eugenie grandet(欧也妮·葛朗台)-第20章

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him　their　highest　thoughts。　A　woman's　errors　come　almost　always　from
her　belief　in　good　or　her　confidence　in　truth。　In　Eugenie's　simple
heart　the　words；　〃My　dear　Annette；　my　loved　one；〃　echoed　like　the
sweetest　language　of　love；　they　caressed　her　soul　as；　in　childhood；
the　divine　notes　of　the　/Venite　adoremus/；　repeated　by　the　organ；
caressed　her　ear。　Moreover；　the　tears　which　still　lingered　on　the
young　man's　lashes　gave　signs　of　that　nobility　of　heart　by　which　young
girls　are　rightly　won。　How　could　she　know　that　Charles；　though　he
loved　his　father　and　mourned　him　truly；　was　moved　far　more　by　paternal
goodness　than　by　the　goodness　of　his　own　heart？　Monsieur　and　Madame
Guillaume　Grandet；　by　gratifying　every　fancy　of　their　son；　and
lavishing　upon　him　the　pleasures　of　a　large　fortune；　had　kept　him　from
making　the　horrible　calculations　of　which　so　many　sons　in　Paris　become
more　or　less　guilty　when；　face　to　face　with　the　enjoyments　of　the
world；　they　form　desires　and　conceive　schemes　which　they　see　with
bitterness　must　be　put　off　or　laid　aside　during　the　lifetime　of　their
parents。　The　liberality　of　the　father　in　this　instance　had　shed　into
the　heart　of　the　son　a　real　love；　in　which　there　was　no　afterthought
of　self…interest。
Nevertheless；　Charles　was　a　true　child　of　Paris；　taught　by　the　customs
of　society　and　by　Annette　herself　to　calculate　everything；　already　an
old　man　under　the　mask　of　youth。　He　had　gone　through　the　frightful
education　of　social　life；　of　that　world　where　in　one　evening　more
crimes　are　committed　in　thought　and　speech　than　justice　ever　punishes
at　the　assizes；　where　jests　and　clever　sayings　assassinate　the　noblest
ideas；　where　no　one　is　counted　strong　unless　his　mind　sees　clear：　and
to　see　clear　in　that　world　is　to　believe　in　nothing；　neither　in
feelings；　nor　in　men；　nor　even　in　events；for　events　are　falsified。
There；　to　〃see　clear〃　we　must　weigh　a　friend's　purse　daily；　learn　how
to　keep　ourselves　adroitly　on　the　top　of　the　wave；　cautiously　admire
nothing；　neither　works　of　art　nor　glorious　actions；　and　remember　that
self…interest　is　the　mainspring　of　all　things　here　below。　After
committing　many　follies；　the　great　ladythe　beautiful　Annette
compelled　Charles　to　think　seriously；　with　her　perfumed　hand　among　his
curls；　she　talked　to　him　of　his　future　position；　as　she　rearranged　his
locks；　she　taught　him　lessons　of　worldly　prudence；　she　made　him
effeminate　and　materialized　him；a　double　corruption；　but　a　delicate
and　elegant　corruption；　in　the　best　taste。
〃You　are　very　foolish；　Charles；〃　she　would　say　to　him。　〃I　shall　have　a
great　deal　of　trouble　in　teaching　you　to　understand　the　world。　You
behaved　extremely　ill　to　Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx。　I　know　very　well　he　is
not　an　honorable　man；　but　wait　till　he　is　no　longer　in　power；　then　you
may　despise　him　as　much　as　you　like。　Do　you　know　what　Madame　Campan
used　to　tell　us？'My　dears；　as　long　as　a　man　is　a　minister；　adore
him；　when　he　falls；　help　to　drag　him　in　the　gutter。　Powerful；　he　is　a
sort　of　god；　fallen；　he　is　lower　than　Marat　in　the　sewer；　because　he
is　living；　and　Marat　is　dead。　Life　is　a　series　of　combinations；　and
you　must　study　them　and　understand　them　if　you　want　to　keep　yourselves
always　in　good　position。'〃
Charles　was　too　much　a　man　of　the　world；　his　parents　had　made　him　too
happy；　he　had　received　too　much　adulation　in　society；　to　be　possessed
of　noble　sentiments。　The　grain　of　gold　dropped　by　his　mother　into　his
heart　was　beaten　thin　in　the　smithy　of　Parisian　society；　he　had　spread
it　superficially；　and　it　was　worn　away　by　the　friction　of　life。
Charles　was　only　twenty…one　years　old。　At　that　age　the　freshness　of
