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case； the portraits hanging above her bed； the jewels recovered from
her father and proudly spread upon a bed of wool in a drawer of the
oaken cabinet； the thimble of her aunt； used for a while by her
mother； which she wore religiously as she worked at a piece of
embroidery；a Penelope's web； begun for the sole purpose of putting
upon her finger that gold so rich in memories。
It seemed unlikely that Mademoiselle Grandet would marry during the
period of her mourning。 Her genuine piety was well known。 Consequently
the Cruchots； whose policy was sagely guided by the old abbe；
contented themselves for the time being with surrounding the great
heiress and paying her the most affectionate attentions。 Every evening
the hall was filled with a party of devoted Cruchotines； who sang the
praises of its mistress in every key。 She had her doctor in ordinary；
her grand almoner； her chamberlain； her first lady of honor； her prime
minister； above all； her chancellor； a chancellor who would fain have
said much to her。 If the heiress had wished for a train…bearer； one
would instantly have been found。 She was a queen； obsequiously
flattered。 Flattery never emanates from noble souls； it is the gift of
little minds； who thus still further belittle themselves to worm their
way into the vital being of the persons around whom they crawl。
Flattery means self…interest。 So the people who； night after night；
assembled in Mademoiselle Grandet's house （they called her
Mademoiselle de Froidfond） outdid each other in expressions of
admiration。 This concert of praise； never before bestowed upon
Eugenie； made her blush under its novelty； but insensibly her ear
became habituated to the sound； and however coarse the compliments
might be； she soon was so accustomed to hear her beauty lauded that if
any new…comer had seemed to think her plain； she would have felt the
reproach far more than she might have done eight years earlier。 She
ended at last by loving the incense； which she secretly laid at the
feet of her idol。 By degrees she grew accustomed to be treated as a
sovereign and to see her court pressing around her every evening。
Monsieur de Bonfons was the hero of the little circle； where his wit；
his person； his education； his amiability； were perpetually praised。
One or another would remark that in seven years he had largely
increased his fortune； that Bonfons brought in at least ten thousand
francs a year； and was surrounded； like the other possessions of the
Cruchots； by the vast domains of the heiress。
〃Do you know； mademoiselle；〃 said an habitual visitor； 〃that the
Cruchots have an income of forty thousand francs among them！〃
〃And then； their savings！〃 exclaimed an elderly female Cruchotine；
Mademoiselle de Gribeaucourt。
〃A gentleman from Paris has lately offered Monsieur Cruchot two
hundred thousand francs for his practice；〃 said another。 〃He will sell
it if he is appointed /juge de paix/。〃
〃He wants to succeed Monsieur de Bonfons as president of the Civil
courts； and is taking measures；〃 replied Madame d'Orsonval。 〃Monsieur
le president will certainly be made councillor。〃
〃Yes； he is a very distinguished man；〃 said another；〃don't you think
so； mademoiselle？〃
Monsieur de Bonfons endeavored to put himself in keeping with the role
he sought to play。 In spite of his forty years； in spite of his dusky
and crabbed features； withered like most judicial faces； he dressed in
youthful fashions； toyed with a bamboo cane； never took snuff in
Mademoiselle de Froidfond's house； and came in a white cravat and a
shirt whose pleated frill gave him a family resemblance to the race of
turkeys。 He addressed the beautiful heiress familiarly； and spoke of
her as 〃Our dear Eugenie。〃 In short； except for the number of
visitors； the change from loto to whist； and the disappearance of
Monsieur and Madame Grandet； the scene was about the same as the one
with which this history opened。 The pack were still pursuing Eugenie
and her millions； but the hounds； more in number； lay better on the
scent； and beset the prey more unitedly。 If Charles could have dropped
from the Indian Isles； he would have found the same people and the
same interests。 Madame des Grassins； to whom Eugenie was full of
kindness and courtesy； still persisted in tormenting the Cruchots。
Eugenie； as in former days； was the central figure of the picture； and
Charles； as heretofore； would still have been the sovereign of all。
Yet there had been some progress。 The flowers which the president
formerly presented to Eugenie on her birthdays and fete…days had now
