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offer me bad advice？ I have not reached the age of thirty…nine；
without a stain upon my reputation； thank God！ to compromise myself
now； even for the empire of the Great Mogul。 You and I are of an age
when we both know the meaning of words。 For an ecclesiastic； you
certainly have ideas that are very incongruous。 Fie！ it is worthy of
Faublas！〃
〃You have read Faublas？〃
〃No； monsieur l'abbe； I meant to say the /Liaisons dangereuses/。〃
〃Ah！ that book is infinitely more moral；〃 said the abbe； laughing。
〃But you make me out as wicked as a young man of the present day； I
only meant〃
〃Do you dare to tell me you were not thinking of putting wicked things
into my head？ Isn't it perfectly clear？ If this young manwho I admit
is very good…lookingwere to make love to me； he would not think of
his cousin。 In Paris； I know； good mothers do devote themselves in
this way to the happiness and welfare of their children； but we live
in the provinces； monsieur l'abbe。〃
〃Yes； madame。〃
〃And；〃 she continued； 〃I do not want； and Adolphe himself would not
want； a hundred millions brought at such a price。〃
〃Madame； I said nothing about a hundred millions； that temptation
might be too great for either of us to withstand。 Only； I do think
that an honest woman may permit herself； in all honor； certain
harmless little coquetries； which are； in fact； part of her social
duty and which〃
〃Do you think so？〃
〃Are we not bound； madame； to make ourselves agreeable to each other？
Permit me to blow my nose。I assure you； madame；〃 he resumed； 〃that
the young gentleman ogled you through his glass in a more flattering
manner than he put on when he looked at me； but I forgive him for
doing homage to beauty in preference to old age〃
〃It is quite apparent；〃 said the president in his loud voice； 〃that
Monsieur Grandet of Paris has sent his son to Saumur with extremely
matrimonial intentions。〃
〃But in that case the cousin wouldn't have fallen among us like a
cannon…ball；〃 answered the notary。
〃That doesn't prove anything；〃 said Monsieur des Grassins； 〃the old
miser is always making mysteries。〃
〃Des Grassins； my friend； I have invited the young man to dinner。 You
must go and ask Monsieur and Madame de Larsonniere and the du Hautoys；
with the beautiful demoiselle du Hautoy； of course。 I hope she will be
properly dressed； that jealous mother of hers does make such a fright
of her！ Gentlemen； I trust that you will all do us the honor to come；〃
she added； stopping the procession to address the two Cruchots。
〃Here you are at home； madame；〃 said the notary。
After bowing to the three des Grassins； the three Cruchots returned
home； applying their provincial genius for analysis to studying； under
all its aspects； the great event of the evening； which undoubtedly
changed the respective positions of Grassinists and Cruchotines。 The
admirable common…sense which guided all the actions of these great
machinators made each side feel the necessity of a momentary alliance
against a common enemy。 Must they not mutually hinder Eugenie from
loving her cousin； and the cousin from thinking of Eugenie？ Could the
Parisian resist the influence of treacherous insinuations； soft…spoken
calumnies； slanders full of faint praise and artless denials； which
should be made to circle incessantly about him and deceive him？
IV
When the four relations were left alone； Monsieur Grandet said to his
nephew；
〃We must go to bed。 It is too late to talk about the matters which
have brought you here； to…morrow we will take a suitable moment。 We
breakfast at eight o'clock； at midday we eat a little fruit or a bit
of bread； and drink a glass of white wine； and we dine； like the
Parisians； at five o'clock。 That's the order of the day。 If you like
to go and see the town and the environs you are free to do so。 You
will excuse me if my occupations do not permit me to accompany you。
You may perhaps hear people say that I am rich；Monsieur Grandet
this； Monsieur Grandet that。 I let them talk； their gossip does not
hurt my credit。 But I have not a penny； I work in my old age like an
apprentice whose worldly goods are a bad plane and two good arms。
Perhaps you'll soon know yourself what a franc costs when you have got
to sweat for it。 Nanon； where are the candles？〃
〃I trust； my nephew； that you will find all you want；〃 said Madame
Grandet； 〃but if you should need anything else； you can call Nanon。〃
〃My dear aunt； I shall need nothing； I have； I believe； brought
everything with me。 Permit me to bid you good…night； and my young
cousin also。〃
