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〃Oh！ my good mother；〃 she said； 〃to…morrow I will tell him it was I。〃
〃No； he would send you to Noyers。 Leave me to manage it； he cannot eat
me。〃
〃Do you hear； mamma？〃
〃What？〃
〃/He/ is weeping still。〃
〃Go to bed； my daughter； you will take cold in your feet： the floor is
damp。〃
*****
Thus passed the solemn day which was destined to weight upon the whole
life of the rich and poor heiress； whose sleep was never again to be
so calm； nor yet so pure； as it had been up to this moment。 It often
happens that certain actions of human life seem； literally speaking；
improbable； though actual。 Is not this because we constantly omit to
turn the stream of psychological light upon our impulsive
determinations； and fail to explain the subtile reasons； mysteriously
conceived in our minds； which impelled them？ Perhaps Eugenie's deep
passion should be analyzed in its most delicate fibres； for it became；
scoffers might say； a malady which influenced her whole existence。
Many people prefer to deny results rather than estimate the force of
ties and links and bonds； which secretly join one fact to another in
the moral order。 Here； therefore； Eugenie's past life will offer to
observers of human nature an explanation of her naive want of
reflection and the suddenness of the emotions which overflowed her
soul。 The more tranquil her life had been； the more vivid was her
womanly pity； the more simple…minded were the sentiments now developed
in her soul。
Made restless by the events of the day； she woke at intervals to
listen to her cousin； thinking she heard the sighs which still echoed
in her heart。 Sometimes she saw him dying of his trouble； sometimes
she dreamed that he fainted from hunger。 Towards morning she was
certain that she heard a startling cry。 She dressed at once and ran；
in the dawning light； with a swift foot to her cousin's chamber； the
door of which he had left open。 The candle had burned down to the
socket。 Charles； overcome by nature； was sleeping； dressed and sitting
in an armchair beside the bed； on which his head rested； he dreamed as
men dream on an empty stomach。 Eugenie might weep at her ease； she
might admire the young and handsome face blotted with grief； the eyes
swollen with weeping； that seemed； sleeping as they were； to well
forth tears。 Charles felt sympathetically the young girl's presence；
he opened his eyes and saw her pitying him。
〃Pardon me； my cousin；〃 he said； evidently not knowing the hour nor
the place in which he found himself。
〃There are hearts who hear you； cousin； and /we/ thought you might
need something。 You should go to bed； you tire yourself by sitting
thus。〃
〃That is true。〃
〃Well； then； adieu！〃
She escaped； ashamed and happy at having gone there。 Innocence alone
can dare to be so bold。 Once enlightened； virtue makes her
calculations as well as vice。 Eugenie； who had not trembled beside her
cousin； could scarcely stand upon her legs when she regained her
chamber。 Her ignorant life had suddenly come to an end； she reasoned；
she rebuked herself with many reproaches。
〃What will he think of me？ He will think that I love him！〃
That was what she most wished him to think。 An honest love has its own
prescience； and knows that love begets love。 What an event for this
poor solitary girl thus to have entered the chamber of a young man！
Are there not thoughts and actions in the life of love which to
certain souls bear the full meaning of the holiest espousals？ An hour
later she went to her mother and dressed her as usual。 Then they both
came down and sat in their places before the window waiting for
Grandet； with that cruel anxiety which； according to the individual
character； freezes the heart or warms it； shrivels or dilates it； when
a scene is feared； a punishment expected；a feeling so natural that
even domestic animals possess it； and whine at the slightest pain of
punishment； though they make no outcry when they inadvertently hurt
themselves。 The goodman came down； but he spoke to his wife with an
absent manner； kissed Eugenie； and sat down to table without appearing
to remember his threats of the night before。
〃What has become of my nephew？ The lad gives no trouble。〃
〃Monsieur； he is asleep；〃 answered Nanon。
〃So much the better； he won't want a wax candle；〃 said Grandet in a
jeering tone。
This unusual clemency； this bitter gaiety； struck Madame Grandet with
amazement； and she looked at her husband attentively。 The goodman
here it may be well to explain that in Touraine； Anjou； Pitou； and
Bretagne the word 〃goodman；〃 already used to designate Grandet； is