become a daily institution。 Every evening he brought the rich heiress
a huge and magnificent bouquet； which Madame Cornoiller placed
conspicuously in a vase； and secretly threw into a corner of the
court…yard when the visitors had departed。
Early in the spring； Madame des Grassins attempted to trouble the
peace of the Cruchotines by talking to Eugenie of the Marquis de
Froidfond； whose ancient and ruined family might be restored if the
heiress would give him back his estates through marriage。 Madame des
Grassins rang the changes on the peerage and the title of marquise；
until； mistaking Eugenie's disdainful smile for acquiescence； she went
about proclaiming that the marriage with 〃Monsieur Cruchot〃 was not
nearly as certain as people thought。
〃Though Monsieur de Froidfond is fifty；〃 she said； 〃he does not look
older than Monsieur Cruchot。 He is a widower； and he has children；
that's true。 But then he is a marquis； he will be peer of France； and
in times like these where you will find a better match？ I know it for
a fact that Pere Grandet； when he put all his money into Froidfond；
intended to graft himself upon that stock； he often told me so。 He was
a deep one； that old man！〃
〃Ah！ Nanon；〃 said Eugenie； one night as she was going to bed； 〃how is
it that in seven years he has never once written to me？〃
XIII
While these events were happening in Saumur； Charles was making his
fortune in the Indies。 His commercial outfit had sold well。 He began
by realizing a sum of six thousand dollars。 Crossing the line had
brushed a good many cobwebs out of his brain； he perceived that the
best means of attaining fortune in tropical regions； as well as in
Europe； was to buy and sell men。 He went to the coast of Africa and
bought Negroes； combining his traffic in human flesh with that of
other merchandise equally advantageous to his interests。 He carried
into this business an activity which left him not a moment of leisure。
He was governed by the desire of reappearing in Paris with all the
prestige of a large fortune； and by the hope of regaining a position
even more brilliant than the one from which he had fallen。
By dint of jostling with men； travelling through many lands； and
studying a variety of conflicting customs； his ideas had been modified
and had become sceptical。 He ceased to have fixed principles of right
and wrong； for he saw what was called a crime in one country lauded as
a virtue in another。 In the perpetual struggle of selfish interests
his heart grew cold； then contracted； and then dried up。 The blood of
the Grandets did not fail of its destiny； Charles became hard； and
eager for prey。 He sold Chinamen； Negroes； birds' nests； children；
artists； he practised usury on a large scale； the habit of defrauding
custom…houses soon made him less scrupulous about the rights of his
fellow men。 He went to the Island of St。 Thomas and bought； for a mere
song； merchandise that had been captured by pirates； and took it to
ports where he could sell it at a good price。 If the pure and noble
face of Eugenie went with him on his first voyage； like that image of
the Virgin which Spanish mariners fastened to their masts； if he
attributed his first success to the magic influence of the prayers and
intercessions of his gentle love； later on women of other kinds；
blacks； mulattoes； whites； and Indian dancing…girls；orgies and
adventures in many lands； completely effaced all recollection of his
cousin； of Saumur； of the house； the bench； the kiss snatched in the
dark passage。 He remembered only the little garden shut in with
crumbling walls； for it was there he learned the fate that had
overtaken him； but he rejected all connection with his family。 His
uncle was an old dog who had filched his jewels； Eugenie had no place
in his heart nor in his thoughts； though she did have a place in his
accounts as a creditor for the sum of six thousand francs。
Such conduct and such ideas explain Charles Grandet's silence。 In the
Indies； at St。 Thomas； on the coast of Africa； at Lisbon； and in the
United States the adventurer had taken the pseudonym of Shepherd； that
he might not compromise his own name。 Charles Shepherd could safely be
indefatigable； bold； grasping； and greedy of gain； like a man who
resolves to snatch his fortune /quibus cumque viis/； and makes haste
to have done with villany； that he may spend the rest of his life as
an honest man。
With such methods； prosperity was rapid and brilliant； and in 1827
Charles Grandet returned to Bordeaux on the 〃Marie Caroline；〃 a fine
brig belonging to a royalist house of business。 He brought with him
nineteen hundred thousand