brushed a good many cobwebs out of his brain； he perceived that the
best means of attaining fortune in tropical regions； as well as in
Europe； was to buy and sell men。 He went to the coast of Africa and
bought Negroes； combining his traffic in human flesh with that of
other merchandise equally advantageous to his interests。 He carried
into this business an activity which left him not a moment of leisure。
He was governed by the desire of reappearing in Paris with all the
prestige of a large fortune； and by the hope of regaining a position
even more brilliant than the one from which he had fallen。
By dint of jostling with men； travelling through many lands； and
studying a variety of conflicting customs； his ideas had been modified
and had become sceptical。 He ceased to have fixed principles of right
and wrong； for he saw what was called a crime in one country lauded as
a virtue in another。 In the perpetual struggle of selfish interests
his heart grew cold； then contracted； and then dried up。 The blood of
the Grandets did not fail of its destiny； Charles became hard； and
eager for prey。 He sold Chinamen； Negroes； birds' nests； children；
artists； he practised usury on a large scale； the habit of defrauding
custom…houses soon made him less scrupulous about the rights of his
fellow men。 He went to the Island of St。 Thomas and bought； for a mere
song； merchandise that had been captured by pirates； and took it to
ports where he could sell it at a good price。 If the pure and noble
face of Eugenie went with him on his first voyage； like that image of
the Virgin which Spanish mariners fastened to their masts； if he
attributed his first success to the magic influence of the prayers and
intercessions of his gentle love； later on women of other kinds；
blacks； mulattoes； whites； and Indian dancing…girls；orgies and
adventures in many lands； completely effaced all recollection of his
cousin； of Saumur； of the house； the bench； the kiss snatched in the
dark passage。 He remembered only the little garden shut in with
crumbling walls； for it was there he learned the fate that had
overtaken him； but he rejected all connection with his family。 His
uncle was an old dog who had filched his jewels； Eugenie had no place
in his heart nor in his thoughts； though she did have a place in his
accounts as a creditor for the sum of six thousand francs。
Such conduct and such ideas explain Charles Grandet's silence。 In the
Indies； at St。 Thomas； on the coast of Africa； at Lisbon； and in the
United States the adventurer had taken the pseudonym of Shepherd； that
he might not compromise his own name。 Charles Shepherd could safely be
indefatigable； bold； grasping； and greedy of gain； like a man who
resolves to snatch his fortune /quibus cumque viis/； and makes haste
to have done with villany； that he may spend the rest of his life as
an honest man。
With such methods； prosperity was rapid and brilliant； and in 1827
Charles Grandet returned to Bordeaux on the 〃Marie Caroline；〃 a fine
brig belonging to a royalist house of business。 He brought with him
nineteen hundred thousand francs worth of gold…dust； from which he
expected to derive seven or eight per cent more at the Paris mint。 On
the brig he met a gentleman…in…ordinary to His Majesty Charles X。；
Monsieur d'Aubrion； a worthy old man who had committed the folly of
marrying a woman of fashion with a fortune derived from the West India
Islands。 To meet the costs of Madame d'Aubrion's extravagance； he had
gone out to the Indies to sell the property； and was now returning
with his family to France。
Monsieur and Madame d'Aubrion； of the house of d'Aubrion de Buch； a
family of southern France； whose last /captal/； or chief； died before
1789； were now reduced to an income of about twenty thousand francs；
and they possessed an ugly daughter whom the mother was resolved to
marry without a /dot/；the family fortune being scarcely sufficient
for the demands of her own life in Paris。 This was an enterprise whose
success might have seemed problematical to most men of the world； in
spite of the cleverness with which such men credit a fashionable
woman； in fact； Madame d'Aubrion herself； when she looked at her
daughter； almost despaired of getting rid of her to any one； even to a
man craving connection with nobility。 Mademoiselle d'Aubrion was a
long； spare； spindling demoiselle； like her namesake the insect； her
mouth was disdainful； over it hung a nose that was too long； thick at
the end； sallow in its normal condition； but very red after a meal；a
sort of vegetable phenomenon which is particularly disagreeable when
it appears in the middle of a pale； dull； and uninteresting face。 In
one sense she was all that a worldly mother； thirty…eight years of age
and still a beauty with claims to admiration； could have wished。
However； to counterbalance her personal defects； the marquise gave her
daughter a distinguished air； subjected her to hygienic treatment
which provisionally kept her nose at a reasonable flesh…tint； taught
her the art of dressing well； endowed her with charming manners；
