to his own property； his house and lands； very advantageously
assessed； paid moderate taxes； and since the registration of his
various estates； the vineyards； thanks to his constant care； had
become the 〃head of the country；〃a local term used to denote those
that produced the finest quality of wine。 He might have asked for the
cross of the Legion of honor。
This event occurred in 1806。 Monsieur Grandet was then fifty…seven
years of age； his wife thirty…six； and an only daughter； the fruit of
their legitimate love； was ten years old。 Monsieur Grandet； whom
Providence no doubt desired to compensate for the loss of his
municipal honors； inherited three fortunes in the course of this year；
that of Madame de la Gaudiniere； born de la Bertelliere； the mother
of Madame Grandet； that of old Monsieur de la Bertelliere； her
grandfather； and； lastly； that of Madame Gentillet； her grandmother on
the mother's side： three inheritances； whose amount was not known to
any one。 The avarice of the deceased persons was so keen that for a
long time they had hoarded their money for the pleasure of secretly
looking at it。 Old Monsieur de la Bertelliere called an investment an
extravagance； and thought he got better interest from the sight of his
gold than from the profits of usury。 The inhabitants of Saumur
consequently estimated his savings according to 〃the revenues of the
sun's wealth；〃 as they said。
Monsieur Grandet thus obtained that modern title of nobility which our
mania for equality can never rub out。 He became the most imposing
personage in the arrondissement。 He worked a hundred acres of
vineyard； which in fruitful years yielded seven or eight hundred
hogsheads of wine。 He owned thirteen farms； an old abbey； whose
windows and arches he had walled up for the sake of economy；a
measure which preserved them；also a hundred and twenty…seven acres
of meadow…land； where three thousand poplars； planted in 1793； grew
and flourished； and finally； the house in which he lived。 Such was his
visible estate； as to his other property； only two persons could give
even a vague guess at its value： one was Monsieur Cruchot； a notary
employed in the usurious investments of Monsieur Grandet； the other
was Monsieur des Grassins； the richest banker in Saumur； in whose
profits Grandet had a certain covenanted and secret share。
Although old Cruchot and Monsieur des Grassins were both gifted with
the deep discretion which wealth and trust beget in the provinces；
they publicly testified so much respect to Monsieur Grandet that
observers estimated the amount of his property by the obsequious
attention which they bestowed upon him。 In all Saumur there was no one
not persuaded that Monsieur Grandet had a private treasure； some
hiding…place full of louis； where he nightly took ineffable delight in
gazing upon great masses of gold。 Avaricious people gathered proof of
this when they looked at the eyes of the good man； to which the yellow
metal seemed to have conveyed its tints。 The glance of a man
accustomed to draw enormous interest from his capital acquires； like
that of the libertine； the gambler； or the sycophant； certain
indefinable habits；furtive； eager； mysterious movements； which never
escape the notice of his co…religionists。 This secret language is in a
certain way the freemasonry of the passions。 Monsieur Grandet inspired
the respectful esteem due to one who owed no man anything； who；
skilful cooper and experienced wine…grower that he was； guessed with
the precision of an astronomer whether he ought to manufacture a
thousand puncheons for his vintage； or only five hundred； who never
failed in any speculation； and always had casks for sale when casks
were worth more than the commodity that filled them； who could store
his whole vintage in his cellars and bide his time to put the
puncheons on the market at two hundred francs； when the little
proprietors had been forced to sell theirs for five louis。 His famous
vintage of 1811； judiciously stored and slowly disposed of； brought
him in more than two hundred and forty thousand francs。
Financially speaking； Monsieur Grandet was something between a tiger
and a boa…constrictor。 He could crouch and lie low； watch his prey a
long while； spring upon it； open his jaws； swallow a mass of louis；
and then rest tranquilly like a snake in process of digestion；
impassible； methodical； and cold。 No one saw him pass without a
feeling of admiration mingled with respect and fear； had not every man
in Saumur felt the rending of those polished steel claws？ For this
one； Maitre Cruchot had procured the money required for the purchase
of a domain； but at eleven per cent。 For that one； Monsieur des
Grassins discounted bills of exchange； but at a frightful deduction of
interest。 Few days ever passed that Monsieur Grandet's name was not
mentioned either in the markets or in social conversations at the
evening gatherings。 To some the fortune of the old wine…grower was an
object of patriotic pride。 More than one merchant； more than one
innkeeper； said to strangers with a certain complacency： 〃Monsieur； we
