eugenie grandet-第7章
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glass of ratafia to set you right。〃
〃Faith！ I've earned it；〃 said Nanon； 〃most people would have broken
the bottle； but I'd sooner have broken my elbow holding it up high。〃
〃Poor Nanon！〃 said Grandet； filling a glass。
〃Did you hurt yourself？〃 asked Eugenie； looking kindly at her。
〃No； I didn't fall； I threw myself back on my haunches。〃
〃Well！ as it is Eugenie's birthday；〃 said Grandet； 〃I'll have the step
mended。 You people don't know how to set your foot in the corner where
the wood is still firm。〃
Grandet took the candle； leaving his wife； daughter； and servant
without any other light than that from the hearth； where the flames
were lively； and went into the bakehouse to fetch planks； nails； and
tools。
〃Can I help you？〃 cried Nanon； hearing him hammer on the stairs。
〃No； no！ I'm an old hand at it；〃 answered the former cooper。
At the moment when Grandet was mending his worm…eaten staircase and
whistling with all his might； in remembrance of the days of his youth；
the three Cruchots knocked at the door。
〃Is it you； Monsieur Cruchot？〃 asked Nanon； peeping through the little
grating。
〃Yes；〃 answered the president。
Nanon opened the door； and the light from the hearth； reflected on the
ceiling； enabled the three Cruchots to find their way into the room。
〃Ha！ you've come a…greeting；〃 said Nanon； smelling the flowers。
〃Excuse me； messieurs；〃 cried Grandet； recognizing their voices； 〃I'll
be with you in a moment。 I'm not proud； I am patching up a step on my
staircase。〃
〃Go on； go on； Monsieur Grandet； a man's house is his castle；〃 said
the president sententiously。
Madame and Mademoiselle Grandet rose。 The president； profiting by the
darkness； said to Eugenie：
〃Will you permit me； mademoiselle； to wish you； on this the day of
your birth； a series of happy years and the continuance of the health
which you now enjoy？〃
He offered her a huge bouquet of choice flowers which were rare in
Saumur； then； taking the heiress by the elbows； he kissed her on each
side of her neck with a complacency that made her blush。 The
president； who looked like a rusty iron nail； felt that his courtship
was progressing。
〃Don't stand on ceremony；〃 said Grandet； entering。 〃How well you do
things on fete…days； Monsieur le president！〃
〃When it concerns mademoiselle；〃 said the abbe； armed with his own
bouquet； 〃every day is a fete…day for my nephew。〃
The abbe kissed Eugenie's hand。 As for Maitre Cruchot； he boldly
kissed her on both cheeks； remarking： 〃How we sprout up； to be sure！
Every year is twelve months。〃
As he replaced the candlestick beside the clock； Grandet； who never
forgot his own jokes； and repeated them to satiety when he thought
them funny； said；
〃As this is Eugenie's birthday let us illuminate。〃
He carefully took off the branches of the candelabra； put a socket on
each pedestal； took from Nanon a new tallow candle with paper twisted
round the end of it； put it into the hollow； made it firm； lit it； and
then sat down beside his wife； looking alternately at his friends； his
daughter； and the two candles。 The Abbe Cruchot； a plump； puffy little
man； with a red wig plastered down and a face like an old female
gambler； said as he stretched out his feet； well shod in stout shoes
with silver buckles： 〃The des Grassins have not come？〃
〃Not yet；〃 said Grandet。
〃But are they coming？〃 asked the old notary； twisting his face； which
had as many holes as a collander； into a queer grimace。
〃I think so；〃 answered Madame Grandet。
〃Are your vintages all finished？〃 said Monsieur de Bonfons to Grandet。
〃Yes； all of them；〃 said the old man； rising to walk up and down the
room； his chest swelling with pride as he said the words； 〃all of
them。〃 Through the door of the passage which led to the kitchen he saw
la Grande Nanon sitting beside her fire with a candle and preparing to
spin there； so as not to intrude among the guests。
〃Nanon；〃 he said； going into the passage； 〃put out that fire and that
candle； and come and sit with us。 Pardieu！ the hall is big enough for
all。〃