Charles took a lighted wax candle from Nanon's hand；an Anjou candle；
very yellow in color； and so shopworn that it looked like tallow and
deceived Monsieur Grandet； who； incapable of suspecting its presence
under his roof； did not perceive this magnificence。
〃I will show you the way；〃 he said。
Instead of leaving the hall by the door which opened under the
archway； Grandet ceremoniously went through the passage which divided
the hall from the kitchen。 A swing…door； furnished with a large oval
pane of glass； shut this passage from the staircase； so as to fend off
the cold air which rushed through it。 But the north wind whistled none
the less keenly in winter； and； in spite of the sand…bags at the
bottom of the doors of the living…room； the temperature within could
scarcely be kept at a proper height。 Nanon went to bolt the outer
door； then she closed the hall and let loose a wolf…dog； whose bark
was so strangled that he seemed to have laryngitis。 This animal； noted
for his ferocity； recognized no one but Nanon； the two untutored
children of the fields understood each other。
When Charles saw the yellow； smoke…stained walls of the well of the
staircase； where each worm…eaten step shook under the heavy foot…fall
of his uncle； his expectations began to sober more and more。 He
fancied himself in a hen…roost。 His aunt and cousin； to whom he turned
an inquiring look； were so used to the staircase that they did not
guess the cause of his amazement； and took the glance for an
expression of friendliness； which they answered by a smile that made
him desperate。
〃Why the devil did my father send me to such a place？〃 he said to
himself。
When they reached the first landing he saw three doors painted in
Etruscan red and without casings；doors sunk in the dusty walls and
provided with iron bars； which in fact were bolts； each ending with
the pattern of a flame； as did both ends of the long sheath of the
lock。 The first door at the top of the staircase； which opened into a
room directly above the kitchen； was evidently walled up。 In fact； the
only entrance to that room was through Grandet's bedchamber； the room
itself was his office。 The single window which lighted it； on the side
of the court； was protected by a lattice of strong iron bars。 No one；
not even Madame Grandet； had permission to enter it。 The old man chose
to be alone； like an alchemist in his laboratory。 There； no doubt；
some hiding…place had been ingeniously constructed； there the title…
deeds of property were stored； there hung the scales on which to weigh
the louis； there were devised； by night and secretly； the estimates；
the profits； the receipts； so that business men； finding Grandet
prepared at all points； imagined that he got his cue from fairies or
demons； there； no doubt； while Nanon's loud snoring shook the rafters；
while the wolf…dog watched and yawned in the courtyard； while Madame
and Mademoiselle Grandet were quietly sleeping； came the old cooper to
cuddle； to con over； to caress and clutch and clasp his gold。 The
walls were thick； the screens sure。 He alone had the key of this
laboratory； whereso people declaredhe studied the maps on which
his fruit…trees were marked； and calculated his profits to a vine； and
almost to a twig。
The door of Eugenie's chamber was opposite to the walled…up entrance
to this room。 At the other end of the landing were the appartements of
the married pair； which occupied the whole front of the house。 Madame
Grandet had a room next to that of Eugenie； which was entered through
a glass door。 The master's chamber was separated from that of his wife
by a partition； and from the mysterious strong…room by a thick wall。
Pere Grandet lodged his nephew on the second floor； in the high
mansarde attic which was above his own bedroom； so that he might hear
him if the young man took it into his head to go and come。 When
Eugenie and her mother reached the middle of the landing they kissed
each other for good…night； then with a few words of adieu to Charles；
cold upon the lips； but certainly very warm in the heart of the young
girl； they withdrew into their own chambers。
〃Here you are in your room； my nephew；〃 said Pere Grandet as he opened
the door。 〃If you need to go out； call Nanon； without her； beware！ the
dog would eat you up without a word。 Sleep well。 Good…night。 Ha！ why；
they have made you a fire！〃 he cried。
At this moment Nanon appeared with the warming pan。
〃Here's something more！〃 said Monsieur Grandet。 〃Do you take my nephew
for a lying…in woman？ Carry off your brazier； Nanon！〃
〃But； monsieur； the sheets are damp； and