, 1872-12-22
EUGENE GRANDET;
oR,
Scenes Of Provincial Life.
1tuesZased from the rrxnek Of DcBalzac for Tie CHI
c11o Tribune.

marx On tho ,nonotoDous existence of Eugenio |
End her father. There we're butthe same things
steadily done, with the chronometric regularity !
Of the motions Of the old clock. The deep |
melancholy Of Mademoiselle Grandet WAS
. secret for nobody; but, even II
e7erybody could guess it's cause, never did
. word spoken by her justify the suspicious
which all the social gatherings at Saumur enter
tained a. to the state Of the heart Of the rich
heiriss. Her sole company consisted OF the
three Cruchots, and some Of their friends,
whom they had gradually brought into the
house, They had taught her to play whist, and
came every evening to make up game. In
the year 1927, her father, feeling the weight Of
inthmities, Has compelled to inform her regard
ing his landed estates, md told her, in Case OF
nny difficulty to consult Cruchot, the notary,
whose honesty vas known to him Then, toward
the close of this year, the goodman at last, at
the age OF 81, had paralytic attack, which made
rapid progress. Gtandet was given up by Mr.
Bergerin. As she thought that she would aoon
b. alone in the world, Eusenie held herself, 40
10 speak, nearer to her father, and pressed more
closely this last link Of Affection. In her
6houghts, rs in those Of all loving women, love
rzs the whole world. snd Charles WAS not there.
Size was sublime in her caro- and attention for
AG-IAsA@9 0@E1AA
way, but whose avarice sustained itself instinc-
ti7efy. The death Of this man did not differ
from his life. Early IN the morning,
ha was rolled midway OF his fireplace and tho
remained there motionless, but looked with sn1-
ietv, now at those who came to seq him, now at
tie iron-lined door. He wanted to know the
cause Of the least noise ke heard; and to the
notery'a great estonishment he heard the yawn-
3cg Of tho dog in the court. He awoke from
= his apparent Etupor On the day and hour when
he had to receive rents, settle with the tenants,
and eive receipts. He then moved his wheeling
eAair till he was opposite the door Of his Closet
He had bis daughter open it, and watched until
she herself put array the bags Of money,
one upon another, and until she shut the door.
Then she silently returned to her place, 30 coon
Is she he'd returned to him tho precious key,
be felt from time to time. Then, too, his old
friend, the notary, feeling That the rich heiress
would inevitably marry his nephew, tho Presi-
dsnt, if Charles Grandet did not return, re-
doubled his cares and attentions: He came
every dag to put himself at Grandet's disposal
went at his order to Froidfond, to the farms,
the meadows, aud the vineyards; sold the crops,
and transmitted everything into gold and silver,
which WAS secretly added to the sacks heaped up
In the closet.
Finally, the last days came, during which the
massive frame Of tho goodman was nehtlng with
destruction. He wished to remain seated at one
corner OF his fire, before the eloaet-dooc. He
they put on him, and said to Nanon, " Lock this
up, SO that they may not rob me-" When he
co1ld open his eyes, to which his life had re-
treated he turned them at once toward the door
Of the closet los where his treasures lay, md aaid
TO his daughter '' Are they there ? Are they
thero ?" in tone indicating sort OF frantic
terror.
s'Yes, my father"
swatch over the gold; put some gold before
me-"
Eugene spread out some louis on a table for
him, and he remained for hours With his eyes
fixed on them, like childwbo, when just begin
ming to see, looks stupidly at the same object ;
and, like q child, he smiled painfully.
tsThis warns mel" said he occasionally,
allowing an expression OF perfect happiness to
appear On his countenance.
lister the sacrament to him, his eyes, which had
been apparently dead for some hours, became
resnirnated 1t tho sight Of the silver cross,
eandlestioks, and hoiy-water vessel, which M he
looked at f1ediy, and his ven moved 1o1
the last time. When tho priest put the gi1ded
cruciti1 to his lips, that he might kiss the Savior
he made frightful motion to seize it, and this
last effort cost him his life. He called Eugenle
before him, and bathing with her tears hane
elEeady cold.
stake good care OF everything: Yo9 MI
give me an account OF these things down here,
said he,-proving by this last remark that Chris
t;anity must be the religion Of misers:
Eugenie Grandet then found herself alone II
the world in that house, having only Nanon, a
whom she could look with certainty OF belnt
pnly being who loved her for herself, and witt
whom she could talk Of her griefs. Grand'
Nanon was q providence for Eugene. 80 an
~as no longer servant, bqt an humble 111ena
After her fathers death, Eugenie learned
from Mr.. C1uchot that ehe had an income
Ehreo hundred Thousand livres from lands IN the
district OF Saumur; eix millions invested Il Il
three per cents 1t sixty francs, ana tnen "ort5
ssyenty-seven; and also two millions in gold
end hundred thousand francs in crowns, With
u1t counting a1TearageB to be received. Ihe to
tai valuation of her wealth was seventeen mill
t0a Wbs4s t9aes c.1 nv consD bo ?" said shs to her
SELF.
The day on which hIr. Cruchot delivered to hi
client statement Of the fuuy-settled lnhel
itance, Eugenie remained alone With Nanon
seated one On each side Of the fireplace l
that empty sitting-room, where everything r.
called it's memories, from the raised chair i
which her mother had sat, to the glass tro1
Which her cousin had drunk.
sfNanou re are alone
aYes. Mademoiselle and, Il knew where
Is, that darling, would go myself and look fe
him"
The Bea is between u.s." said she.
While the poor heiress wept, together Wit
her cid servant, in that cold and obscure hous
which to her YVES the universe, nothing =;
talked Of, from Nantes to Orleans put Il
seventeen millions OF Madelnolse1e dtauue
One Of her first acts YVES to give life annul
Of twelve hundred francs to Nanon, who, alreas
having one OF si1 hundred, became rich y, nate As
In11ess than month, she passed from the CO.. o.
aition of maid to that Of wife, under tt
protection OF Antoine coznoiller, vt
aaa appointed as general ball'
s1ademoise11e G1andet. Mndame Cornoller hs
IN immense advantage over her contemporaries
though she was 50, she did not look ore: over
:;,no. Thanks to her monastic lie, she brave
id age with high complexion and an j, TX
health- Perhaps she nevor looked as well
she did the day Of her marriage. She had Il
advantages Of her usliness, and appeared stor
faoe an air Of happiness which made many Pc
rle envy Cornoillcrs fortune. She has
ane color" ssid the draper. "She can Ia
Children said the sslt-dea!cr; "she is as W
kent as if she had been il brine, BY your leave
s:Sho is rich, and that fellow Corno;ller has ma
3 lucky hit." said another neighbor;: After g q
left the cid house, Nanon, who vas loved q, b5 t