do this you would not disinherit her； I presume？but if you want to
come to such a settlement； you must not treat her harshly。 What I am
telling you； old man； is against my own interests。 What do I live by；
if it isn't liquidations； inventories； conveyances； divisions of
property？〃
〃We'll see； we'll see！ Don't let's talk any more about it； Cruchot； it
wrings my vitals。 Have you received any gold？〃
〃No； but I have a few old louis； a dozen or so； which you may have。 My
good friend； make it up with Eugenie。 Don't you know all Saumur is
pelting you with stones？〃
〃The scoundrels！〃
〃Come； the Funds are at ninety…nine。 Do be satisfied for once in your
life。〃
〃At ninety…nine！ Are they； Cruchot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hey； hey！ Ninety…nine！〃 repeated the old man； accompanying the notary
to the street…door。 Then； too agitated by what he had just heard to
stay in the house； he went up to his wife's room and said；
〃Come； mother； you may have your daughter to spend the day with you。
I'm going to Froidfond。 Enjoy yourselves； both of you。 This is our
wedding…day； wife。 See！ here are sixty francs for your altar at the
Fete…Dieu； you've wanted one for a long time。 Come； cheer up； enjoy
yourself； and get well！ Hurrah for happiness！〃
He threw ten silver pieces of six francs each upon the bed； and took
his wife's head between his hands and kissed her forehead。
〃My good wife； you are getting well； are not you？〃
〃How can you think of receiving the God of mercy in your house when
you refuse to forgive your daughter？〃 she said with emotion。
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta！〃 said Grandet in a coaxing voice。 〃We'll see about
that。〃
〃Merciful heaven！ Eugenie；〃 cried the mother； flushing with joy； 〃come
and kiss your father； he forgives you！〃
But the old man had disappeared。 He was going as fast as his legs
could carry him towards his vineyards； trying to get his confused
ideas into order。 Grandet had entered his seventy…sixth year。 During
the last two years his avarice had increased upon him； as all the
persistent passions of men increase at a certain age。 As if to
illustrate an observation which applies equally to misers； ambitious
men； and others whose lives are controlled by any dominant idea； his
affections had fastened upon one special symbol of his passion。 The
sight of gold； the possession of gold； had become a monomania。 His
despotic spirit had grown in proportion to his avarice； and to part
with the control of the smallest fraction of his property at the death
of his wife seemed to him a thing 〃against nature。〃 To declare his
fortune to his daughter； to give an inventory of his property； landed
and personal； for the purposes of division
〃Why；〃 he cried aloud in the midst of a field where he was pretending
to examine a vine； 〃it would be cutting my throat！〃
He came at last to a decision； and returned to Saumur in time for
dinner； resolved to unbend to Eugenie； and pet and coax her； that he
might die regally； holding the reins of his millions in his own hands
so long as the breath was in his body。 At the moment when the old man；
who chanced to have his pass…key in his pocket； opened the door and
climbed with a stealthy step up the stairway to go into his wife's
room； Eugenie had brought the beautiful dressing…case from the oak
cabinet and placed it on her mother's bed。 Mother and daughter； in
Grandet's absence； allowed themselves the pleasure of looking for a
likeness to Charles in the portrait of his mother。
〃It is exactly his forehead and his mouth；〃 Eugenie was saying as the
old man opened the door。 At the look which her husband cast upon the
gold； Madame Grandet cried out；
〃O God； have pity upon us！〃
The old man sprang upon the box as a famished tiger might spring upon
a sleeping child。
〃What's this？〃 he said； snatching the treasure and carrying it to the
window。 〃Gold； good gold！〃 he cried。 〃All gold；it weighs two pounds！
Ha； ha！ Charles gave you that for your money； did he？ Hein！ Why didn't
you tell me so？ It was a good bargain； little one！ Yes； you are my
daughter； I see that〃 Eugenie trembled in every limb。 〃This came
from Charles； of course； didn't it？〃 continued the old man。
〃Yes； father； it is not mine。 It is a sacred trust。〃
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta！ He took your fortune； and now you can get it back。〃
〃Father！〃
Grandet took his knife to pry out some of the gold； to do this； he
placed the dressing…case on a chair。 Eugenie sprang forward to recover
it； but her father； who had his eye on her and on the treasure too；
pushed her back so violently with a thrust of his arm that she fell
upon her mother's bed。
〃Monsieur； monsieur！〃 cried the mother； lifting herself up。
Grandet had opened his knife； and was about to apply it to the gold。
〃Father！〃 cried Eugenie； falling on her knees and dragging herself
close to him with clasped hands； 〃father； in the name of all the
saints and the Virgin！ in the name of Christ who died upon the cross！
in the name of your eternal salvation； father！ for my life's sake；
father！do not touch that！ It is neither yours nor mine。 It is a
