has an income of a hundred thousand francs his father has /never
failed/。〃 So saying； he politely edged Monsieur des Grassins to the
door。
*****
At the beginning of August in the same year； Eugenie was sitting on
the little wooden bench where her cousin had sworn to love her
eternally； and where she usually breakfasted if the weather were fine。
The poor girl was happy； for the moment； in the fresh and joyous
summer air； letting her memory recall the great and the little events
of her love and the catastrophes which had followed it。 The sun had
just reached the angle of the ruined wall； so full of chinks； which no
one； through a caprice of the mistress； was allowed to touch； though
Cornoiller often remarked to his wife that 〃it would fall and crush
somebody one of these days。〃 At this moment the postman knocked； and
gave a letter to Madame Cornoiller； who ran into the garden； crying
out：
〃Mademoiselle； a letter！〃 She gave it to her mistress； adding； 〃Is it
the one you expected？〃
The words rang as loudly in the heart of Eugenie as they echoed in
sound from wall to wall of the court and garden。
〃Parisfrom himhe has returned！〃
Eugenie turned pale and held the letter for a moment。 She trembled so
violently that she could not break the seal。 La Grande Nanon stood
before her； both hands on her hips； her joy puffing as it were like
smoke through the cracks of her brown face。
〃Read it； mademoiselle！〃
〃Ah； Nanon； why did he return to Paris？ He went from Saumur。〃
〃Read it； and you'll find out。〃
Eugenie opened the letter with trembling fingers。 A cheque on the
house of 〃Madame des Grassins and Coret； of Saumur；〃 fluttered down。
Nanon picked it up。
My dear Cousin；
〃No longer 'Eugenie；'〃 she thought； and her heart quailed。
You
〃He once said 'thou。'〃 She folded her arms and dared not read another
word； great tears gathered in her eyes。
〃Is he dead？〃 asked Nanon。
〃If he were； he could not write；〃 said Eugenie。
She then read the whole letter； which was as follows：
My dear Cousin；You will； I am sure； hear with pleasure of the
success of my enterprise。 You brought me luck； I have come back
rich； and I have followed the advice of my uncle； whose death；
together with that of my aunt； I have just learned from Monsieur
des Grassins。 The death of parents is in the course of nature； and
we must succeed them。 I trust you are by this time consoled。
Nothing can resist time； as I am well aware。 Yes； my dear cousin；
the day of illusions is； unfortunately； gone for me。 How could it
be otherwise？ Travelling through many lands； I have reflected upon
life。 I was a child when I went away；I have come back a man。
To…day； I think of many I did not dream of then。 You are free； my
dear cousin； and I am free still。 Nothing apparently hinders the
realization of our early hopes； but my nature is too loyal to hide
from you the situation in which I find myself。 I have not
forgotten our relations； I have always remembered； throughout my
long wanderings； the little wooden seat
Eugenie rose as if she were sitting on live coals； and went away and
sat down on the stone steps of the court。
the little wooden seat where we vowed to love each other
forever； the passage； the gray hall； my attic chamber； and the
night when； by your delicate kindness； you made my future easier
to me。 Yes； these recollections sustained my courage； I said in my
heart that you were thinking of me at the hour we had agreed upon。
Have you always looked at the clouds at nine o'clock？ Yes； I am
sure of it。 I cannot betray so true a friendship；no； I must not
deceive you。 An alliance has been proposed to me which satisfies
all my ideas of matrimony。 Love in marriage is a delusion。 My
present experience warns me that in marrying we are bound to obey
all social laws and meet the conventional demands of the world。
Now； between you and me there are differences which might affect
your future； my dear cousin； even more than they would mine。 I
will not here speak of your customs and inclinations； your
education； nor yet of your habits； none of which are in keeping
with Parisian life； or with the future which I have marked out for
myself。 My intention is to keep my household on a stately footing；
to receive much company；in short； to live in the world； and I
think I remember that you love a quiet and tranquil life。 I will
be frank； and make you the judge of my situation； you have the
right to understand it and to judge it。
I possess at the present moment an income of eighty thousand
francs。 This fortune enables me to marry into the family of
Aubrion； whose heiress； a young girl nineteen years of age； brings
me a title； a place of gentleman…of…the…bed…chamber to His
Majesty； and a very brilliant position。 I will admit to you； my
dear cousin； that I do not love Mademoiselle d'Aubrion； but in
marrying her I secure to my children a social rank whose
advantages will one day be incalculable： monarchical principles
are daily coming more and more into favor。 Thus in course of time
my son； when he becomes Marquis d'Aubrion； having； as he then will
