eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第10章

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stone　whose　very　look　was　chilling；　on　the　chairs　of　yellow　wood　with
varnished　cane　seats　that　seemed　to　have　more　than　the　usual　four
angles；　on　the　open　night…table　capacious　enough　to　hold　a　small
sergeant…at…arms；　on　the　meagre　bit　of　rag…carpet　beside　the　bed；　on
the　tester　whose　cloth　valance　shook　as　if；　devoured　by　moths；　it　was
about　to　fall；　he　turned　gravely　to　la　Grande　Nanon　and　said；
〃Look　here！　my　dear　woman；　just　tell　me；　am　I　in　the　house　of　Monsieur
Grandet；　formerly　mayor　of　Saumur；　and　brother　to　Monsieur　Grandet　of
Paris？〃
〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　a　very　good；　a　very　kind；　a　very　perfect
gentleman。　Shall　I　help　you　to　unpack　your　trunks？〃
〃Faith！　yes；　if　you　will；　my　old　trooper。　Didn't　you　serve　in　the
marines　of　the　Imperial　Guard？〃
〃Ho；　ho；　ho！〃　laughed　Nanon。　〃What's　that；the　marines　of　the　guard？
Is　it　salt？　Does　it　go　in　the　water？〃
〃Here；　get　me　my　dressing…gown　out　of　that　valise；　there's　the　key。〃
Nanon　was　wonder…struck　by　the　sight　of　a　dressing…gown　made　of　green
silk；　brocaded　with　gold　flowers　of　an　antique　design。
〃Are　you　going　to　put　that　on　to　go　to　bed　with？〃　she　asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃Holy　Virgin！　what　a　beautiful　altar…cloth　it　would　make　for　the
parish　church！　My　dear　darling　monsieur；　give　it　to　the　church；　and
you'll　save　your　soul；　if　you　don't；　you'll　lose　it。　Oh；　how　nice　you
look　in　it！　I　must　call　mademoiselle　to　see　you。〃
〃Come；　Nanon；　if　Nanon　you　are；　hold　your　tongue；　let　me　go　to　bed。
I'll　arrange　my　things　to…morrow。　If　my　dressing…gown　pleases　you　so
much；　you　shall　save　your　soul。　I'm　too　good　a　Christian　not　to　give
it　to　you　when　I　go　away；　and　you　can　do　what　you　like　with　it。〃
Nanon　stood　rooted　to　the　ground；　gazing　at　Charles　and　unable　to　put
faith　into　his　words。
〃Good　night；　Nanon。〃
〃What　in　the　world　have　I　come　here　for？〃　thought　Charles　as　he　went
to　sleep。　〃My　father　is　not　a　fool；　my　journey　must　have　some　object。
Pshaw！　put　off　serious　thought　till　the　morrow；　as　some　Greek　idiot
said。〃
〃Blessed　Virgin！　how　charming　he　is；　my　cousin！〃　Eugenie　was　saying；
interrupting　her　prayers；　which　that　night　at　least　were　never
finished。
Madame　Grandet　had　no　thoughts　at　all　as　she　went　to　bed。　She　heard
the　miser　walking　up　and　down　his　room　through　the　door　of
communication　which　was　in　the　middle　of　the　partition。　Like　all　timid
women；　she　had　studied　the　character　of　her　lord。　Just　as　the　petrel
foresees　the　storm；　she　knew　by　imperceptible　signs　when　an　inward
tempest　shook　her　husband；　and　at　such　times；　to　use　an　expression　of
her　own；　she　〃feigned　dead。〃
Grandet　gazed　at　the　door　lined　with　sheet…iron　which　he　lately　put　to
his　sanctum；　and　said　to　himself；
〃What　a　crazy　idea　of　my　brother　to　bequeath　his　son　to　me！　A　fine
legacy！　I　have　not　fifty　francs　to　give　him。　What　are　fifty　francs　to
a　dandy　who　looked　at　my　barometer　as　if　he　meant　to　make　firewood　of
it！〃
In　thinking　over　the　consequences　of　that　legacy　of　anguish　Grandet
was　perhaps　more　agitated　than　his　brother　had　been　at　the　moment　of
writing　it。
〃I　shall　have　that　golden　robe；〃　thought　Nanon；　who　went　to　sleep
tricked　out　in　her　altar…cloth；　dreaming　for　the　first　time　in　her
life　of　flowers；　embroidery；　and　damask；　just　as　Eugenie　was　dreaming
of　love。
*****
In　the　pure　and　monotonous　life　of　young　girls　there　comes　a　delicious
hour　when　the　sun　sheds　its　rays　into　their　soul；　when　the　flowers
express　their　thoughts；　when　the　throbbings　of　the　heart　send　upward
to　the　brain　their　fertilizing　warmth　and　melt　all　thoughts　into　a
vague　desire；day　of　innocent　melancholy　and　of　dulcet　joys！　When
babes　begin　to　see；　they　smile；　when　a　young　girl　first　perceives　the
sentiment　of　nature；　she　smiles　as　she　smiled　when　an　infant。　If　light
is　the　first　love　of　life；　is　not　love　a　light　to　the　heart？　The
moment　to　see　within　the　veil　of　earthly　things　had　come　for　Eugenie。
An　early　riser；　like　all　provincial　girls；　she　was　up　betimes　and　said
her　prayers；　and　then　began　the　business　of　dressing；a　business
which　henceforth　was　to　have　a　meaning。　First　she　brushed　and　smoothed
her　chestnut　hair　and　twisted　its　heavy　masses　to　the　top　of　her　head
with　the　utmost　care；　preventing　the　loose　tresses　from　straying；　and
giving　to　her　head　a　symmetry　which　heightened　the　timid　candor　of　her
face；　for　the　simplicity　of　these　accessories　accorded　well　with　the
innocent　sincerity　of　its　lines。　As　she　washed　her　hands　again　and
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　deligh