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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 look of love； her first look of
loving womanhood；a glance in which there is nearly as much of
coquetry as of inmost depth。 He took her hand and kissed it。
〃Angel of purity！ between us two money is nothing； never can be
anything。 Feeling； sentiment； must be all henceforth。〃
〃You are like your mother；was her voice as soft as yours？〃
〃Oh！ much softer〃
〃Yes； for you；〃 she said； dropping her eyelids。 〃Come； Charles； go to
bed； I wish it； you must be tired。 Good…night。〃 She gently disengaged
her hand from those of her cousin； who followed her to her room；
lighting the way。 When they were both upon the threshold；
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃why am I ruined？〃
〃What matter？my father is rich； I think so；〃 she answered。
〃Poor child！〃 said Charles； making a step into her room and leaning
his back against the wall； 〃if that were so； he would never have let
my father die； he would not let you live in this poor way； he would
live otherwise himself。〃
〃But he owns Froidfond。〃
〃What is Froidfond worth？〃
〃I don't know； but he has Noyers。〃
〃Nothing but a poor farm！〃
〃He has vineyards and fields。〃
〃Mere nothing；〃 said Charles disdainfully。 〃If your father had only
twenty…four thousand francs a year do you suppose you would live in
this cold； barren room？〃 he added； making a step in advance。 〃Ah！
there you will keep my treasures；〃 he said； glancing at the old
cabinet； as if to hide his thoughts。
〃Go and sleep；〃 she said； hindering his entrance into the disordered
room。
Charles stepped back； and they bid each other good…night with a mutual
smile。
Both fell asleep in the same dream； and from that moment the youth
began to wear roses with his mourning。 The next day； before breakfast；
Madame Grandet found her daughter in the garden in company with
Charles。 The young man was still sad； as became a poor fellow who；
plunged in misfortune； measures the depths of the abyss into which he
has fallen； and sees the terrible burden of his whole future life。
〃My father will not be home till dinner…time；〃 said Eugenie；
perceiving the anxious look on her mother's face。
It was easy to trace in the face and manners of the young girl and in
the singular sweetness of her voice a unison of thought between her
and her cousin。 Their souls had espoused each other； perhaps before
they even felt the force of the feelings which bound them together。
Charles spent the morning in the hall； and his sadness was respected。
Each of the three women had occupations of her own。 Grandet had left
all his affairs unattended to； and a number of persons came on
business；the plumber； the mason； the slater； the carpenter； the
diggers； the dressers； the farmers； some to drive a bargain about
repairs； others to pay their rent or to be paid themselves for
services。 Madame Grandet and Eugenie were obliged to go and come and
listen to the interminable talk of all these workmen and country folk。
Nanon put away in her kitchen the produce which they brought as
tribute。 She always waited for her master's orders before she knew
what portion was to be used in the house and what was to be sold in
the market。 It was the goodman's custom； like that of a great many
country gentlemen； to drink his bad wine and eat his spoiled fruit。
Towards five in the afternoon Grandet returned from Angers； having
made fourteen thousand francs by the exchange on his gold； bringing
home in his wallet good treasury…notes which bore interest until the
day he should invest them in the Funds。 He had left Cornoiller at
Angers to look after the horses； which were well…nigh foundered； with
orders to bring them home slowly after they were rested。
〃I have got back from Angers； wife；〃 he said； 〃I am hungry。〃
Nanon called out to him from the kitchen： 〃Haven't you eaten anything
since yesterday？〃
〃Nothing；〃 answered the old man。
Nanon brought in the soup。 Des Grassins came to take his client's
orders just as the family sat down to dinner。 Grandet had not even
observed his nephew。
〃Go on eating； Grandet；〃 said the banker； 〃we can talk。 Do you know
what gold is worth in Angers？ They have come from Nantes after it？ I
shall send some of ours。〃
〃Don't send any；〃 said Grandet； 〃they have got enough。 We are such old
friends； I ought to save you from such a loss of time。〃
〃But gold is worth thirteen francs fifty centimes。〃
〃Say /was/ worth〃
〃Where the devil have they got any？〃
〃I went to Angers last night；〃 answered Grandet in a low voice。