youth　seems　inseparable　from　candor　and　sincerity　of　soul。　The　voice；
the　glance；　the　face　itself；　seem　in　harmony　with　the　feelings；　and
thus　it　happens　that　the　sternest　judge；　the　most　sceptical　lawyer；
the　least　complying　of　usurers；　always　hesitate　to　admit　decrepitude
of　heart　or　the　corruption　of　worldly　calculation　while　the　eyes　are
still　bathed　in　purity　and　no　wrinkles　seam　the　brow。　Charles；　so　far；
had　had　no　occasion　to　apply　the　maxims　of　Parisian　morality；　up　to
this　time　he　was　still　endowed　with　the　beauty　of　inexperience。　And
yet；　unknown　to　himself；　he　had　been　inoculated　with　selfishness。　The
germs　of　Parisian　political　economy；　latent　in　his　heart；　would
assuredly　burst　forth；　sooner　or　later；　whenever　the　careless
spectator　became　an　actor　in　the　drama　of　real　life。
Nearly　all　young　girls　succumb　to　the　tender　promises　such　an　outward
appearance　seems　to　offer：　even　if　Eugenie　had　been　as　prudent　and
observing　as　provincial　girls　are　often　found　to　be；　she　was　not
likely　to　distrust　her　cousin　when　his　manners；　words；　and　actions
were　still　in　unison　with　the　aspirations　of　a　youthful　heart。　A　mere
chancea　fatal　chancethrew　in　her　way　the　last　effusions　of　real
feeling　which　stirred　the　young　man's　soul；　she　heard　as　it　were　the
last　breathings　of　his　conscience。　She　laid　down　the　letterto　her　so
full　of　loveand　began　smilingly　to　watch　her　sleeping　cousin；　the
fresh　illusions　of　life　were　still；　for　her　at　least；　upon　his　face；
she　vowed　to　herself　to　love　him　always。　Then　she　cast　her　eyes　on　the
other　letter；　without　attaching　much　importance　to　this　second
indiscretion；　and　though　she　read　it；　it　was　only　to　obtain　new　proofs
of　the　noble　qualities　which；　like　all　women；　she　attributed　to　the
man　her　heart　had　chosen。
　　My　dear　Alphonse；When　you　receive　this　letter　I　shall　be　without
　　friends；　but　let　me　assure　you　that　while　I　doubt　the　friendship
　　of　the　world；　I　have　never　doubted　yours。　I　beg　you　therefore　to
　　settle　all　my　affairs；　and　I　trust　to　you　to　get　as　much　as　you
　　can　out　of　my　possessions。　By　this　time　you　know　my　situation。　I
　　have　nothing　left；　and　I　intend　to　go　at　once　to　the　Indies。　I
　　have　just　written　to　all　the　people　to　whom　I　think　I　owe　money；
　　and　you　will　find　enclosed　a　list　of　their　names；　as　correct　as　I
　　can　make　it　from　memory。　My　books；　my　furniture；　my　pictures；　my
　　horses；　etc。；　ought；　I　think；　to　pay　my　debts。　I　do　not　wish　to
　　keep　anything；　except；　perhaps；　a　few　baubles　which　might　serve　as
　　the　beginning　of　an　outfit　for　my　enterprise。　My　dear　Alphonse；　I
　　will　send　you　a　proper　power　of　attorney　under　which　you　can　make
　　these　sales。　Send　me　all　my　weapons。　Keep　Briton　for　yourself；
　　nobody　would　pay　the　value　of　that　noble　beast；　and　I　would　rather
　　give　him　to　youlike　a　mourning…ring　bequeathed　by　a　dying　man　to
　　his　executor。　Farry；　Breilmann；　&　Co。　built　me　a　very　comfortable
　　travelling…carriage；　which　they　have　not　yet　delivered；　persuade
　　them　to　keep　it　and　not　ask　for　any　payment　on　it。　If　they　refuse；
　　do　what　you　can　in　the　matter；　and　avoid　everything　that　might
　　seem　dishonorable　in　me　under　my　present　circumstances。　I　owe　the
　　British　Islander　six　louis；　which　I　lost　at　cards；　don't　fail　to
　　pay　him
〃Dear　cousin！〃　whispered　Eugenie；　throwing　down　the　letter　and　running
softly　back　to　her　room；　carrying　one　of　the　lighted　candles。　A　thrill
of　pleasure　passed　over　her　as　she　opened　the　drawer　of　an　old　oak
cabinet；　a　fine　specimen　of　the　period　called　the　Renaissance；　on
which　could　still　be　seen；　partly　effaced；　the　famous　royal
salamander。　She　took　from　the　drawer　a　large　purse　of　red　velvet　with
gold　tassels；　edged　with　a　tarnished　fringe　of　gold　wire；a　relic
inherited　from　her　grandmother。　She　weighed　it　proudly　in　her　hand；