have； an entailed estate with a rental of forty thousand francs a
year； can obtain any position in the State which he may think
proper to select。 We owe ourselves to our children。
You see； my cousin； with what good faith I lay the state of my
heart； my hopes； and my fortune before you。 Possibly； after seven
years' separation； you have yourself forgotten our youthful loves；
but I have never forgotten either your kindness or my own words。 I
remember all； even words that were lightly uttered；words by
which a man less conscientious than I； with a heart less youthful
and less upright； would scarcely feel himself bound。 In telling
you that the marriage I propose to make is solely one of
convenience； that I still remember our childish love； am I not
putting myself entirely in your hands and making you the mistress
of my fate？ am I not telling you that if I must renounce my social
ambitions； I shall willingly content myself with the pure and
simple happiness of which you have shown me so sweet an image？
〃Tan； ta； tatan； ta； ti；〃 sang Charles Grandet to the air of /Non
piu andrai/； as he signed himself；
Your devoted cousin；
Charles。
〃Thunder！ that's doing it handsomely！〃 he said； as he looked about him
for the cheque； having found it； he added the words：
P。S。I enclose a cheque on the des Grassins bank for eight
thousand francs to your order； payable in gold； which includes the
capital and interest of the sum you were kind enough to lend me。 I
am expecting a case from Bordeaux which contains a few things
which you must allow me to offer you as a mark of my unceasing
gratitude。 You can send my dressing…case by the diligence to the
hotel d'Aubrion； rue Hillerin…Bertin。
〃By the diligence！〃 said Eugenie。 〃A thing for which I would have laid
down my life！〃
Terrible and utter disaster！ The ship went down； leaving not a spar；
not a plank； on a vast ocean of hope！ Some women when they see
themselves abandoned will try to tear their lover from the arms of a
rival； they will kill her； and rush to the ends of the earth；to the
scaffold； to their tomb。 That； no doubt； is fine； the motive of the
crime is a great passion； which awes even human justice。 Other women
bow their heads and suffer in silence； they go their way dying；
resigned； weeping； forgiving； praying； and recollecting； till they
draw their last breath。 This is love；true love； the love of angels；
the proud love which lives upon its anguish and dies of it。 Such was
Eugenie's love after she had read that dreadful letter。 She raised her
eyes to heaven； thinking of the last words uttered by her dying
mother； who； with the prescience of death； had looked into the future
with clear and penetrating eyes： Eugenie； remembering that prophetic
death； that prophetic life； measured with one glance her own destiny。
Nothing was left for her； she could only unfold her wings； stretch
upward to the skies； and live in prayer until the day of her
deliverance。
〃My mother was right；〃 she said； weeping。 〃Sufferand die！〃
XIV
Eugenie came slowly back from the garden to the house； and avoided
passing； as was her custom； through the corridor。 But the memory of
her cousin was in the gray old hall and on the chimney…piece； where
stood a certain saucer and the old Sevres sugar…bowl which she used
every morning at her breakfast。
This day was destined to be solemn throughout and full of events。
Nanon announced the cure of the parish church。 He was related to the
Cruchots； and therefore in the interests of Monsieur de Bonfons。 For
some time past the old abbe had urged him to speak to Mademoiselle
Grandet； from a purely religious point of view； about the duty of
marriage for a woman in her position。 When she saw her pastor； Eugenie
supposed he had come for the thousand francs which she gave monthly to
the poor； and she told Nanon to go and fetch them； but the cure only
smiled。
〃To…day； mademoiselle；〃 he said； 〃I have come to speak to you about a
poor girl in whom the whole town of Saumur takes an interest； who；
through lack of charity to herself； neglects her Christian duties。〃
〃Monsieur le cure； you have come to me at a moment when I cannot think
of my neighbor； I am filled with thoughts of myself。 I am very
unhappy； my only refuge is in the Church； her bosom is large enough to
hold all human woe； her love so full that we may draw from its depths
and never drain it dry。〃
〃Mademoiselle； in speaking of this young girl we shall speak of you。
Listen！ If you wish to insure your salvation you have only two paths
to take；either leave the world or obey its laws。 Obey either your
earthly destiny or your heavenly destiny。〃
〃Ah！ your voice speaks to me when I need to hear a voice。 Yes； God has
sent you to me； I will bid farewell to the world and live for God
alone； in silence and seclusion。〃
〃My daughter； you must think long before you take so violent a step。
Marriage is life； the veil is death。〃
〃Yes； death；a quick death！〃 she said； with dreadful eagerness。
〃Death？ but you have great oblig