eugenie grandet-第38章
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white or yellow stone…crop very abundant in the vineyards of Saumur
and at Tours。 Maitre Cruchot came early； and found the old wine…grower
sitting in the fine June weather on the little bench； his back against
the division wall of the garden； engaged in watching his daughter。
〃What may you want； Maitre Cruchot？〃 he said； perceiving the notary。
〃I came to speak to you on business。〃
〃Ah！ ah！ have you brought some gold in exchange for my silver？〃
〃No； no； I have not come about money； it is about your daughter
Eugenie。 All the town is talking of her and you。〃
〃What does the town meddle for？ A man's house is his castle。〃
〃Very true； and a man may kill himself if he likes； or； what is worse；
he may fling his money into the gutter。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Why； your wife is very ill； my friend。 You ought to consult Monsieur
Bergerin； she is likely to die。 If she does die without receiving
proper care； you will not be very easy in mind； I take it。〃
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta！ you know a deal about my wife！ These doctors； if they
once get their foot in your house； will come five and six times a
day。〃
〃Of course you will do as you think best。 We are old friends； there is
no one in all Saumur who takes more interest than I in what concerns
you。 Therefore； I was bound to tell you this。 However； happen what
may； you have the right to do as you please； you can choose your own
course。 Besides； that is not what brings me here。 There is another
thing which may have serious results for you。 After all； you can't
wish to kill your wife； her life is too important to you。 Think of
your situation in connection with your daughter if Madame Grandet
dies。 You must render an account to Eugenie； because you enjoy your
wife's estate only during her lifetime。 At her death your daughter can
claim a division of property； and she may force you to sell Froidfond。
In short； she is her mother's heir； and you are not。〃
These words fell like a thunderbolt on the old man； who was not as
wise about law as he was about business。 He had never thought of a
legal division of the estate。
〃Therefore I advise you to treat her kindly；〃 added Cruchot； in
conclusion。
〃But do you know what she has done； Cruchot？〃
〃What？〃 asked the notary； curious to hear the truth and find out the
cause of the quarrel。
〃She has given away her gold！〃
〃Well； wasn't it hers？〃 said the notary。
〃They all tell me that！〃 exclaimed the old man； letting his arms fall
to his sides with a movement that was truly tragic。
〃Are you goingfor a mere nothing；〃resumed Cruchot； 〃to put
obstacles in the way of the concessions which you will be obliged to
ask from your daughter as soon as her mother dies？〃
〃Do you call six thousand francs a mere nothing？〃
〃Hey！ my old friend； do you know what the inventory of your wife's
property will cost； if Eugenie demands the division？〃
〃How much？〃
〃Two； three； four thousand francs； perhaps！ The property would have to
be put up at auction and sold； to get at its actual value。 Instead of
that； if you are on good terms with〃
〃By the shears of my father！〃 cried Grandet； turning pale as he
suddenly sat down； 〃we will see about it； Cruchot。〃
After a moment's silence； full of anguish perhaps； the old man looked
at the notary and said；
〃Life is very hard！ It has many griefs！ Cruchot；〃 he continued
solemnly； 〃you would not deceive me？ Swear to me upon your honor that
all you've told me is legally true。 Show me the law； I must see the
law！〃
〃My poor friend；〃 said the notary； 〃don't I know my own business？〃
〃Then it is true！ I am robbed； betrayed； killed； destroyed by my own
daughter！〃
〃It is true that your daughter is her mother's heir。〃
〃Why do we have children？ Ah！ my wife； I love her！ Luckily she's sound
and healthy； she's a Bertelliere。〃
〃She has not a month to live。〃
Grandet struck his forehead； went a few steps； came back； cast a
dreadful look on Cruchot； and said；
〃What can be done？〃
〃Eugenie can relinquish her claim to her mother's property。 Should she
do this you would not disinherit her； I presume？but if you want to
come to such a settlement； you must not treat her harshly。 What I am
telling you； old man； is against my own interests。 What do I live by；
if it isn't liquidations； inventories； conveyances； divisions of
property？〃
〃We'll see； we'll see！ Don't let's talk any more about it； Cruchot； it
wrings my vitals。 Have you received any gold？〃
〃No； but I have a few old louis； a dozen or so； which you may have。 My
good friend； make it up with Eugenie。 Don't you know all Saumur is
pelting you with stones？〃
〃The scoundrels！〃
〃Come； the Funds are at ninety…nine。 Do be satisfied for once in your
life。〃
〃At ninety…nine！ Are they； Cruchot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hey； hey！ Ninety…nine！〃 repeated the old man； accompanying the notary
to the street…door。 Then； too agitated by what he had just heard to
stay in the house； he went up to his wife's room and said；
〃Come； mother； you may have your daughter to spend the day with you。
I'm going to Froidfond。 Enjoy yourselves； both of you。 This is our
wedding…day； wife。 See！ here are sixty francs for your altar at the
Fete…Dieu； you've wanted one for a long time。 Come； cheer up； enjoy
yourself； and get well！ Hurrah for happiness！〃
He threw ten silver pieces of six francs each upon the bed； and took
his wife's head between his hands and kissed her forehead。
〃My good wife； you are getting well； are not you？〃
〃How can you think of receiving the God of mercy in your house when
you refuse to forgive your daughter？〃 she said with emotion。
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta！〃 said Grandet in a coaxing voice。 〃We'll see about
that。〃
〃Merciful heaven！ Eugenie；〃 cried the mother； flushing with joy； 〃come
and kiss your father； he forgives you！〃
But the old man had disappeared。 He was going as fast as his legs
could carry him towards his vineyards； trying to get his confused
ideas into order。 Grandet had entered his seventy…sixth year。 During
the last two years his avarice had increased upon him； as all the
persistent passions of men increase at a certain age。 As if to
illustrate an observation which applies equally to misers； ambitious
men； and others whose lives are controlled by any dominant idea； his
affections had fastened upon one special symbol of his passion。 The
sight of gold； the possession of gold； had become a monomania。 His
despotic spirit had grown in proportion to his avarice； and to part
with the control of the smallest fraction of his property at the death
of his wife seemed to him a thing 〃against nature。〃 To declare his
fortune to his daughter； to give an inventory of his property； landed
and personal； for the purposes of division
〃Why；〃 he cried aloud in the midst of a field where he was pretending
to examine a vine； 〃it would be cutting my throat！〃
He came at last to a decision； and returned to Saumur in time for
dinner； resolved to unbend to Eugenie； and pet and coax her； that he
might die regally； holding the reins of his millions in his own hands
so long as the breath was in his body。 At the moment when the old man；
who chanced to have his pass…key in his pocket； opened the door and
climbed with a stealthy step up the stairway to go into his wife's
room； Eugenie had brought the beautiful dressing…case from the oak
cabinet and placed it on her mother's bed。 Mother and daughter； in
Grandet's absence； allowed themselves the pleasure of looking for a
likeness to Charles in the portrait of his mother。
〃It is exactly his forehead and his mouth；〃 Eugenie was saying as the
old man opened the door。 At the look which her husband cast upon the
gold； Madame Grandet cried out；
〃O God； have pity upon us！〃
The old man sprang upon the box as a famished tiger might spring upon
a sleeping child。
〃What's this？〃 he said； snatching the treasure and carrying it to the
window。 〃Gold； good gold！〃 he cried。 〃All gold；it weighs two pounds！
Ha； ha！ Charles gave you that for your money； did he？ Hein！ Why didn't
you tell me so？ It was a good bargain； little one！ Yes； you are my
daughter； I see that〃 Eugenie trembled in every limb。 〃This came
from Charles； of course； didn't i
