〃And what？〃 asked Charles。
〃Your plans； your need of a sum〃
〃My dear cousin〃
〃Hush； hush！ my cousin； not so loud； we must not wake others。 See；〃
she said； opening her purse； 〃here are the savings of a poor girl who
wants nothing。 Charles； accept them！ This morning I was ignorant of
the value of money； you have taught it to me。 It is but a means； after
all。 A cousin is almost a brother； you can surely borrow the purse of
your sister。〃
Eugenie； as much a woman as a young girl； never dreamed of refusal；
but her cousin remained silent。
〃Oh！ you will not refuse？〃 cried Eugenie； the beatings of whose heart
could be heard in the deep silence。
Her cousin's hesitation mortified her； but the sore need of his
position came clearer still to her mind； and she knelt down。
〃I will never rise till you have taken that gold！〃 she said。 〃My
cousin； I implore you； answer me！ let me know if you respect me； if
you are generous； if〃
As he heard this cry of noble distress the young man's tears fell upon
his cousin's hands； which he had caught in his own to keep her from
kneeling。 As the warm tears touched her； Eugenie sprang to the purse
and poured its contents upon the table。
〃Ah！ yes； yes； you consent？〃 she said； weeping with joy。 〃Fear
nothing； my cousin； you will be rich。 This gold will bring you
happiness； some day you shall bring it back to me；are we not
partners？ I will obey all conditions。 But you should not attach such
value to the gift。〃
Charles was at last able to express his feelings。
〃Yes； Eugenie； my soul would be small indeed if I did not accept。 And
yet；gift for gift； confidence for confidence。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she said； frightened。
〃Listen； dear cousin； I have here〃 He interrupted himself to point
out a square box covered with an outer case of leather which was on
the drawers。 〃There；〃 he continued； 〃is something as precious to me as
life itself。 This box was a present from my mother。 All day I have
been thinking that if she could rise from her grave； she would herself
sell the gold which her love for me lavished on this dressing…case；
but were I to do so； the act would seem to me a sacrilege。〃 Eugenie
pressed his hand as she heard these last words。 〃No；〃 he added； after
a slight pause； during which a liquid glance of tenderness passed
between them； 〃no； I will neither sell it nor risk its safety on my
journey。 Dear Eugenie； you shall be its guardian。 Never did friend
commit anything more sacred to another。 Let me show it to you。〃
He went to the box； took it from its outer coverings； opened it； and
showed his delighted cousin a dressing…case where the rich workmanship
gave to the gold ornaments a value far above their weight。
〃What you admire there is nothing；〃 he said； pushing a secret spring
which opened a hidden drawer。 〃Here is something which to me is worth
the whole world。〃 He drew out two portraits； masterpieces of Madame
Mirbel； richly set with pearls。
〃Oh； how beautiful！ Is it the lady to whom you wrote that〃
〃No；〃 he said； smiling； 〃this is my mother； and here is my father；
your aunt and uncle。 Eugenie； I beg you on my knees； keep my treasure
safely。 If I die and your little fortune is lost； this gold and these
pearls will repay you。 To you alone could I leave these portraits； you
are worthy to keep them。 But destroy them at last； so that they may
pass into no other hands。〃 Eugenie was silent。 〃Ah； yes； say yes！ You
consent？〃 he added with winning grace。
Hearing the very words she had just used to her cousin now addressed
to herself； she turned upon him a look of love； her first look of
loving womanhood；a glance in which there is nearly as much of
coquetry as of inmost depth。 He took her hand and kissed it。
〃Angel of purity！ between us two money is nothing； never can be
anything。 Feeling； sentiment； must be all henceforth。〃
〃You are like your mother；was her voice as soft as yours？〃
〃Oh！ much softer〃
〃Yes； for you；〃 she said； dropping her eyelids。 〃Come； Charles； go to
bed； I wish it； you must be tired。 Good…night。〃 She gently disengaged
her hand from those of her cousin； who followed her to her room；
lighting the way。 When they were both upon the threshold；
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃why am I ruined？〃
〃What matter？my father is rich； I think so；〃 she answered。
〃Poor child！〃 said Charles； making a step into her room and leaning
his back against the wall； 〃if that were so； he would never have let
my father die； he would not let you live in this poor way； he would
live otherwise himself。〃
〃But he owns Froidfond。〃
〃What is Froidfond worth？〃
〃I don't know； but he has Noyers。〃
〃Nothing but a poor farm！〃
〃He has vineyards and fields。〃
〃Mere nothing；〃 said Charles disdainfully。 〃If your father had only
