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Eugenie Grandet
by Honore de Balzac
Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
DEDICATION
To Maria。
May your name； that of one whose portrait is the noblest ornament
of this work； lie on its opening pages like a branch of sacred
box； taken from an unknown tree； but sanctified by religion； and
kept ever fresh and green by pious hands to bless the house。
De Balzac。
EUGENIE GRANDET
I
There are houses in certain provincial towns whose aspect inspires
melancholy； akin to that called forth by sombre cloisters； dreary
moorlands； or the desolation of ruins。 Within these houses there is；
perhaps； the silence of the cloister； the barrenness of moors； the
skeleton of ruins； life and movement are so stagnant there that a
stranger might think them uninhabited； were it not that he encounters
suddenly the pale； cold glance of a motionless person； whose half…
monastic face peers beyond the window…casing at the sound of an
unaccustomed step。
Such elements of sadness formed the physiognomy； as it were； of a
dwelling…house in Saumur which stands at the end of the steep street
leading to the chateau in the upper part of the town。 This streetnow
little frequented； hot in summer； cold in winter； dark in certain
sectionsis remarkable for the resonance of its little pebbly
pavement； always clean and dry； for the narrowness of its tortuous
road…way； for the peaceful stillness of its houses； which belong to
the Old town and are over…topped by the ramparts。 Houses three
centuries old are still solid； though built of wood； and their divers
aspects add to the originality which commends this portion of Saumur
to the attention of artists and antiquaries。
It is difficult to pass these houses without admiring the enormous
oaken beams； their ends carved into fantastic figures； which crown
with a black bas…relief the lower floor of most of them。 In one place
these transverse timbers are covered with slate and mark a bluish line
along the frail wall of a dwelling covered by a roof /en colombage/
which bends beneath the weight of years； and whose rotting shingles
are twisted by the alternate action of sun and rain。 In another place
blackened； worn…out window…sills； with delicate sculptures now
scarcely discernible； seem too weak to bear the brown clay pots from
which springs the heart's…ease or the rose…bush of some poor working…
woman。 Farther on are doors studded with enormous nails； where the
genius of our forefathers has traced domestic hieroglyphics； of which
the meaning is now lost forever。 Here a Protestant attested his
belief； there a Leaguer cursed Henry IV。； elsewhere some bourgeois has
carved the insignia of his /noblesse de cloches/； symbols of his long…
forgotten magisterial glory。 The whole history of France is there。
Next to a tottering house with roughly plastered walls； where an
artisan enshrines his tools； rises the mansion of a country gentleman；
on the stone arch of which above the door vestiges of armorial
bearings may still be seen； battered by the many revolutions that have
shaken France since 1789。 In this hilly street the ground…floors of
the merchants are neither shops nor warehouses； lovers of the Middle
Ages will here find the /ouvrouere/ of our forefathers in all its
naive simplicity。 These low rooms； which have no shop…frontage； no
show…windows； in fact no glass at all； are deep and dark and without
interior or exterior decoration。 Their doors open in two parts； each
roughly iron…bound； the upper half is fastened back within the room；
the lower half； fitted with a spring…bell； swings continually to and
fro。 Air and light reach the damp den within； either through the upper
half of the door； or through an open space between the ceiling and a
low front wall； breast…high； which is closed by solid shutters that
are taken down every morning； put up every evening； and held in place
by heavy iron bars。
This wall serves as a counter for the merchandise。 No delusive display
is there； only samples of the business； whatever it may chance to be；
such； for instance； as three or four tubs full of codfish and salt；
a few bundles of sail…cloth； cordage； copper wire hanging from the
joists above； iron hoops for casks ranged along the wall； or a few
pieces of cloth upon the shelves。 Enter。 A neat girl； glowing with
youth； wearing a white kerchief； her arms red and bare； drops her
knitting and calls her father or her mother； one of whom comes forward
and sells you what you want； phlegmatically； civilly； or arrogantly；
according to his or her individual character； whether it be a matter
