eugenie grandet-第37章

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confinement。　There　came　a　moment　when　all　pretexts　failed　to　explain
her　perpetual　absence。　Then；　though　it　was　impossible　to　discover　by
whom　the　secret　had　been　betrayed；　all　the　town　became　aware　that　ever
since　New　Year's　day　Mademoiselle　Grandet　had　been　kept　in　her　room
without　fire；　on　bread　and　water；　by　her　father's　orders；　and　that
Nanon　cooked　little　dainties　and　took　them　to　her　secretly　at　night。
It　was　even　known　that　the　young　woman　was　not　able　to　see　or　take
care　of　her　mother；　except　at　certain　times　when　her　father　was　out　of
the　house。

Grandet's　conduct　was　severely　condemned。　The　whole　town　outlawed　him；
so　to　speak；　they　remembered　his　treachery；　his　hard…heartedness；　and
they　excommunicated　him。　When　he　passed　along　the　streets；　people
pointed　him　out　and　muttered　at　him。　When　his　daughter　came　down　the
winding　street；　accompanied　by　Nanon；　on　her　way　to　Mass　or　Vespers；
the　inhabitants　ran　to　the　windows　and　examined　with　intense　curiosity
the　bearing　of　the　rich　heiress　and　her　countenance；　which　bore　the
impress　of　angelic　gentleness　and　melancholy。　Her　imprisonment　and　the
condemnation　of　her　father　were　as　nothing　to　her。　Had　she　not　a　map
of　the　world；　the　little　bench；　the　garden；　the　angle　of　the　wall？　Did
she　not　taste　upon　her　lips　the　honey　that　love's　kisses　left　there？
She　was　ignorant　for　a　time　that　the　town　talked　about　her；　just　as
Grandet　himself　was　ignorant　of　it。　Pious　and　pure　in　heart　before
God；　her　conscience　and　her　love　helped　her　to　suffer　patiently　the
wrath　and　vengeance　of　her　father。

One　deep　grief　silenced　all　others。　Her　mother；　that　gentle；　tender
creature；　made　beautiful　by　the　light　which　shone　from　the　inner　to
the　outer　as　she　approached　the　tomb；her　mother　was　perishing　from
day　to　day。　Eugenie　often　reproached　herself　as　the　innocent　cause　of
the　slow；　cruel　malady　that　was　wasting　her　away。　This　remorse；　though
her　mother　soothed　it；　bound　her　still　closer　to　her　love。　Every
morning；　as　soon　as　her　father　left　the　house；　she　went　to　the　bedside
of　her　mother；　and　there　Nanon　brought　her　breakfast。　The　poor　girl；
sad；　and　suffering　through　the　sufferings　of　her　mother；　would　turn
her　face　to　the　old　servant　with　a　mute　gesture；　weeping；　and　yet　not
daring　to　speak　of　her　cousin。　It　was　Madame　Grandet　who　first　found
courage　to　say；

〃Where　is　/he/？　Why　does　/he/　not　write？〃

〃Let　us　think　about　him；　mother；　but　not　speak　of　him。　You　are　ill
you；　before　all。〃

〃All〃　meant　〃him。〃

〃My　child；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；　〃I　do　not　wish　to　live。　God　protects
me　and　enables　me　to　look　with　joy　to　the　end　of　my　misery。〃

Every　utterance　of　this　woman　was　unfalteringly　pious　and　Christian。
Sometimes；　during　the　first　months　of　the　year；　when　her　husband　came
to　breakfast　with　her　and　tramped　up　and　down　the　room；　she　would　say
to　him　a　few　religious　words；　always　spoken　with　angelic　sweetness；
yet　with　the　firmness　of　a　woman　to　whom　approaching　death　lends　a
courage　she　had　lacked　in　life。

〃Monsieur；　I　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　my　health；〃　she
would　answer　when　he　made　some　commonplace　inquiry；　〃but　if　you　really
desire　to　render　my　last　moments　less　bitter　and　to　ease　my　grief；
take　back　your　daughter：　be　a　Christian；　a　husband；　and　a　father。〃

When　he　heard　these　words；　Grandet　would　sit　down　by　the　bed　with　the
air　of　a　man　who　sees　the　rain　coming　and　quietly　gets　under　the
shelter　of　a　gateway　till　it　is　over。　When　these　touching；　tender；　and
religious　supplications　had　all　been　made；　he　would　say；

〃You　are　rather　pale　to…day；　my　poor　wife。〃

Absolute　forgetfulness　of　his　daughter　seemed　graven　on　his　stony
brow；　on　his　closed　lips。　He　was　unmoved　by　the　tears　which　flowed
down　the　white　cheeks　of　his　unhappy　wife　as　she　listened　to　his
meaningless　answers。

〃May　God　pardon　you；〃　she　said；　〃even　as　I　pardon　you！　You　will　some
day　stand　in　need　of　mercy。〃

