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about these things； don't you？〃
〃Bless me！ then； am I to invest enough to give you a few thousand
francs a year？〃
〃That's not much to begin with。 Hush！ I don't want any one to know I
am going to play that game。 You can make the investment by the end of
the month。 Say nothing to the Cruchots； that'll annoy them。 If you are
really going to Paris； we will see if there is anything to be done for
my poor nephew。〃
〃Well； it's all settled。 I'll start to…morrow by the mail…post；〃 said
des Grassins aloud； 〃and I will come and take your last directions at
what hour will suit you？〃
〃Five o'clock； just before dinner；〃 said Grandet； rubbing his hands。
The two parties stayed on for a short time。 Des Grassins said； after a
pause； striking Grandet on the shoulder；
〃It is a good thing to have a relation like him。〃
〃Yes； yes； without making a show；〃 said Grandet； 〃I am a g…good
relation。 I loved my brother； and I will prove it； unless it
c…c…costs〃
〃We must leave you； Grandet；〃 said the banker； interrupting him
fortunately before he got to the end of his sentence。 〃If I hurry my
departure； I must attend to some matters at once。〃
〃Very good； very good！ I myselfin c…consequence of what I t…told you
I must retire to my own room and 'd…d…deliberate；' as President
Cruchot says。〃
〃Plague take him！ I am no longer Monsieur de Bonfons；〃 thought the
magistrate ruefully； his face assuming the expression of a judge bored
by an argument。
The heads of the two factions walked off together。 Neither gave any
further thought to the treachery Grandet had been guilty of in the
morning against the whole wine…growing community； each tried to fathom
what the other was thinking about the real intentions of the wily old
man in this new affair； but in vain。
〃Will you go with us to Madame Dorsonval's？〃 said des Grassins to the
notary。
〃We will go there later；〃 answered the president。 〃I have promised to
say good…evening to Mademoiselle de Gribeaucourt； and we will go there
first； if my uncle is willing。〃
〃Farewell for the present！〃 said Madame des Grassins。
When the Cruchots were a few steps off； Adolphe remarked to his
father；
〃Are not they fuming； hein？〃
〃Hold your tongue； my son！〃 said his mother； 〃they might hear you。
Besides； what you say is not in good taste；law…school language。〃
〃Well； uncle；〃 cried the president when he saw the des Grassins
disappearing； 〃I began by being de Bonfons； and I have ended as
nothing but Cruchot。〃
〃I saw that that annoyed you； but the wind has set fair for the des
Grassins。 What a fool you are； with all your cleverness！ Let them sail
off on Grandet's 'We'll see about it；' and keep yourself quiet； young
man。 Eugenie will none the less be your wife。〃
In a few moments the news of Grandet's magnanimous resolve was
disseminated in three houses at the same moment； and the whole town
began to talk of his fraternal devotion。 Every one forgave Grandet for
the sale made in defiance of the good faith pledged to the community；
they admired his sense of honor； and began to laud a generosity of
which they had never thought him capable。 It is part of the French
nature to grow enthusiastic； or angry； or fervent about some meteor of
the moment。 Can it be that collective beings； nationalities； peoples；
are devoid of memory？
When Pere Grandet had shut the door he called Nanon。
〃Don't let the dog loose； and don't go to bed； we have work to do
together。 At eleven o'clock Cornoiller will be at the door with the
chariot from Froidfond。 Listen for him and prevent his knocking； tell
him to come in softly。 Police regulations don't allow nocturnal
racket。 Besides； the whole neighborhood need not know that I am
starting on a journey。〃
So saying； Grandet returned to his private room； where Nanon heard him
moving about； rummaging； and walking to and fro； though with much
precaution； for he evidently did not wish to wake his wife and
daughter； and above all not to rouse the attention of his nephew； whom
he had begun to anathematize when he saw a thread of light under his
door。 About the middle of the night Eugenie； intent on her cousin；
fancied she heard a cry like that of a dying person。 It must be
Charles； she thought； he was so pale； so full of despair when she had
seen him last；could he have killed himself？ She wrapped herself
quickly in a loose garment；a sort of pelisse with a hood；and was
about to leave the room when a bright light coming through the chinks
of her door made her think of fire。 But she recovered herself as she
heard Nanon's heavy steps and gruff voice mingling with the snorting
of several horses。
〃Can my father be carrying off my cousin？〃 she said to herself；
opening her door with great precaution lest it should creak； and yet
enough to let her see into the corridor。
Suddenly her eye encountered that of her father； and his glance； vague
and unnoticing as it was； terrified her。 The goodman and Nanon were
yoked together by a stout stick； each end of which rested on their
shoulders； a stout rope was passed over it； on which was slung a small
barrel or keg like those Pere Grandet still made in his bakehouse as
an amusement for his leisure hours。
〃Holy Virgin； how heavy it is！〃 said the voice of Nanon。
〃What a pity that it is only copper sous！〃 answered Grandet。 〃Take
care you don't knock over the candlestick。〃
The scene was lighted by a single candle placed between two rails of
the staircase。
〃Cornoiller；〃 said Grandet to his keeper /in partibus/； 〃have you
brought your pistols？〃
〃No； monsieur。 Mercy！ what's there to fear for your copper sous？〃
〃Oh！ nothing；〃 said Pere Grandet。
〃Besides； we shall go fast；〃 added the man； 〃your farmers have picked
out their best horses。〃
〃Very good。 You did not tell them where I was going？〃
〃I didn't know where。〃
〃Very good。 Is the carriage strong？〃
〃Strong？ hear to that； now！ Why； it can carry three thousand weight。
How much does that old keg weigh？〃
〃Goodness！〃 exclaimed Nanon。 〃I ought to know！ There's pretty nigh
eighteen hundred〃
〃Will you hold your tongue； Nanon！ You are to tell my wife I have gone
into the country。 I shall be back to dinner。 Drive fast； Cornoiller； I
must get to Angers before nine o'clock。〃
The carriage drove off。 Nanon bolted the great door； let loose the
dog； and went off to bed with a bruised shoulder； no one in the
neighborhood suspecting either the departure of Grandet or the object
of his journey。 The precautions of the old miser and his reticence
were never relaxed。 No one had ever seen a penny in that house； filled
as it was with gold。 Hearing in the morning； through the gossip of the
port； that exchange on gold had doubled in price in consequence of
certain military preparations undertaken at Nantes； and that
speculators had arrived at Angers to buy coin； the old wine…grower； by
the simple process of borrowing horses from his farmers； seized the
chance of selling his gold and of bringing back in the form of
treasury notes the sum he intended to put into the Funds； having
swelled it considerably by the exchange。
VIII
〃My father has gone；〃 thought Eugenie； who heard all that took plac