continued Grandet； without stuttering： 〃two thousand poplars forty
years old will only yield me fifty thousand francs。 There's a loss。 I
have found that myself；〃 said Grandet； getting on his high horse。
〃Jean； fill up all the holes except those at the bank of the river；
there you are to plant the poplars I have bought。 Plant 'em there； and
they'll get nourishment from the government；〃 he said； turning to
Cruchot； and giving a slight motion to the wen on his nose； which
expressed more than the most ironical of smiles。
〃True enough； poplars should only be planted on poor soil；〃 said
Cruchot； amazed at Grandet's calculations。
〃Y…y…yes； monsieur；〃 answered the old man satirically。
Eugenie； who was gazing at the sublime scenery of the Loire； and
paying no attention to her father's reckonings； presently turned an
ear to the remarks of Cruchot when she heard him say；
〃So you have brought a son…in…law from Paris。 All Saumur is talking
about your nephew。 I shall soon have the marriage…contract to draw up；
hey！ Pere Grandet？〃
〃You g…g…got up very early to t…t…tell me that；〃 said Grandet；
accompanying the remark with a motion of his wen。 〃Well； old
c…c…comrade； I'll be frank； and t…t…tell you what you want t…t…to
know。 I would rather； do you see； f…f…fling my daughter into the Loire
than g…g…give her to her c…c…cousin。 You may t…t…tell that everywhere；
no； never mind； let the world t…t…talk。〃
This answer dazzled and blinded the young girl with sudden light。 The
distant hopes upspringing in her heart bloomed suddenly； became real；
tangible； like a cluster of flowers； and she saw them cut down and
wilting on the earth。 Since the previous evening she had attached
herself to Charles by those links of happiness which bind soul to
soul； from henceforth suffering was to rivet them。 Is it not the noble
destiny of women to be more moved by the dark solemnities of grief
than by the splendors of fortune？ How was it that fatherly feeling had
died out of her father's heart？ Of what crime had Charles been guilty？
Mysterious questions！ Already her dawning love； a mystery so profound；
was wrapping itself in mystery。 She walked back trembling in all her
limbs； and when she reached the gloomy street； lately so joyous to
her； she felt its sadness； she breathed the melancholy which time and
events had printed there。 None of love's lessons lacked。 A few steps
from their own door she went on before her father and waited at the
threshold。 But Grandet； who saw a newspaper in the notary's hand；
stopped short and asked；
〃How are the Funds？〃
〃You never listen to my advice； Grandet；〃 answered Cruchot。 〃Buy soon；
you will still make twenty per cent in two years； besides getting an
excellent rate of interest；five thousand a year for eighty thousand
francs fifty centimes。〃
〃We'll see about that；〃 answered Grandet； rubbing his chin。
〃Good God！〃 exclaimed the notary。
〃Well； what？〃 cried Grandet； and at the same moment Cruchot put the
newspaper under his eyes and said：
〃Read that！〃
〃Monsieur Grandet； one of the most respected merchants in Paris；
blew his brains out yesterday； after making his usual appearance
at the Bourse。 He had sent his resignation to the president of the
Chamber of Deputies； and had also resigned his functions as a
judge of the commercial courts。 The failures of Monsieur Roguin
and Monsieur Souchet； his broker and his notary； had ruined him。
The esteem felt for Monsieur Grandet and the credit he enjoyed
were nevertheless such that he might have obtained the necessary
assistance from other business houses。 It is much to be regretted
that so honorable a man should have yielded to momentary despair；〃
etc。
〃I knew it；〃 said the old wine…grower to the notary。
The words sent a chill of horror through Maitre Cruchot； who；
notwithstanding his impassibility as a notary； felt the cold running
down his spine as he thought that Grandet of Paris had possibly
implored in vain the millions of Grandet of Saumur。
〃And his son； so joyous yesterday〃
〃He knows nothing as yet；〃 answered Grandet； with the same composure。
〃Adieu！ Monsieur Grandet；〃 said Cruchot； who now understood the state
of the case； and went off to reassure Monsieur de Bonfons。
On entering； Grandet found breakfast ready。 Madame Grandet； round
whose neck Eugenie had flung her arms； kissing her with the quick
effusion of feeling often caused by secret grief； was already seated
in her chair on castors； knitting sleeves for the coming winter。
〃You can begin to eat；〃 said Nanon； coming downstairs four steps at a
time； 〃the young one is sleeping like a cherub。 Isn't he a darling
with his eyes shut？ I went in and I called him： no answer。〃
〃Let him sleep；〃 said Grandet； 〃he'll wake soon enough to hear ill…
tidings。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Eugenie； putting into her coffee the two little
bits of sugar weighing less than half an ounce which the old miser
amused himself by cutting up in his leisure hours。 Madame Grandet； who
did not dare to put the question； gazed at her husband。
〃His father has blown his brains out。〃
〃My uncle？〃 said Eugenie。