have two or three millionaire establishments； but as for Monsieur
Grandet； he does not himself know how much he is worth。〃
In 1816 the best reckoners in Saumur estimated the landed property of
the worthy man at nearly four millions； but as； on an average； he had
made yearly； from 1793 to 1817； a hundred thousand francs out of that
property； it was fair to presume that he possessed in actual money a
sum nearly equal to the value of his estate。 So that when； after a
game of boston or an evening discussion on the matter of vines； the
talk fell upon Monsieur Grandet； knowing people said： 〃Le Pere
Grandet？ le Pere Grandet must have at least five or six millions。〃
〃You are cleverer than I am； I have never been able to find out the
amount；〃 answered Monsieur Cruchot or Monsieur des Grassins； when
either chanced to overhear the remark。
If some Parisian mentioned Rothschild or Monsieur Lafitte； the people
of Saumur asked if he were as rich as Monsieur Grandet。 When the
Parisian； with a smile； tossed them a disdainful affirmative； they
looked at each other and shook their heads with an incredulous air。 So
large a fortune covered with a golden mantle all the actions of this
man。 If in early days some peculiarities of his life gave occasion for
laughter or ridicule； laughter and ridicule had long since died away。
His least important actions had the authority of results repeatedly
shown。 His speech； his clothing； his gestures； the blinking of his
eyes； were law to the country…side； where every one； after studying
him as a naturalist studies the result of instinct in the lower
animals； had come to understand the deep mute wisdom of his slightest
actions。
〃It will be a hard winter；〃 said one； 〃Pere Grandet has put on his fur
gloves。〃
〃Pere Grandet is buying quantities of staves； there will be plenty of
wine this year。〃
Monsieur Grandet never bought either bread or meat。 His farmers
supplied him weekly with a sufficiency of capons； chickens； eggs；
butter； and his tithe of wheat。 He owned a mill； and the tenant was
bound； over and above his rent； to take a certain quantity of grain
and return him the flour and bran。 La Grande Nanon； his only servant；
though she was no longer young； baked the bread of the household
herself every Saturday。 Monsieur Grandet arranged with kitchen…
gardeners who were his tenants to supply him with vegetables。 As to
fruits； he gathered such quantities that he sold the greater part in
the market。 His fire…wood was cut from his own hedgerows or taken from
the half…rotten old sheds which he built at the corners of his fields；
and whose planks the farmers carted into town for him； all cut up； and
obligingly stacked in his wood…house； receiving in return his thanks。
His only known expenditures were for the consecrated bread； the
clothing of his wife and daughter； the hire of their chairs in church；
the wages of la Grand Nanon； the tinning of the saucepans； lights；
taxes； repairs on his buildings； and the costs of his various
industries。 He had six hundred acres of woodland； lately purchased；
which he induced a neighbor's keeper to watch； under the promise of an
indemnity。 After the acquisition of this property he ate game for the
first time。
Monsieur Grandet's manners were very simple。 He spoke little。 He
usually expressed his meaning by short sententious phrases uttered in
a soft voice。 After the Revolution； the epoch at which he first came
into notice； the good man stuttered in a wearisome way as soon as he
was required to speak at length or to maintain an argument。 This
stammering； the incoherence of his language； the flux of words in
which he drowned his thought； his apparent lack of logic； attributed
to defects of education； were in reality assumed； and will be
sufficiently explained by certain events in the following history。
Four sentences； precise as algebraic formulas； sufficed him usually to
grasp and solve all difficulties of life and commerce： 〃I don't know；
I cannot； I will not； I will see about it。〃 He never said yes； or no；
and never committed himself to writing。 If people talked to him he
listened coldly； holding his chin in his right hand and resting his
right elbow in the back of his left hand； forming in his own mind
opinions on all matters； from which he never receded。 He reflected
long before making any business agreement。 When his opponent； after
careful conversation； avowed the secret of his own purposes； confident
that he had secured his listener's assent； Grandet answered： 〃I can
decide nothing without consulting my wife。〃 His wife； whom he had
reduced to a state of helpless slavery； was a useful screen to him in
business。 He went nowhere among friends； he neither gave nor accepted
dinners； he made no stir or noise； seeming to economize in everything；
even movement。 He never disturbed or disarranged the things of other
people； out of respect for the rights of property。 Nevertheless； in
spite of his soft voice； in spite of his circumspect bearing； the
language and habits of a coarse nature came to the surface； especially
in his own home； where he controll