eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第25章

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banker；〃the　death　of　Monsieur　Grandet；　junior；　and　he　would　never
have　killed　himself　had　he　thought　in　time　of　applying　to　his　brother
for　help。　Our　old　friend；　who　is　honorable　to　his　finger…nails；
intends　to　liquidate　the　debts　of　the　Maison　Grandet　of　Paris。　To　save
him　the　worry　of　legal　proceedings；　my　nephew；　the　president；　has　just
offered　to　go　to　Paris　and　negotiate　with　the　creditors　for　a
satisfactory　settlement。〃
These　words；　corroborated　by　Grandet's　attitude　as　he　stood　silently
nursing　his　chin；　astonished　the　three　des　Grassins；　who　had　been
leisurely　discussing　the　old　man's　avarice　as　they　came　along；　very
nearly　accusing　him　of　fratricide。
〃Ah！　I　was　sure　of　it；〃　cried　the　banker；　looking　at　his　wife。　〃What
did　I　tell　you　just　now；　Madame　des　Grassins？　Grandet　is　honorable　to
the　backbone；　and　would　never　allow　his　name　to　remain　under　the
slightest　cloud！　Money　without　honor　is　a　disease。　There　is　honor　in
the　provinces！　Right；　very　right；　Grandet。　I'm　an　old　soldier；　and　I
can't　disguise　my　thoughts；　I　speak　roughly。　Thunder！　it　is　sublime！〃
〃Th…then　s…s…sublime　th…things　c…c…cost　d…dear；〃　answered　the　goodman；
as　the　banker　warmly　wrung　his　hand。
〃But　this；　my　dear　Grandet；if　the　president　will　excuse　me；is　a
purely　commercial　matter；　and　needs　a　consummate　business　man。　Your
agent　must　be　some　one　fully　acquainted　with　the　markets；with
disbursements；　rebates；　interest　calculations；　and　so　forth。　I　am
going　to　Paris　on　business　of　my　own；　and　I　can　take　charge　of〃
〃We'll　see　about　t…t…trying　to　m…m…manage　it　b…b…between　us；　under　the
p…p…peculiar　c…c…circumstances；　b…b…but　without　b…b…binding　m…m…myself
to　anything　th…that　I　c…c…could　not　do；〃　said　Grandet；　stuttering；
〃because；　you　see；　monsieur　le　president　naturally　expects　me　to　pay
the　expenses　of　his　journey。〃
The　goodman　did　not　stammer　over　the　last　words。
〃Eh！〃　cried　Madame　des　Grassins；　〃why　it　is　a　pleasure　to　go　to　Paris。
I　would　willingly　pay　to　go　myself。〃
She　made　a　sign　to　her　husband；　as　if　to　encourage　him　in　cutting　the
enemy　out　of　the　commission；　/coute　que　coute/；　then　she　glanced
ironically　at　the　two　Cruchots；　who　looked　chap…fallen。　Grandet　seized
the　banker　by　a　button　and　drew　him　into　a　corner　of　the　room。
〃I　have　a　great　deal　more　confidence　in　you　than　in　the　president；〃　he
said；　〃besides；　I've　other　fish　to　fry；〃　he　added；　wriggling　his　wen。
〃I　want　to　buy　a　few　thousand　francs　in　the　Funds　while　they　are　at
eighty。　They　fall；　I'm　told；　at　the　end　of　each　month。　You　know　all
about　these　things；　don't　you？〃
〃Bless　me！　then；　am　I　to　invest　enough　to　give　you　a　few　thousand
francs　a　year？〃
〃That's　not　much　to　begin　with。　Hush！　I　don't　want　any　one　to　know　I
am　going　to　play　that　game。　You　can　make　the　investment　by　the　end　of
the　month。　Say　nothing　to　the　Cruchots；　that'll　annoy　them。　If　you　are
really　going　to　Paris；　we　will　see　if　there　is　anything　to　be　done　for
my　poor　nephew。〃
〃Well；　it's　all　settled。　I'll　start　to…morrow　by　the　mail…post；〃　said
des　Grassins　aloud；　〃and　I　will　come　and　take　your　last　directions　at
what　hour　will　suit　you？〃
〃Five　o'clock；　just　before　dinner；〃　said　Grandet；　rubbing　his　hands。
The　two　parties　stayed　on　for　a　short　time。　Des　Grassins　said；　after　a
pause；　striking　Grandet　on　the　shoulder；
〃It　is　a　good　thing　to　have　a　relation　like　him。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　without　making　a　show；〃　said　Grandet；　〃I　am　a　g…good
relation。　I　loved　my　brother；　and　I　will　prove　it；　unless　it
c…c…costs〃
〃We　must　leave　you；　Grandet；〃　said　the　banker；　interrupting　him
fortunately　before　he　got　to　the　end　of　his　sentence。　〃If　I　hurry　my
departure；　I　must　attend　to　some　matters　at　once。〃
〃Very　good；　very　good！　I　myselfin　c…consequence　of　what　I　t…told　you
I　must　retire　to　my　own　room　and　'd…d…deliberate；'　as　President
Cruchot　says。〃
〃Plague　take　him！　I　am　no　longer　Monsieur　de　Bonfons；〃　thought　the
magistrate　ruefully；　his　face　assuming　the　expression　of　a　judge　bored
by　an　argument。
The　heads　of　the　two　factions　walked　off　together。　Neither　gave　any