〃But monsieur； you are to have the great people。〃
〃Are not you as good as they？ They are descended from Adam； and so are
you。〃
Grandet came back to the president and said；
〃Have you sold your vintage？〃
〃No； not I； I shall keep it。 If the wine is good this year； it will be
better two years hence。 The proprietors； you know； have made an
agreement to keep up the price； and this year the Belgians won't get
the better of us。 Suppose they are sent off empty…handed for once；
faith！ they'll come back。〃
〃Yes； but let us mind what we are about；〃 said Grandet in a tone which
made the president tremble。
〃Is he driving some bargain？〃 thought Cruchot。
At this moment the knocker announced the des Grassins family； and
their arrival interrupted a conversation which had begun between
Madame Grandet and the abbe。
Madame des Grassins was one of those lively； plump little women； with
pink…and…white skins； who； thanks to the claustral calm of the
provinces and the habits of a virtuous life； keep their youth until
they are past forty。 She was like the last rose of autumn；pleasant
to the eye； though the petals have a certain frostiness； and their
perfume is slight。 She dressed well； got her fashions from Paris； set
the tone to Saumur； and gave parties。 Her husband； formerly a
quartermaster in the Imperial guard； who had been desperately wounded
at Austerlitz； and had since retired； still retained； in spite of his
respect for Grandet； the seeming frankness of an old soldier。
〃Good evening； Grandet；〃 he said； holding out his hand and affecting a
sort of superiority； with which he always crushed the Cruchots。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he added； turning to Eugenie； after bowing to Madame
Grandet； 〃you are always beautiful and good； and truly I do not know
what to wish you。〃 So saying； he offered her a little box which his
servant had brought and which contained a Cape heather；a flower
lately imported into Europe and very rare。
Madame des Grassins kissed Eugenie very affectionately； pressed her
hand； and said： 〃Adolphe wishes to make you my little offering。〃
A tall； blond young man； pale and slight； with tolerable manners and
seemingly rather shy； although he had just spent eight or ten thousand
francs over his allowance in Paris； where he had been sent to study
law； now came forward and kissed Eugenie on both cheeks； offering her
a workbox with utensils in silver…gilt；mere show…case trumpery； in
spite of the monogram E。G。 in gothic letters rather well engraved；
which belonged properly to something in better taste。 As she opened
it； Eugenie experienced one of those unexpected and perfect delights
which make a young girl blush and quiver and tremble with pleasure。
She turned her eyes to her father as if to ask permission to accept
it； and Monsieur Grandet replied： 〃Take it； my daughter；〃 in a tone
which would have made an actor illustrious。
The three Cruchots felt crushed as they saw the joyous； animated look
cast upon Adolphe des Grassins by the heiress； to whom such riches
were unheard…of。 Monsieur des Grassins offered Grandet a pinch of
snuff； took one himself； shook off the grains as they fell on the
ribbon of the Legion of honor which was attached to the button…hole of
his blue surtout； then he looked at the Cruchots with an air that
seemed to say； 〃Parry that thrust if you can！〃 Madame des Grassins
cast her eyes on the blue vases which held the Cruchot bouquets；
looking at the enemy's gifts with the pretended interest of a
satirical woman。 At this delicate juncture the Abbe Cruchot left the
company seated in a circle round the fire and joined Grandet at the
lower end of the hall。 As the two men reached the embrasure of the
farthest window the priest said in the miser's ear： 〃Those people
throw money out of the windows。〃
〃What does that matter if it gets into my cellar？〃 retorted the old
wine…grower。
〃If you want to give gilt scissors to your daughter； you have the
means；〃 said the abbe。
〃I give her something better than scissors；〃 answered Grandet。
〃My nephew is a blockhead；〃 thought the abbe as he looked at the
presid
