eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第43章

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lodged　at　the　same　hotel　and　started　together　for　Paris。　The　hotel
d'Aubrion　was　hampered　with　mortgages；　Charles　was　destined　to　free
it。　The　mother　told　him　how　delighted　she　would　be　to　give　up　the
ground…floor　to　a　son…in…law。　Not　sharing　Monsieur　d'Aubrion's
prejudices　on　the　score　of　nobility；　she　promised　Charles　Grandet　to
obtain　a　royal　ordinance　from　Charles　X。　which　would　authorize　him；
Grandet；　to　take　the　name　and　arms　of　d'Aubrion　and　to　succeed；　by
purchasing　the　entailed　estate　for　thirty…six　thousand　francs　a　year；
to　the　titles　of　Captal　de　Buch　and　Marquis　d'Aubrion。　By　thus　uniting
their　fortunes；　living　on　good　terms；　and　profiting　by　sinecures；　the
two　families　might　occupy　the　hotel　d'Aubrion　with　an　income　of　over　a
hundred　thousand　francs。
〃And　when　a　man　has　a　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；　a　name；　a
family；　and　a　position　at　court；for　I　will　get　you　appointed　as
gentleman…of…the…bedchamber；he　can　do　what　he　likes；〃　she　said　to
Charles。　〃You　can　then　become　anything　you　choose；master　of　the
rolls　in　the　council　of　State；　prefect；　secretary　to　an　embassy；　the
ambassador　himself；　if　you　like。　Charles　X。　is　fond　of　d'Aubrion；　they
have　known　each　other　from　childhood。〃
Intoxicated　with　ambition；　Charles　toyed　with　the　hopes　thus　cleverly
presented　to　him　in　the　guise　of　confidences　poured　from　heart　to
heart。　Believing　his　father's　affairs　to　have　been　settled　by　his
uncle；　he　imagined　himself　suddenly　anchored　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…
Germain；that　social　object　of　all　desire；　where；　under　shelter　of
Mademoiselle　Mathilde's　purple　nose；　he　was　to　reappear　as　the　Comte
d'Aubrion；　very　much　as　the　Dreux　reappeared　in　Breze。　Dazzled　by　the
prosperity　of　the　Restoration；　which　was　tottering　when　he　left
France；　fascinated　by　the　splendor　of　aristocratic　ideas；　his
intoxication；　which　began　on　the　brig；　increased　after　he　reached
Paris；　and　he　finally　determined　to　take　the　course　and　reach　the　high
position　which　the　selfish　hopes　of　his　would…be　mother…in…law　pointed
out　to　him。　His　cousin　counted　for　no　more　than　a　speck　in　this
brilliant　perspective；　but　he　went　to　see　Annette。　True　woman　of　the
world；　Annette　advised　her　old　friend　to　make　the　marriage；　and
promised　him　her　support　in　all　his　ambitious　projects。　In　her　heart
she　was　enchanted　to　fasten　an　ugly　and　uninteresting　girl　on　Charles；
whose　life　in　the　West　Indies　had　rendered　him　very　attractive。　His
complexion　had　bronzed；　his　manners　had　grown　decided　and　bold；　like
those　of　a　man　accustomed　to　make　sharp　decisions；　to　rule；　and　to
succeed。　Charles　breathed　more　at　his　ease　in　Paris；　conscious　that　he
now　had　a　part　to　play。
Des　Grassins；　hearing　of　his　return；　of　his　approaching　marriage　and
his　large　fortune；　came　to　see　him；　and　inquired　about　the　three
hundred　thousand　francs　still　required　to　settle　his　father's　debts。
He　found　Grandet　in　conference　with　a　goldsmith；　from　whom　he　had
ordered　jewels　for　Mademoiselle　d'Aubrion's　/corbeille/；　and　who　was
then　submitting　the　designs。　Charles　had　brought　back　magnificent
diamonds；　and　the　value　of　their　setting；　together　with　the　plate　and
jewelry　of　the　new　establishment；　amounted　to　more　than　two　hundred
thousand　francs。　He　received　des　Grassins；　whom　he　did　not　recognize；
with　the　impertinence　of　a　young　man　of　fashion　conscious　of　having
killed　four　men　in　as　many　duels　in　the　Indies。　Monsieur　des　Grassins
had　already　called　several　times。　Charles　listened　to　him　coldly；　and
then　replied；　without　fully　understanding　what　had　been　said　to　him；
〃My　father's　affairs　are　not　mine。　I　am　much　obliged；　monsieur；　for
the　trouble　you　have　been　good　enough　to　take；by　which；　however；　I
really　cannot　profit。　I　have　not　earned　two　millions　by　the　sweat　of
my　brow　to　fling　them　at　the　head　of　my　father's　creditors。〃
〃But　suppose　that　your　father's　estate　were　within　a　few　days　to　be
declared　bankrupt？〃
〃Monsieur；　in　a　few　days　I　shall　be　called　the　Comte　d'Aubrion；　you
will　understand；　therefore；　that　what　you　threaten　is　of　no
