eugenie grandet-第41章

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When　the　cure　of　the　parish　came　to　administer　the　last　sacraments；
the　old　man's　eyes；　sightless；　apparently；　for　some　hours；　kindled　at
the　sight　of　the　cross；　the　candlesticks；　and　the　holy…water　vessel　of
silver；　he　gazed　at　them　fixedly；　and　his　wen　moved　for　the　last　time。
When　the　priest　put　the　crucifix　of　silver…gilt　to　his　lips；　that　he
might　kiss　the　Christ；　he　made　a　frightful　gesture；　as　if　to　seize　it；
and　that　last　effort　cost　him　his　life。　He　called　Eugenie；　whom　he　did
not　see；　though　she　was　kneeling　beside　him　bathing　with　tears　his
stiffening　hand；　which　was　already　cold。

〃My　father；　bless　me！〃　she　entreated。

〃Take　care　of　it　all。　You　will　render　me　an　account　yonder！〃　he　said；
proving　by　these　last　words　that　Christianity　must　always　be　the
religion　of　misers。

*****

Eugenie　Grandet　was　now　alone　in　the　world　in　that　gray　house；　with
none　but　Nanon　to　whom　she　could　turn　with　the　certainty　of　being
heard　and　understood；Nanon　the　sole　being　who　loved　her　for　herself
and　with　whom　she　could　speak　of　her　sorrows。　La　Grande　Nanon　was　a
providence　for　Eugenie。　She　was　not　a　servant；　but　a　humble　friend。
After　her　father's　death　Eugenie　learned　from　Maitre　Cruchot　that　she
possessed　an　income　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs　from　landed　and
personal　property　in　the　arrondissement　of　Saumur；　also　six　millions
invested　at　three　per　cent　in　the　Funds　（bought　at　sixty；　and　now
worth　seventy…six　francs）；　also　two　millions　in　gold　coin；　and　a
hundred　thousand　francs　in　silver　crown…pieces；　besides　all　the
interest　which　was　still　to　be　collected。　The　sum　total　of　her
property　reached　seventeen　millions。

〃Where　is　my　cousin？〃　was　her　one　thought。

The　day　on　which　Maitre　Cruchot　handed　in　to　his　client　a　clear　and
exact　schedule　of　the　whole　inheritance；　Eugenie　remained　alone　with
Nanon；　sitting　beside　the　fireplace　in　the　vacant　hall；　where　all　was
now　a　memory；　from　the　chair　on　castors　which　her　mother　had　sat　in；
to　the　glass　from　which　her　cousin　drank。

〃Nanon；　we　are　alone〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　and　if　I　knew　where　he　was；　the　darling；　I'd　go　on
foot　to　find　him。〃

〃The　ocean　is　between　us；〃　she　said。

While　the　poor　heiress　wept　in　company　of　an　old　servant；　in　that　cold
dark　house；　which　was　to　her　the　universe；　the　whole　province　rang；
from　Nantes　to　Orleans；　with　the　seventeen　millions　of　Mademoiselle
Grandet。　Among　her　first　acts　she　had　settled　an　annuity　of　twelve
hundred　francs　on　Nanon；　who；　already　possessed　of　six　hundred　more；
became　a　rich　and　enviable　match。　In　less　than　a　month　that　good　soul
passed　from　single　to　wedded　life　under　the　protection　of　Antoine
Cornoiller；　who　was　appointed　keeper　of　all　Mademoiselle　Grandet's
estates。　Madame　Cornoiller　possessed　one　striking　advantage　over　her
contemporaries。　Although　she　was　fifty…nine　years　of　age；　she　did　not
look　more　than　forty。　Her　strong　features　had　resisted　the　ravages　of
time。　Thanks　to　the　healthy　customs　of　her　semi…conventual　life；　she
laughed　at　old　age　from　the　vantage…ground　of　a　rosy　skin　and　an　iron
constitution。　Perhaps　she　never　looked　as　well　in　her　life　as　she　did
on　her　marriage…day。　She　had　all　the　benefits　of　her　ugliness；　and　was
big　and　fat　and　strong；　with　a　look　of　happiness　on　her　indestructible
features　which　made　a　good　many　people　envy　Cornoiller。

〃Fast　colors！〃　said　the　draper。

〃Quite　likely　to　have　children；〃　said　the　salt　merchant。　〃She's
pickled　in　brine；　saving　your　presence。〃

〃She　is　rich；　and　that　fellow　Cornoiller　has　done　a　good　thing　for
himself；〃　said　a　third　man。

