eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第2章

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long　time　they　had　hoarded　their　money　for　the　pleasure　of　secretly
looking　at　it。　Old　Monsieur　de　la　Bertelliere　called　an　investment　an
extravagance；　and　thought　he　got　better　interest　from　the　sight　of　his
gold　than　from　the　profits　of　usury。　The　inhabitants　of　Saumur
consequently　estimated　his　savings　according　to　〃the　revenues　of　the
sun's　wealth；〃　as　they　said。
Monsieur　Grandet　thus　obtained　that　modern　title　of　nobility　which　our
mania　for　equality　can　never　rub　out。　He　became　the　most　imposing
personage　in　the　arrondissement。　He　worked　a　hundred　acres　of
vineyard；　which　in　fruitful　years　yielded　seven　or　eight　hundred
hogsheads　of　wine。　He　owned　thirteen　farms；　an　old　abbey；　whose
windows　and　arches　he　had　walled　up　for　the　sake　of　economy；a
measure　which　preserved　them；also　a　hundred　and　twenty…seven　acres
of　meadow…land；　where　three　thousand　poplars；　planted　in　1793；　grew
and　flourished；　and　finally；　the　house　in　which　he　lived。　Such　was　his
visible　estate；　as　to　his　other　property；　only　two　persons　could　give
even　a　vague　guess　at　its　value：　one　was　Monsieur　Cruchot；　a　notary
employed　in　the　usurious　investments　of　Monsieur　Grandet；　the　other
was　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　the　richest　banker　in　Saumur；　in　whose
profits　Grandet　had　a　certain　covenanted　and　secret　share。
Although　old　Cruchot　and　Monsieur　des　Grassins　were　both　gifted　with
the　deep　discretion　which　wealth　and　trust　beget　in　the　provinces；
they　publicly　testified　so　much　respect　to　Monsieur　Grandet　that
observers　estimated　the　amount　of　his　property　by　the　obsequious
attention　which　they　bestowed　upon　him。　In　all　Saumur　there　was　no　one
not　persuaded　that　Monsieur　Grandet　had　a　private　treasure；　some
hiding…place　full　of　louis；　where　he　nightly　took　ineffable　delight　in
gazing　upon　great　masses　of　gold。　Avaricious　people　gathered　proof　of
this　when　they　looked　at　the　eyes　of　the　good　man；　to　which　the　yellow
metal　seemed　to　have　conveyed　its　tints。　The　glance　of　a　man
accustomed　to　draw　enormous　interest　from　his　capital　acquires；　like
that　of　the　libertine；　the　gambler；　or　the　sycophant；　certain
indefinable　habits；furtive；　eager；　mysterious　movements；　which　never
escape　the　notice　of　his　co…religionists。　This　secret　language　is　in　a
certain　way　the　freemasonry　of　the　passions。　Monsieur　Grandet　inspired
the　respectful　esteem　due　to　one　who　owed　no　man　anything；　who；
skilful　cooper　and　experienced　wine…grower　that　he　was；　guessed　with
the　precision　of　an　astronomer　whether　he　ought　to　manufacture　a
thousand　puncheons　for　his　vintage；　or　only　five　hundred；　who　never
failed　in　any　speculation；　and　always　had　casks　for　sale　when　casks
were　worth　more　than　the　commodity　that　filled　them；　who　could　store
his　whole　vintage　in　his　cellars　and　bide　his　time　to　put　the
puncheons　on　the　market　at　two　hundred　francs；　when　the　little
proprietors　had　been　forced　to　sell　theirs　for　five　louis。　His　famous
vintage　of　1811；　judiciously　stored　and　slowly　disposed　of；　brought
him　in　more　than　two　hundred　and　forty　thousand　francs。
Financially　speaking；　Monsieur　Grandet　was　something　between　a　tiger
and　a　boa…constrictor。　He　could　crouch　and　lie　low；　watch　his　prey　a
long　while；　spring　upon　it；　open　his　jaws；　swallow　a　mass　of　louis；
and　then　rest　tranquilly　like　a　snake　in　process　of　digestion；
impassible；　methodical；　and　cold。　No　one　saw　him　pass　without　a
feeling　of　admiration　mingled　with　respect　and　fear；　had　not　every　man
in　Saumur　felt　the　rending　of　those　polished　steel　claws？　For　this
one；　Maitre　Cruchot　had　procured　the　money　required　for　the　purchase
of　a　domain；　but　at　eleven　per　cent。　For　that　one；　Monsieur　des
