　hoo！〃　he　muttered；　with　his　mouth　full；　after
a　pause；　〃how　good　it　is！　Eat　some；　wife；　that　will　feed　you　for　at
least　two　days。〃

〃I　am　not　hungry。　I　am　very　poorly；　you　know　that。〃

〃Ah；　bah！　you　can　stuff　yourself　as　full　as　you　please　without　danger；
you're　a　Bertelliere；　they　are　all　heart