按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
his own mind。
〃I am not beautiful enough for him！〃 Such was Eugenie's thought；a
humble thought； fertile in suffering。 The poor girl did not do herself
justice； but modesty； or rather fear； is among the first of love's
virtues。 Eugenie belonged to the type of children with sturdy
constitutions； such as we see among the lesser bourgeoisie； whose
beauties always seem a little vulgar； and yet； though she resembled
the Venus of Milo； the lines of her figure were ennobled by the softer
Christian sentiment which purifies womanhood and gives it a
distinction unknown to the sculptors of antiquity。 She had an enormous
head； with the masculine yet delicate forehead of the Jupiter of
Phidias； and gray eyes； to which her chaste life； penetrating fully
into them； carried a flood of light。 The features of her round face；
formerly fresh and rosy； were at one time swollen by the small…pox；
which destroyed the velvet texture of the skin； though it kindly left
no other traces； and her cheek was still so soft and delicate that her
mother's kiss made a momentary red mark upon it。 Her nose was somewhat
too thick； but it harmonized well with the vermilion mouth； whose
lips； creased in many lines； were full of love and kindness。 The
throat was exquisitely round。 The bust； well curved and carefully
covered； attracted the eye and inspired reverie。 It lacked； no doubt；
the grace which a fitting dress can bestow； but to a connoisseur the
non…flexibility of her figure had its own charm。 Eugenie； tall and
strongly made； had none of the prettiness which pleases the masses；
but she was beautiful with a beauty which the spirit recognizes； and
none but artists truly love。 A painter seeking here below for a type
of Mary's celestial purity； searching womankind for those proud modest
eyes which Raphael divined； for those virgin lines； often due to
chances of conception； which the modesty of Christian life alone can
bestow or keep unchanged；such a painter； in love with his ideal；
would have found in the face of Eugenie the innate nobleness that is
ignorant of itself； he would have seen beneath the calmness of that
brow a world of love； he would have felt； in the shape of the eyes； in
the fall of the eyelids； the presence of the nameless something that
we call divine。 Her features； the contour of her head； which no
expression of pleasure had ever altered or wearied； were like the
lines of the horizon softly traced in the far distance across the
tranquil lakes。 That calm and rosy countenance； margined with light
like a lovely full…blown flower； rested the mind； held the eye； and
imparted the charm of the conscience that was there reflected。 Eugenie
was standing on the shore of life where young illusions flower； where
daisies are gathered with delights ere long to be unknown； and thus
she said； looking at her image in the glass； unconscious as yet of
love： 〃I am too ugly； he will not notice me。〃
Then she opened the door of her chamber which led to the staircase；
and stretched out her neck to listen for the household noises。 〃He is
not up；〃 she thought； hearing Nanon's morning cough as the good soul
went and came； sweeping out the halls； lighting her fire； chaining the
dog； and speaking to the beasts in the stable。 Eugenie at once went
down and ran to Nanon； who was milking the cow。
〃Nanon； my good Nanon； make a little cream for my cousin's breakfast。〃
〃Why； mademoiselle； you should have thought of that yesterday；〃 said
Nanon； bursting into a loud peal of laughter。 〃I can't make cream。
Your cousin is a darling； a darling！ oh； that he is！ You should have
seen him in his dressing…gown； all silk and gold！ I saw him； I did！ He
wears linen as fine as the surplice of monsieur le cure。〃
〃Nanon； please make us a /galette/。〃
〃And who'll give me wood for the oven； and flour and butter for the
cakes？〃 said Nanon； who in her function of prime…minister to Grandet
assumed at times enormous importance in the eyes of Eugenie and her
mother。 〃Mustn't rob the master to feast the cousin。 You ask him for
butter and flour and wood： he's your father； perhaps he'll give you
some。 See！ there he is now； coming to give out the provisions。〃
Eugenie escaped into the garden； quite frightened as she heard the
staircase shaking under her father's step。 Already she felt the
effects of that virgin modesty and that special consciousness of
happiness which lead us to fancy； not perhaps without reason； that our
thoughts are graven on our foreheads and are open to the eyes of all。
Perceiving for the first time the cold nakedness of her father's
