, 1872-10-20
EUGENE GRANDET :;
Scenes Of Provincial Life.


] ".
at these words, the company rose, and eac]
one took leave after his fashion.
The old notary went to look for his lantern
under the doorway, and came back to light it
offering the des Grassins to escort them home
Madame des GrasHins lnd not foreseen the iHci
dent which WAS to bring tic evening to prsma
ture close, and her servant had not arrived.
"Will you do me the honor Of taking my arm
Madame 2" said Able Cruclot to Madame de,
Grassins.
"Thanks; haye my son." replied she
briefly.
"Ladics cannot compromise themselves witl
me" said the Able.
s'Giye your arm to Monsieur Cruchot," sait
her husband.
The Able carried off the pretty lady quite
briskly, in order to be few steps IN advance ol
| the procession.
"That young man is very fair, Madame" I" said
be, pressing her arm. ''Good bye, panniera,-
the grapes arc gathered. You must bid fare.
we'll to Mademoiselle Grandet; Eugenie will be
| given tho Parisians. Unless this cousin is On
amoured Of some Partisan woman, your sou
Adolphe will find in him the most dangerous
rival"
':Never mind, Able. This young man will not
be long in noticing that Eugenio is a simpleton,
| d girl without freshness. Did you examine ler :
! She WAS as yellow as saffron this evening"
| "Perhaps you have already nude her cousin
| notice it?''
''Certainly I have not restrained myself on
| that point"
'Keep yourself constantly noer Eugene, Mad
anne, and it will not be necessary for you to sny
muchto this young gentleman against his cousin ;
he will himself make comparison which"
''To begin with, he has promised to dine with
me day after tomorrow"
"Ah! if you would, Mademe--" sail the
Able.
"And what do you want should do, Abbe ?
Do you mean to give mo evil counsels? I have
not reached the age OF 80 with spotless rcpu-
tation, thank Heaven to comp omiBe it, even If
the Empire Of the Grand Iosul were at stake.
We arc both Of us old enough to know what
words mean. For an ecclesias!ic, you really
have very unsuitable ideas. Tor shame! That
is worthy Of Faubas. "
$50 you have read Faublas ?"
''No Able, meant the Lioisons Dangereu-
ses. "
..Oh! that book is infinitely more moral, ="
said the Able, with laugh. - But you make
me out to be es perverted as young man Of
the day simply wanted to
think of advising me to do wicked things. Is
it not plain ? It this young man, who, admit, is
very decent, made love to me, he would not
think Of his cousin. At Paris, I know, some
good mothers sacrifice themselves thus for the
happiness and fortune OF their children; but We
are il the country. Able"
''Yes. Madame"
sand" continued she, '.neither nor 4Adolphe
himself would want q hundred millions bought
at that price"
"Alndame, have not spoken OF hundred
millious The temptation would perhaps have
been greater than the strength Of both of ua.
But l believe that respectable woman can
properly allow herself insignificant hirtatious,
which form part Of her eocal duties, and
"Do you think sot"
sought we not, Madame, to try to be agree
able to one another? Allow me- to blow my nose
he eyed you with an air which was rather moro
hattering than the one he assumed when lie
looked at me-; but pardon him for hono1ing
beauty before old age
lit is plain said the President, with his
coarse voice, *sthat Monsieur Graudet, Of Paris,
sends his son to saumur with extremely matri-e
monial Intentions"
but then the cousin would not have dropped
iEe bombshell," replied the notary.
:. That signifies nothing said des Grassins
''Des Grassins, my dear, have invited this
young man 10 dinner. You must go and ask
Monsieur and Madame do Larsonniere, and the
du Hautoys including the pretty Mademoiselle
du ,Hautoy, Of course; But she must dress
well that day her mother, from jealousy bum
dies her up 80 ridicu1ously. I hope, gentlemen,
that you will do us the honor of coming" she
added, stopping her escort, to turn back to
the two Cruchots.
After having bidden the three des Grasains
good night, the three Cruchots went home,
using that analytical genius which proyincials
t. fady IN al hS sTes
pectiye positions Of the Cruchottins and Gras-
sinists. The admirable good sense which gov
erned the actions of these great calcu1ators
made both sides feel the necessity of momen-
they not mutually prevent Eugenies loving her
cousin, and keep Charles from thinking Of
Eugenie? Could tho Parisian resist the per-
fdious insinuations, the honeyed calumnies,
the BlanderH mixed with praises, and the naive
depreciationB, which would constantly surround
him, to deceive him?
When the four relatives we're alone in the sit-
ting-room, Grandet said to his nephew. 1T is
time to go to bed. It is too late to talk OF the
matters which bring you here We will take 3
fitting moment tomorrow. We breakfast here
at eight; at noon, we eat some fruit and a NOR
sci Of bread and drink q glass Of white wine
then VIC drive, like Paraians, at five. That is the
rule. If you want to see the town Or it's On
virons, you will be as free as air. You will az |
cuse me if my business does not always allow
me- to go with you. You will perhaps hear the |
people all say that am rich; Monsieur Grandet |
this, and Monsieur Grandet that. I let them |
talk their babble does not hurt my credit But !
have not son, and, old as I am, work like |
a.young journeyman, who owns only poor |
plane and two good arms. Perhaps you will see
presently what q crown costs when it is neces- |
sary to sweat for it. Come, Nanon, the can
dies !"
II hope, my nephew, you will find all you
need" said Madame Grandet; but, it anything |
ID wanting, You can call Nanon."
"h1y dear aunt, that is unlikely. believe |
have brought everything I require. Allow me
to wish you and my young cousin good night"
Charles took from Nanon's hands lighted |
wax-candlo, an Anjou wsx-light, very yellow |
that Monsieur Grandet, incapable Of suspecting [
it's existence in the house, did not notice this !
. will show you the Way" said he.
Instead of going out of that sitting room door