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！
for once in your life。〃
The old man looked at the gold and then at his daughter alternately
for an instant。 Madame Grandet fainted。
〃There！ don't you see； monsieur； that madame is dying？〃 cried Nanon。
〃Come； come； my daughter； we won't quarrel for a box！ Here； take it！〃
he cried hastily； flinging the case upon the bed。 〃Nanon； go and fetch
Monsieur Bergerin！ Come； mother；〃 said he； kissing his wife's hand；
〃it's all over！ There！ we've made uphaven't we； little one？ No more
dry bread； you shall have all you wantAh； she opens her eyes！ Well；
mother； little mother； come！ See； I'm kissing Eugenie！ She loves her
cousin； and she may marry him if she wants to； she may keep his case。
But don't die； mother； live a long time yet； my poor wife！ Come； try
to move！ Listen！ you shall have the finest altar that ever was made in
Saumur。〃
〃Oh； how can you treat your wife and daughter so！〃 said Madame Grandet
in a feeble voice。
〃I won't do so again； never again；〃 cried her husband； 〃you shall see；
my poor wife！〃 He went to his inner room and returned with a handful
of louis； which he scattered on the bed。 〃Here； Eugenie！ see； wife！
all these are for you；〃 he said； fingering the coins。 〃Come； be happy；
wife！ feel better； get well； you sha'n't want for anything； nor
Eugenie either。 Here's a hundred /louis d'or/ for her。 You won't give
these away； will you； Eugenie； hein？〃
Madame Grandet and her daughter looked at each other in astonishment。
〃Take back your money； father； we ask for nothing but your affection。〃
〃Well； well； that's right！〃 he said； pocketing the coins； 〃let's be
good friends！ We will all go down to dinner to…day； and we'll play
loto every evening for two sous。 You shall both be happy。 Hey； wife？〃
〃Alas！ I wish I could； if it would give you pleasure；〃 said the dying
woman； 〃but I cannot rise from my bed。〃
〃Poor mother；〃 said Grandet； 〃you don't know how I love you！ and you
too； my daughter！〃 He took her in his arms and kissed her。 〃Oh； how
good it is to kiss a daughter when we have been angry with her！ There；
mother； don't you see it's all over now？ Go and put that away；
Eugenie；〃 he added； pointing to the case。 〃Go； don't be afraid！ I
shall never speak of it again； never！〃
Monsieur Bergerin； the celebrated doctor of Saumur； presently arrived。
After an examination； he told Grandet positively that his wife was
very ill； but that perfect peace of mind； a generous diet； and great
care might prolong her life until the autumn。
〃Will all that cost much？〃 said the old man。 〃Will she need
medicines？〃
〃Not much medicine； but a great deal of care；〃 answered the doctor；
who could scarcely restrain a smile。
〃Now； Monsieur Bergerin；〃 said Grandet； 〃you are a man of honor； are
not you？ I trust to you！ Come and see my wife how and when you think
necessary。 Save my good wife！ I love her；don't you see？though I
never talk about it； I keep things to myself。 I'm full of trouble。
Troubles began when my brother died； I have to spend enormous sums on
his affairs in Paris。 Why； I'm paying through my nose； there's no end
to it。 Adieu； monsieur！ If you can save my wife； save her。 I'll spare
no expense； not even if it costs me a hundred or two hundred francs。〃
In spite of Grandet's fervent wishes for the health of his wife； whose
death threatened more than death to him； in spite of the consideration
he now showed on all occasions for the least wish of his astonished
wife and daughter； in spite of the tender care which Eugenie lavished
upon her mother；Madame Grandet rapidly approached her end。 Every day
she grew weaker and wasted visibly； as women of her age when attacked
by serious illness are wont to do。 She was fragile as the foliage in
autumn； the radiance of heaven shone through her as the sun strikes
athwart the withering leaves and gilds them。 It was a death worthy of
her life；a Christian death； and is not that sublime？ In the month of
October； 1822； her virtues； her angelic patience； her love for her
daughter； seemed to find special expression； and then she passed away
without a murmur。 Lamb without spot； she went to heaven； regretting
only the sweet companion of her cold and dreary life； for whom her
last glance seemed to prophesy a destiny of sorrows。 She shrank from
leaving her ewe…lamb； white as herself； alone in the midst of a
selfish world that sought to strip her of her fleece and grasp her
treasures。
〃My child；〃 she said as she expired； 〃there is no happiness except in
heaven； you will know it some day。〃
XII
On the morrow of this death Eugenie felt a new motive for attachment
