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friends； but let me assure you that while I doubt the friendship
of the world； I have never doubted yours。 I beg you therefore to
settle all my affairs； and I trust to you to get as much as you
can out of my possessions。 By this time you know my situation。 I
have nothing left； and I intend to go at once to the Indies。 I
have just written to all the people to whom I think I owe money；
and you will find enclosed a list of their names； as correct as I
can make it from memory。 My books； my furniture； my pictures； my
horses； etc。； ought； I think； to pay my debts。 I do not wish to
keep anything； except； perhaps； a few baubles which might serve as
the beginning of an outfit for my enterprise。 My dear Alphonse； I
will send you a proper power of attorney under which you can make
these sales。 Send me all my weapons。 Keep Briton for yourself；
nobody would pay the value of that noble beast； and I would rather
give him to youlike a mourning…ring bequeathed by a dying man to
his executor。 Farry； Breilmann； & Co。 built me a very comfortable
travelling…carriage； which they have not yet delivered； persuade
them to keep it and not ask for any payment on it。 If they refuse；
do what you can in the matter； and avoid everything that might
seem dishonorable in me under my present circumstances。 I owe the
British Islander six louis； which I lost at cards； don't fail to
pay him
〃Dear cousin！〃 whispered Eugenie； throwing down the letter and running
softly back to her room； carrying one of the lighted candles。 A thrill
of pleasure passed over her as she opened the drawer of an old oak
cabinet； a fine specimen of the period called the Renaissance； on
which could still be seen； partly effaced； the famous royal
salamander。 She took from the drawer a large purse of red velvet with
gold tassels； edged with a tarnished fringe of gold wire；a relic
inherited from her grandmother。 She weighed it proudly in her hand；
and began with delight to count over the forgotten items of her little
hoard。 First she took out twenty /portugaises/； still new； struck in
the reign of John V。； 1725； worth by exchange； as her father told her；
five /lisbonnines/； or a hundred and sixty…eight francs； sixty…four
centimes each； their conventional value； however； was a hundred and
eighty francs apiece； on account of the rarity and beauty of the
coins； which shone like little suns。 Item； five /genovines/； or five
hundred…franc pieces of Genoa； another very rare coin worth eighty…
seven francs on exchange； but a hundred francs to collectors。 These
had formerly belonged to old Monsieur de la Bertelliere。 Item； three
gold /quadruples/； Spanish； of Philip V。； struck in 1729； given to her
one by one by Madame Gentillet； who never failed to say； using the
same words； when she made the gift； 〃This dear little canary； this
little yellow…boy； is worth ninety…eight francs！ Keep it； my pretty
one； it will be the flower of your treasure。〃 Item （that which her
father valued most of all； the gold of these coins being twenty…three
carats and a fraction）； a hundred Dutch ducats； made in the year 1756；
and worth thirteen francs apiece。 Item； a great curiosity； a species
of medal precious to the soul of misers；three rupees with the sign
of the Scales； and five rupees with the sign of the Virgin； all in
pure gold of twenty…four carats； the magnificent money of the Great
Mogul； each of which was worth by mere weight thirty…seven francs；
forty centimes； but at least fifty francs to those connoisseurs who
love to handle gold。 Item； the napoleon of forty francs received the
day before； which she had forgotten to put away in the velvet purse。
This treasure was all in virgin coins； true works of art； which
Grandet from time to time inquired after and asked to see； pointing
out to his daughter their intrinsic merits；such as the beauty of the
milled edge； the clearness of the flat surface； the richness of the
lettering； whose angles were not yet rubbed off。
Eugenie gave no thought to these rarities； nor to her father's mania
for them； nor to the danger she incurred in depriving herself of a
treasure so dear to him； no； she thought only of her cousin； and soon
made out； after a few mistakes of calculation； that she possessed
about five thousand eight hundred francs in actual value； which might
be sold for their additional value to collectors for nearly six
thousand。 She looked at her wealth and clapped her hands like a happy
child forced to spend its overflowing joy in artless movements of the
body。 Father and daughter had each counted up their fortune this
