f…first t…t…time in my life I have b…been obliged to th…th…think〃
〃Yes； you are not a lawyer。〃
〃I'm only a p…p…poor wine…g…grower； and know n…nothing about wh…what
you have just t…told me； I m…m…must th…think about it。〃
〃Very good；〃 said the president； preparing to resume his argument。
〃Nephew！〃 said the notary； interrupting him in a warning tone。
〃Well； what； uncle？〃 answered the president。
〃Let Monsieur Grandet explain his own intentions。 The matter in
question is of the first importance。 Our good friend ought to define
his meaning clearly； and〃
A loud knock； which announced the arrival of the des Grassins family；
succeeded by their entrance and salutations； hindered Cruchot from
concluding his sentence。 The notary was glad of the interruption； for
Grandet was beginning to look suspiciously at him； and the wen gave
signs of a brewing storm。 In the first place； the notary did not think
it becoming in a president of the Civil courts to go to Paris and
manipulate creditors and lend himself to an underhand job which
clashed with the laws of strict integrity； moreover； never having
known old Grandet to express the slightest desire to pay anything； no
matter what； he instinctively feared to see his nephew taking part in
the affair。 He therefore profited by the entrance of the des Grassins
to take the nephew by the arm and lead him into the embrasure of the
window；
〃You have said enough； nephew； you've shown enough devotion。 Your
desire to win the girl blinds you。 The devil！ you mustn't go at it
tooth and nail。 Let me sail the ship now； you can haul on the braces。
Do you think it right to compromise your dignity as a magistrate in
such a〃
He stopped； for he heard Monsieur des Grassins saying to the old
cooper as they shook hands；
〃Grandet； we have heard of the frightful misfortunes which have just
befallen your family；the failure of the house of Guillaume Grandet
and the death of your brother。 We have come to express our grief at
these sad events。〃
〃There is but one sad event；〃 said the notary； interrupting the
banker；〃the death of Monsieur Grandet； junior； and he would never
have killed himself had he thought in time of applying to his brother
for help。 Our old friend； who is honorable to his finger…nails；
intends to liquidate the debts of the Maison Grandet of Paris。 To save
him the worry of legal proceedings； my nephew； the president； has just
offered to go to Paris and negotiate with the creditors for a
satisfactory settlement。〃
These words； corroborated by Grandet's attitude as he stood silently
nursing his chin； astonished the three des Grassins； who had been
leisurely discussing the old man's avarice as they came along； very
nearly accusing him of fratricide。
〃Ah！ I was sure of it；〃 cried the banker； looking at his wife。 〃What
did I tell you just now； Madame des Grassins？ Grandet is honorable to
the backbone； and would never allow his name to remain under the
slightest cloud！ Money without honor is a disease。 There is honor in
the provinces！ Right； very right； Grandet。 I'm an old soldier； and I
can't disguise my thoughts； I speak roughly。 Thunder！ it is sublime！〃
〃Th…then s…s…sublime th…things c…c…cost d…dear；〃 answered the goodman；
as the banker warmly wrung his hand。
〃But this； my dear Grandet；if the president will excuse me；is a
purely commercial matter； and needs a consummate business man。 Your
agent must be some one fully acquainted with the markets；with
disbursements； rebates； interest calculations； and so forth。 I am
going to Paris on business of my own； and I can take charge of〃
〃We'll see about t…t…trying to m…m…manage it b…b…between us； under the
p…p…peculiar c…c…circumstances； b…b…but without b…b…binding m…m…myself
to anything th…that I c…c…could not do；〃 said Grandet； stuttering；
〃because； you see； monsieur le president naturally expects me to pay
the expenses of his journey。〃
The goodman did not stammer over the last words。
〃Eh！〃 cried Madame des Grassins； 〃why it is a pleasure to go to Paris。
I would willingly pay to go myself。〃
She made a sign to her husband； as if to encourage him in cutting the
enemy out of the commission； /coute que coute/； then she glanced
ironically at the two Cruchots； who looked chap…fallen。 Grandet seized
the banker by a button and drew him into a corner of the room。
〃I have a great deal more confidence in you than in the president；〃 he
said； 〃besides； I've other fish to fry；〃 he added； wriggling his wen。
〃I want to buy a few thousand francs in the Funds while they are at
eighty。 They fall； I'm told； at the end of each month。 You know all
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