language and habits of a coarse nature came to the surface； especially
in his own home； where he controlled himself less than elsewhere。
Physically； Grandet was a man five feet high； thick…set； square…built；
with calves twelve inches in circumference； knotted knee…joints； and
broad shoulders； his face was round； tanned； and pitted by the small…
pox； his chin was straight； his lips had no curves； his teeth were
white； his eyes had that calm； devouring expression which people
attribute to the basilisk； his forehead； full of transverse wrinkles；
was not without certain significant protuberances； his yellow…grayish
hair was said to be silver and gold by certain young people who did
not realize the impropriety of making a jest about Monsieur Grandet。
His nose； thick at the end； bore a veined wen； which the common people
said； not without reason； was full of malice。 The whole countenance
showed a dangerous cunning； an integrity without warmth； the egotism
of a man long used to concentrate every feeling upon the enjoyments of
avarice and upon the only human being who was anything whatever to
him；his daughter and sole heiress； Eugenie。 Attitude； manners；
bearing； everything about him； in short； testified to that belief in
himself which the habit of succeeding in all enterprises never fails
to give to a man。
Thus； though his manners were unctuous and soft outwardly； Monsieur
Grandet's nature was of iron。 His dress never varied； and those who
saw him to…day saw him such as he had been since 1791。 His stout shoes
were tied with leathern thongs； he wore； in all weathers； thick
woollen stockings； short breeches of coarse maroon cloth with silver
buckles； a velvet waistcoat； in alternate stripes of yellow and puce；
buttoned squarely； a large maroon coat with wide flaps； a black
cravat； and a quaker's hat。 His gloves； thick as those of a gendarme；
lasted him twenty months； to preserve them； he always laid them
methodically on the brim of his hat in one particular spot。 Saumur
knew nothing further about this personage。
Only six individuals had a right of entrance to Monsieur Grandet's
house。 The most important of the first three was a nephew of Monsieur
Cruchot。 Since his appointment as president of the Civil courts of
Saumur this young man had added the name of Bonfons to that of
Cruchot。 He now signed himself C。 de Bonfons。 Any litigant so ill…
advised as to call him Monsieur Cruchot would soon be made to feel his
folly in court。 The magistrate protected those who called him Monsieur
le president； but he favored with gracious smiles those who addressed
him as Monsieur de Bonfons。 Monsieur le president was thirty…three
years old； and possessed the estate of Bonfons （Boni Fontis）； worth
seven thousand francs a year； he expected to inherit the property of
his uncle the notary and that of another uncle； the Abbe Cruchot； a
dignitary of the chapter of Saint…Martin de Tours； both of whom were
thought to be very rich。 These three Cruchots； backed by a goodly
number of cousins； and allied to twenty families in the town； formed a
party； like the Medici in Florence； like the Medici； the Cruchots had
their Pazzi。
Madame des Grassins； mother of a son twenty…three years of age； came
assiduously to play cards with Madame Grandet； hoping to marry her
dear Adolphe to Mademoiselle Eugenie。 Monsieur des Grassins； the
banker； vigorously promoted the schemes of his wife by means of secret
services constantly rendered to the old miser； and always arrived in
time upon the field of battle。 The three des Grassins likewise had
their adherents； their cousins； their faithful allies。 On the Cruchot
side the abbe； the Talleyrand of the family； well backed…up by his
brother the notary； sharply contested every inch of ground with his
female adversary； and tried to obtain the rich heiress for his nephew
the president。
This secret warfare between the Cruchots and des Grassins； the prize
thereof being the hand in marriage of Eugenie Grandet； kept the
various social circles of Saumur in violent agitation。 Would
Mademoiselle Grandet marry Monsieur le president or Monsieur Adolphe
des Grassins？ To this problem some replied that Monsieur Grandet would
never give his daughter to the one or to the other。 The old cooper；
eaten up with ambition； was looking； they said； for a peer of France；
to whom an income of three hundred thousand francs would make all the
past； present； and future casks of the Grandets acceptable。 Others
replied that Monsieur and Madame des Grassins were nobles； and
exceedingly rich； that Adolphe was a personable young fellow； and that
unless the old man had a nephew of the pope at his beck and call； such
a suitable alliance ought to satisfy a man who came from nothing；a
man whom Saumur remembered with an adze in his hand； and who had；
moreover； worn the /bonnet rouge/。 Certain wise heads called attention
to the fact that Monsieur Cruchot de Bonfons had the right of entry to
the house at all times； whereas his rival was received only on
Sundays。 Others； however； maintained that Madame des Grassins was more