house； the poor girl felt a sort of rage that she could not put it in
harmony with her cousin's elegance。 She felt the need of doing
something for him；what； she did not know。 Ingenuous and truthful；
she followed her angelic nature without mistrusting her impressions or
her feelings。 The mere sight of her cousin had wakened within her the
natural yearnings of a woman；yearnings that were the more likely to
develop ardently because； having reached her twenty…third year； she
was in the plenitude of her intelligence and her desires。 For the
first time in her life her heart was full of terror at the sight of
her father； in him she saw the master of the fate； and she fancied
herself guilty of wrong…doing in hiding from his knowledge certain
thoughts。 She walked with hasty steps； surprised to breathe a purer
air； to feel the sun's rays quickening her pulses； to absorb from
their heat a moral warmth and a new life。 As she turned over in her
mind some stratagem by which to get the cake； a quarrelan event as
rare as the sight of swallows in winterbroke out between la Grande
Nanon and Grandet。 Armed with his keys； the master had come to dole
out provisions for the day's consumption。
〃Is there any bread left from yesterday？〃 he said to Nanon。
〃Not a crumb； monsieur。〃
Grandet took a large round loaf； well floured and moulded in one of
the flat baskets which they use for baking in Anjou； and was about to
cut it； when Nanon said to him；
〃We are five； to…day； monsieur。〃
〃That's true；〃 said Grandet； 〃but your loaves weigh six pounds；
there'll be some left。 Besides； these young fellows from Paris don't
eat bread； you'll see。〃
〃Then they must eat /frippe/？〃 said Nanon。
/Frippe/ is a word of the local lexicon of Anjou； and means any
accompaniment of bread； from butter which is spread upon it； the
commonest kind of /frippe/； to peach preserve； the most distinguished
of all the /frippes/； those who in their childhood have licked the
/frippe/ and left the bread； will comprehend the meaning of Nanon's
speech。
〃No；〃 answered Grandet； 〃they eat neither bread nor /frippe/； they are
something like marriageable girls。〃
After ordering the meals for the day with his usual parsimony； the
goodman； having locked the closets containing the supplies； was about
to go towards the fruit…garden； when Nanon stopped him to say；
〃Monsieur； give me a little flour and some butter； and I'll make a
/galette/ for the young ones。〃
〃Are you going to pillage the house on account of my nephew？〃
〃I wasn't thinking any more of your nephew than I was of your dog；
not more than you think yourself； for； look here； you've only forked
out six bits of sugar。 I want eight。〃
〃What's all this； Nanon？ I have never seen you like this before。 What
have you got in your head？ Are you the mistress here？ You sha'n't have
more than six pieces of sugar。〃
〃Well； then； how is your nephew to sweeten his coffee？〃
〃With two pieces； I'll go without myself。〃
〃Go without sugar at your age！ I'd rather buy you some out of my own
pocket。〃
〃Mind your own business。〃
In spite of the recent fall in prices； sugar was still in Grandet's
eyes the most valuable of all the colonial products； to him it was
always six francs a pound。 The necessity of economizing it； acquired
under the Empire； had grown to be the most inveterate of his habits。
All women； even the greatest ninnies； know how to dodge and dodge to
get their ends； Nanon abandoned the sugar for the sake of getting the
/galette/。
〃Mademoiselle！〃 she called through the window； 〃do you want some
/galette/？〃
〃No； no；〃 answered Eugenie。
〃Come； Nanon；〃 said Grandet； hearing his daughter's voice。 〃See here。〃
He opened the cupboard where the flour was kept； gave her a cupful；
and added a few ounces of butter to the piece he had already cut off。
〃I shall want wood for the oven；〃 said the implacable Nanon。
〃Well； take what you want；〃 he answered sadly； 〃but in that case you
must make us a fruit…tart； and you'll cook the whole dinner in the
oven。 In that way you won't need two fires。〃
〃Goodness！〃 cried Nanon； 〃you needn't tell me that。〃
Grandet cast a look that was well…nigh paternal upon his faithful
deputy。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 she cried； when his back was turned； 〃we shall have
the /galette/。〃
Pere Grandet returned from the garden with the fruit and arranged a
plateful on the kitchen…table。
〃Just see； monsieur；〃 said Nanon； 〃what pretty boots your nephew has。
What leather！ why it smells good！ What does he clean it with； I
wonder？ Am I to put your egg…polish on it？〃
〃Nanon； I think eggs would injure that