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them； it was better； therefore； to sell the whole to Monsieur Grandet；
who was solvent and able to pay for the estate in ready money。 The
fine marquisate of Froidfond was accordingly conveyed down the gullet
of Monsieur Grandet； who； to the great astonishment of Saumur； paid
for it； under proper discount； with the usual formalities。
This affair echoed from Nantes to Orleans。 Monsieur Grandet took
advantage of a cart returning by way of Froidfond to go and see his
chateau。 Having cast a master's eye over the whole property； he
returned to Saumur； satisfied that he had invested his money at five
per cent； and seized by the stupendous thought of extending and
increasing the marquisate of Froidfond by concentrating all his
property there。 Then； to fill up his coffers； now nearly empty； he
resolved to thin out his woods and his forests； and to sell off the
poplars in the meadows。
II
It is now easy to understand the full meaning of the term； 〃the house
of Monsieur Grandet；〃that cold； silent； pallid dwelling； standing
above the town and sheltered by the ruins of the ramparts。 The two
pillars and the arch； which made the porte…cochere on which the door
opened； were built； like the house itself； of tufa；a white stone
peculiar to the shores of the Loire； and so soft that it lasts hardly
more than two centuries。 Numberless irregular holes； capriciously
bored or eaten out by the inclemency of the weather； gave an
appearance of the vermiculated stonework of French architecture to the
arch and the side walls of this entrance； which bore some resemblance
to the gateway of a jail。 Above the arch was a long bas…relief； in
hard stone； representing the four seasons； the faces already crumbling
away and blackened。 This bas…relief was surmounted by a projecting
plinth； upon which a variety of chance growths had sprung up；yellow
pellitory； bindweed； convolvuli； nettles； plantain； and even a little
cherry…tree； already grown to some height。
The door of the archway was made of solid oak； brown； shrunken； and
split in many places； though frail in appearance； it was firmly held
in place by a system of iron bolts arranged in symmetrical patterns。 A
small square grating； with close bars red with rust； filled up the
middle panel and made； as it were； a motive for the knocker； fastened
to it by a ring； which struck upon the grinning head of a huge nail。
This knocker； of the oblong shape and kind which our ancestors called
/jaquemart/； looked like a huge note of exclamation； an antiquary who
examined it attentively might have found indications of the figure；
essentially burlesque； which it once represented； and which long usage
had now effaced。 Through this little gratingintended in olden times
for the recognition of friends in times of civil warinquisitive
persons could perceive； at the farther end of the dark and slimy
vault； a few broken steps which led to a garden； picturesquely shut in
by walls that were thick and damp； and through which oozed a moisture
that nourished tufts of sickly herbage。 These walls were the ruins of
the ramparts； under which ranged the gardens of several neighboring
houses。
The most important room on the ground…floor of the house was a large
hall； entered directly from beneath the vault of the porte…cochere。
Few people know the importance of a hall in the little towns of Anjou；
Touraine； and Berry。 The hall is at one and the same time antechamber；
salon； office； boudoir； and dining…room； it is the theatre of domestic
life； the common living…room。 There the barber of the neighborhood
came； twice a year； to cut Monsieur Grandet's hair； there the farmers；
the cure； the under…prefect； and the miller's boy came on business。
This room； with two windows looking on the street； was entirely of
wood。 Gray panels with ancient mouldings covered the walls from top to
bottom； the ceiling showed all its beams； which were likewise painted
gray； while the space between them had been washed over in white； now
yellow with age。 An old brass clock； inlaid with arabesques； adorned
the mantel of the ill…cut white stone chimney…piece； above which was a
greenish mirror； whose edges； bevelled to show the thickness of the
glass； reflected a thread of light the whole length of a gothic frame
in damascened steel…work。 The two copper…gilt candelabra which
decorated the corners of the chimney…piece served a double purpose： by
taking off the side…branches； each of which held a socket； the main
stemwhich was fastened to a pedestal of bluish marble tipped with
coppermade a candlestick for one candle； which was sufficient for