trust placed in my hands by an unhappy relation： I must give it back
to him uninjured！〃
〃If it is a trust； why were you looking at it？ To look at it is as bad
as touching it。〃
〃Father； don't destroy it； or you will disgrace me！ Father； do you
hear？〃
〃Oh； have pity！〃 said the mother。
〃Father！〃 cried Eugenie in so startling a voice that Nanon ran
upstairs terrified。 Eugenie sprang upon a knife that was close at
hand。
〃Well； what now？〃 said Grandet coldly； with a callous smile。
〃Oh； you are killing me！〃 said the mother。
〃Father； if your knife so much as cuts a fragment of that gold； I will
stab myself with this one！ You have already driven my mother to her
death； you will now kill your child！ Do as you choose！ Wound for
wound！〃
Grandet held his knife over the dressing…case and hesitated as he
looked at his daughter。
〃Are you capable of doing it； Eugenie？〃 he said。
〃Yes； yes！〃 said the mother。
〃She'll do it if she says so！〃 cried Nanon。 〃Be reasonable； monsieur；
for once in your life。〃
The old man looked at the gold and then at his daughter alternately
for an instant。 Madame Grandet fainted。
〃There！ don't you see； monsieur； that madame is dying？〃 cried Nanon。
〃Come； come； my daughter； we won't quarrel for a box！ Here； take it！〃
he cried hastily； flinging the case upon the bed。 〃Nanon； go and fetch
Monsieur Bergerin！ Come； mother；〃 said he； kissing his wife's hand；
〃it's all over！ There！ we've made uphaven't we； little one？ No more
dry bread； you shall have all you wantAh； she opens her eyes！ Well；
mother； little mother； come！ See； I'm kissing Eugenie！ She loves her
cousin； and she may marry him if she wants to； she may keep his case。
But don't die； mother； live a long time yet； my poor wife！ Come； try
to move！ Listen！ you shall have the finest altar that ever was made in
Saumur。〃
〃Oh； how can you treat your wife and daughter so！〃 said Madame Grandet
in a feeble voice。
〃I won't do so again； never again；〃 cried her husband； 〃you shall see；
my poor wife！〃 He went to his inner room and returned with a handful
of louis； which he scattered on the bed。 〃Here； Eugenie！ see； wife！
all these are for you；〃 he said； fingering the coins。 〃Come； be happy；
wife！ feel better； get well； you sha'n't want for anything； nor
Eugenie either。 Here's a hundred /louis d'or/ for her。 You won't give
these away； will you； Eugenie； hein？〃
Madame Grandet and her daughter looked at each other in astonishment。
〃Take back your money； father； we ask for nothing but your affection。〃
〃Well； well； that's right！〃 he said； pocketing the coins； 〃let's be
good friends！ We will all go down to dinner to…day； and we'll play
loto every evening for two sous。 You shall both be happy。 Hey； wife？〃
〃Alas！ I wish I could； if it would give you pleasure；〃 said the dying
woman； 〃but I cannot rise from my bed。〃
〃Poor mother；〃 said Grandet； 〃you don't know how I love you！ and you
too； my daughter！〃 He took her in his arms and kissed her。 〃Oh； how
good it is to kiss a daughter when we have been angry with her！ There；
mother； don't you see it's all over now？ Go and put that away；
Eugenie；〃 he added； pointing to the case。 〃Go； don't be afraid！ I
shall never speak of it again； never！〃
Monsieur Bergerin； the celebrated doctor of Saumur； presently arrived。
After an examination； he told Grandet positively that his wife was
very ill； but that perfect peace of mind； a generous diet； and great
care might prolong her life until the autumn。
〃Will all that cost much？〃 said the old man。 〃Will she need
medicines？〃
〃Not much medicine； but a great deal of care；〃 answered the doctor；
who could scarcely restrain a smile。
〃Now； Monsieur Bergerin；〃 said Grandet； 〃you are a man of honor； are
not you？ I trust to you！ Come and see my wife how and when you think
necessary。 Save my good wife！ I love her；don't you see？though I
never talk about it； I keep things to myself。 I'm full of trouble。
Troubles began when my brother died； I have to spend enormous sums on
his affairs in Paris。 Why； I'm paying through my nose； there's no end
to it。 Adieu； monsieur！ If you can save my wife； save her。 I'll spare
no expense； not even if it costs me a hundred or two hundred francs。〃
In spite of Grandet's fervent wishes for the health of his wife； whose
death threatened more than death to him； in spite of the consideration
he now showed on all occasions for the least wish of his astonished
wife and daughter； in spite of the tender care which Eugenie lavished
upon her mother；Madame Grandet rapidly approached her end。 Every day
she grew weaker and wasted visibly； as women of her age when attacked
by serious illness are wont to do。 She was fragile as the foliage in
autumn； the radiance of heaven shone through her as the sun strikes
athwart the withering leaves and gilds them。 It was a death worthy of
her life；a Christian death； and is not that sublime？ In the month of
October； 1822； her virtues； her angelic patience； her love for her
daughter； seemed to find special expression； and then she passed away
without a murmur。 Lamb without spot； she went to heaven； regretting
on