further　thought　to　the　treachery　Grandet　had　been　guilty　of　in　the
morning　against　the　whole　wine…growing　community；　each　tried　to　fathom
what　the　other　was　thinking　about　the　real　intentions　of　the　wily　old
man　in　this　new　affair；　but　in　vain。
〃Will　you　go　with　us　to　Madame　Dorsonval's？〃　said　des　Grassins　to　the
notary。
〃We　will　go　there　later；〃　answered　the　president。　〃I　have　promised　to
say　good…evening　to　Mademoiselle　de　Gribeaucourt；　and　we　will　go　there
first；　if　my　uncle　is　willing。〃
〃Farewell　for　the　present！〃　said　Madame　des　Grassins。
When　the　Cruchots　were　a　few　steps　off；　Adolphe　remarked　to　his
father；
〃Are　not　they　fuming；　hein？〃
〃Hold　your　tongue；　my　son！〃　said　his　mother；　〃they　might　hear　you。
Besides；　what　you　say　is　not　in　good　taste；law…school　language。〃
〃Well；　uncle；〃　cried　the　president　when　he　saw　the　des　Grassins
disappearing；　〃I　began　by　being　de　Bonfons；　and　I　have　ended　as
nothing　but　Cruchot。〃
〃I　saw　that　that　annoyed　you；　but　the　wind　has　set　fair　for　the　des
Grassins。　What　a　fool　you　are；　with　all　your　cleverness！　Let　them　sail
off　on　Grandet's　'We'll　see　about　it；'　and　keep　yourself　quiet；　young
man。　Eugenie　will　none　the　less　be　your　wife。〃
In　a　few　moments　the　news　of　Grandet's　magnanimous　resolve　was
disseminated　in　three　houses　at　the　same　moment；　and　the　whole　town
began　to　talk　of　his　fraternal　devotion。　Every　one　forgave　Grandet　for
the　sale　made　in　defiance　of　the　good　faith　pledged　to　the　community；
they　admired　his　sense　of　honor；　and　began　to　laud　a　generosity　of
which　they　had　never　thought　him　capable。　It　is　part　of　the　French
nature　to　grow　enthusiastic；　or　angry；　or　fervent　about　some　meteor　of
the　moment。　Can　it　be　that　collective　beings；　nationalities；　peoples；
are　devoid　of　memory？
When　Pere　Grandet　had　shut　the　door　he　called　Nanon。
〃Don't　let　the　dog　loose；　and　don't　go　to　bed；　we　have　work　to　do
together。　At　eleven　o'clock　Cornoiller　will　be　at　the　door　with　the
chariot　from　Froidfond。　Listen　for　him　and　prevent　his　knocking；　tell
him　to　come　in　softly。　Police　regulations　don't　allow　nocturnal
racket。　Besides；　the　whole　neighborhood　need　not　know　that　I　am
starting　on　a　journey。〃
So　saying；　Grandet　returned　to　his　private　room；　where　Nanon　heard　him
moving　about；　rummaging；　and　walking　to　and　fro；　though　with　much
precaution；　for　he　evidently　did　not　wish　to　wake　his　wife　and
daughter；　and　above　all　not　to　rouse　the　attention　of　his　nephew；　whom
he　had　begun　to　anathematize　when　he　saw　a　thread　of　light　under　his
door。　About　the　middle　of　the　night　Eugenie；　intent　on　her　cousin；
fancied　she　heard　a　cry　like　that　of　a　dying　person。　It　must　be
Charles；　she　thought；　he　was　so　pale；　so　full　of　despair　when　she　had
seen　him　last；could　he　have　killed　himself？　She　wrapped　herself
quickly　in　a　loose　garment；a　sort　of　pelisse　with　a　hood；and　was
about　to　leave　the　room　when　a　bright　light　coming　through　the　chinks
of　her　door　made　her　think　of　fire。　But　she　recovered　herself　as　she
heard　Nanon's　heavy　steps　and　gruff　voice　mingling　with　the　snorting
of　several　horses。
〃Can　my　father　be　carrying　off　my　cousin？〃　she　said　to　herself；
opening　her　door　with　great　precaution　lest　it　should　creak；　and　yet
enough　to　let　her　see　into　the　corridor。
Suddenly　her　eye　encountered　that　of　her　father；　and　his　glance；　vague
and　unnoticing　as　it　was；　terrified　her。　The　goodman　and　Nanon　were
yoked　together　by　a　stout　stick；　each　end　of　which　rested　on　their
shoulders；　a　stout　rope　was　passed　over　it；　on　which　was　slung　a　small
barrel　or　keg　like　those　Pere　Grandet　still　made　in　his　bakehouse　as
an　amusement　for　his　leisure　hours。
〃Holy　Virgin；　how　heavy　it　is！〃　said　the　voice　of　Nanon。
〃What　a　pity　that　it　is　only　copper　sous！〃　answered　Grandet。　〃Take
care　you　don't　knock　over　the　candlestick。〃
The　scene　was　lighted　by　a　single　candle　placed　between　two　rails　of
the　staircase。
〃Cornoiller；〃　said　Grandet　to　his　keeper　/in　partibus/；　〃have　you
brought　your　pistols？〃
〃No；　monsieur。　Mercy！　what's　there　to　fear　for　your　copper　sous？〃
〃Oh！　nothing；〃　said　Pere　Grandet。
〃Besides；　we　shall　go　fast；〃　added　the　man；　〃your　farmers　have　picked