eugenie grandet-第19章
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Your father is ill〃
〃Then why am I here？〃 said Charles。 〃Nanon；〃 he cried； 〃order post…
horses！ I can get a carriage somewhere？〃 he added； turning to his
uncle； who stood motionless。
〃Horses and carriages are useless；〃 answered Grandet； looking at
Charles； who remained silent； his eyes growing fixed。 〃Yes； my poor
boy； you guess the truth；he is dead。 But that's nothing； there is
something worse： he blew out his brains。〃
〃My father！〃
〃Yes； but that's not the worst； the newspapers are all talking about
it。 Here； read that。〃
Grandet； who had borrowed the fatal article from Cruchot； thrust the
paper under his nephew's eyes。 The poor young man； still a child；
still at an age when feelings wear no mask； burst into tears。
〃That's good！〃 thought Grandet； 〃his eyes frightened me。 He'll be all
right if he weeps；That is not the worst； my poor nephew；〃 he said
aloud； not noticing whether Charles heard him； 〃that is nothing； you
will get over it： but〃
〃Never； never！ My father！ Oh； my father！〃
〃He has ruined you； you haven't a penny。〃
〃What does that matter？ My father！ Where is my father？〃
His sobs resounded horribly against those dreary walls and
reverberated in the echoes。 The three women； filled with pity； wept
also； for tears are often as contagious as laughter。 Charles； without
listening further to his uncle； ran through the court and up the
staircase to his chamber； where he threw himself across the bed and
hid his face in the sheets； to weep in peace for his lost parents。
〃The first burst must have its way；〃 said Grandet； entering the
living…room； where Eugenie and her mother had hastily resumed their
seats and were sewing with trembling hands； after wiping their eyes。
〃But that young man is good for nothing； his head is more taken up
with the dead than with his money。〃
Eugenie shuddered as she heard her father's comment on the most sacred
of all griefs。 From that moment she began to judge him。 Charles's
sobs； though muffled； still sounded through the sepulchral house； and
his deep groans； which seemed to come from the earth beneath； only
ceased towards evening； after growing gradually feebler。
〃Poor young man！〃 said Madame Grandet。
Fatal exclamation！ Pere Grandet looked at his wife； at Eugenie； and at
the sugar…bowl。 He recollected the extraordinary breakfast prepared
for the unfortunate youth； and he took a position in the middle of the
room。
〃Listen to me；〃 he said； with his usual composure。 〃I hope that you
will not continue this extravagance； Madame Grandet。 I don't give you
MY money to stuff that young fellow with sugar。〃
〃My mother had nothing to do with it；〃 said Eugenie； 〃it was I who〃
〃Is it because you are of age；〃 said Grandet； interrupting his
daughter； 〃that you choose to contradict me？ Remember； Eugenie〃
〃Father； the son of your brother ought to receive from us〃
〃Ta； ta； ta； ta！〃 exclaimed the cooper on four chromatic tones； 〃the
son of my brother this； my nephew that！ Charles is nothing at all to
us； he hasn't a farthing； his father has failed； and when this dandy
has cried his fill； off he goes from here。 I won't have him
revolutionize my household。〃
〃What is 'failing；' father？〃 asked Eugenie。
〃To fail；〃 answered her father； 〃is to commit the most dishonorable
action that can disgrace a man。〃
〃It must be a great sin；〃 said Madame Grandet； 〃and our brother may be
damned。〃
〃There； there； don't begin with your litanies！〃 said Grandet；
shrugging his shoulders。 〃To fail； Eugenie；〃 he resumed； 〃is to commit
a theft which the law； unfortunately； takes under its protection。
People have given their property to Guillaume Grandet trusting to his
reputation for honor and integrity； he has made away with it all； and
left them nothing but their eyes to weep with。 A highway robber is
better than a bankrupt： the one attacks you and you can defend
yourself； he risks his own life； but the otherin short； Charles is
dishonored。〃
The words rang in the poor girl's heart and weighed it down with their