night；he； to sell his gold； Eugenie to fling hers into the ocean of
affection。 She put the pieces back into the old purse； took it in her
hand； and ran upstairs without hesitation。 The secret misery of her
cousin made her forget the hour and conventional propriety； she was
strong in her conscience； in her devotion； in her happiness。
As she stood upon the threshold of the door； holding the candle in one
hand and the purse in the other； Charles woke； caught sight of her；
and remained speechless with surprise。 Eugenie came forward； put the
candle on the table； and said in a quivering voice：
〃My cousin； I must beg pardon for a wrong I have done you； but God
will pardon meif youwill help me to wipe it out。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Charles； rubbing his eyes。
〃I have read those letters。〃
Charles colored。
〃How did it happen？〃 she continued； 〃how came I here？ Truly； I do not
know。 I am tempted not to regret too much that I have read them； they
have made me know your heart； your soul； and〃
〃And what？〃 asked Charles。
〃Your plans； your need of a sum〃
〃My dear cousin〃
〃Hush； hush！ my cousin； not so loud； we must not wake others。 See；〃
she said； opening her purse； 〃here are the savings of a poor girl who
wants nothing。 Charles； accept them！ This morning I was ignorant of
the value of money； you have taught it to me。 It is but a means； after
all。 A cousin is almost a brother； you can surely borrow the purse of
your sister。〃
Eugenie； as much a woman as a young girl； never dreamed of refusal；
but her cousin remained silent。
〃Oh！ you will not refuse？〃 cried Eugenie； the beatings of whose heart
could be heard in the deep silence。
Her cousin's hesitation mortified her； but the sore need of his
position came clearer still to her mind； and she knelt down。
〃I will never rise till you have taken that gold！〃 she said。 〃My
cousin； I implore you； answer me！ let me know if you respect me； if
you are generous； if〃
As he heard this cry of noble distress the young man's tears fell upon
his cousin's hands； which he had caught in his own to keep her from
kneeling。 As the warm tears touched her； Eugenie sprang to the purse
and poured its contents upon the table。
〃Ah！ yes； yes； you consent？〃 she said； weeping with joy。 〃Fear
nothing； my cousin； you will be rich。 This gold will bring you
happiness； some day you shall bring it back to me；are we not
partners？ I will obey all conditions。 But you should not attach such
value to the gift。〃
Charles was at last able to express his feelings。
〃Yes； Eugenie； my soul would be small indeed if I did not accept。 And
yet；gift for gift； confidence for confidence。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she said； frightened。
〃Listen； dear cousin； I have here〃 He interrupted himself to point
out a square box covered with an outer case of leather which was on
the drawers。 〃There；〃 he continued； 〃is something as precious to me as
life itself。 This box was a present from my mother。 All day I have
been thinking that if she could rise from her grave； she would herself
sell the gold which her love for me lavished on this dressing…case；
but were I to do so； the act would seem to me a sacrilege。〃 Eugenie
pressed his hand as she heard these last words。 〃No；〃 he added； after
a slight pause； during which a liquid glance of tenderness passed
between them； 〃no； I will neither sell it nor risk its safety on my
journey。 Dear Eugenie； you shall be its guardian。 Never did friend
commit anything more sacred to another。 Let me show it to you。〃
He went to the box； took it from its outer coverings； opened it； and
showed his delighted cousin a dressing…case where the rich workmanship
gave to the gold ornaments a value far above their weight。
〃What you admire there is nothing；〃 he said； pushing a secret spring
which opened a hidden drawer。 〃Here is something which to me is worth
the whole world。〃 He drew out two portraits； masterpieces of Madame
Mirbel； richly set with pearls。
〃Oh； how beautiful！ Is it the lady to whom you wrote that〃
〃No；〃 he said； smiling； 〃this is my mother； and here is my father；
your aunt and uncle。 Eugenie； I beg you on my knees； keep my treasure
safely。 If I die and your little fortune is lost； this gold and these
pearls will repay you。 To you alone could I leave these portraits； you
are worthy to keep them。 But destroy them at last； so that they may
pass into no other hands。〃 Eugenie was silent。 〃Ah； yes； say yes！ You
consent？〃 he added with winning grace。
Hearing the very words she had just used to her cousin now addressed
to herself； she turned upon him a l