bestowed as often upon harsh and cruel men as upon those of kindly
temperament； when either have reached a certain age； the title means
nothing on the score of individual gentlenessthe goodman took his
hat and gloves； saying as he went out；
〃I am going to loiter about the market…place and find Cruchot。〃
〃Eugenie； your father certainly has something on his mind。〃
Grandet； who was a poor sleeper； employed half his nights in the
preliminary calculations which gave such astonishing accuracy to his
views and observations and schemes； and secured to them the unfailing
success at sight of which his townsmen stood amazed。 All human power
is a compound of time and patience。 Powerful beings will and wait。 The
life of a miser is the constant exercise of human power put to the
service of self。 It rests on two sentiments only；self…love and self…
interest； but self…interest being to a certain extent compact and
intelligent self…love； the visible sign of real superiority； it
follows that self…love and self…interest are two parts of the same
whole；egotism。 From this arises； perhaps； the excessive curiosity
shown in the habits of a miser's life whenever they are put before the
world。 Every nature holds by a thread to those beings who challenge
all human sentiments by concentrating all in one passion。 Where is the
man without desire？ and what social desire can be satisfied without
money？
Grandet unquestionably 〃had something on his mind；〃 to use his wife's
expression。 There was in him； as in all misers； a persistent craving
to play a commercial game with other men and win their money legally。
To impose upon other people was to him a sign of power； a perpetual
proof that he had won the right to despise those feeble beings who
suffer themselves to be preyed upon in this world。 Oh！ who has ever
truly understood the lamb lying peacefully at the feet of God？
touching emblem of all terrestrial victims； myth of their future；
suffering and weakness glorified！ This lamb it is which the miser
fattens； puts in his fold； slaughters； cooks； eats； and then despises。
The pasture of misers is compounded of money and disdain。 During the
night Grandet's ideas had taken another course； which was the reason
of his sudden clemency。 He had hatched a plot by which to trick the
Parisians； to decoy and dupe and snare them； to drive them into a
trap； and make them go and come and sweat and hope and turn pale；a
plot by which to amuse himself； the old provincial cooper； sitting
there beneath his gloomy rafters； or passing up and down the rotten
staircase of his house in Saumur。 His nephew filled his mind。 He
wished to save the honor of his dead brother without the cost of a
penny to the son or to himself。 His own funds he was about to invest
for three years； he had therefore nothing further to do than to manage
his property in Saumur。 He needed some nutriment for his malicious
activity； and he found it suddenly in his brother's failure。 Feeling
nothing to squeeze between his own paws； he resolved to crush the
Parisians in behalf of Charles； and to play the part of a good brother
on the cheapest terms。 The honor of the family counted for so little
in this scheme that his good intentions might be likened to the
interest a gambler takes in seeing a game well played in which he has
no stake。 The Cruchots were a necessary part of his plan； but he would
not seek them；he resolved to make them come to him； and to lead up
that very evening to a comedy whose plot he had just conceived； which
should make him on the morrow an object of admiration to the whole
town without its costing him a single penny。
In her father's absence Eugenie had the happiness of busying herself
openly with her much…loved cousin； of spending upon him fearlessly the
treasures of her pity；woman's sublime superiority； the sole she
desires to have recognized； the sole she pardons man for letting her
assume。 Three or four times the young girl went to listen to her
cousin's breathing； to know if he were sleeping or awake； then； when
he had risen； she turned her thoughts to the cream； the eggs； the
fruits； the plates； the glasses；all that was a part of his breakfast
became the object of some special care。 At length she ran lightly up
the old staircase to listen to the noise her cousin made。 Was he
dressing？ Did he still weep？ She reached the door。
〃My cousin！〃
〃Yes； cousin。〃
〃Will you breakfast downstairs； or in your room？〃
〃Where you like。〃
〃How do you feel？〃
〃Dear cousin； I am ashamed of being hungry。〃
This conversation； held through the closed door； was like an episode
in a poem to Eugenie。
〃Well； then； we will