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inestimable service。〃
〃I am ready for all things；〃 said the president。
〃Here are fifteen hundred thousand francs；〃 she said； drawing from her
bosom a certificate of a hundred shares in the Bank of France。 〃Go to
Paris；not to…morrow； but instantly。 Find Monsieur des Grassins；
learn the names of my uncle's creditors； call them together； pay them
in full all that was owing； with interest at five per cent from the
day the debt was incurred to the present time。 Be careful to obtain a
full and legal receipt； in proper form； before a notary。 You are a
magistrate； and I can trust this matter in your hands。 You are a man
of honor； I will put faith in your word； and meet the dangers of life
under shelter of your name。 Let us have mutual indulgence。 We have
known each other so long that we are almost related； you would not
wish to render me unhappy。〃
The president fell at the feet of the rich heiress； his heart beating
and wrung with joy。
〃I will be your slave！〃 he said。
〃When you obtain the receipts； monsieur；〃 she resumed； with a cold
glance； 〃you will take them with all the other papers to my cousin
Grandet； and you will give him this letter。 On your return I will keep
my word。〃
The president understood perfectly that he owed the acquiescence of
Mademoiselle Grandet to some bitterness of love； and he made haste to
obey her orders； lest time should effect a reconciliation between the
pair。
When Monsieur de Bonfons left her； Eugenie fell back in her chair and
burst into tears。 All was over。
The president took the mail…post； and reached Paris the next evening。
The morning after his arrival he went to see des Grassins； and
together they summoned the creditors to meet at the notary's office
where the vouchers had been deposited。 Not a single creditor failed to
be present。 Creditors though they were； justice must be done to them；
they were all punctual。 Monsieur de Bonfons； in the name of
Mademoiselle Grandet； paid them the amount of their claims with
interest。 The payment of interest was a remarkable event in the
Parisian commerce of that day。 When the receipts were all legally
registered； and des Grassins had received for his services the sum of
fifty thousand francs allowed to him by Eugenie； the president made
his way to the hotel d'Aubrion and found Charles just entering his own
apartment after a serious encounter with his prospective father…in…
law。 The old marquis had told him plainly that he should not marry his
daughter until all the creditors of Guillaume Grandet had been paid in
full。
The president gave Charles the following letter：
My Cousin；Monsieur le president de Bonfons has undertaken to
place in your hands the aquittance for all claims upon my uncle；
also a receipt by which I acknowledge having received from you the
sum total of those claims。 I have heard of a possible failure； and
I think that the son of a bankrupt may not be able to marry
Mademoiselle d'Aubrion。 Yes； my cousin； you judged rightly of my
mind and of my manners。 I have； it is true； no part in the world；
I understand neither its calculations nor its customs； and I could
not give you the pleasures that you seek in it。 Be happy；
according to the social conventions to which you have sacrificed
our love。 To make your happiness complete I can only offer you
your father's honor。 Adieu！ You will always have a faithful friend
in your cousin
Eugenie。
The president smiled at the exclamation which the ambitious young man
could not repress as he received the documents。
〃We shall announce our marriages at the same time；〃 remarked Monsieur
de Bonfons。
〃Ah！ you marry Eugenie？ Well； I am delighted； she is a good girl。
But；〃 added Charles； struck with a luminous idea； 〃she must be rich？〃
〃She had；〃 said the president； with a mischievous smile； 〃about
nineteen millions four days ago； but she has only seventeen millions
to…day。〃
Charles looked at him thunderstruck。
〃Seventeen mil〃
〃Seventeen millions； yes； monsieur。 We shall muster； Mademoiselle
Grandet and I； an income of seven hundred and fifty thousand francs
when we marry。〃
〃My dear cousin；〃 said Charles； recovering a little of his assurance；
〃we can push each other's fortunes。〃
〃Agreed；〃 said the president。 〃Here is also a little case which I am
charged to give into your own hands；〃 he added； placing on the table
the leather box which contained the dressing…case。
〃Well； my dear friend；〃 said Madame d'Aubrion； entering the room
without noticing the president； 〃don't pay any attention to what poor
Monsieur d'Aubrion has just said to you； the Duchesse de Chaulieu has