and　began　with　delight　to　count　over　the　forgotten　items　of　her　little
hoard。　First　she　took　out　twenty　/portugaises/；　still　new；　struck　in
the　reign　of　John　V。；　1725；　worth　by　exchange；　as　her　father　told　her；
five　/lisbonnines/；　or　a　hundred　and　sixty…eight　francs；　sixty…four
centimes　each；　their　conventional　value；　however；　was　a　hundred　and
eighty　francs　apiece；　on　account　of　the　rarity　and　beauty　of　the
coins；　which　shone　like　little　suns。　Item；　five　/genovines/；　or　five
hundred…franc　pieces　of　Genoa；　another　very　rare　coin　worth　eighty…
seven　francs　on　exchange；　but　a　hundred　francs　to　collectors。　These
had　formerly　belonged　to　old　Monsieur　de　la　Bertelliere。　Item；　three
gold　/quadruples/；　Spanish；　of　Philip　V。；　struck　in　1729；　given　to　her
one　by　one　by　Madame　Gentillet；　who　never　failed　to　say；　using　the
same　words；　when　she　made　the　gift；　〃This　dear　little　canary；　this
little　yellow…boy；　is　worth　ninety…eight　francs！　Keep　it；　my　pretty
one；　it　will　be　the　flower　of　your　treasure。〃　Item　（that　which　her
father　valued　most　of　all；　the　gold　of　these　coins　being　twenty…three
carats　and　a　fraction）；　a　hundred　Dutch　ducats；　made　in　the　year　1756；
and　worth　thirteen　francs　apiece。　Item；　a　great　curiosity；　a　species
of　medal　precious　to　the　soul　of　misers；three　rupees　with　the　sign
of　the　Scales；　and　five　rupees　with　the　sign　of　the　Virgin；　all　in
pure　gold　of　twenty…four　carats；　the　magnificent　money　of　the　Great
Mogul；　each　of　which　was　worth　by　mere　weight　thirty…seven　francs；
forty　centimes；　but　at　least　fifty　francs　to　those　connoisseurs　who
love　to　handle　gold。　Item；　the　napoleon　of　forty　francs　received　the
day　before；　which　she　had　forgotten　to　put　away　in　the　velvet　purse。
This　treasure　was　all　in　virgin　coins；　true　works　of　art；　which
Grandet　from　time　to　time　inquired　after　and　asked　to　see；　pointing
out　to　his　daughter　their　intrinsic　merits；such　as　the　beauty　of　the
milled　edge；　the　clearness　of　the　flat　surface；　the　richness　of　the
lettering；　whose　angles　were　not　yet　rubbed　off。
Eugenie　gave　no　thought　to　these　rarities；　nor　to　her　father's　mania
for　them；　nor　to　the　danger　she　incurred　in　depriving　herself　of　a
treasure　so　dear　to　him；　no；　she　thought　only　of　her　cousin；　and　soon
made　out；　after　a　few　mistakes　of　calculation；　that　she　possessed
about　five　thousand　eight　hundred　francs　in　actual　value；　which　might
be　sold　for　their　additional　value　to　collectors　for　nearly　six
thousand。　She　looked　at　her　wealth　and　clapped　her　hands　like　a　happy
child　forced　to　spend　its　overflowing　joy　in　artless　movements　of　the
body。　Father　and　daughter　had　each　counted　up　their　fortune　this
night；he；　to　sell　his　gold；　Eugenie　to　fling　hers　into　the　ocean　of
affection。　She　put　the　pieces　back　into　the　old　purse；　took　it　in　her
hand；　and　ran　upstairs　without　hesitation。　The　secret　misery　of　her
cousin　made　her　forget　the　hour　and　conventional　propriety；　she　was
strong　in　her　conscience；　in　her　devotion；　in　her　happiness。
As　she　stood　upon　the　threshold　of　the　door；　holding　the　candle　in　one
hand　and　the　purse　in　the　other；　Charles　woke；　caught　sight　of　her；
and　remained　speechless　with　surprise。　Eugenie　came　forward；　put　the
candle　on　the　table；　and　said　in　a　quivering　voice：
〃My　cousin；　I　must　beg　pardon　for　a　wrong　I　have　done　you；　but　God
will　pardon　meif　youwill　help　me　to　wipe　it　out。〃
〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Charles；　rubbing　his　eyes。
〃I　have　read　those　letters。〃
Charles　colored。
〃How　did　it　happen？〃　she　continued；　〃how　came　I　here？　Truly；　I　do　not
know。　I　am　tempted　not　to　regret　too　much　that　I　have　read　them；　they
have　made　me　know　your　heart；　your　soul；　and〃
〃And　what？〃　asked　Charles。
〃Your　plans；　your　need　of　a　sum〃
〃My　dear　cousin〃
〃Hush；　hush！　my　cousin；　not　so　loud；　we　must