consequence　to　me。　Besides；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　when　a　man
has　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs　his　father　has　/never
failed/。〃　So　saying；　he　politely　edged　Monsieur　des　Grassins　to　the
door。
*****
At　the　beginning　of　August　in　the　same　year；　Eugenie　was　sitting　on
the　little　wooden　bench　where　her　cousin　had　sworn　to　love　her
eternally；　and　where　she　usually　breakfasted　if　the　weather　were　fine。
The　poor　girl　was　happy；　for　the　moment；　in　the　fresh　and　joyous
summer　air；　letting　her　memory　recall　the　great　and　the　little　events
of　her　love　and　the　catastrophes　which　had　followed　it。　The　sun　had
just　reached　the　angle　of　the　ruined　wall；　so　full　of　chinks；　which　no
one；　through　a　caprice　of　the　mistress；　was　allowed　to　touch；　though
Cornoiller　often　remarked　to　his　wife　that　〃it　would　fall　and　crush
somebody　one　of　these　days。〃　At　this　moment　the　postman　knocked；　and
gave　a　letter　to　Madame　Cornoiller；　who　ran　into　the　garden；　crying
out：
〃Mademoiselle；　a　letter！〃　She　gave　it　to　her　mistress；　adding；　〃Is　it
the　one　you　expected？〃
The　words　rang　as　loudly　in　the　heart　of　Eugenie　as　they　echoed　in
sound　from　wall　to　wall　of　the　court　and　garden。
〃Parisfrom　himhe　has　returned！〃
Eugenie　turned　pale　and　held　the　letter　for　a　moment。　She　trembled　so
violently　that　she　could　not　break　the　seal。　La　Grande　Nanon　stood
before　her；　both　hands　on　her　hips；　her　joy　puffing　as　it　were　like
smoke　through　the　cracks　of　her　brown　face。
〃Read　it；　mademoiselle！〃
〃Ah；　Nanon；　why　did　he　return　to　Paris？　He　went　from　Saumur。〃
〃Read　it；　and　you'll　find　out。〃
Eugenie　opened　the　letter　with　trembling　fingers。　A　cheque　on　the
house　of　〃Madame　des　Grassins　and　Coret；　of　Saumur；〃　fluttered　down。
Nanon　picked　it　up。
　　My　dear　Cousin；
〃No　longer　'Eugenie；'〃　she　thought；　and　her　heart　quailed。
　　You
〃He　once　said　'thou。'〃　She　folded　her　arms　and　dared　not　read　another
word；　great　tears　gathered　in　her　eyes。
〃Is　he　dead？〃　asked　Nanon。
〃If　he　were；　he　could　not　write；〃　said　Eugenie。
She　then　read　the　whole　letter；　which　was　as　follows：
　　My　dear　Cousin；You　will；　I　am　sure；　hear　with　pleasure　of　the
　　success　of　my　enterprise。　You　brought　me　luck；　I　have　come　back
　　rich；　and　I　have　followed　the　advice　of　my　uncle；　whose　death；
　　together　with　that　of　my　aunt；　I　have　just　learned　from　Monsieur
　　des　Grassins。　The　death　of　parents　is　in　the　course　of　nature；　and
　　we　must　succeed　them。　I　trust　you　are　by　this　time　consoled。
　　Nothing　can　resist　time；　as　I　am　well　aware。　Yes；　my　dear　cousin；
　　the　day　of　illusions　is；　unfortunately；　gone　for　me。　How　could　it
　　be　otherwise？　Travelling　through　many　lands；　I　have　reflected　upon
　　life。　I　was　a　child　when　I　went　away；I　have　come　back　a　man。
　　To…day；　I　think　of　many　I　did　not　dream　of　then。　You　are　free；　my
　　dear　cousin；　and　I　am　free　still。　Nothing　apparently　hinders　the
　　realization　of　our　early　hopes；　but　my　nature　is　too　loyal　to　hide
　　from　you　the　situation　in　which　I　find　myself。　I　have　not
　　forgotten　our　relations；　I　have　always　remembered；　throughout　my
　　long　wanderings；　the　little　wooden　seat
Eugenie　rose　as　if　she　were　sitting　on　live　coals；　and　went　away　and
sat　down　on　the　stone　steps　of　the　court。
　　the　little　wooden　seat　where　we　vowed　to　love　each　other
　　forever；　the　passage；　the　gray　hall；　my　attic　chamber；　and　the
　　night　when；　by　your　delicate　kindness；　you　made　my　future　easier
　　to　me。　Yes；　these　recollections　sustained　my　courage；　I　said　in　my
　　heart　that　you　were　thinking　of　me　at　the　hour　we　had　agreed　upon。
　　Have　you　always　looked　at　the　clouds　at　nine　o'clock？　Yes；　I　am
　　sure　of　it。　I　cannot　betray　so　true　a　friendship；no；　I　must　not
　　deceive　you。　An　alliance　has　been　proposed　to　me　which　satisfies
　　all　my　ideas　of　matrimony。　Love　in　marriage　is　a　delusion。　My
　　present　experience　warns　me　that　in　marrying　we　are　bound　to　obey
　　all　social　laws　and　meet　the　conventional　demands　of　the　world。
　　Now；　between　you　and　me　there　are　differences　which　might　affect
　　your　future；　my　dear　cousin；　even　more　than　they　would　mine。　I
　　will　not　here　speak　of　your　customs　and　inclinations；　your
　　education