turned his head。 I repeat； nothing shall interfere with the
marriage〃
〃Very good； madame。 The three millions which my father owed were paid
yesterday。〃
〃In money？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； in full； capital and interest； and I am about to do honor to his
memory〃
〃What folly！〃 exclaimed his mother…in…law。 〃Who is this？〃 she
whispered in Grandet's ear； perceiving the president。
〃My man of business；〃 he answered in a low voice。
The marquise bowed superciliously to Monsieur de Bonfons。
〃We are pushing each other's fortunes already；〃 said the president；
taking up his hat。 〃Good…by； cousin。〃
〃He is laughing at me； the old cockatoo！ I'd like to put six inches of
iron into him！〃 muttered Charles。
The president was out of hearing。 Three days later Monsieur de
Bonfons； on his return to Saumur； announced his marriage with Eugenie。
Six months after the marriage he was appointed councillor in the Cour
royale at Angers。 Before leaving Saumur Madame de Bonfons had the gold
of certain jewels； once so precious to her； melted up； and put；
together with the eight thousand francs paid back by her cousin； into
a golden pyx； which she gave to the parish church where she had so
long prayed for /him/。 She now spent her time between Angers and
Saumur。 Her husband； who had shown some public spirit on a certain
occasion； became a judge in the superior courts； and finally； after a
few years； president of them。 He was anxiously awaiting a general
election； in the hope of being returned to the Chamber of deputies。 He
hankered after a peerage； and then
〃The king will be his cousin； won't he？〃 said Nanon； la Grande Nanon；
Madame Cornoiller； bourgeoise of Saumur； as she listened to her
mistress； who was recounting the honors to which she was called。
Nevertheless； Monsieur de Bonfons （he had finally abolished his
patronymic of Cruchot） did not realize any of his ambitious ideas。 He
died eight days after his election as deputy of Saumur。 God； who sees
all and never strikes amiss； punished him； no doubt； for his sordid
calculations and the legal cleverness with which； /accurante Cruchot/；
he had drawn up his marriage contract； in which husband and wife gave
to each other； 〃in case they should have no children； their entire
property of every kind； landed or otherwise； without exception or
reservation； dispensing even with the formality of an inventory；
provided that said omission of said inventory shall not injure their
heirs and assigns； it being understood that this deed of gift is；
etc。； etc。〃 This clause of the contract will explain the profound
respect which monsieur le president always testified for the wishes；
and above all； for the solitude of Madame de Bonfons。 Women cited him
as the most considerate and delicate of men； pitied him； and even went
so far as to find fault with the passion and grief of Eugenie； blaming
her； as women know so well how to blame； with cruel but discreet
insinuation。
〃Madame de Bonfons must be very ill to leave her husband entirely
alone。 Poor woman！ Is she likely to get well？ What is it？ Something
gastric？ A cancer？〃〃She has grown perfectly yellow。 She ought to
consult some celebrated doctor in Paris。〃〃How can she be happy
without a child？ They say she loves her husband； then why not give him
an heir？in his position； too！〃〃Do you know； it is really dreadful！
If it is the result of mere caprice； it is unpardonable。 Poor
president！〃
Endowed with the delicate perception which a solitary soul acquires
through constant meditation； through the exquisite clear…sightedness
with which a mind aloof from life fastens on all that falls within its
sphere； Eugenie； taught by suffering and by her later education to
divine thought； knew well that the president desired her death that he
might step into possession of their immense fortune； augmented by the
property of his uncle the notary and his uncle the abbe； whom it had
lately pleased God to call to himself。 The poor solitary pitied the
president。 Providence avenged her for the calculations and the
indifference of a husband who respected the hopeless passion on which
she spent her life because it was his surest safeguard。 To give life
to a child would give death to his hopes；the hopes of selfishness；
the joys of ambition； which the president cherished as he looked into
the future。
God thus flung piles of gold upon this prisoner to whom gold was a
matter of indifference； who longed for heaven； who lived； pious and
good； in holy thoughts； succoring the unfortunate in secret； and never
wearying of such d