Grassins　discounted　bills　of　exchange；　but　at　a　frightful　deduction　of
interest。　Few　days　ever　passed　that　Monsieur　Grandet's　name　was　not
mentioned　either　in　the　markets　or　in　social　conversations　at　the
evening　gatherings。　To　some　the　fortune　of　the　old　wine…grower　was　an
object　of　patriotic　pride。　More　than　one　merchant；　more　than　one
innkeeper；　said　to　strangers　with　a　certain　complacency：　〃Monsieur；　we
have　two　or　three　millionaire　establishments；　but　as　for　Monsieur
Grandet；　he　does　not　himself　know　how　much　he　is　worth。〃
In　1816　the　best　reckoners　in　Saumur　estimated　the　landed　property　of
the　worthy　man　at　nearly　four　millions；　but　as；　on　an　average；　he　had
made　yearly；　from　1793　to　1817；　a　hundred　thousand　francs　out　of　that
property；　it　was　fair　to　presume　that　he　possessed　in　actual　money　a
sum　nearly　equal　to　the　value　of　his　estate。　So　that　when；　after　a
game　of　boston　or　an　evening　discussion　on　the　matter　of　vines；　the
talk　fell　upon　Monsieur　Grandet；　knowing　people　said：　〃Le　Pere
Grandet？　le　Pere　Grandet　must　have　at　least　five　or　six　millions。〃
〃You　are　cleverer　than　I　am；　I　have　never　been　able　to　find　out　the
amount；〃　answered　Monsieur　Cruchot　or　Monsieur　des　Grassins；　when
either　chanced　to　overhear　the　remark。
If　some　Parisian　mentioned　Rothschild　or　Monsieur　Lafitte；　the　people
of　Saumur　asked　if　he　were　as　rich　as　Monsieur　Grandet。　When　the
Parisian；　with　a　smile；　tossed　them　a　disdainful　affirmative；　they
looked　at　each　other　and　shook　their　heads　with　an　incredulous　air。　So
large　a　fortune　covered　with　a　golden　mantle　all　the　actions　of　this
man。　If　in　early　days　some　peculiarities　of　his　life　gave　occasion　for
laughter　or　ridicule；　laughter　and　ridicule　had　long　since　died　away。
His　least　important　actions　had　the　authority　of　results　repeatedly
shown。　His　speech；　his　clothing；　his　gestures；　the　blinking　of　his
eyes；　were　law　to　the　country…side；　where　every　one；　after　studying
him　as　a　naturalist　studies　the　result　of　instinct　in　the　lower
animals；　had　come　to　understand　the　deep　mute　wisdom　of　his　slightest
actions。
〃It　will　be　a　hard　winter；〃　said　one；　〃Pere　Grandet　has　put　on　his　fur
gloves。〃
〃Pere　Grandet　is　buying　quantities　of　staves；　there　will　be　plenty　of
wine　this　year。〃
Monsieur　Grandet　never　bought　either　bread　or　meat。　His　farmers
supplied　him　weekly　with　a　sufficiency　of　capons；　chickens；　eggs；
butter；　and　his　tithe　of　wheat。　He　owned　a　mill；　and　the　tenant　was
bound；　over　and　above　his　rent；　to　take　a　certain　quantity　of　grain
and　return　him　the　flour　and　bran。　La　Grande　Nanon；　his　only　servant；
though　she　was　no　longer　young；　baked　the　bread　of　the　household
herself　every　Saturday。　Monsieur　Grandet　arranged　with　kitchen…
gardeners　who　were　his　tenants　to　supply　him　with　vegetables。　As　to
fruits；　he　gathered　such　quantities　that　he　sold　the　greater　part　in
the　market。　His　fire…wood　was　cut　from　his　own　hedgerows　or　taken　from
the　half…rotten　old　sheds　which　he　built　at　the　corners　of　his　fields；
and　whose　planks　the　farmers　carted　into　town　for　him；　all　cut　up；　and
obligingly　stacked　in　his　wood…house；　receiving　in　return　his　thanks。
His　only　known　expenditures　were　for　the　consecrated　bread；　the
clothing　of　his　wife　and　daughter；　the　hire　of　their　chairs　in　church；
the　wages　of　la　Grand　Nanon；　the　tinning　of　the　saucepans；　lights；
taxes；　repairs　on　his　buildings；　and　the　costs　of　his　various
industries。　He　had　six　hundred　acres　of　woodland；　lately　purchased；
which　he　induced　a　neighbor's　keeper　to　watch；　under　the　promise　of　an
indemnity。　After　the　acquisition　of　this　property　he　ate　game　for　the
first　time。
Monsieur　Grandet's　manners　were　very　simple。　He　spoke　little。　He
usually　expressed　his　meaning　by　short　sententious　phrases　uttered　in
