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prices。 That is a deduction from Jeremy Bentham's theory about usury。
That writer has proved that the prejudice which condemned usurers to
reprobation was mere folly。〃
〃Whew！〃 ejaculated the goodman。
〃Allowing that money； according to Bentham； is an article of
merchandise； and that whatever represents money is equally
merchandise；〃 resumed the president； 〃allowing also that it is
notorious that the commercial note； bearing this or that signature； is
liable to the fluctuation of all commercial values； rises or falls in
the market； is dear at one moment； and is worth nothing at another；
the courts decideah！ how stupid I am； I beg your pardonI am
inclined to think you could buy up your brother's debts for twenty…
five per cent。〃
〃D…d…did you c…c…call him Je…Je…Jeremy B…Ben？〃
〃Bentham； an Englishman。'
〃That's a Jeremy who might save us a lot of lamentations in business；〃
said the notary； laughing。
〃Those Englishmen s…sometimes t…t…talk sense；〃 said Grandet。 〃So；
ac…c…cording to Ben…Bentham； if my b…b…brother's n…notes are worth
n…n…nothing； if Je…JeI'm c…c…correct； am I not？ That seems c…c…clear
to my m…m…mindthe c…c…creditors would beNo； would not be； I
understand。〃
〃Let me explain it all；〃 said the president。 〃Legally； if you acquire
a title to all the debts of the Maison Grandet； your brother or his
heirs will owe nothing to any one。 Very good。〃
〃Very g…good；〃 repeated Grandet。
〃In equity； if your brother's notes are negotiatednegotiated； do you
clearly understand the term？negotiated in the market at a reduction
of so much per cent in value； and if one of your friends happening to
be present should buy them in； the creditors having sold them of their
own free…will without constraint； the estate of the late Grandet is
honorably released。〃
〃That's t…true； b…b…business is b…business；〃 said the cooper。
〃B…b…but； st…still； you know； it is d…d…difficult。 I h…have n…no
m…m…money and n…no t…t…time。〃
〃Yes； but you need not undertake it。 I am quite ready to go to Paris
（you may pay my expenses； they will only be a trifle）。 I will see the
creditors and talk with them and get an extension of time； and
everything can be arranged if you will add something to the assets so
as to buy up all title to the debts。〃
〃We…we'll see about th…that。 I c…c…can't and I w…w…won't bind myself
withoutHe who c…c…can't； can't； don't you see？〃
〃That's very true。〃
〃I'm all p…p…put ab…b…bout by what you've t…t…told me。 This is the
f…first t…t…time in my life I have b…been obliged to th…th…think〃
〃Yes； you are not a lawyer。〃
〃I'm only a p…p…poor wine…g…grower； and know n…nothing about wh…what
you have just t…told me； I m…m…must th…think about it。〃
〃Very good；〃 said the president； preparing to resume his argument。
〃Nephew！〃 said the notary； interrupting him in a warning tone。
〃Well； what； uncle？〃 answered the president。
〃Let Monsieur Grandet explain his own intentions。 The matter in
question is of the first importance。 Our good friend ought to define
his meaning clearly； and〃
A loud knock； which announced the arrival of the des Grassins family；
succeeded by their entrance and salutations； hindered Cruchot from
concluding his sentence。 The notary was glad of the interruption； for
Grandet was beginning to look suspiciously at him； and the wen gave
signs of a brewing storm。 In the first place； the notary did not think
it becoming in a president of the Civil courts to go to Paris and
manipulate creditors and lend himself to an underhand job which
clashed with the laws of strict integrity； moreover； never having
known old Grandet to express the slightest desire to pay anything； no
matter what； he instinctively feared to see his nephew taking part in
the affair。 He therefore profited by the entrance of the des Grassins
to take the nephew by the arm and lead him into the embrasure of the
window；
〃You have said enough； nephew； you've shown enough devotion。 Your
desire to win the girl blinds you。 The devil！ you mustn't go at it
tooth and nail。 Let me sail the ship now； you can haul on the braces。
Do you think it right to compromise your dignity as a magistrate in
such a〃
He stopped； for he heard Monsieur des Grassins saying to the old
cooper as they shook hands；
〃Grandet； we have heard of the frightful misfortunes which have just
befallen your family；the failure of the house of Guillaume Grandet
and the death of your brother。 We have come to express our grief at
these sad events。〃
〃There is but one sad event；〃 said the notary； interrupting the
