houses。
The most important room on the ground…floor of the house was a large
hall； entered directly from beneath the vault of the porte…cochere。
Few people know the importance of a hall in the little towns of Anjou；
Touraine； and Berry。 The hall is at one and the same time antechamber；
salon； office； boudoir； and dining…room； it is the theatre of domestic
life； the common living…room。 There the barber of the neighborhood
came； twice a year； to cut Monsieur Grandet's hair； there the farmers；
the cure； the under…prefect； and the miller's boy came on business。
This room； with two windows looking on the street； was entirely of
wood。 Gray panels with ancient mouldings covered the walls from top to
bottom； the ceiling showed all its beams； which were likewise painted
gray； while the space between them had been washed over in white； now
yellow with age。 An old brass clock； inlaid with arabesques； adorned
the mantel of the ill…cut white stone chimney…piece； above which was a
greenish mirror； whose edges； bevelled to show the thickness of the
glass； reflected a thread of light the whole length of a gothic frame
in damascened steel…work。 The two copper…gilt candelabra which
decorated the corners of the chimney…piece served a double purpose： by
taking off the side…branches； each of which held a socket； the main
stemwhich was fastened to a pedestal of bluish marble tipped with
coppermade a candlestick for one candle； which was sufficient for
ordinary occasions。 The chairs； antique in shape； were covered with
tapestry representing the fables of La Fontaine； it was necessary；
however； to know that writer well to guess at the subjects； for the
faded colors and the figures； blurred by much darning； were difficult
to distinguish。
At the four corners of the hall were closets； or rather buffets；
surmounted by dirty shelves。 An old card…table in marquetry； of which
the upper part was a chess…board； stood in the space between the two
windows。 Above this table was an oval barometer with a black border
enlivened with gilt bands； on which the flies had so licentiously
disported themselves that the gilding had become problematical。 On the
panel opposite to the chimney…piece were two portraits in pastel；
supposed to represent the grandfather of Madame Grandet； old Monsieur
de la Bertelliere； as a lieutenant in the French guard； and the
deceased Madame Gentillet in the guise of a shepherdess。 The windows
were draped with curtains of red /gros de Tours/ held back by silken
cords with ecclesiastical tassels。 This luxurious decoration； little
in keeping with the habits of Monsieur Grandet； had been； together
with the steel pier…glass； the tapestries； and the buffets； which were
of rose…wood； included in the purchase of the house。
By the window nearest to the door stood a straw chair； whose legs were
raised on castors to lift its occupant； Madame Grandet； to a height
from which she could see the passers…by。 A work…table of stained
cherry…wood filled up the embrasure； and the little armchair of
Eugenie Grandet stood beside it。 In this spot the lives had flowed
peacefully onward for fifteen years； in a round of constant work from
the month of April to the month of November。 On the first day of the
latter month they took their winter station by the chimney。 Not until
that day did Grandet permit a fire to be lighted； and on the thirty…
first of March it was extinguished； without regard either to the
chills of the early spring or to those of a wintry autumn。 A foot…
warmer； filled with embers from the kitchen fire； which la Grande
Nanon contrived to save for them； enabled Madame and Mademoiselle
Grandet to bear the chilly mornings and evenings of April and October。
Mother and daughter took charge of the family linen； and spent their
days so conscientiously upon a labor properly that of working…women；
that if Eugenie wished to embroider a collar for her mother she was
forced to take the time from sleep； and deceive her father to obtain
the necessary light。 For a long time the miser had given out the
tallow candle to his daughter and la Grande Nanon just as he gave out
every morning the bread and other necessaries for the daily
consumption。
La Grande Nanon was perhaps the only human being capable of accepting
willingly the despotism of her master。 The whole town envied Monsieur
and Madame Grandet the possession of her。 La Grande Nanon； so called
on account of her height； which was five feet eight inches； had lived
with Monsieur Grandet for thirty…five years。 Though she received only
sixty francs a year in wages； she was supposed to be one of the
richest serving…women in Saumur。 Those sixty francs； accumulating
through thirty…five years； had recently enabled her to invest four
thousand francs in an annuity with Maitre Cruchot。 This result of her
long and persistent economy seemed gigantic。 Every servant in the
town； seeing that the poor sexagenarian was sure of bread for her old
age； was jealous of her； and never thought of the hard slavery through
which it had been won。
At twenty…two years of age the poor girl had been unable to find a