When　she　came　forth　from　the　old　house　on　her　way　to　the　parish
church；　Nanon；　who　was　loved　by　all　the　neighborhood；　received　many
compliments　as　she　walked　down　the　tortuous　street。　Eugenie　had　given
her　three　dozen　silver　forks　and　spoons　as　a　wedding　present。
Cornoiller；　amazed　at　such　magnificence；　spoke　of　his　mistress　with
tears　in　his　eyes；　he　would　willingly　have　been　hacked　in　pieces　in
her　behalf。　Madame　Cornoiller；　appointed　housekeeper　to　Mademoiselle
Grandet；　got　as　much　happiness　out　of　her　new　position　as　she　did　from
the　possession　of　a　husband。　She　took　charge　of　the　weekly　accounts；
she　locked　up　the　provisions　and　gave　them　out　daily；　after　the　manner
of　her　defunct　master；　she　ruled　over　two　servants；a　cook；　and　a
maid　whose　business　it　was　to　mend　the　house…linen　and　make
mademoiselle's　dresses。　Cornoiller　combined　the　functions　of　keeper
and　bailiff。　It　is　unnecessary　to　say　that　the　women…servants　selected
by　Nanon　were　〃perfect　treasures。〃　Mademoiselle　Grandet　thus　had　four
servants；　whose　devotion　was　unbounded。　The　farmers　perceived　no
change　after　Monsieur　Grandet's　death；　the　usages　and　customs　he　had
sternly　established　were　scrupulously　carried　out　by　Monsieur　and
Madame　Cornoiller。

At　thirty　years　of　age　Eugenie　knew　none　of　the　joys　of　life。　Her
pale；　sad　childhood　had　glided　on　beside　a　mother　whose　heart；　always
misunderstood　and　wounded；　had　known　only　suffering。　Leaving　this　life
joyfully；　the　mother　pitied　the　daughter　because　she　still　must　live；
and　she　left　in　her　child's　soul　some　fugitive　remorse　and　many
lasting　regrets。　Eugenie's　first　and　only　love　was　a　wellspring　of
sadness　within　her。　Meeting　her　lover　for　a　few　brief　days；　she　had
given　him　her　heart　between　two　kisses　furtively　exchanged；　then　he
had　left　her；　and　a　whole　world　lay　between　them。　This　love；　cursed　by
her　father；　had　cost　the　life　of　her　mother　and　brought　her　only
sorrow；　mingled　with　a　few　frail　hopes。　Thus　her　upward　spring　towards
happiness　had　wasted　her　strength　and　given　her　nothing　in　exchange
for　it。　In　the　life　of　the　soul；　as　in　the　physical　life；　there　is　an
inspiration　and　a　respiration；　the　soul　needs　to　absorb　the　sentiments
of　another　soul　and　assimilate　them；　that　it　may　render　them　back
enriched。　Were　it　not　for　this　glorious　human　phenomenon；　there　would
be　no　life　for　the　heart；　air　would　be　wanting；　it　would　suffer；　and
then　perish。　Eugenie　had　begun　to　suffer。　For　her；　wealth　was　neither
a　power　nor　a　consolation；　she　could　not　live　except　through　love；
through　religion；　through　faith　in　the　future。　Love　explained　to　her
the　mysteries　of　eternity。　Her　heart　and　the　Gospel　taught　her　to　know
two　worlds；　she　bathed；　night　and　day；　in　the　depths　of　two　infinite
thoughts；　which　for　her　may　have　had　but　one　meaning。　She　drew　back
within　herself；　loving；　and　believing　herself　beloved。　For　seven　years
her　passion　had　invaded　everything。　Her　treasuries　were　not　the
millions　whose　revenues　were　rolling　up；　they　were　Charles's　dressing…
case；　the　portraits　hanging　above　her　bed；　the　jewels　recovered　from
her　father　and　proudly　spread　upon　a　bed　of　wool　in　a　drawer　of　the
oaken　cabinet；　the　thimble　of　her　aunt；　used　for　a　while　by　her
mother；　which　she　wore　religiously　as　she　worked　at　a　piece　of
embroidery；a　Penelope's　web；　begun　for　the　sole　purpose　of　putting
upon　her　finger　that　gold　so　rich　in　memories。

It　seemed　unlikely　that　Mademoiselle　Grandet　would　marry　during　the
period　of　her　mourning。　Her　genuine　piety　was　well　known。　Consequently
the　Cruchots；　whose　policy　was　sagely　guided　by　the　old　abbe；
contented　themselves　for　the　time　being　with　surrounding　the　great
heiress　and　paying　her　the　most　affectionate　attentions。　Every　evening
the　hall　was　filled　with　a　party　of　devoted　Cruchotines；　who　sang　the
praises　of　its　mistress　in　every　key。　She　had　her　doctor　in　ordinary；
her　grand　almoner；　her　chamberlain；　her　first　lady　of　honor；　her　prime
minister；　above　all；　her　chancellor；　a　chancellor　who　would　fain　have
said　much　to　her。　If　the　heiress　had　wished　for　a　train…bearer；　one
would　instantly　have　been　found。　She　was　a　queen；　obsequiously
flattered。　Flattery　never　emanates　from　noble　souls；　it　is　the　gift　of
little　minds；　who　thus　still　further　belittle　themselves　to　worm　their
way　into　the　vital　being　of　the　persons　around　whom　they　crawl。
Flattery　means　self…interest。　So　the　people　who；　night　after　night；
assembled　in　Mademoiselle　Grandet's　house　（they　called　her
Mademoiselle　de　Froidfond）　outdid　each　other　in　expressions　of
admiration。　This　concert　of　praise；　never　bef