eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　the　provisions。〃
Eugenie　escaped　into　the　garden；　quite　frightened　as　she　heard　the
staircase　shaking　under　her　father's　step。　Already　she　felt　the
effects　of　that　virgin　modesty　and　that　special　consciousness　of
happiness　which　lead　us　to　fancy；　not　perhaps　without　reason；　that　our
thoughts　are　graven　on　our　foreheads　and　are　open　to　the　eyes　of　all。
Perceiving　for　the　first　time　the　cold　nakedness　of　her　father's
house；　the　poor　girl　felt　a　sort　of　rage　that　she　could　not　put　it　in
harmony　with　her　cousin's　elegance。　She　felt　the　need　of　doing
something　for　him；what；　she　did　not　know。　Ingenuous　and　truthful；
she　followed　her　angelic　nature　without　mistrusting　her　impressions　or
her　feelings。　The　mere　sight　of　her　cousin　had　wakened　within　her　the
natural　yearnings　of　a　woman；yearnings　that　were　the　more　likely　to
develop　ardently　because；　having　reached　her　twenty…third　year；　she
was　in　the　plenitude　of　her　intelligence　and　her　desires。　For　the
first　time　in　her　life　her　heart　was　full　of　terror　at　the　sight　of
her　father；　in　him　she　saw　the　master　of　the　fate；　and　she　fancied
herself　guilty　of　wrong…doing　in　hiding　from　his　knowledge　certain
thoughts。　She　walked　with　hasty　steps；　surprised　to　breathe　a　purer
air；　to　feel　the　sun's　rays　quickening　her　pulses；　to　absorb　from
their　heat　a　moral　warmth　and　a　new　life。　As　she　turned　over　in　her
mind　some　stratagem　by　which　to　get　the　cake；　a　quarrelan　event　as
rare　as　the　sight　of　swallows　in　winterbroke　out　between　la　Grande
Nanon　and　Grandet。　Armed　with　his　keys；　the　master　had　come　to　dole
out　provisions　for　the　day's　consumption。
〃Is　there　any　bread　left　from　yesterday？〃　he　said　to　Nanon。
〃Not　a　crumb；　monsieur。〃
Grandet　took　a　large　round　loaf；　well　floured　and　moulded　in　one　of
the　flat　baskets　which　they　use　for　baking　in　Anjou；　and　was　about　to
cut　it；　when　Nanon　said　to　him；
〃We　are　five；　to…day；　monsieur。〃
〃That's　true；〃　said　Grandet；　〃but　your　loaves　weigh　six　pounds；
there'll　be　some　left。　Besides；　these　young　fellows　from　Paris　don't
eat　bread；　you'll　see。〃
〃Then　they　must　eat　/frippe/？〃　said　Nanon。
/Frippe/　is　a　word　of　the　local　lexicon　of　Anjou；　and　means　any
accompaniment　of　bread；　from　butter　which　is　spread　upon　it；　the
commonest　kind　of　/frippe/；　to　peach　preserve；　the　most　distinguished
of　all　the　/frippes/；　those　who　in　their　childhood　have　licked　the
/frippe/　and　left　the　bread；　will　comprehend　the　meaning　of　Nanon's
speech。
〃No；〃　answered　Grandet；　〃they　eat　neither　bread　nor　/frippe/；　they　are
something　like　marriageable　girls。〃
After　ordering　the　meals　for　the　day　with　his　usual　parsimony；　the
goodman；　having　locked　the　closets　containing　the　supplies；　was　about
to　go　towards　the　fruit…garden；　when　Nanon　stopped　him　to　say；
〃Monsieur；　give　me　a　little　flour　and　some　butter；　and　I'll　make　a
/galette/　for　the　young　ones。〃
〃Are　you　going　to　pillage　the　house　on　account　of　my　nephew？〃
〃I　wasn't　thinking　any　more　of　your　nephew　than　I　was　of　your　dog；
not　more　than　you　think　yourself；　for；　look　here；　you've　only　forked
out　six　bits　of　sugar。　I　want　eight。〃
〃What's　all　this；　Nanon？　I　have　never　seen　you　like　this　before。　What
have　you　got　in　your　head？　Are　you　the　mistress　here？　You　sha'n't　have
