side of her neck with a complacency that made her blush。 The
president； who looked like a rusty iron nail； felt that his courtship
was progressing。
〃Don't stand on ceremony；〃 said Grandet； entering。 〃How well you do
things on fete…days； Monsieur le president！〃
〃When it concerns mademoiselle；〃 said the abbe； armed with his own
bouquet； 〃every day is a fete…day for my nephew。〃
The abbe kissed Eugenie's hand。 As for Maitre Cruchot； he boldly
kissed her on both cheeks； remarking： 〃How we sprout up； to be sure！
Every year is twelve months。〃
As he replaced the candlestick beside the clock； Grandet； who never
forgot his own jokes； and repeated them to satiety when he thought
them funny； said；
〃As this is Eugenie's birthday let us illuminate。〃
He carefully took off the branches of the candelabra； put a socket on
each pedestal； took from Nanon a new tallow candle with paper twisted
round the end of it； put it into the hollow； made it firm； lit it； and
then sat down beside his wife； looking alternately at his friends； his
daughter； and the two candles。 The Abbe Cruchot； a plump； puffy little
man； with a red wig plastered down and a face like an old female
gambler； said as he stretched out his feet； well shod in stout shoes
with silver buckles： 〃The des Grassins have not come？〃
〃Not yet；〃 said Grandet。
〃But are they coming？〃 asked the old notary； twisting his face； which
had as many holes as a collander； into a queer grimace。
〃I think so；〃 answered Madame Grandet。
〃Are your vintages all finished？〃 said Monsieur de Bonfons to Grandet。
〃Yes； all of them；〃 said the old man； rising to walk up and down the
room； his chest swelling with pride as he said the words； 〃all of
them。〃 Through the door of the passage which led to the kitchen he saw
la Grande Nanon sitting beside her fire with a candle and preparing to
spin there； so as not to intrude among the guests。
〃Nanon；〃 he said； going into the passage； 〃put out that fire and that
candle； and come and sit with us。 Pardieu！ the hall is big enough for
all。〃
〃But monsieur； you are to have the great people。〃
〃Are not you as good as they？ They are descended from Adam； and so are
you。〃
Grandet came back to the president and said；
〃Have you sold your vintage？〃
〃No； not I； I shall keep it。 If the wine is good this year； it will be
better two years hence。 The proprietors； you know； have made an
agreement to keep up the price； and this year the Belgians won't get
the better of us。 Suppose they are sent off empty…handed for once；
faith！ they'll come back。〃
〃Yes； but let us mind what we are about；〃 said Grandet in a tone which
made the president tremble。
〃Is he driving some bargain？〃 thought Cruchot。
At this moment the knocker announced the des Grassins family； and
their arrival interrupted a conversation which had begun between
Madame Grandet and the abbe。
Madame des Grassins was one of those lively； plump little women； with
pink…and…white skins； who； thanks to the claustral calm of the
provinces and the habits of a virtuous life； keep their youth until
they are past forty。 She was like the last rose of autumn；pleasant
to the eye； though the petals have a certain frostiness； and their
perfume is slight。 She dressed well； got her fashions from Paris； set
the tone to Saumur； and gave parties。 Her husband； formerly a
quartermaster in the Imperial guard； who had been desperately wounded
at Austerlitz； and had since retired； still retained； in spite of his
respect for Grandet； the seeming frankness of an old soldier。
〃Good evening； Grandet；〃 he said； holding out his hand and affecting a
sort of superiority； with which he always crushed the Cruchots。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he added； turning to Eugenie； after bowing to Madame
Grandet； 〃you are always beautiful and good； and truly I do not know
what to wish you。〃 So saying； he offered her a little box which his
servant had brought and which contained a Cape heather；a flower
lately imported into Europe and very rare。
Madame des Grassins kissed Eugenie very affectionately； pressed her
hand； and said： 〃Adolphe wishes to make you my little offering。〃
A tall； blond young man； pale and slight； with tolerable manners and
seemingly rather shy； although he had just spent eight or ten thousand
francs over his allowance in Paris； where he had been sent to study
law； now came forward and kissed Eugenie on both cheeks； offering her
a workbox with utensils in silver…gilt；mere show…case trumpery； in
spite of the monogram E。G。 in gothic letters rather well engraved；
which belonged properly to something in better taste。 As she opened
it； Eugenie experienced one of those unexpected and perfect delights
which make a young girl blush and quiver and tremble with pleasure。
She turned her eyes to her father as if to ask permission to accept
it； and Monsieur Grandet replied： 〃Take it； my daughter；〃 in a tone
which would have made an actor illustrious。
The three Cruchots felt crushed as they saw the joyous； animated look
cast upon Adolphe des Grassins by the heiress； to whom such riches