ordinary occasions。 The chairs； antique in shape； were covered with
tapestry representing the fables of La Fontaine； it was necessary；
however； to know that writer well to guess at the subjects； for the
faded colors and the figures； blurred by much darning； were difficult
to distinguish。
At the four corners of the hall were closets； or rather buffets；
surmounted by dirty shelves。 An old card…table in marquetry； of which
the upper part was a chess…board； stood in the space between the two
windows。 Above this table was an oval barometer with a black border
enlivened with gilt bands； on which the flies had so licentiously
disported themselves that the gilding had become problematical。 On the
panel opposite to the chimney…piece were two portraits in pastel；
supposed to represent the grandfather of Madame Grandet； old Monsieur
de la Bertelliere； as a lieutenant in the French guard； and the
deceased Madame Gentillet in the guise of a shepherdess。 The windows
were draped with curtains of red /gros de Tours/ held back by silken
cords with ecclesiastical tassels。 This luxurious decoration； little
in keeping with the habits of Monsieur Grandet； had been； together
with the steel pier…glass； the tapestries； and the buffets； which were
of rose…wood； included in the purchase of the house。
By the window nearest to the door stood a straw chair； whose legs were
raised on castors to lift its occupant； Madame Grandet； to a height
from which she could see the passers…by。 A work…table of stained
cherry…wood filled up the embrasure； and the little armchair of
Eugenie Grandet stood beside it。 In this spot the lives had flowed
peacefully onward for fifteen years； in a round of constant work from
the month of April to the month of November。 On the first day of the
latter month they took their winter station by the chimney。 Not until
that day did Grandet permit a fire to be lighted； and on the thirty…
first of March it was extinguished； without regard either to the
chills of the early spring or to those of a wintry autumn。 A foot…
warmer； filled with embers from the kitchen fire； which la Grande
Nanon contrived to save for them； enabled Madame and Mademoiselle
Grandet to bear the chilly mornings and evenings of April and October。
Mother and daughter took charge of the family linen； and spent their
days so conscientiously upon a labor properly that of working…women；
that if Eugenie wished to embroider a collar for her mother she was
forced to take the time from sleep； and deceive her father to obtain
the necessary light。 For a long time the miser had given out the
tallow candle to his daughter and la Grande Nanon just as he gave out
every morning the bread and other necessaries for the daily
consumption。
La Grande Nanon was perhaps the only human being capable of accepting
willingly the despotism of her master。 The whole town envied Monsieur
and Madame Grandet the possession of her。 La Grande Nanon； so called
on account of her height； which was five feet eight inches； had lived
with Monsieur Grandet for thirty…five years。 Though she received only
sixty francs a year in wages； she was supposed to be one of the
richest serving…women in Saumur。 Those sixty francs； accumulating
through thirty…five years； had recently enabled her to invest four
thousand francs in an annuity with Maitre Cruchot。 This result of her
long and persistent economy seemed gigantic。 Every servant in the
town； seeing that the poor sexagenarian was sure of bread for her old
age； was jealous of her； and never thought of the hard slavery through
which it had been won。
At twenty…two years of age the poor girl had been unable to find a
situation； so repulsive was her face to almost every one。 Yet the
feeling was certainly unjust： the face would have been much admired on
the shoulders of a grenadier of the guard； but all things； so they
say； should be in keeping。 Forced to leave a farm where she kept the
cows； because the dwelling…house was burned down； she came to Saumur
to find a place； full of the robust courage that shrinks from no
labor。 Le Pere Grandet was at that time thinking of marriage and about
to set up his household。 He espied the girl； rejected as she was from
door to door。 A good judge of corporeal strength in his trade as a
cooper； he guessed the work that might be got out of a female creature
shaped like a Hercules； as firm on her feet as an oak sixty years old
on its roots； strong in the hips； square in the back； with the hands
of a cartman and an honesty as sound as her unblemished virtue。
Neither the warts which adorned her martial visage；