more　than　six　pieces　of　sugar。〃
〃Well；　then；　how　is　your　nephew　to　sweeten　his　coffee？〃
〃With　two　pieces；　I'll　go　without　myself。〃
〃Go　without　sugar　at　your　age！　I'd　rather　buy　you　some　out　of　my　own
pocket。〃
〃Mind　your　own　business。〃
In　spite　of　the　recent　fall　in　prices；　sugar　was　still　in　Grandet's
eyes　the　most　valuable　of　all　the　colonial　products；　to　him　it　was
always　six　francs　a　pound。　The　necessity　of　economizing　it；　acquired
under　the　Empire；　had　grown　to　be　the　most　inveterate　of　his　habits。
All　women；　even　the　greatest　ninnies；　know　how　to　dodge　and　dodge　to
get　their　ends；　Nanon　abandoned　the　sugar　for　the　sake　of　getting　the
/galette/。
〃Mademoiselle！〃　she　called　through　the　window；　〃do　you　want　some
/galette/？〃
〃No；　no；〃　answered　Eugenie。
〃Come；　Nanon；〃　said　Grandet；　hearing　his　daughter's　voice。　〃See　here。〃
He　opened　the　cupboard　where　the　flour　was　kept；　gave　her　a　cupful；
and　added　a　few　ounces　of　butter　to　the　piece　he　had　already　cut　off。
〃I　shall　want　wood　for　the　oven；〃　said　the　implacable　Nanon。
〃Well；　take　what　you　want；〃　he　answered　sadly；　〃but　in　that　case　you
must　make　us　a　fruit…tart；　and　you'll　cook　the　whole　dinner　in　the
oven。　In　that　way　you　won't　need　two　fires。〃
〃Goodness！〃　cried　Nanon；　〃you　needn't　tell　me　that。〃
Grandet　cast　a　look　that　was　well…nigh　paternal　upon　his　faithful
deputy。
〃Mademoiselle；〃　she　cried；　when　his　back　was　turned；　〃we　shall　have
the　/galette/。〃
Pere　Grandet　returned　from　the　garden　with　the　fruit　and　arranged　a
plateful　on　the　kitchen…table。
〃Just　see；　monsieur；〃　said　Nanon；　〃what　pretty　boots　your　nephew　has。
What　leather！　why　it　smells　good！　What　does　he　clean　it　with；　I
wonder？　Am　I　to　put　your　egg…polish　on　it？〃
〃Nanon；　I　think　eggs　would　injure　that　kind　of　leather。　Tell　him　you
don't　know　how　to　black　morocco；　yes；　that's　morocco。　He　will　get　you
something　himself　in　Saumur　to　polish　those　boots　with。　I　have　heard
that　they　put　sugar　into　the　blacking　to　make　it　shine。〃
〃They　look　good　to　eat；〃　said　the　cook；　putting　the　boots　to　her　nose。
〃Bless　me！　if　they　don't　smell　like　madame's　eau…de…cologne。　Ah！　how
funny！〃
〃Funny！〃　said　her　master。　〃Do　you　call　it　funny　to　put　more　money　into
boots　than　the　man　who　stands　in　them　is　worth？〃
〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　when　Grandet　returned　the　second　time；　after
locking　the　fruit…garden；　〃won't　you　have　the　/pot…au…feu/　put　on　once
or　twice　a　week　on　account　of　your　nephew？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Am　I　to　go　to　the　butcher's？〃
〃Certainly　not。　We　will　make　the　broth　of　fowls；　the　farmers　will
bring　them。　I　shall　tell　Cornoiller　to　shoot　some　crows；　they　make　the
best　soup　in　the　world。〃
〃Isn't　it　true；　monsieur；　that　crows　eat　the　dead？〃
〃You　are　a　fool；　Nanon。　They　eat　what　they　can　get；　like　the　rest　of
the　world。　Don't　we　all　live　on　the　dead？　What　are　legacies？〃
Monsieur　Grandet；　having　no　further　orders　to　give；　drew　out　his
watch；　and　seeing　that　he　had　half　an　hour　to　dispose　of　before
breakfast；　he　took　his　hat；　went　and　kissed　his　daughter；　and　said　to
her：
〃Do　you　want　to　come　for　a　walk　in　the　fields；　down　by　the　Loire？　I
have　something　to　do　there。〃
Eugenie　fetched　her　straw　bonnet；　lined　with　pink　taffeta；　then　the
