eugenie grandet-第14章

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again　in　the　cold　water　which　hardened　and　reddened　the　skin；　she
looked　at　her　handsome　round　arms　and　asked　herself　what　her　cousin
did　to　make　his　hands　so　softly　white；　his　nails　so　delicately　curved。
She　put　on　new　stockings　and　her　prettiest　shoes。　She　laced　her　corset
straight；　without　skipping　a　single　eyelet。　And　then；　wishing　for　the
first　time　in　her　life　to　appear　to　advantage；　she　felt　the　joy　of
having　a　new　gown；　well　made；　which　rendered　her　attractive。

As　she　finished　her　toilet　the　clock　of　the　parish　church　struck　the
hour；　to　her　astonishment；　it　was　only　seven。　The　desire　of　having
plenty　of　time　for　dressing　carefully　had　led　her　to　get　up　too　early。
Ignorant　of　the　art　of　retouching　every　curl　and　studying　every
effect；　Eugenie　simply　crossed　her　arms；　sat　down　by　the　window；　and
looked　at　the　court…yard；　the　narrow　garden；　and　the　high　terraced
walls　that　over…topped　it：　a　dismal；　hedged…in　prospect；　yet　not
wholly　devoid　of　those　mysterious　beauties　which　belong　to　solitary　or
uncultivated　nature。　Near　the　kitchen　was　a　well　surrounded　by　a　curb；
with　a　pulley　fastened　to　a　bent　iron　rod　clasped　by　a　vine　whose
leaves　were　withered；　reddened；　and　shrivelled　by　the　season。　From
thence　the　tortuous　shoots　straggled　to　the　wall；　clutched　it；　and　ran
the　whole　length　of　the　house；　ending　near　the　wood…pile；　where　the
logs　were　ranged　with　as　much　precision　as　the　books　in　a　library。　The
pavement　of　the　court…yard　showed　the　black　stains　produced　in　time　by
lichens；　herbage；　and　the　absence　of　all　movement　or　friction。　The
thick　walls　wore　a　coating　of　green　moss　streaked　with　waving　brown
lines；　and　the　eight　stone　steps　at　the　bottom　of　the　court…yard　which
led　up　to　the　gate　of　the　garden　were　disjointed　and　hidden　beneath
tall　plants；　like　the　tomb　of　a　knight　buried　by　his　widow　in　the　days
of　the　Crusades。　Above　a　foundation　of　moss…grown；　crumbling　stones
was　a　trellis　of　rotten　wood；　half　fallen　from　decay；　over　them
clambered　and　intertwined　at　will　a　mass　of　clustering　creepers。　On
each　side　of　the　latticed　gate　stretched　the　crooked　arms　of　two
stunted　apple…trees。　Three　parallel　walks；　gravelled　and　separated
from　each　other　by　square　beds；　where　the　earth　was　held　in　by　box…
borders；　made　the　garden；　which　terminated；　beneath　a　terrace　of　the
old　walls；　in　a　group　of　lindens。　At　the　farther　end　were　raspberry…
bushes；　at　the　other；　near　the　house；　an　immense　walnut…tree　drooped
its　branches　almost　into　the　window　of　the　miser's　sanctum。

A　clear　day　and　the　beautiful　autumnal　sun　common　to　the　banks　of　the
Loire　was　beginning　to　melt　the　hoar…frost　which　the　night　had　laid　on
these　picturesque　objects；　on　the　walls；　and　on　the　plants　which
swathed　the　court…yard。　Eugenie　found　a　novel　charm　in　the　aspect　of
things　lately　so　insignificant　to　her。　A　thousand　confused　thoughts
came　to　birth　in　her　mind　and　grew　there；　as　the　sunbeams　grew　without
along　the　wall。　She　felt　that　impulse　of　delight；　vague；　inexplicable；
which　wraps　the　moral　being　as　a　cloud　wraps　the　physical　body。　Her
thoughts　were　all　in　keeping　with　the　details　of　this　strange
landscape；　and　the　harmonies　of　her　heart　blended　with　the　harmonies
of　nature。　When　the　sun　reached　an　angle　of　the　wall　where　the　〃Venus…
hair〃　of　southern　climes　drooped　its　thick　leaves；　lit　with　the
changing　colors　of　a　pigeon's　breast；　celestial　rays　of　hope　illumined
the　future　to　her　eyes；　and　thenceforth　she　loved　to　gaze　upon　that
piece　of　wall；　on　its　pale　flowers；　its　blue　harebells；　its　wilting
herbage；　with　which　she　mingled　memories　as　tender　as　those　of
childhood。　The　noise　made　by　each　leaf　as　it　fell　from　its　twig　in　the
void　of　that　echoing　court　gave　answer　to　the　secret　questionings　of
the　young　girl；　who　could　have　stayed　there　the　livelong　day　without
perceiving　the　flight　of　time。　Then　came　tumultuous　heavings　of　the
soul。　She　rose　often；　went　to　her　glass；　and　looked　at　herself；　as　an
author　in　good　faith　looks　at　his　work　to　criticise　it　and　blame　it　in
his　own　mind。