situation； so repulsive was her face to almost every one。 Yet the
feeling was certainly unjust： the face would have been much admired on
the shoulders of a grenadier of the guard； but all things； so they
say； should be in keeping。 Forced to leave a farm where she kept the
cows； because the dwelling…house was burned down； she came to Saumur
to find a place； full of the robust courage that shrinks from no
labor。 Le Pere Grandet was at that time thinking of marriage and about
to set up his household。 He espied the girl； rejected as she was from
door to door。 A good judge of corporeal strength in his trade as a
cooper； he guessed the work that might be got out of a female creature
shaped like a Hercules； as firm on her feet as an oak sixty years old
on its roots； strong in the hips； square in the back； with the hands
of a cartman and an honesty as sound as her unblemished virtue。
Neither the warts which adorned her martial visage； nor the red…brick
tints of her skin； nor the sinewy arms； nor the ragged garments of la
Grande Nanon； dismayed the cooper； who was at that time still of an
age when the heart shudders。 He fed； shod； and clothed the poor girl；
gave her wages； and put her to work without treating her too roughly。
Seeing herself thus welcomed； la Grande Nanon wept secretly tears of
joy； and attached herself in all sincerity to her master； who from
that day ruled her and worked her with feudal authority。 Nanon did
everything。 She cooked； she made the lye； she washed the linen in the
Loire and brought it home on her shoulders； she got up early； she went
to bed late； she prepared the food of the vine…dressers during the
harvest； kept watch upon the market…people； protected the property of
her master like a faithful dog； and even； full of blind confidence；
obeyed without a murmur his most absurd exactions。
In the famous year of 1811； when the grapes were gathered with
unheard…of difficulty； Grandet resolved to give Nanon his old watch；
the first present he had made her during twenty years of service。
Though he turned over to her his old shoes （which fitted her）； it is
impossible to consider that quarterly benefit as a gift； for the shoes
were always thoroughly worn…out。 Necessity had made the poor girl so
niggardly that Grandet had grown to love her as we love a dog； and
Nanon had let him fasten a spiked collar round her throat； whose
spikes no longer pricked her。 If Grandet cut the bread with rather too
much parsimony； she made no complaint； she gaily shared the hygienic
benefits derived from the severe regime of the household； in which no
one was ever ill。 Nanon was； in fact； one of the family； she laughed
when Grandet laughed； felt gloomy or chilly； warmed herself； and
toiled as he did。 What pleasant compensations there were in such
equality！ Never did the master have occasion to find fault with the
servant for pilfering the grapes； nor for the plums and nectarines
eaten under the trees。 〃Come； fall…to； Nanon！〃 he would say in years
when the branches bent under the fruit and the farmers were obliged to
give it to the pigs。
To the poor peasant who in her youth had earned nothing but harsh
treatment； to the pauper girl picked up by charity； Grandet's
ambiguous laugh was like a sunbeam。 Moreover； Nanon's simple heart and
narrow head could hold only one feeling and one idea。 For thirty…five
years she had never ceased to see herself standing before the wood…
yard of Monsieur Grandet； ragged and barefooted； and to hear him say：
〃What do you want； young one？〃 Her gratitude was ever new。 Sometimes
Grandet； reflecting that the poor creature had never heard a
flattering word； that she was ignorant of all the tender sentiments
inspired by women； that she might some day appear before the throne of
God even more chaste than the Virgin Mary herself；Grandet； struck
with pity； would say as he looked at her； 〃Poor Nanon！〃 The
exclamation was always followed by an undefinable look cast upon him
in return by the old servant。 The words； uttered from time to time；
formed a chain of friendship that nothing ever parted； and to which
each exclamation added a link。 Such compassion arising in the heart of
the miser； and accepted gratefully by the old spinster； had something
inconceivably horrible about it。 This cruel pity； recalling； as it
did； a thousand pleasures to the heart of the old cooper； was for
Nanon the sum total of happiness。 Who does not likewise say； 〃Poor
Nanon！〃 God will recognize his angels by the inflexions of their
voices and by their secret sighs。
There were very many households in Saumur where the servants were
better treated； but where the masters received far less satisfaction
in return。 Thus it was often said： 〃What have the Grandets ever done
to make their Grande Nanon so attached to them？ She would go through
fire and water for their sake！〃 Her kitchen； whose barred windows
looked into the court； was always clean； neat； cold；a true miser's
kitchen； where nothing went to waste。 When Nanon had washed her
dishes； locked up the remains of the dinner； and put out her fire； she
left the kitchen； which