eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第45章

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it。〃
Eugenie　read　the　following　letter：
　　My　dear　Wife；Charles　Grandet　has　returned　from　the　Indies　and
　　has　been　in　Paris　about　a　month
〃A　month！〃　thought　Eugenie；　her　hand　falling　to　her　side。　After　a
pause　she　resumed　the　letter；
　　I　had　to　dance　attendance　before　I　was　allowed　to　see　the　future
　　Vicomte　d'Aubrion。　Though　all　Paris　is　talking　of　his　marriage　and
　　the　banns　are　published
〃He　wrote　to　me　after　that！〃　thought　Eugenie。　She　did　not　conclude　the
thought；　she　did　not　cry　out；　as　a　Parisian　woman　would　have　done；
〃The　villain！〃　but　though　she　said　it　not；　contempt　was　none　the　less
present　in　her　mind。
　　The　marriage；　however；　will　not　come　off。　The　Marquis　d'Aubrion
　　will　never　give　his　daughter　to　the　son　of　a　bankrupt。　I　went　to
　　tell　Grandet　of　the　steps　his　uncle　and　I　took　in　his　father's
　　business；　and　the　clever　manoeuvres　by　which　we　had　managed　to
　　keep　the　creditor's　quiet　until　the　present　time。　The　insolent
　　fellow　had　the　face　to　say　to　meto　me；　who　for　five　years　have
　　devoted　myself　night　and　day　to　his　interests　and　his　honor！that
　　/his　father's　affairs　were　not　his/！　A　solicitor　would　have　had
　　the　right　to　demand　fees　amounting　to　thirty　or　forty　thousand
　　francs；　one　per　cent　on　the　total　of　the　debts。　But　patience！
　　there　are　twelve　hundred　thousand　francs　legitimately　owing　to　the
　　creditors；　and　I　shall　at　once　declare　his　father　a　bankrupt。
　　I　went　into　this　business　on　the　word　of　that　old　crocodile
　　Grandet；　and　I　have　made　promises　in　the　name　of　his　family。　If
　　Monsieur　de　vicomte　d'Aubrion　does　not　care　for　his　honor；　I　care
　　for　mine。　I　shall　explain　my　position　to　the　creditors。　Still；　I
　　have　too　much　respect　for　Mademoiselle　Eugenie　（to　whom　under
　　happier　circumstances　we　once　hoped　to　be　allied）　to　act　in　this
　　matter　before　you　have　spoken　to　her　about　it
There　Eugenie　paused；　and　coldly　returned　the　letter　without　finishing
it。
〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said　to　Madame　des　Grassins。
〃Ah！　you　have　the　voice　and　manner　of　your　deceased　father；〃　Madame
des　Grassins　replied。
〃Madame；　you　have　eight　thousand　francs　to　pay　us；〃　said　Nanon；
producing　Charles's　cheque。
〃That's　true；　have　the　kindness　to　come　with　me　now；　Madame
Cornoiller。〃
〃Monsieur　le　cure；〃　said　Eugenie　with　a　noble　composure；　inspired　by
the　thought　she　was　about　to　express；　〃would　it　be　a　sin　to　remain　a
virgin　after　marriage？〃
〃That　is　a　case　of　conscience　whose　solution　is　not　within　my
knowledge。　If　you　wish　to　know　what　the　celebrated　Sanchez　says　of　it
in　his　treatise　'De　Matrimonio；'　I　shall　be　able　to　tell　you
to…morrow。〃
The　cure　went　away；　Mademoiselle　Grandet　went　up　to　her　father's
secret　room　and　spent　the　day　there　alone；　without　coming　down　to
dinner；　in　spite　of　Nanon's　entreaties。　She　appeared　in　the　evening　at
the　hour　when　the　usual　company　began　to　arrive。　Never　was　the　old
hall　so　full　as　on　this　occasion。　The　news　of　Charles's　return　and　his
foolish　treachery　had　spread　through　the　whole　town。　But　however
watchful　the　curiosity　of　the　visitors　might　be；　it　was　left
unsatisfied。　Eugenie；　who　expected　scrutiny；　allowed　none　of　the　cruel
emotions　that　wrung　her　soul　to　appear　on　the　calm　surface　of　her
face。　She　was　able　to　show　a　smiling　front　in　answer　to　all　who　tried
to　testify　their　interest　by　mournful　looks　or　melancholy　speeches。
She　hid　her　misery　behind　a　veil　of　courtesy。　Towards　nine　o'clock　the
games　ended　and　the　players　left　the　tables；　paying　their　losses　and
discussing　points　of　the　game　as　they　joined　the　rest　of　the　company。
At　the　moment　when　the　whole　party　rose　to　take　leave；　an　unexpected
and　striking　event　occurred；　which　resounded　through　the　length　and
breadth　of　Saumur；　from　thence　through　the　arrondissement；　and　even　to
the　four　surrounding　prefectures。
〃Stay；　monsieur　le　president；〃　said　Eugenie　to　Monsieur　de　Bonfons　as
she　saw　him　take　his　cane。
There　was　not　a　person　in　that　numerous　assembly　who　was　unmoved　by
these　words。　The　president　turned　pale；　and　was　forced　to　sit　down。