twenty…four thousand francs a year do you suppose you would live in
this cold； barren room？〃 he added； making a step in advance。 〃Ah！
there you will keep my treasures；〃 he said； glancing at the old
cabinet； as if to hide his thoughts。
〃Go and sleep；〃 she said； hindering his entrance into the disordered
room。
Charles stepped back； and they bid each other good…night with a mutual
smile。
Both fell asleep in the same dream； and from that moment the youth
began to wear roses with his mourning。 The next day； before breakfast；
Madame Grandet found her daughter in the garden in company with
Charles。 The young man was still sad； as became a poor fellow who；
plunged in misfortune； measures the depths of the abyss into which he
has fallen； and sees the terrible burden of his whole future life。
〃My father will not be home till dinner…time；〃 said Eugenie；
perceiving the anxious look on her mother's face。
It was easy to trace in the face and manners of the young girl and in
the singular sweetness of her voice a unison of thought between her
and her cousin。 Their souls had espoused each other； perhaps before
they even felt the force of the feelings which bound them together。
Charles spent the morning in the hall； and his sadness was respected。
Each of the three women had occupations of her own。 Grandet had left
all his affairs unattended to； and a number of persons came on
business；the plumber； the mason； the slater； the carpenter； the
diggers； the dressers； the farmers； some to drive a bargain about
repairs； others to pay their rent or to be paid themselves for
services。 Madame Grandet and Eugenie were obliged to go and come and
listen to the interminable talk of all these workmen and country folk。
Nanon put away in her kitchen the produce which they brought as
tribute。 She always waited for her master's orders before she knew
what portion was to be used in the house and what was to be sold in
the market。 It was the goodman's custom； like that of a great many
country gentlemen； to drink his bad wine and eat his spoiled fruit。
Towards five in the afternoon Grandet returned from Angers； having
made fourteen thousand francs by the exchange on his gold； bringing
home in his wallet good treasury…notes which bore interest until the
day he should invest them in the Funds。 He had left Cornoiller at
Angers to look after the horses； which were well…nigh foundered； with
orders to bring them home slowly after they were rested。
〃I have got back from Angers； wife；〃 he said； 〃I am hungry。〃
Nanon called out to him from the kitchen： 〃Haven't you eaten anything
since yesterday？〃
〃Nothing；〃 answered the old man。
Nanon brought in the soup。 Des Grassins came to take his client's
orders just as the family sat down to dinner。 Grandet had not even
observed his nephew。
〃Go on eating； Grandet；〃 said the banker； 〃we can talk。 Do you know
what gold is worth in Angers？ They have come from Nantes after it？ I
shall send some of ours。〃
〃Don't send any；〃 said Grandet； 〃they have got enough。 We are such old
friends； I ought to save you from such a loss of time。〃
〃But gold is worth thirteen francs fifty centimes。〃
〃Say /was/ worth〃
〃Where the devil have they got any？〃
〃I went to Angers last night；〃 answered Grandet in a low voice。
The banker shook with surprise。 Then a whispered conversation began
between the two； during which Grandet and des Grassins frequently
looked at Charles。 Presently des Grassins gave a start of
astonishment； probably Grandet was then instructing him to invest the
sum which was to give him a hundred thousand francs a year in the
Funds。
〃Monsieur Grandet；〃 said the banker to Charles； 〃I am starting for
Paris； if you have any commissions〃
〃None； monsieur； I thank you；〃 answered Charles。
〃Thank him better than that； nephew。 Monsieur is going to settle the
affairs of the house of Guillaume Grandet。〃
〃Is there any hope？〃 said Charles eagerly。
〃What！〃 exclaimed his uncle； with well…acted pride； 〃are you not my
nephew？ Your honor is ours。 Is not your name Grandet？〃
Charles rose； seized Pere Grandet； kissed him； turned pale； and left
the room。 Eugenie looked at her father with admiration。
〃Well； good…by； des Grassins； it is all in your hands。 Decoy those
people as best you can； lead 'em by the nose。〃
The two diplomatists shook hands。 The old cooper accompanied the
banker to the front door。 Then； after closing it； he came back and
plunged into his armchair； saying to Nanon；
〃Get me some black…currant ratafia。〃
Too excited； however； to remain long in one place； he got up； looked
at the portrait of Monsieur de la Bertelliere； and began to sing；
doing what Nanon called his dancing steps；
〃Dans les gardes francaises
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 ha