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along the high…road。 I shall be back at noon； in time for the second
breakfast； and then I will talk with my nephew about his affairs。 As
for you； Mademoiselle Eugenie； if it is for that dandy you are crying；
that's enough； child。 He's going off like a shot to the Indies。 You
will never see him again。〃
The father took his gloves from the brim of his hat； put them on with
his usual composure； pushed them in place by shoving the fingers of
both hands together； and went out。
〃Mamma； I am suffocating！〃 cried Eugenie when she was alone with her
mother； 〃I have never suffered like this。〃
Madame Grandet； seeing that she turned pale； opened the window and let
her breathe fresh air。
〃I feel better！〃 said Eugenie after a moment。
This nervous excitement in a nature hitherto； to all appearance； calm
and cold； reacted on Madame Grandet； she looked at her daughter with
the sympathetic intuition with which mothers are gifted for the
objects of their tenderness； and guessed all。 In truth the life of the
Hungarian sisters； bound together by a freak of nature； could scarcely
have been more intimate than that of Eugenie and her mother；always
together in the embrasure of that window； and sleeping together in the
same atmosphere。
〃My poor child！〃 said Madame Grandet； taking Eugenie's head and laying
it upon her bosom。
At these words the young girl raised her head； questioned her mother
by a look； and seemed to search out her inmost thought。
〃Why send him to the Indies？〃 she said。 〃If he is unhappy； ought he
not to stay with us？ Is he not our nearest relation？〃
〃Yes； my child； it seems natural； but your father has his reasons： we
must respect them。〃
The mother and daughter sat down in silence； the former upon her
raised seat； the latter in her little armchair； and both took up their
work。 Swelling with gratitude for the full heart…understanding her
mother had given her； Eugenie kissed the dear hand； saying；
〃How good you are； my kind mamma！〃
The words sent a glow of light into the motherly face； worn and
blighted as it was by many sorrows。
〃You like him？〃 asked Eugenie。
Madame Grandet only smiled in reply。 Then； after a moment's silence；
she said in a low voice： 〃Do you love him already？ That is wrong。〃
〃Wrong？〃 said Eugenie。 〃Why is it wrong？ You are pleased with him；
Nanon is pleased with him； why should he not please me？ Come； mamma；
let us set the table for his breakfast。〃
She threw down her work； and her mother did the same； saying； 〃Foolish
child！〃 But she sanctioned the child's folly by sharing it。 Eugenie
called Nanon。
〃What do you want now； mademoiselle？〃
〃Nanon； can we have cream by midday？〃
〃Ah！ midday； to be sure you can；〃 answered the old servant。
〃Well； let him have his coffee very strong； I heard Monsieur des
Grassins say that they make the coffee very strong in Paris。 Put in a
great deal。〃
〃Where am I to get it？〃
〃Buy some。〃
〃Suppose monsieur meets me？〃
〃He has gone to his fields。〃
〃I'll run； then。 But Monsieur Fessard asked me yesterday if the Magi
had come to stay with us when I bought the wax candle。 All the town
will know our goings…on。〃
〃If your father finds it out；〃 said Madame Grandet； 〃he is capable of
beating us。〃
〃Well； let him beat us； we will take his blows on our knees。〃
Madame Grandet for all answer raised her eyes to heaven。 Nanon put on
her hood and went off。 Eugenie got out some clean table…linen； and
went to fetch a few bunches of grapes which she had amused herself by
hanging on a string across the attic； she walked softly along the
corridor； so as not to waken her cousin； and she could not help
listening at the door to his quiet breathing。
〃Sorrow is watching while he sleeps；〃 she thought。
She took the freshest vine…leaves and arranged her dish of grapes as
coquettishly as a practised house…keeper might have done； and placed
it triumphantly on the table。 She laid hands on the pears counted out
by her father； and piled them in a pyramid mixed with leaves。 She went
and came； and skipped and ran。 She would have liked to lay under
contribution everything in her father's house； but the keys were in
his pocket。 Nanon came back with two fresh eggs。 At sight of them
Eugenie almost hugged her round the neck。
〃The farmer from Lande had them in his basket。 I asked him for them；
and he gave them to me； the darling； for nothing； as an attention！〃
V
After two hours' thought and care； during which Eugenie jumped up
twenty times from her work to see if the coffee were boiling； or to go
and listen to the noise her cousin made in dressing； she succeeded in