heavy meaning。 Upright and delicate as a flower born in the depths of
a forest； she knew nothing of the world's maxims； of its deceitful
arguments and specious sophisms； she therefore believed the atrocious
explanation which her father gave her designedly； concealing the
distinction which exists between an involuntary failure and an
intentional one。
〃Father； could you not have prevented such a misfortune？〃
〃My brother did not consult me。 Besides； he owes four millions。〃
〃What is a 'million；' father？〃 she asked； with the simplicity of a
child which thinks it can find out at once all that it wants to know。
〃A million？〃 said Grandet； 〃why； it is a million pieces of twenty sous
each； and it takes five twenty sous pieces to make five francs。〃
〃Dear me！〃 cried Eugenie； 〃how could my uncle possibly have had four
millions？ Is there any one else in France who ever had so many
millions？〃 Pere Grandet stroked his chin； smiled； and his wen seemed
to dilate。 〃But what will become of my cousin Charles？〃
〃He is going off to the West Indies by his father's request； and he
will try to make his fortune there。〃
〃Has he got the money to go with？〃
〃I shall pay for his journey as far asyes； as far as Nantes。〃
Eugenie sprang into his arms。
〃Oh； father； how good you are！〃
She kissed him with a warmth that almost made Grandet ashamed of
himself； for his conscience galled him a little。
〃Will it take much time to amass a million？〃 she asked。
〃Look here！〃 said the old miser； 〃you know what a napoleon is？ Well；
it takes fifty thousand napoleons to make a million。〃
〃Mamma； we must say a great many /neuvaines/ for him。〃
〃I was thinking so；〃 said Madame Grandet。
〃That's the way； always spending my money！〃 cried the father。 〃Do you
think there are francs on every bush？〃
At this moment a muffled cry； more distressing than all the others；
echoed through the garrets and struck a chill to the hearts of Eugenie
and her mother。
〃Nanon； go upstairs and see that he does not kill himself；〃 said
Grandet。 〃Now； then；〃 he added； looking at his wife and daughter； who
had turned pale at his words； 〃no nonsense； you two！ I must leave you；
I have got to see about the Dutchmen who are going away to…day。 And
then I must find Cruchot； and talk with him about all this。〃
He departed。 As soon as he had shut the door Eugenie and her mother
breathed more freely。 Until this morning the young girl had never felt
constrained in the presence of her father； but for the last few hours
every moment wrought a change in her feelings and ideas。
〃Mamma； how many louis are there in a cask of wine？〃
〃Your father sells his from a hundred to a hundred and fifty francs；
sometimes two hundred；at least； so I've heard say。〃
〃Then papa must be rich？〃
〃Perhaps he is。 But Monsieur Cruchot told me he bought Froidfond two
years ago； that may have pinched him。〃
Eugenie； not being able to understand the question of her father's
fortune； stopped short in her calculations。
〃He didn't even see me； the darling！〃 said Nanon； coming back from her
errand。 〃He's stretched out like a calf on his bed and crying like the
Madeleine； and that's a blessing！ What's the matter with the poor dear
young man！〃
〃Let us go and console him； mamma； if any one knocks； we can come
down。〃
Madame Grandet was helpless against the sweet persuasive tones of her
daughter's voice。 Eugenie was sublime： she had become a woman。 The
two； with beating hearts； went up to Charles's room。 The door was
open。 The young man heard and saw nothing； plunged in grief； he only
uttered inarticulate cries。
〃How he loves his father！〃 said Eugenie in a low voice。
In the utterance of those words it was impossible to mistake the hopes
of a heart that； unknown to itself； had suddenly become passionate。
Madame Grandet cast a mother's look upon her daughter； and then
whispered in her ear；
〃Take care； you will love him！〃
〃Love him！〃 answered Eugenie。 〃Ah！ if you did but know what my father
said to Monsieur Cruchot。〃
Charles turned over； and saw his aunt and cousin。
〃I have lost my father； my poor father！ If he had told me his secret
troub