were unheard…of。 Monsieur des Grassins offered Grandet a pinch of
snuff； took one himself； shook off the grains as they fell on the
ribbon of the Legion of honor which was attached to the button…hole of
his blue surtout； then he looked at the Cruchots with an air that
seemed to say； 〃Parry that thrust if you can！〃 Madame des Grassins
cast her eyes on the blue vases which held the Cruchot bouquets；
looking at the enemy's gifts with the pretended interest of a
satirical woman。 At this delicate juncture the Abbe Cruchot left the
company seated in a circle round the fire and joined Grandet at the
lower end of the hall。 As the two men reached the embrasure of the
farthest window the priest said in the miser's ear： 〃Those people
throw money out of the windows。〃
〃What does that matter if it gets into my cellar？〃 retorted the old
wine…grower。
〃If you want to give gilt scissors to your daughter； you have the
means；〃 said the abbe。
〃I give her something better than scissors；〃 answered Grandet。
〃My nephew is a blockhead；〃 thought the abbe as he looked at the
president； whose rumpled hair added to the ill grace of his brown
countenance。 〃Couldn't he have found some little trifle which cost
money？〃
〃We will join you at cards； Madame Grandet；〃 said Madame des Grassins。
〃We might have two tables； as we are all here。〃
〃As it is Eugenie's birthday you had better play loto all together；〃
said Pere Grandet： 〃the two young ones can join〃； and the old cooper；
who never played any game； motioned to his daughter and Adolphe。
〃Come； Nanon； set the tables。〃
〃We will help you； Mademoiselle Nanon；〃 said Madame des Grassins
gaily； quite joyous at the joy she had given Eugenie。
〃I have never in my life been so pleased；〃 the heiress said to her； 〃I
have never seen anything so pretty。〃
〃Adolphe brought it from Paris； and he chose it；〃 Madame des Grassins
whispered in her ear。
〃Go on！ go on！ damned intriguing thing！〃 thought the president。 〃If
you ever have a suit in court； you or your husband； it shall go hard
with you。〃
The notary； sitting in his corner； looked calmly at the abbe； saying
to himself： 〃The des Grassins may do what they like； my property and
my brother's and that of my nephew amount in all to eleven hundred
thousand francs。 The des Grassins； at the most； have not half that；
besides； they have a daughter。 They may give what presents they like；
heiress and presents too will be ours one of these days。〃
At half…past eight in the evening the two card…tables were set out。
Madame des Grassins succeeded in putting her son beside Eugenie。 The
actors in this scene； so full of interest； commonplace as it seems；
were provided with bits of pasteboard striped in many colors and
numbered； and with counters of blue glass； and they appeared to be
listening to the jokes of the notary； who never drew a number without
making a remark； while in fact they were all thinking of Monsieur
Grandet's millions。 The old cooper； with inward self…conceit； was
contemplating the pink feathers and the fresh toilet of Madame des
Grassins； the martial head of the banker； the faces of Adolphe； the
president； the abbe； and the notary； saying to himself：
〃They are all after my money。 Hey！ neither the one nor the other shall
have my daughter； but they are usefuluseful as harpoons to fish
with。〃
This family gaiety in the old gray room dimly lighted by two tallow
candles； this laughter； accompanied by the whirr of Nanon's spinning…
wheel； sincere only upon the lips of Eugenie or her mother； this
triviality mingled with important interests； this young girl； who；
like certain birds made victims of the price put upon them； was now
lured and trapped by proofs of friendship of which she was the dupe；
all these things contributed to make the scene a melancholy comedy。 Is
it not； moreover； a drama of all times and all places； though here
brought down to its simplest expression？ The figure of Grandet；
playing his own game with the false friendship of the two families and
getting enormous profits from it； dominates the scene and throws light
upon it。 The modern god；the only god in whom faith is preserved；
money； is here； in all its power； manifested in a single countenance。
The tender sentiments of life hold here but a secondary place； only
the three pure； simple hearts of Nanon； of Eugenie； and of her mother
were inspired by them。 And how much of ignorance there was in the
simplicity of these poor women！ Eugenie and her mother knew nothing of
Grandet's wealth； they could only estimate the things of life by the
glimmer of their pale ideas； and they neither valued nor despised
money； because they were accustomed to do without it。 Their feelings；
bruised； though they did not know it； but ever…living； were the secret
spring of their existence； and made them curious exceptions in the
midst of these other people whose lives were purely material。
Frightful condition of the human race！ there is no one of its joys
that does not come from some species of ignorance。
At the moment when Madame Grandet had won a loto of sixteen sous；the
largest ever pooled in that