〃I　am　not　beautiful　enough　for　him！〃　Such　was　Eugenie's　thought；a
humble　thought；　fertile　in　suffering。　The　poor　girl　did　not　do　herself
justice；　but　modesty；　or　rather　fear；　is　among　the　first　of　love's
virtues。　Eugenie　belonged　to　the　type　of　children　with　sturdy
constitutions；　such　as　we　see　among　the　lesser　bourgeoisie；　whose
beauties　always　seem　a　little　vulgar；　and　yet；　though　she　resembled
the　Venus　of　Milo；　the　lines　of　her　figure　were　ennobled　by　the　softer
Christian　sentiment　which　purifies　womanhood　and　gives　it　a
distinction　unknown　to　the　sculptors　of　antiquity。　She　had　an　enormous
head；　with　the　masculine　yet　delicate　forehead　of　the　Jupiter　of
Phidias；　and　gray　eyes；　to　which　her　chaste　life；　penetrating　fully
into　them；　carried　a　flood　of　light。　The　features　of　her　round　face；
formerly　fresh　and　rosy；　were　at　one　time　swollen　by　the　small…pox；
which　destroyed　the　velvet　texture　of　the　skin；　though　it　kindly　left
no　other　traces；　and　her　cheek　was　still　so　soft　and　delicate　that　her
mother's　kiss　made　a　momentary　red　mark　upon　it。　Her　nose　was　somewhat
too　thick；　but　it　harmonized　well　with　the　vermilion　mouth；　whose
lips；　creased　in　many　lines；　were　full　of　love　and　kindness。　The
throat　was　exquisitely　round。　The　bust；　well　curved　and　carefully
covered；　attracted　the　eye　and　inspired　reverie。　It　lacked；　no　doubt；
the　grace　which　a　fitting　dress　can　bestow；　but　to　a　connoisseur　the
non…flexibility　of　her　figure　had　its　own　charm。　Eugenie；　tall　and
strongly　made；　had　none　of　the　prettiness　which　pleases　the　masses；
but　she　was　beautiful　with　a　beauty　which　the　spirit　recognizes；　and
none　but　artists　truly　love。　A　painter　seeking　here　below　for　a　type
of　Mary's　celestial　purity；　searching　womankind　for　those　proud　modest
eyes　which　Raphael　divined；　for　those　virgin　lines；　often　due　to
chances　of　conception；　which　the　modesty　of　Christian　life　alone　can
bestow　or　keep　unchanged；such　a　painter；　in　love　with　his　ideal；
would　have　found　in　the　face　of　Eugenie　the　innate　nobleness　that　is
ignorant　of　itself；　he　would　have　seen　beneath　the　calmness　of　that
brow　a　world　of　love；　he　would　have　felt；　in　the　shape　of　the　eyes；　in
the　fall　of　the　eyelids；　the　presence　of　the　nameless　something　that
we　call　divine。　Her　features；　the　contour　of　her　head；　which　no
expression　of　pleasure　had　ever　altered　or　wearied；　were　like　the
lines　of　the　horizon　softly　traced　in　the　far　distance　across　the
tranquil　lakes。　That　calm　and　rosy　countenance；　margined　with　light
like　a　lovely　full…blown　flower；　rested　the　mind；　held　the　eye；　and
imparted　the　charm　of　the　conscience　that　was　there　reflected。　Eugenie
was　standing　on　the　shore　of　life　where　young　illusions　flower；　where
daisies　are　gathered　with　delights　ere　long　to　be　unknown；　and　thus
she　said；　looking　at　her　image　in　the　glass；　unconscious　as　yet　of
love：　〃I　am　too　ugly；　he　will　not　notice　me。〃

Then　she　opened　the　door　of　her　chamber　which　led　to　the　staircase；
and　stretched　out　her　neck　to　listen　for　the　household　noises。　〃He　is
not　up；〃　she　thought；　hearing　Nanon's　morning　cough　as　the　good　soul
went　and　came；　sweeping　out　the　halls；　lighting　her　fire；　chaining　the
dog；　and　speaking　to　the　beasts　in　the　stable。　Eugenie　at　once　went
down　and　ran　to　Nanon；　who　was　milking　the　cow。

〃Nanon；　my　good　Nanon；　make　a　little　cream　for　my　cousin's　breakfast。〃

〃Why；　mademoiselle；　you　should　have　thought　of　that　yesterday；〃　said
Nanon；　bursting　into　a　loud　peal　of　laughter。　〃I　can't　make　cream。
Your　cousin　is　a　darling；　a　darling！　oh；　that　he　is！　You　should　have
seen　him　in　his　dressing…gown；　all　silk　and　gold！　I　saw　him；　I　did！　He
wears　linen　as　fine　as　the　surplice　of　monsieur　le　cure。〃

〃Nanon；　please　make　us　a　/galette/。〃

〃And　who'll　give　me　wood　for　the　oven；　and　flour　and　butter　for　the
cakes？〃　said　Nanon；　who　in　her　function　of　prime…minister　to　Grandet
assumed　at　times　enormous　importance　in　the　eyes　of　Eugenie　and　her
mother。　〃Mustn't　rob　the　master　to　feast　the　cousin。　You　ask　him　for
butter　and　flour　and　wood：　he's　your　father；　perhaps　he'll　give　you
some。　See！　there　he　is　now；　coming　to　give　out　t