intimate with the women of the house of Grandet than the Cruchots
were； and could put into their minds certain ideas which would lead；
sooner or later； to success。 To this the former retorted that the Abbe
Cruchot was the most insinuating man in the world： pit a woman against
a monk； and the struggle was even。 〃It is diamond cut diamond；〃 said a
Saumur wit。
The oldest inhabitants； wiser than their fellows； declared that the
Grandets knew better than to let the property go out of the family；
and that Mademoiselle Eugenie Grandet of Saumur would be married to
the son of Monsieur Grandet of Paris； a wealthy wholesale wine…
merchant。 To this the Cruchotines and the Grassinists replied： 〃In the
first place； the two brothers have seen each other only twice in
thirty years； and next； Monsieur Grandet of Paris has ambitious
designs for his son。 He is mayor of an arrondissement； a deputy；
colonel of the National Guard； judge in the commercial courts； he
disowns the Grandets of Saumur； and means to ally himself with some
ducal family；ducal under favor of Napoleon。〃 In short； was there
anything not said of an heiress who was talked of through a
circumference of fifty miles； and even in the public conveyances from
Angers to Blois； inclusively！
At the beginning of 1811； the Cruchotines won a signal advantage over
the Grassinists。 The estate of Froidfond； remarkable for its park； its
mansion； its farms； streams； ponds； forests； and worth about three
millions； was put up for sale by the young Marquis de Froidfond； who
was obliged to liquidate his possessions。 Maitre Cruchot； the
president； and the abbe； aided by their adherents； were able to
prevent the sale of the estate in little lots。 The notary concluded a
bargain with the young man for the whole property； payable in gold；
persuading him that suits without number would have to be brought
against the purchasers of small lots before he could get the money for
them； it was better； therefore； to sell the whole to Monsieur Grandet；
who was solvent and able to pay for the estate in ready money。 The
fine marquisate of Froidfond was accordingly conveyed down the gullet
of Monsieur Grandet； who； to the great astonishment of Saumur； paid
for it； under proper discount； with the usual formalities。
This affair echoed from Nantes to Orleans。 Monsieur Grandet took
advantage of a cart returning by way of Froidfond to go and see his
chateau。 Having cast a master's eye over the whole property； he
returned to Saumur； satisfied that he had invested his money at five
per cent； and seized by the stupendous thought of extending and
increasing the marquisate of Froidfond by concentrating all his
property there。 Then； to fill up his coffers； now nearly empty； he
resolved to thin out his woods and his forests； and to sell off the
poplars in the meadows。
II
It is now easy to understand the full meaning of the term； 〃the house
of Monsieur Grandet；〃that cold； silent； pallid dwelling； standing
above the town and sheltered by the ruins of the ramparts。 The two
pillars and the arch； which made the porte…cochere on which the door
opened； were built； like the house itself； of tufa；a white stone
peculiar to the shores of the Loire； and so soft that it lasts hardly
more than two centuries。 Numberless irregular holes； capriciously
bored or eaten out by the inclemency of the weather； gave an
appearance of the vermiculated stonework of French architecture to the
arch and the side walls of this entrance； which bore some resemblance
to the gateway of a jail。 Above the arch was a long bas…relief； in
hard stone； representing the four seasons； the faces already crumbling
away and blackened。 This bas…relief was surmounted by a projecting
plinth； upon which a variety of chance growths had sprung up；yellow
pellitory； bindweed； convolvuli； nettles； plantain； and even a little
cherry…tree； already grown to some height。
The door of the archway was made of solid oak； brown； shrunken； and
split in many places； though frail in appearance； it was firmly held
in place by a system of iron bolts arranged in symmetrical patterns。 A
small square grating； with close bars red with rust； filled up the
middle panel and made； as it were； a motive for the knocker； fastened
to it by a ring； which struck upon the grinning head of a huge nail。
This knocker； of the oblong shape and kind which our ancestors called
/jaquemart/； looked like a huge note of exclamation； an antiquary who
examined it attentively might have found indications of the figure；
essentially burlesque； which it once represented； and which long usage
had now effaced。 Through this little gratingintended in olden times
for the recognition of friends in times of civil warinquisitive
persons could perceive； at the farther end of the dark and slimy
vault； a few broken steps which led to a garden； picturesquely shut in
by walls that were thick and damp； and through which oozed a moisture
that nourished tufts of sickly herbage。 These walls were the ruins of
the ramparts； under which ranged the gardens of several neighboring
houses。
The most important room on the