〃The　president　gets　the　millions；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Gribeaucourt。
〃It　is　plain　enough；　the　president　marries　Mademoiselle　Grandet；〃
cried　Madame　d'Orsonval。
〃All　the　trumps　in　one　hand；〃　said　the　abbe。
〃A　love　game；〃　said　the　notary。
Each　and　all　said　his　say；　made　his　pun；　and　looked　at　the　heiress
mounted　on　her　millions　as　on　a　pedestal。　The　drama　begun　nine　years
before　had　reached　its　conclusion。　To　tell　the　president；　in　face　of
all　Saumur；　to　〃stay；〃　was　surely　the　same　thing　as　proclaiming　him
her　husband。　In　provincial　towns　social　conventionalities　are　so
rigidly　enforced　than　an　infraction　like　this　constituted　a　solemn
promise。
〃Monsieur　le　president；〃　said　Eugenie　in　a　voice　of　some　emotion　when
they　were　left　alone；　〃I　know　what　pleases　you　in　me。　Swear　to　leave
me　free　during　my　whole　life；　to　claim　none　of　the　rights　which
marriage　will　give　you　over　me；　and　my　hand　is　yours。　Oh！〃　she　added；
seeing　him　about　to　kneel　at　her　feet；　〃I　have　more　to　say。　I　must　not
deceive　you。　In　my　heart　I　cherish　one　inextinguishable　feeling。
Friendship　is　the　only　sentiment　which　I　can　give　to　a　husband。　I　wish
neither　to　affront　him　nor　to　violate　the　laws　of　my　own　heart。　But
you　can　possess　my　hand　and　my　fortune　only　at　the　cost　of　doing　me　an
inestimable　service。〃
〃I　am　ready　for　all　things；〃　said　the　president。
〃Here　are　fifteen　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　she　said；　drawing　from　her
bosom　a　certificate　of　a　hundred　shares　in　the　Bank　of　France。　〃Go　to
Paris；not　to…morrow；　but　instantly。　Find　Monsieur　des　Grassins；
learn　the　names　of　my　uncle's　creditors；　call　them　together；　pay　them
in　full　all　that　was　owing；　with　interest　at　five　per　cent　from　the
day　the　debt　was　incurred　to　the　present　time。　Be　careful　to　obtain　a
full　and　legal　receipt；　in　proper　form；　before　a　notary。　You　are　a
magistrate；　and　I　can　trust　this　matter　in　your　hands。　You　are　a　man
of　honor；　I　will　put　faith　in　your　word；　and　meet　the　dangers　of　life
under　shelter　of　your　name。　Let　us　have　mutual　indulgence。　We　have
known　each　other　so　long　that　we　are　almost　related；　you　would　not
wish　to　render　me　unhappy。〃
The　president　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　rich　heiress；　his　heart　beating
and　wrung　with　joy。
〃I　will　be　your　slave！〃　he　said。
〃When　you　obtain　the　receipts；　monsieur；〃　she　resumed；　with　a　cold
glance；　〃you　will　take　them　with　all　the　other　papers　to　my　cousin
Grandet；　and　you　will　give　him　this　letter。　On　your　return　I　will　keep
my　word。〃
The　president　understood　perfectly　that　he　owed　the　acquiescence　of
Mademoiselle　Grandet　to　some　bitterness　of　love；　and　he　made　haste　to
obey　her　orders；　lest　time　should　effect　a　reconciliation　between　the
pair。
When　Monsieur　de　Bonfons　left　her；　Eugenie　fell　back　in　her　chair　and
burst　into　tears。　All　was　over。
The　president　took　the　mail…post；　and　reached　Paris　the　next　evening。
The　morning　after　his　arrival　he　went　to　see　des　Grassins；　and
together　they　summoned　the　creditors　to　meet　at　the　notary's　office
where　the　vouchers　had　been　deposited。　Not　a　single　creditor　failed　to
be　present。　Creditors　though　they　were；　justice　must　be　done　to　them；
they　were　all　punctual。　Monsieur　de　Bonfons；　in　the　name　of
Mademoiselle　Grandet；　paid　them　the　amount　of　their　claims　with
interest。　The　payment　of　interest　was　a　remarkable　event　in　the
Parisian　commerce　of　that　day。　When　the　receipts　were　all　legally
registered；　and　des　Grassins　had　received　for　his　services　the　sum　of
fifty　thousand　francs　allowed　to　him　by　Eugenie；　the　president　made
his　way　to　the　hotel　d'Aubrion　and　found　Charles　just　entering　his　own
apartment　after　a　serious　encounter　with　his　prospective　father…in…
law。　The　old　marquis　had　told　him　plainly　that　he　should　not　marry　his
daughter　until　all　the　creditors　of　Guillaume　Grandet　had　been　paid　in
full。
The　president　gave　Charles　the　following　letter：
　　My　Cousin；Monsieur　le　president　de　Bonfons　has　undertaken　to
　　place　in　your　hands　the　aquittance　for　all　claims　upon　my　uncle；
　　also　a　receipt　by　which　I　acknowledge　having　received　from　you　the
　　sum　total　of　those　claims。　I　have　heard　of　a　possible　failure；　and
　　I　think　th