〃Poor young man！〃 exclaimed Madame Grandet。
〃Poor indeed！〃 said Grandet； 〃he isn't worth a sou！〃
〃Eh！ poor boy； and he's sleeping like the king of the world！〃 said
Nanon in a gentle voice。
Eugenie stopped eating。 Her heart was wrung； as the young heart is
wrung when pity for the suffering of one she loves overflows； for the
first time； the whole being of a woman。 The poor girl wept。
〃What are you crying about？ You didn't know your uncle；〃 said her
father； giving her one of those hungry tigerish looks he doubtless
threw upon his piles of gold。
〃But； monsieur；〃 said Nanon； 〃who wouldn't feel pity for the poor
young man； sleeping there like a wooden shoe； without knowing what's
coming？〃
〃I didn't speak to you； Nanon。 Hold your tongue！〃
Eugenie learned at that moment that the woman who loves must be able
to hide her feelings。 She did not answer。
〃You will say nothing to him about it； Ma'ame Grandet； till I return；〃
said the old man。 〃I have to go and straighten the line of my hedge
along the high…road。 I shall be back at noon； in time for the second
breakfast； and then I will talk with my nephew about his affairs。 As
for you； Mademoiselle Eugenie； if it is for that dandy you are crying；
that's enough； child。 He's going off like a shot to the Indies。 You
will never see him again。〃
The father took his gloves from the brim of his hat； put them on with
his usual composure； pushed them in place by shoving the fingers of
both hands together； and went out。
〃Mamma； I am suffocating！〃 cried Eugenie when she was alone with her
mother； 〃I have never suffered like this。〃
Madame Grandet； seeing that she turned pale； opened the window and let
her breathe fresh air。
〃I feel better！〃 said Eugenie after a moment。
This nervous excitement in a nature hitherto； to all appearance； calm
and cold； reacted on Madame Grandet； she looked at her daughter with
the sympathetic intuition with which mothers are gifted for the
objects of their tenderness； and guessed all。 In truth the life of the
Hungarian sisters； bound together by a freak of nature； could scarcely
have been more intimate than that of Eugenie and her mother；always
together in the embrasure of that window； and sleeping together in the
same atmosphere。
〃My poor child！〃 said Madame Grandet； taking Eugenie's head and laying
it upon her bosom。
At these words the young girl raised her head； questioned her mother
by a look； and seemed to search out her inmost thought。
〃Why send him to the Indies？〃 she said。 〃If he is unhappy； ought he
not to stay with us？ Is he not our nearest relation？〃
〃Yes； my child； it seems natural； but your father has his reasons： we
must respect them。〃
The mother and daughter sat down in silence； the former upon her
raised seat； the latter in her little armchair； and both took up their
work。 Swelling with gratitude for the full heart…understanding her
mother had given her； Eugenie kissed the dear hand； saying；
〃How good you are； my kind mamma！〃
The words sent a glow of light into the motherly face； worn and
blighted as it was by many sorrows。
〃You like him？〃 asked Eugenie。
Madame Grandet only smiled in reply。 Then； after a moment's silence；
she said in a low voice： 〃Do you love him already？ That is wrong。〃
〃Wrong？〃 said Eugenie。 〃Why is it wrong？ You are pleased with him；
Nanon is pleased with him； why should he not please me？ Come； mamma；
let us set the table for his breakfast。〃
She threw down her work； and her mother did the same； saying； 〃Foolish
child！〃 But she sanctioned the child's folly by sharing it。 Eugenie
called Nanon。
〃What do you want now； mademoiselle？〃
〃Nanon； can we have cream by midday？〃
〃Ah！ midday； to be sure you can；〃 answered the old servant。
〃Well； let him have his coffee very strong； I heard Monsieur des
Grassins say that they make the coffee very strong in Paris。 Put in a
great deal。〃
〃Where am I to get it？〃
〃Buy some。〃
〃Suppose monsieur meets me？〃
〃He has gone to his fields。〃
〃I'll run； then。 But Monsieur Fessard asked me yesterday if the Magi
had come to stay with us when I bought the wax candle。 All the town
will know our goings…on。〃
〃If your father finds it out；〃 said Madame Grandet； 〃he is capable of
beating us。〃
〃Well； let him beat us； we will take his blows on our knees。〃
Madame Grandet for all answer raised her eyes to heaven。 Nanon put on
her hood and went off。 Eugenie got out some clean table…linen； and
went to fetch a few bunches of grapes which she had amused herself by
hanging on a string across the attic； she walked softly along the
corridor； so as not to waken her cousin； and she could not help
listening at the door to his quiet breathing。
〃Sorrow is watching while he sleeps；〃 she thought。
She took the freshest vine…leaves and arranged her dish of grapes as
coquettishly as a practised house…keeper might have done； and placed
it triumphantly on the table。 She laid hands on the pears counted out
by her father； and piled them in a pyramid mixed with leaves。 She went
and came； and skipped and ran。 She would have liked to lay under
contribution everything in her father's house； but the keys were in
his pocket。 Nanon