按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
J'avais un bon papa。〃
Nanon； Madame Grandet； and Eugenie looked at each other in silence。
The hilarity of the master always frightened them when it reached its
climax。 The evening was soon over。 Pere Grandet chose to go to bed
early； and when he went to bed； everybody else was expected to go too；
like as when Augustus drank； Poland was drunk。 On this occasion Nanon；
Charles； and Eugenie were not less tired than the master。 As for
Madame Grandet； she slept； ate； drank； and walked according to the
will of her husband。 However； during the two hours consecrated to
digestion； the cooper； more facetious than he had ever been in his
life； uttered a number of his own particular apothegms；a single one
of which will give the measure of his mind。 When he had drunk his
ratafia； he looked at his glass and said；
〃You have no sooner put your lips to a glass than it is empty！ Such is
life。 You can't have and hold。 Gold won't circulate and stay in your
purse。 If it were not for that； life would be too fine。〃
He was jovial and benevolent。 When Nanon came with her spinning…wheel；
〃You must be tired；〃 he said； 〃put away your hemp。〃
〃Ah； bah！ then I shall get sleepy；〃 she answered。
〃Poor Nanon！ Will you have some ratafia？〃
〃I won't refuse a good offer； madame makes it a deal better than the
apothecaries。 What they sell is all drugs。〃
〃They put too much sugar；〃 said the master； 〃you can't taste anything
else。〃
IX
The following day the family； meeting at eight o'clock for the early
breakfast； made a picture of genuine domestic intimacy。 Grief had
drawn Madame Grandet； Eugenie； and Charles /en rapport/； even Nanon
sympathized； without knowing why。 The four now made one family。 As to
the old man； his satisfied avarice and the certainty of soon getting
rid of the dandy without having to pay more than his journey to
Nantes； made him nearly indifferent to his presence in the house。 He
left the two children； as he called Charles and Eugenie； free to
conduct themselves as they pleased； under the eye of Madame Grandet；
in whom he had implicit confidence as to all that concerned public and
religious morality。 He busied himself in straightening the boundaries
of his fields and ditches along the high…road； in his poplar…
plantations beside the Loire； in the winter work of his vineyards； and
at Froidfond。 All these things occupied his whole time。
For Eugenie the springtime of love had come。 Since the scene at night
when she gave her little treasure to her cousin； her heart had
followed the treasure。 Confederates in the same secret； they looked at
each other with a mutual intelligence which sank to the depth of their
consciousness； giving a closer communion； a more intimate relation to
their feelings； and putting them； so to speak； beyond the pale of
ordinary life。 Did not their near relationship warrant the gentleness
in their tones； the tenderness in their glances？ Eugenie took delight
in lulling her cousin's pain with the pretty childish joys of a new…
born love。 Are there no sweet similitudes between the birth of love
and the birth of life？ Do we not rock the babe with gentle songs and
softest glances？ Do we not tell it marvellous tales of the golden
future？ Hope herself； does she not spread her radiant wings above its
head？ Does it not shed； with infant fickleness； its tears of sorrow
and its tears of joy？ Does it not fret for trifles； cry for the pretty
pebbles with which to build its shifting palaces； for the flowers
forgotten as soon as plucked？ Is it not eager to grasp the coming
time； to spring forward into life？ Love is our second transformation。
Childhood and love were one and the same thing to Eugenie and to
Charles； it was a first passion； with all its child…like play；the
more caressing to their hearts because they now were wrapped in
sadness。 Struggling at birth against the gloom of mourning； their love
was only the more in harmony with the provincial plainness of that
gray and ruined house。 As they exchanged a few words beside the well
in the silent court； or lingered in the garden for the sunset hour；
sitting on a mossy seat saying to each other the infinite nothings of
love； or mused in the silent calm which reigned between the house and
the ramparts like that beneath the arches of a church； Charles
comprehended the sanctity of love； for his great lady； his dear
Annette； had taught him only its stormy troubles。 At this moment he
left the worldly passion； coquettish； vain； and showy as it was； and
turned to the true； pure love。 He loved even the house； whose customs
no longer seemed to him ridiculous。 He got up early in the mornings
that he might talk with Eugenie for a moment before her father came to
dole out the provisions； when the steps of the old man sounded on the
staircase he escaped into the garden。 The small criminality of this
morning /tete…a…tete/ which Nanon pretended not to see； gave to their
innocent love the lively charm of a forbidden joy。
After breakfast； when Grandet had gone to his fields and his other
occupations； Charles remained with the mother and daughter； finding an
unknown pleasure in holding their skeins； in watching them at work； in
listening to their quiet prattle。 The simplicity of this half…monastic
life； which revealed to him the beauty of these souls； unknown and
unknowing of the world； touched him keenly。 He had believed such
morals impossible in France； and admitted their existence nowhere but
in Germany； even so； they seemed to him fabulous； only real in the
novels of Auguste Lafontaine。 Soon Eugenie became to him the Margaret
of Goethebefore her fall。 Day by day his words； his looks enraptured
the poor girl； who yielded herself up with delicious non…resistance to
the current of love； she caught her happiness as a swimmer seizes the
overhanging branch of a willow to draw himself from the river and lie
at rest upon its shore。 Did no dread of a coming absence sadden the
happy hours of those fleeting days？ Daily some little circumstance
reminded them of the parting that was at hand。
Three days after the departure of des Grassins； Grandet took his
nephew to the Civil courts； with the solemnity which country people
attach to all legal acts； that he might sign a deed surrendering his
rights in his father's estate。 Terrible renunciation！ species of
domestic apostasy！ Charles also went before Maitre Cruchot to make two
powers of attorney；one for des Grassins； the other for the friend
whom he had charged with the sale of his belongings。 After that he
attended to all the formalities necessary to obtain a passport for
foreign countries； and finally； when he received his simple mourning
clothes from Paris； he sent for the tailor of Saumur and sold to him
his useless wardrobe。 This last act pleased Grandet exceedingly。
〃Ah！ now you look like a man prepared to embark and make your
fortune；〃 he said； when Charles appeared in a surtout of plain black
cloth。 〃Good！ very good！〃
〃I hope you will believe； monsieur；〃 answered his nephew； 〃that I
shall always try to conform to my situation。〃
〃What's that？〃 said his uncle； his eyes lighting up at a handful of
gold which Charles was carrying。