a　soft　voice。　After　the　Revolution；　the　epoch　at　which　he　first　came
into　notice；　the　good　man　stuttered　in　a　wearisome　way　as　soon　as　he
was　required　to　speak　at　length　or　to　maintain　an　argument。　This
stammering；　the　incoherence　of　his　language；　the　flux　of　words　in
which　he　drowned　his　thought；　his　apparent　lack　of　logic；　attributed
to　defects　of　education；　were　in　reality　assumed；　and　will　be
sufficiently　explained　by　certain　events　in　the　following　history。
Four　sentences；　precise　as　algebraic　formulas；　sufficed　him　usually　to
grasp　and　solve　all　difficulties　of　life　and　commerce：　〃I　don't　know；
I　cannot；　I　will　not；　I　will　see　about　it。〃　He　never　said　yes；　or　no；
and　never　committed　himself　to　writing。　If　people　talked　to　him　he
listened　coldly；　holding　his　chin　in　his　right　hand　and　resting　his
right　elbow　in　the　back　of　his　left　hand；　forming　in　his　own　mind
opinions　on　all　matters；　from　which　he　never　receded。　He　reflected
long　before　making　any　business　agreement。　When　his　opponent；　after
careful　conversation；　avowed　the　secret　of　his　own　purposes；　confident
that　he　had　secured　his　listener's　assent；　Grandet　answered：　〃I　can
decide　nothing　without　consulting　my　wife。〃　His　wife；　whom　he　had
reduced　to　a　state　of　helpless　slavery；　was　a　useful　screen　to　him　in
business。　He　went　nowhere　among　friends；　he　neither　gave　nor　accepted
dinners；　he　made　no　stir　or　noise；　seeming　to　economize　in　everything；
even　movement。　He　never　disturbed　or　disarranged　the　things　of　other
people；　out　of　respect　for　the　rights　of　property。　Nevertheless；　in
spite　of　his　soft　voice；　in　spite　of　his　circumspect　bearing；　the
language　and　habits　of　a　coarse　nature　came　to　the　surface；　especially
in　his　own　home；　where　he　controlled　himself　less　than　elsewhere。
Physically；　Grandet　was　a　man　five　feet　high；　thick…set；　square…built；
with　calves　twelve　inches　in　circumference；　knotted　knee…joints；　and
broad　shoulders；　his　face　was　round；　tanned；　and　pitted　by　the　small…
pox；　his　chin　was　straight；　his　lips　had　no　curves；　his　teeth　were
white；　his　eyes　had　that　calm；　devouring　expression　which　people
attribute　to　the　basilisk；　his　forehead；　full　of　transverse　wrinkles；
was　not　without　certain　significant　protuberances；　his　yellow…grayish
hair　was　said　to　be　silver　and　gold　by　certain　young　people　who　did
not　realize　the　impropriety　of　making　a　jest　about　Monsieur　Grandet。
His　nose；　thick　at　the　end；　bore　a　veined　wen；　which　the　common　people
said；　not　without　reason；　was　full　of　malice。　The　whole　countenance
showed　a　dangerous　cunning；　an　integrity　without　warmth；　the　egotism
of　a　man　long　used　to　concentrate　every　feeling　upon　the　enjoyments　of
avarice　and　upon　the　only　human　being　who　was　anything　whatever　to
him；his　daughter　and　sole　heiress；　Eugenie。　Attitude；　manners；
bearing；　everything　about　him；　in　short；　testified　to　that　belief　in
himself　which　the　habit　of　succeeding　in　all　enterprises　never　fails
to　give　to　a　man。
Thus；　though　his　manners　were　unctuous　and　soft　outwardly；　Monsieur
Grandet's　nature　was　of　iron。　His　dress　never　varied；　and　those　who
saw　him　to…day　saw　him　such　as　he　had　been　since　1791。　His　stout　shoes
were　tied　with　leathern　thongs；　he　wore；　in　all　weathers；　thick
woollen　stockings；　short　breeches　of　coarse　maroon　cloth　with　silver
buckles；　a　velvet　waistcoat；　in　alternate　stripes　of　yellow　and　puce；
buttoned　squarely；　a　large　maroon　coat　with　wide　flaps；　a　black
cravat；　and　a　quaker's　hat。　His　gloves；　thick　as　those　of　a　gendarme；
lasted　him　twenty　months；　to　preserve　them；　he　always　laid　them
methodically　on　the　brim　of　his　hat　in　one　particular　spot。　Saumur
knew　nothing　further　about　this　personage。
Only　six　individuals　had　a　right　of　entrance　to　Monsieur　Grandet's
house。　The　most　important　of　the　first　three　was　a　nephew　of　Mo