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vengeance and the sense of a great despair。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 she said〃Ah！ here is monsieur le cure； I am silent。
I came to speak to you on business； but I see that you are conferring
with〃
〃Madame；〃 said the cure； 〃I leave the field to you。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur le cure；〃 said Eugenie； 〃come back later； your support
is very necessary to me just now。〃
〃Ah； yes； indeed； my poor child！〃 said Madame des Grassins。
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Eugenie and the cure together。
〃Don't I know about your cousin's return； and his marriage with
Mademoiselle d'Aubrion？ A woman doesn't carry her wits in her pocket。〃
Eugenie blushed； and remained silent for a moment。 From this day forth
she assumed the impassible countenance for which her father had been
so remarkable。
〃Well； madame；〃 she presently said； ironically； 〃no doubt I carry my
wits in my pocket； for I do not understand you。 Speak； say what you
mean； before monsieur le cure； you know he is my director。〃
〃Well； then； mademoiselle； here is what des Grassins writes me。 Read
it。〃
Eugenie read the following letter：
My dear Wife；Charles Grandet has returned from the Indies and
has been in Paris about a month
〃A month！〃 thought Eugenie； her hand falling to her side。 After a
pause she resumed the letter；
I had to dance attendance before I was allowed to see the future
Vicomte d'Aubrion。 Though all Paris is talking of his marriage and
the banns are published
〃He wrote to me after that！〃 thought Eugenie。 She did not conclude the
thought； she did not cry out； as a Parisian woman would have done；
〃The villain！〃 but though she said it not； contempt was none the less
present in her mind。
The marriage； however； will not come off。 The Marquis d'Aubrion
will never give his daughter to the son of a bankrupt。 I went to
tell Grandet of the steps his uncle and I took in his father's
business； and the clever manoeuvres by which we had managed to
keep the creditor's quiet until the present time。 The insolent
fellow had the face to say to meto me； who for five years have
devoted myself night and day to his interests and his honor！that
/his father's affairs were not his/！ A solicitor would have had
the right to demand fees amounting to thirty or forty thousand
francs； one per cent on the total of the debts。 But patience！
there are twelve hundred thousand francs legitimately owing to the
creditors； and I shall at once declare his father a bankrupt。
I went into this business on the word of that old crocodile
Grandet； and I have made promises in the name of his family。 If
Monsieur de vicomte d'Aubrion does not care for his honor； I care
for mine。 I shall explain my position to the creditors。 Still； I
have too much respect for Mademoiselle Eugenie （to whom under
happier circumstances we once hoped to be allied） to act in this
matter before you have spoken to her about it
There Eugenie paused； and coldly returned the letter without finishing
it。
〃I thank you；〃 she said to Madame des Grassins。
〃Ah！ you have the voice and manner of your deceased father；〃 Madame
des Grassins replied。
〃Madame； you have eight thousand francs to pay us；〃 said Nanon；
producing Charles's cheque。
〃That's true； have the kindness to come with me now； Madame
Cornoiller。〃
〃Monsieur le cure；〃 said Eugenie with a noble composure； inspired by
the thought she was about to express； 〃would it be a sin to remain a
virgin after marriage？〃
〃That is a case of conscience whose solution is not within my
knowledge。 If you wish to know what the celebrated Sanchez says of it
in his treatise 'De Matrimonio；' I shall be able to tell you
to…morrow。〃
The cure went away； Mademoiselle Grandet went up to her father's
secret room and spent the day there alone； without coming down to
dinner； in spite of Nanon's entreaties。 She appeared in the evening at
the hour when the usual company began to arrive。 Never was the old
hall so full as on this occasion。 The news of Charles's return and his
foolish treachery had spread through the whole town。 But however
watchful the curiosity of the visitors might be； it was left
unsatisfied。 Eugenie； who expected scrutiny； allowed none of the cruel
emotions that wrung her soul to appear on the calm surface of her
face。 She was able to show a smiling front in answer to all who tried
to testify their interest by mournful looks or melancholy speeches。
She hid her misery behind a veil of courtesy。 Towards nine o'clock the
games ended and the players left the tables； paying their losses and
discussing points of the game as they joined the rest of the company。
At the moment when the whole party rose to take leave； an unexpected
and striking event occurred； which resounded through the length and
breadth of Saumur； from thence through the arrondissement； and even to
the four surrounding prefectures。
〃Stay； monsieur le president；〃 said Eugenie to Monsieur de Bonfons as
she saw him take his cane。
There was not a person in that numerous assembly who was unmoved by
these words。 The president turned pale； and was forced to sit down。
〃The president gets the millions；〃 said Mademoiselle de Gribeaucourt。
〃It is plain enough； the president marries Mademoiselle Grandet；〃
cried Madame d'Orsonval。
〃All the trumps in one hand；〃 said the abbe。
〃A love game；〃 said the notary。
Each and all said his say； made his pun； and looked at the heiress
mounted on her millions as on a pedestal。 The drama begun nine years
before had reached its conclusion。 To tell the president； in face of
all Saumur； to 〃stay；〃 was surely the same thing as proclaiming him
her husband。 In provincial towns social conventionalities are so
rigidly enforced than an infraction like this constituted a solemn
promise。
〃Monsieur le president；〃 said Eugenie in a voice of some emotion when
they were left alone； 〃I know what pleases you in me。 Swear to leave
me free during my whole life； to claim none of the rights which
marriage will give you over me； and my hand is yours。 Oh！〃 she added；
seeing him about to kneel at her feet； 〃I have more to say。 I must not
deceive you。 In my heart I cherish one inextinguishable feeling。
Friendship is the only sentiment which I can give to a husband。 I wish
neither to affront him nor to violate the laws of my own heart。 But
you can possess my hand and my fortune only at the cost of doing me an
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