to the house in which she was born； where she had suffered so much；
where her mother had just died。 She could not see the window and the
chair on its castors without weeping。 She thought she had mistaken the
heart of her old father when she found herself the object of his
tenderest cares。 He came in the morning and gave her his arm to take
her to breakfast； he looked at her for hours together with an eye that
was almost kind； he brooded over her as though she had been gold。 The
old man was so unlike himself； he trembled so often before his
daughter； that Nanon and the Cruchotines； who witnessed his weakness；
attributed it to his great age； and feared that his faculties were
giving away。 But the day on which the family put on their mourning；
and after dinner； to which meal Maitre Cruchot （the only person who
knew his secret） had been invited； the conduct of the old miser was
explained。
〃My dear child；〃 he said to Eugenie when the table had been cleared
and the doors carefully shut； 〃you are now your mother's heiress； and
we have a few little matters to settle between us。 Isn't that so；
Cruchot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is it necessary to talk of them to…day； father？〃
〃Yes； yes； little one； I can't bear the uncertainty in which I'm
placed。 I think you don't want to give me pain？〃
〃Oh！ father〃
〃Well； then！ let us settle it all to…night。〃
〃What is it you wish me to do？〃
〃My little girl； it is not for me to say。 Tell her； Cruchot。〃
〃Mademoiselle； your father does not wish to divide the property； nor
sell the estate； nor pay enormous taxes on the ready money which he
may possess。 Therefore； to avoid all this； he must be released from
making the inventory of his whole fortune； part of which you inherit
from your mother； and which is now undivided between you and your
father〃
〃Cruchot； are you quite sure of what you are saying before you tell it
to a mere child？〃
〃Let me tell it my own way； Grandet。〃
〃Yes； yes； my friend。 Neither you nor my daughter wish to rob me；do
you； little one？〃
〃But； Monsieur Cruchot； what am I to do？〃 said Eugenie impatiently。
〃Well；〃 said the notary； 〃it is necessary to sign this deed； by which
you renounce your rights to your mother's estate and leave your father
the use and disposition； during his lifetime； of all the property
undivided between you； of which he guarantees you the capital。〃
〃I do not understand a word of what you are saying；〃 returned Eugenie；
〃give me the deed； and show me where I am to sign it。〃
Pere Grandet looked alternately at the deed and at his daughter； at
his daughter and at the deed； undergoing as he did so such violent
emotion that he wiped the sweat from his brow。
〃My little girl；〃 he said； 〃if； instead of signing this deed； which
will cost a great deal to record； you would simply agree to renounce
your rights as heir to your poor dear； deceased mother's property； and
would trust to me for the future； I should like it better。 In that
case I will pay you monthly the good round sum of a hundred francs。
See； now； you could pay for as many masses as you want for anybody
Hein！ a hundred francs a monthin /livres/？〃
〃I will do all you wish； father。〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said the notary； 〃it is my duty to point out to you
that you are despoiling yourself without guarantee〃
〃Good heavens！ what is all that to me？〃
〃Hold your tongue； Cruchot！ It's settled； all settled；〃 cried Grandet；
taking his daughter's hand and striking it with his own。 〃Eugenie； you
won't go back on your word？you are an honest girl； hein？〃
〃Oh！ father！〃
He kissed her effusively； and pressed her in his arms till he almost
choked her。
〃Go； my good child； you restore your father's life； but you only
return to him that which he gave you： we are quits。 This is how
business should be done。 Life is a business。 I bless you！ you are a
virtuous girl； and you love your father。 Do just what you like in
future。 To…morrow； Cruchot；〃 he added； looking at the horrified
notary； 〃you will see about preparing the deed of relinquishment； and
then enter it on the records of the court。〃
The next morning Eugenie signed the papers by which she herself
completed her spoliation。 At the end of the first year； however； in
spite of his bargain； the old man had not given his daughter one sou
of the hundred francs he had so solemnly pledged to her。 When Eugenie
pleasantly reminded him of this； he could not help coloring； and went
hastily to his secret hiding…place； from whence he brought down about
a third of the jewels he had taken from his nephew； and gave them to
her。
〃There； little o