The banker shook with surprise。 Then a whispered conversation began
between the two； during which Grandet and des Grassins frequently
looked at Charles。 Presently des Grassins gave a start of
astonishment； probably Grandet was then instructing him to invest the
sum which was to give him a hundred thousand francs a year in the
Funds。
〃Monsieur Grandet；〃 said the banker to Charles； 〃I am starting for
Paris； if you have any commissions〃
〃None； monsieur； I thank you；〃 answered Charles。
〃Thank him better than that； nephew。 Monsieur is going to settle the
affairs of the house of Guillaume Grandet。〃
〃Is there any hope？〃 said Charles eagerly。
〃What！〃 exclaimed his uncle； with well…acted pride； 〃are you not my
nephew？ Your honor is ours。 Is not your name Grandet？〃
Charles rose； seized Pere Grandet； kissed him； turned pale； and left
the room。 Eugenie looked at her father with admiration。
〃Well； good…by； des Grassins； it is all in your hands。 Decoy those
people as best you can； lead 'em by the nose。〃
The two diplomatists shook hands。 The old cooper accompanied the
banker to the front door。 Then； after closing it； he came back and
plunged into his armchair； saying to Nanon；
〃Get me some black…currant ratafia。〃
Too excited； however； to remain long in one place； he got up； looked
at the portrait of Monsieur de la Bertelliere； and began to sing；
doing what Nanon called his dancing steps；
〃Dans les gardes francaises
J'avais un bon papa。〃
Nanon； Madame Grandet； and Eugenie looked at each other in silence。
The hilarity of the master always frightened them when it reached its
climax。 The evening was soon over。 Pere Grandet chose to go to bed
early； and when he went to bed； everybody else was expected to go too；
like as when Augustus drank； Poland was drunk。 On this occasion Nanon；
Charles； and Eugenie were not less tired than the master。 As for
Madame Grandet； she slept； ate； drank； and walked according to the
will of her husband。 However； during the two hours consecrated to
digestion； the cooper； more facetious than he had ever been in his
life； uttered a number of his own particular apothegms；a single one
of which will give the measure of his mind。 When he had drunk his
ratafia； he looked at his glass and said；
〃You have no sooner put your lips to a glass than it is empty！ Such is
life。 You can't have and hold。 Gold won't circulate and stay in your
purse。 If it were not for that； life would be too fine。〃
He was jovial and benevolent。 When Nanon came with her spinning…wheel；
〃You must be tired；〃 he said； 〃put away your hemp。〃
〃Ah； bah！ then I shall get sleepy；〃 she answered。
〃Poor Nanon！ Will you have some ratafia？〃
〃I won't refuse a good offer； madame makes it a deal better than the
apothecaries。 What they sell is all drugs。〃
〃They put too much sugar；〃 said the master； 〃you can't taste anything
else。〃
IX
The following day the family； meeting at eight o'clock for the early
breakfast； made a picture of genuine domestic intimacy。 Grief had
drawn Madame Grandet； Eugenie； and Charles /en rapport/； even Nanon
sympathized； without knowing why。 The four now made one family。 As to
the old man； his satisfied avarice and the certainty of soon getting
rid of the dandy without having to pay more than his journey to
Nantes； made him nearly indifferent to his presence in the house。 He
left the two children； as he called Charles and Eugenie； free to
conduct themselves as they pleased； under the eye of Madame Grandet；
in whom he had implicit confidence as to all that concerned public and
religious morality。 He busied himself in straightening the boundaries
of his fields and ditches along the high…road； in his poplar…
plantations beside the Loire； in the winter work of his vineyards； and
at Froidfond。 All these things occupied his whole time。
For Eugenie the springtime of love had come。 Since the scene at night
when she gave her little treasure to her cousin； her heart had
followed the treasure。 Confederates in the same secret； they looked at
each other with a mutual intelligence which sank to the depth of their
consciousness； giving a closer communion； a more intimate relation to
their feelings； and putting them； so to speak； beyond the pale of
ordinary life。 Did not their near relationship warrant the gentleness
in their tones； the tenderness in their glances？ Eugenie took delight
in lulling her cousin's pain with the pretty childish joys of a new…
born love。 Are there no sweet similitudes between the birth of love
and the birth of life？ Do we not rock the babe wi