banker；〃the death of Monsieur Grandet； junior； and he would never
have killed himself had he thought in time of applying to his brother
for help。 Our old friend； who is honorable to his finger…nails；
intends to liquidate the debts of the Maison Grandet of Paris。 To save
him the worry of legal proceedings； my nephew； the president； has just
offered to go to Paris and negotiate with the creditors for a
satisfactory settlement。〃
These words； corroborated by Grandet's attitude as he stood silently
nursing his chin； astonished the three des Grassins； who had been
leisurely discussing the old man's avarice as they came along； very
nearly accusing him of fratricide。
〃Ah！ I was sure of it；〃 cried the banker； looking at his wife。 〃What
did I tell you just now； Madame des Grassins？ Grandet is honorable to
the backbone； and would never allow his name to remain under the
slightest cloud！ Money without honor is a disease。 There is honor in
the provinces！ Right； very right； Grandet。 I'm an old soldier； and I
can't disguise my thoughts； I speak roughly。 Thunder！ it is sublime！〃
〃Th…then s…s…sublime th…things c…c…cost d…dear；〃 answered the goodman；
as the banker warmly wrung his hand。
〃But this； my dear Grandet；if the president will excuse me；is a
purely commercial matter； and needs a consummate business man。 Your
agent must be some one fully acquainted with the markets；with
disbursements； rebates； interest calculations； and so forth。 I am
going to Paris on business of my own； and I can take charge of〃
〃We'll see about t…t…trying to m…m…manage it b…b…between us； under the
p…p…peculiar c…c…circumstances； b…b…but without b…b…binding m…m…myself
to anything th…that I c…c…could not do；〃 said Grandet； stuttering；
〃because； you see； monsieur le president naturally expects me to pay
the expenses of his journey。〃
The goodman did not stammer over the last words。
〃Eh！〃 cried Madame des Grassins； 〃why it is a pleasure to go to Paris。
I would willingly pay to go myself。〃
She made a sign to her husband； as if to encourage him in cutting the
enemy out of the commission； /coute que coute/； then she glanced
ironically at the two Cruchots； who looked chap…fallen。 Grandet seized
the banker by a button and drew him into a corner of the room。
〃I have a great deal more confidence in you than in the president；〃 he
said； 〃besides； I've other fish to fry；〃 he added； wriggling his wen。
〃I want to buy a few thousand francs in the Funds while they are at
eighty。 They fall； I'm told； at the end of each month。 You know all
about these things； don't you？〃
〃Bless me！ then； am I to invest enough to give you a few thousand
francs a year？〃
〃That's not much to begin with。 Hush！ I don't want any one to know I
am going to play that game。 You can make the investment by the end of
the month。 Say nothing to the Cruchots； that'll annoy them。 If you are
really going to Paris； we will see if there is anything to be done for
my poor nephew。〃
〃Well； it's all settled。 I'll start to…morrow by the mail…post；〃 said
des Grassins aloud； 〃and I will come and take your last directions at
what hour will suit you？〃
〃Five o'clock； just before dinner；〃 said Grandet； rubbing his hands。
The two parties stayed on for a short time。 Des Grassins said； after a
pause； striking Grandet on the shoulder；
〃It is a good thing to have a relation like him。〃
〃Yes； yes； without making a show；〃 said Grandet； 〃I am a g…good
relation。 I loved my brother； and I will prove it； unless it
c…c…costs〃
〃We must leave you； Grandet；〃 said the banker； interrupting him
fortunately before he got to the end of his sentence。 〃If I hurry my
departure； I must attend to some matters at once。〃
〃Very good； very good！ I myselfin c…consequence of what I t…told you
I must retire to my own room and 'd…d…deliberate；' as President
Cruchot says。〃
〃Plague take him！ I am no longer Monsieur de Bonfons；〃 thought the
magistrate ruefully； his face assuming the expression of a judge bored
by an argument。
The heads of the two factions walked off together。 Neither gave any
further thought to the treachery Grandet had been guilty of in the
morning against the whole wine…growing community； each tried to fathom
what the other was thinking about the real intentions of the wily old
man in this new affair； but in vain。
〃Will you go with us to Madame Dorsonval's？〃 said des Grassins to the
notary。
〃We will go there later；〃 answered the president。 〃I have promised to
say good…evening to Mademoiselle de Gribeaucourt； and we will go there
first； if my uncle is willing。〃
〃Farewell for the present！〃 said Madame des Grassins。
When the