father　and　daughter　went　down　the　winding　street　to　the　shore。
〃Where　are　you　going　at　this　early　hour？〃　said　Cruchot；　the　notary；
meeting　them。
〃To　see　something；〃　answered　Grandet；　not　duped　by　the　matutinal
appearance　of　his　friend。
When　Pere　Grandet　went　to　〃see　something；〃　the　notary　knew　by
experience　there　was　something　to　be　got　by　going　with　him；　so　he
went。
〃Come；　Cruchot；〃　said　Grandet；　〃you　are　one　of　my　friends。　I'll　show
you　what　folly　it　is　to　plant　poplar…trees　on　good　ground。〃
〃Do　you　call　the　sixty　thousand　francs　that　you　pocketed　for　those
that　were　in　your　fields　down　by　the　Loire；　folly？〃　said　Maitre
Cruchot；　opening　his　eyes　with　amazement。　〃What　luck　you　have　had！　To
cut　down　your　trees　at　the　very　time　they　ran　short　of　white…wood　at
Nantes；　and　to　sell　them　at　thirty　francs！〃
Eugenie　listened；　without　knowing　that　she　approached　the　most　solemn
moment　of　her　whole　life；　and　that　the　notary　was　about　to　bring　down
upon　her　head　a　paternal　and　supreme　sentence。　Grandet　had　now　reached
the　magnificent　fields　which　he　owned　on　the　banks　of　the　Loire；　where
thirty　workmen　were　employed　in　clearing　away；　filling　up；　and
levelling　the　spots　formerly　occupied　by　the　poplars。
〃Maitre　Cruchot；　see　how　much　ground　this　tree　once　took　up！　Jean；〃　he
cried　to　a　laborer；　〃m…m…measure　with　your　r…r…rule；　b…both　ways。〃
〃Four　times　eight　feet；〃　said　the　man。
〃Thirty…two　feet　lost；〃　said　Grandet　to　Cruchot。　〃I　had　three　hundred
poplars　in　this　one　line；　isn't　that　so？　Well；　then；　three　h…h…hundred
times　thir…thirty…two　lost　m…m…me　five　hundred　in　h…h…hay；　add　twice
as　much　for　the　side　rows；fifteen　hundred；　the　middle　rows　as　much
more。　So　we　may　c…c…call　it　a　th…thousand　b…b…bales　of　h…h…hay〃
〃Very　good；〃　said　Cruchot；　to　help　out　his　friend；　〃a　thousand　bales
are　worth　about　six　hundred　francs。〃
〃Say　t…t…twelve　hundred；　be…c…cause　there's　three　or　four　hundred
francs　on　the　second　crop。　Well；　then；　c…c…calculate　that　t…twelve
thousand　francs　a　year　for　f…f…forty　years　with　interest　c…c…comes
to〃
〃Say　sixty　thousand　francs；〃　said　the　notary。
〃I　am　willing；　c…c…comes　t…t…to　sixty　th…th…thousand。　Very　good；〃
continued　Grandet；　without　stuttering：　〃two　thousand　poplars　forty
years　old　will　only　yield　me　fifty　thousand　francs。　There's　a　loss。　I
have　found　that　myself；〃　said　Grandet；　getting　on　his　high　horse。
〃Jean；　fill　up　all　the　holes　except　those　at　the　bank　of　the　river；
there　you　are　to　plant　the　poplars　I　have　bought。　Plant　'em　there；　and
they'll　get　nourishment　from　the　government；〃　he　said；　turning　to
Cruchot；　and　giving　a　slight　motion　to　the　wen　on　his　nose；　which
expressed　more　than　the　most　ironical　of　smiles。
〃True　enough；　poplars　should　only　be　planted　on　poor　soil；〃　said
Cruchot；　amazed　at　Grandet's　calculations。
〃Y…y…yes；　monsieur；〃　answered　the　old　man　satirically。
Eugenie；　who　was　gazing　at　the　sublime　scenery　of　the　Loire；　and
paying　no　attention　to　her　father's　reckonings；　presently　turned　an
ear　to　the　remarks　of　Cruchot　when　she　heard　him　say；
〃So　you　have　brought　a　son…in…law　from　Paris。　All　Saumur　is　talking
about　your　nephew。　I　shall　soon　have　the　marriage…contract　to　draw　up；
hey！　Pere　Grandet？〃
〃You　g…g…got　up　very　early　to　t…t…tell　me　that；〃　said　Grandet；
accompanying　the　remark　with　a　motion　of　his　wen。　〃Well；　old