showed her the trick of melancholy glances which interest a man and
make him believe that he has found a long…sought angel； taught her the
manoeuvre of the foot；letting it peep beneath the petticoat； to show
its tiny size； at the moment when the nose became aggressively red； in
short； Madame d'Aubrion had cleverly made the very best of her
offspring。 By means of full sleeves； deceptive pads； puffed dresses
amply trimmed； and high…pressure corsets； she had obtained such
curious feminine developments that she ought； for the instruction of
mothers； to have exhibited them in a museum。
Charles became very intimate with Madame d'Aubrion precisely because
she was desirous of becoming intimate with him。 Persons who were on
board the brig declared that the handsome Madame d'Aubrion neglected
no means of capturing so rich a son…in…law。 On landing at Bordeaux in
June； 1827； Monsieur； Madame； Mademoiselle d'Aubrion； and Charles
lodged at the same hotel and started together for Paris。 The hotel
d'Aubrion was hampered with mortgages； Charles was destined to free
it。 The mother told him how delighted she would be to give up the
ground…floor to a son…in…law。 Not sharing Monsieur d'Aubrion's
prejudices on the score of nobility； she promised Charles Grandet to
obtain a royal ordinance from Charles X。 which would authorize him；
Grandet； to take the name and arms of d'Aubrion and to succeed； by
purchasing the entailed estate for thirty…six thousand francs a year；
to the titles of Captal de Buch and Marquis d'Aubrion。 By thus uniting
their fortunes； living on good terms； and profiting by sinecures； the
two families might occupy the hotel d'Aubrion with an income of over a
hundred thousand francs。
〃And when a man has a hundred thousand francs a year； a name； a
family； and a position at court；for I will get you appointed as
gentleman…of…the…bedchamber；he can do what he likes；〃 she said to
Charles。 〃You can then become anything you choose；master of the
rolls in the council of State； prefect； secretary to an embassy； the
ambassador himself； if you like。 Charles X。 is fond of d'Aubrion； they
have known each other from childhood。〃
Intoxicated with ambition； Charles toyed with the hopes thus cleverly
presented to him in the guise of confidences poured from heart to
heart。 Believing his father's affairs to have been settled by his
uncle； he imagined himself suddenly anchored in the Faubourg Saint…
Germain；that social object of all desire； where； under shelter of
Mademoiselle Mathilde's purple nose； he was to reappear as the Comte
d'Aubrion； very much as the Dreux reappeared in Breze。 Dazzled by the
prosperity of the Restoration； which was tottering when he left
France； fascinated by the splendor of aristocratic ideas； his
intoxication； which began on the brig； increased after he reached
Paris； and he finally determined to take the course and reach the high
position which the selfish hopes of his would…be mother…in…law pointed
out to him。 His cousin counted for no more than a speck in this
brilliant perspective； but he went to see Annette。 True woman of the
world； Annette advised her old friend to make the marriage； and
promised him her support in all his ambitious projects。 In her heart
she was enchanted to fasten an ugly and uninteresting girl on Charles；
whose life in the West Indies had rendered him very attractive。 His
complexion had bronzed； his manners had grown decided and bold； like
those of a man accustomed to make sharp decisions； to rule； and to
succeed。 Charles breathed more at his ease in Paris； conscious that he
now had a part to play。
Des Grassins； hearing of his return； of his approaching marriage and
his large fortune； came to see him； and inquired about the three
hundred thousand francs still required to settle his father's debts。
He found Grandet in conference with a goldsmith； from whom he had
ordered jewels for Mademoiselle d'Aubrion's /corbeille/； and who was
then submitting the designs。 Charles had brought back magnificent
diamonds； and the value of their setting； together with the plate and
jewelry of the new establishment； amounted to more than two hundred
thousand francs。 He received des Grassins； whom he did not recognize；
with the impertinence of a young man of fashion conscious of having
killed four men in as many duels in the Indies。 Monsieur des Grassins
had already called several times。 Charles listened to him coldly； and
then replied； without fully understanding what had been said to him；
〃My father's affairs are not mine。 I am much obliged； monsieur； for
the trouble you have been good enough to take；by which； however； I
really cannot profit。 I have not earned two millions by the sweat of
my brow to fling them at the head of my father's creditors。〃
〃But suppose that your father's estate were within a few days to be
declared bankrupt？〃
〃Monsieur； in a few days I shall be called the Comte d'Aubrion； you
will understand； therefore； that what you threaten is of no
consequence to me。 Besides； you know as well as I do that when a man
has an income of a hundred thousand francs his father has /never
failed/。〃 So saying；