Since　Madame　Grandet's　illness　he　had　not　dared　to　make　use　of　his
terrible　〃Ta；　ta；　ta；　ta！〃　Yet；　for　all　that；　his　despotic　nature　was
not　disarmed　by　this　angel　of　gentleness；　whose　ugliness　day　by　day
decreased；　driven　out　by　the　ineffable　expression　of　moral　qualities
which　shone　upon　her　face。　She　was　all　soul。　The　spirit　of　prayer
seemed　to　purify　her　and　refine　those　homely　features　and　make　them
luminous。　Who　has　not　seen　the　phenomenon　of　a　like　transfiguration　on
sacred　faces　where　the　habits　of　the　soul　have　triumphed　over　the
plainest　features；　giving　them　that　spiritual　illumination　whose　light
comes　from　the　purity　and　nobility　of　the　inward　thought？　The
spectacle　of　this　transformation　wrought　by　the　struggle　which
consumed　the　last　shreds　of　the　human　life　of　this　woman；　did　somewhat
affect　the　old　cooper；　though　feebly；　for　his　nature　was　of　iron；　if
his　language　ceased　to　be　contemptuous；　an　imperturbable　silence；
which　saved　his　dignity　as　master　of　the　household；　took　its　place　and
ruled　his　conduct。

When　the　faithful　Nanon　appeared　in　the　market；　many　quips　and　quirks
and　complaints　about　the　master　whistled　in　her　ears；　but　however
loudly　public　opinion　condemned　Monsieur　Grandet；　the　old　servant
defended　him；　for　the　honor　of　the　family。

〃Well！〃　she　would　say　to　his　detractors；　〃don't　we　all　get　hard　as　we
grow　old？　Why　shouldn't　he　get　horny　too？　Stop　telling　lies。
Mademoiselle　lives　like　a　queen。　She's　alone；　that's　true；　but　she
likes　it。　Besides；　my　masters　have　good　reasons。〃

At　last；　towards　the　end　of　spring；　Madame　Grandet；　worn　out　by　grief
even　more　than　by　illness；　having　failed；　in　spite　of　her　prayers；　to
reconcile　the　father　and　daughter；　confided　her　secret　troubles　to　the
Cruchots。

〃Keep　a　girl　of　twenty…three　on　bread　and　water！〃　cried　Monsieur　de
Bonfons；　〃without　any　reason；　too！　Why；　that　constitutes　wrongful
cruelty；　she　can　contest；　as　much　in　as　upon〃

〃Come；　nephew；　spare　us　your　legal　jargon；〃　said　the　notary。　〃Set　your
mind　at　ease；　madame；　I　will　put　a　stop　to　such　treatment　to…morrow。〃

Eugenie；　hearing　herself　mentioned；　came　out　of　her　room。

〃Gentlemen；〃　she　said；　coming　forward　with　a　proud　step；　〃I　beg　you
not　to　interfere　in　this　matter。　My　father　is　master　in　his　own　house。
As　long　as　I　live　under　his　roof　I　am　bound　to　obey　him。　His　conduct
is　not　subject　to　the　approbation　or　the　disapprobation　of　the　world；
he　is　accountable　to　God　only。　I　appeal　to　your　friendship　to　keep
total　silence　in　this　affair。　To　blame　my　father　is　to　attack　our
family　honor。　I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　the　interest　you　have　shown
in　me；　you　will　do　me　an　additional　service　if　you　will　put　a　stop　to
the　offensive　rumors　which　are　current　in　the　town；　of　which　I　am
accidentally　informed。〃

〃She　is　right；〃　said　Madame　Grandet。

〃Mademoiselle；　the　best　way　to　stop　such　rumors　is　to　procure　your
liberty；〃　answered　the　old　notary　respectfully；　struck　with　the　beauty
which　seclusion；　melancholy；　and　love　had　stamped　upon　her　face。

〃Well；　my　daughter；　let　Monsieur　Cruchot　manage　the　matter　if　he　is　so
sure　of　success。　He　understands　your　father；　and　how　to　manage　him。　If
you　wish　to　see　me　happy　for　my　few　remaining　days；　you　must；　at　any
cost；　be　reconciled　to　your　father。〃

On　the　morrow　Grandet；　in　pursuance　of　a　custom　he　had　begun　since
Eugenie's　imprisonment；　took　a　certain　number　of　turns　up　and　down　the
little　garden；　he　had　chosen　the　hour　when　Eugenie　brushed　and
arranged　her　hair。　When　the　old　man　reached　the　walnut…tree　he　hid
behind　its　trunk　and　remained　for　a　few　moments　watching　his
daughter's　movements；　hesitating；　perhaps；　between　the　course　to　which
the　obstinacy　of　his　character　impelled　him　and　his　natural　desire　to
embrace　his　child。　Sometimes　he　sat　down　on　the　rotten　old　bench　where
Charles　and　Eugenie　had　vowed　eternal　love；　and　then　she；　too；　looked
at　her　father　secretly　in　the　mirror　before　which　she　stood。　If　he
rose　and　continued　his　walk；　she　sat　down　obligingly　at　the　window　and
looked　at　the　angle　of　the　wall　where　the　pale　flowers　hung；　where　the
Venus…hair　grew　from　the　crevices　with　the　bindweed　and　the　sedum；a
white　or　yellow　stone…crop　very　abundant　in　the　vineyards　of　Saumur
and　at　Tours。