preparing a simple little breakfast； very inexpensive； but which；
nevertheless； departed alarmingly from the inveterate customs of the
house。 The midday breakfast was always taken standing。 Each took a
slice of bread； a little fruit or some butter； and a glass of wine。 As
Eugenie looked at the table drawn up near the fire with an arm…chair
placed before her cousin's plate； at the two dishes of fruit； the egg…
cup； the bottle of white wine； the bread； and the sugar heaped up in a
saucer； she trembled in all her limbs at the mere thought of the look
her father would give her if he should come in at that moment。 She
glanced often at the clock to see if her cousin could breakfast before
the master's return。
〃Don't be troubled； Eugenie； if your father comes in； I will take it
all upon myself；〃 said Madame Grandet。
Eugenie could not repress a tear。
〃Oh； my good mother！〃 she cried； 〃I have never loved you enough。〃
Charles； who had been tramping about his room for some time； singing
to himself； now came down。 Happily； it was only eleven o'clock。 The
true Parisian！ he had put as much dandyism into his dress as if he
were in the chateau of the noble lady then travelling in Scotland。 He
came into the room with the smiling； courteous manner so becoming to
youth； which made Eugenie's heart beat with mournful joy。 He had taken
the destruction of his castles in Anjou as a joke； and came up to his
aunt gaily。
〃Have you slept well； dear aunt？ and you； too； my cousin？〃
〃Very well； monsieur； did you？〃 said Madame Grandet。
〃I？ perfectly。〃
〃You must be hungry； cousin；〃 said Eugenie； 〃will you take your seat？〃
〃I never breakfast before midday； I never get up till then。 However； I
fared so badly on the journey that I am glad to eat something at once。
Besides〃 here he pulled out the prettiest watch Breguet ever made。
〃Dear me！ I am early； it is only eleven o'clock！〃
〃Early？〃 said Madame Grandet。
〃Yes； but I wanted to put my things in order。 Well； I shall be glad to
have anything to eat；anything； it doesn't matter what； a chicken； a
partridge。〃
〃Holy Virgin！〃 exclaimed Nanon； overhearing the words。
〃A partridge！〃 whispered Eugenie to herself； she would gladly have
given the whole of her little hoard for a partridge。
〃Come and sit down；〃 said his aunt。
The young dandy let himself drop into an easy…chair； just as a pretty
woman falls gracefully upon a sofa。 Eugenie and her mother took
ordinary chairs and sat beside him； near the fire。
〃Do you always live here？〃 said Charles； thinking the room uglier by
daylight than it had seemed the night before。
〃Always；〃 answered Eugenie； looking at him； 〃except during the
vintage。 Then we go and help Nanon； and live at the Abbaye des
Noyers。〃
〃Don't you ever take walks？〃
〃Sometimes on Sunday after vespers； when the weather is fine；〃 said
Madame Grandet； 〃we walk on the bridge； or we go and watch the
haymakers。〃
〃Have you a theatre？〃
〃Go to the theatre！〃 exclaimed Madame Grandet； 〃see a play！ Why；
monsieur； don't you know it is a mortal sin？〃
〃See here； monsieur；〃 said Nanon； bringing in the eggs； 〃here are your
chickens；in the shell。〃
〃Oh！ fresh eggs；〃 said Charles； who； like all people accustomed to
luxury； had already forgotten about his partridge； 〃that is delicious：
now； if you will give me the butter； my good girl。〃
〃Butter！ then you can't have the /galette/。〃
〃Nanon； bring the butter；〃 cried Eugenie。
The young girl watched her cousin as he cut his sippets； with as much
pleasure as a grisette takes in a melodrama where innocence and virtue
triumph。 Charles； brought up by a charming mother； improved； and
trained by a woman of fashion； had the elegant； dainty； foppish
movements of a coxcomb。 The compassionate sympathy and tenderness of a
young girl possess a power that is actually magnetic； so that Charles；
finding himself the object of the attentions of his aunt and cousin；
could not escape the influence of feelings which flowed towards him；
as it were； and inundated him。 He gave Eugenie a bright； caressing
look full of kindness；a look which seemed itself a smile。 He
perceived； as his eyes lingered upon her； the exquisite harmony of
features in the pure face； the grace of her innocent attitude； the
magic clearness of the eyes； where young love sparkled and desire
shone unconsciously。
〃Ah！ my dear cousin； if you were in full dress at the Opera； I assure
you my aunt's words would come true；you would make the men commit
the mortal sin of envy； and the women the sin of jealousy。〃
The compliment went to Eugenie's heart and set it beating； though she
did not understand its meaning。
〃Oh！ cousin；〃 she said； 〃you are laughi