of two sous' or twenty thousand francs' worth of merchandise。 You may
see a cooper； for instance； sitting in his doorway and twirling his
thumbs as he talks with a neighbor。 To all appearance he owns nothing
more than a few miserable boat…ribs and two or three bundles of laths；
but below in the port his teeming wood…yard supplies all the cooperage
trade of Anjou。 He knows to a plank how many casks are needed if the
vintage is good。 A hot season makes him rich； a rainy season ruins
him； in a single morning puncheons worth eleven francs have been known
to drop to six。 In this country； as in Touraine； atmospheric
vicissitudes control commercial life。 Wine…growers； proprietors； wood…
merchants； coopers； inn…keepers； mariners； all keep watch of the sun。
They tremble when they go to bed lest they should hear in the morning
of a frost in the night； they dread rain； wind； drought； and want
water； heat； and clouds to suit their fancy。 A perpetual duel goes on
between the heavens and their terrestrial interests。 The barometer
smooths； saddens； or makes merry their countenances； turn and turn
about。 From end to end of this street； formerly the Grand'Rue de
Saumur； the words： 〃Here's golden weather；〃 are passed from door to
door； or each man calls to his neighbor： 〃It rains louis；〃 knowing
well what a sunbeam or the opportune rainfall is bringing him。
On Saturdays after midday； in the fine season； not one sou's worth of
merchandise can be bought from these worthy traders。 Each has his
vineyard； his enclosure of fields； and all spend two days in the
country。 This being foreseen； and purchases； sales； and profits
provided for； the merchants have ten or twelve hours to spend in
parties of pleasure； in making observations； in criticisms； and in
continual spying。 A housewife cannot buy a partridge without the
neighbors asking the husband if it were cooked to a turn。 A young girl
never puts her head near a window that she is not seen by idling
groups in the street。 Consciences are held in the light； and the
houses； dark； silent； impenetrable as they seem； hide no mysteries。
Life is almost wholly in the open air； every household sits at its own
threshold； breakfasts； dines； and quarrels there。 No one can pass
along the street without being examined； in fact formerly； when a
stranger entered a provincial town he was bantered and made game of
from door to door。 From this came many good stories； and the nickname
/copieux/； which was applied to the inhabitants of Angers； who
excelled in such urban sarcasms。
The ancient mansions of the old town of Saumur are at the top of this
hilly street； and were formerly occupied by the nobility of the
neighborhood。 The melancholy dwelling where the events of the
following history took place is one of these mansions；venerable
relics of a century in which men and things bore the characteristics
of simplicity which French manners and customs are losing day by day。
Follow the windings of the picturesque thoroughfare； whose
irregularities awaken recollections that plunge the mind mechanically
into reverie； and you will see a somewhat dark recess； in the centre
of which is hidden the door of the house of Monsieur Grandet。 It is
impossible to understand the force of this provincial expressionthe
house of Monsieur Grandetwithout giving the biography of Monsieur
Grandet himself。
Monsieur Grandet enjoyed a reputation in Saumur whose causes and
effects can never be fully understood by those who have not； at one
time or another； lived in the provinces。 In 1789 Monsieur Grandet
still called by certain persons le Pere Grandet； though the number of
such old persons has perceptibly diminishedwas a master…cooper； able
to read； write； and cipher。 At the period when the French Republic
offered for sale the church property in the arrondissement of Saumur；
the cooper； then forty years of age； had just married the daughter of
a rich wood…merchant。 Supplied with the ready money of his own fortune
and his wife's /dot/； in all about two thousand louis…d'or； Grandet
went to the newly established 〃district；〃 where； with the help of two
hundred double louis given by his father…in…law to the surly
republican who presided over the sales of the national domain； he
obtained for a song； legally if not legitimately； one of the finest
vineyards in the arrondissement； an old abbey； and several farms。 The
inhabitants of Saumur were so little revolutionary that they thought
Pere Grandet a bold man； a republican； and a patriot with a mind open
to all the new ideas； though in point of fact it was open only