, 1872-11-03

the imagination Of these two creatures, constant
| ~ buried in quiet and loneliness.
tna "Mamnna,~ a. 81 said 5 E5ugesnio, "we will wea
"Your father will decide as to that" replied
Madam Grandet.
They relapsed into silence. Eugcnie tool
her stitches with q regularity which would dis
closed to an observer the fretful themes Of he1
meditation. The first desire Of this dear crea
ture was to participate in her cousins mourning
About O'Clock, a sudden blow Of the knocke,
sounded to Madame Grandets heart.
What ia tho matter with your father7'' sait
she to her daughter.
The vine-dresser entered, radiant. Afte1
having taken off his gloves, he rubbed his hand.
in way which would have taken off the skin il
the epiderInis had not been tanned like Russian
leather, saving the smell of hardwood aud o
incense: He walked up and down he looked al
the clock: Finally his secret escaped from him.
My wife, =" said he, II have caught them all
Ut1 Ugr vine is sold Tho Hollanders. ard the
Belglans left this morning. I walked in the
square before their inn, looking as if I were
simply killing time. So-and-so, whom you
know, came up to me. The owners Of all the
good vineyards are keeping their wines and
want to wait; have not hlndered them. Our
gain is made; he takes our vintage at two
hundred francs cash, half cash. I have been
paid in gold. Tho notes arc drawn; there are
fall"
These last words we're uttered in a tone which
vas iam but SO profoundly lron1s that ~ IT, tne
moment on the square, and annlh1lated BY the
news Of the sale which Grandet had made would
have shuddered if they had heard them: a
panic-teIror would have made wines fall SO per
cent.
"You have q Thousand casks this year, father 2"
said Eugenie.
''Yes, little daughter"
This was the superlatiye expression Of joy
with the old cooper
&c That makes two hundred thousand twenty
sou pieces"
tsfes, Mademoise1le Grandct."
'Wel1, father, you can easily help Charles"
The astonishment the anger, the stupefac-
tion of Belshazzar when he saw the lNene 1ekel
Lpharsi1 cannot bo compared with tho cold
nephew, discovered him lodged in the heart and
calculations of his daughter.
''Look here! Since this dandy put his
foot in my house everything has gone wrong.
You talk of buying sweetmeats, and OF having
weddings and festivals. want none of these
ought to act. Besides, I viii take no instruc-
ton from my daughter or any one else. I will
do for my nephew all that is proper, and there is
no need Of you sticking your nose in it. As for
not say any more to me shout this, orr viii send
you to the Abbey Of Meyers with Nanon, and
that no later than tomorrow, if you fail. Where
is this boy? Has he come down?
NO, my friend, replied Madame Grandet.
~" Well, then, what is he DOING
He is weeping for his father" replied
Eugenie.
Grandet looked at his daughter, without find
ing word to say. He was somewhat Of a
father, himself. After having taken one or two
turns around the sitting-roo1n, he went prompt
y to his closet, to think over an Investment in
f-- II
acres Of woodland, which be had cut clean, had
brought him six hundred Thousand francs;
adding that sum to the money for his poplars.
and his income for the last, and the
current year, besides the two hundred thoue-
msds he coad sathsr 5aas tosebe1
nine hundred thousand francs. The 90 per
cent to be made in short time on re7ates, which
stood at seventy francs, tempted him. He ci-
phered out his speculation on the paper in which
the death Of his brother was announced, hear
ing, though not listening to them, the groans
Of his nephew, Nanon knocked on the wall to
invite her master to come down; dinner was
ready. When in the hall, and on the Inst step OF
the stairs, Grandet said to himself, Since I
shall get s per cent interest, I will do this. In
francs, which will get back in good gold"
well, where is my nephew ?"
f'He says be does not want to eat," replied
Nanon- s. That is not wholesome"
- so much Saved, rRb1GQ lef master.
oh, Lord! said she.
" Bah! he will not cry forever. Hunger drives
the wolf out OF the wood"
The dinner Was singularly silent.
My good friend" said NADINE Grandet,
when the cloth Was removed, :: We must go into
* Really, Madame Grandet, you are at q loss
what to invent to spend money. Mourning is in
the heart, and not in the clothes"
"But mourning is Indispensable for brother,
and the Church orders us to -"
Buy your mourning out Of your six louis.
You may give me a little Grape; that will answer
for me-"
Eugenie raised her eyes to heaven, without
saving g. word For the first time in her life,
her noble inc1inations, dormant, compressed,
That evening was apparently like q
thousand others Of their monotonous existence,
but it WAS certainly the most horrible one.
Eugenie worked without lifting her head, and
lid not use the workbo1 which Charles had dis
lained on the previous evening. Madame
Grandet knitted her sleeves. Grcndet twiddled
1is thumbs for four hours buried in calcula-
lions, the results OF which were to aHtonish
saunur on the following day. No one came to
7isit the family that day. Just then, the
whole town resounded with the trick of
77randet, the failure Of his brother, and
he arrival of his nephew. To obey the
iced Of talking about their common interests,
ii the vineyard-owners Of the higher and mid
lie classes Of Saumur we're at Mr. Des Grassina,
where terrible curses we're Illuminated against
he old Mayor. Nanon spun, and the noise Of
2er wheel was the only voice thnt was heard un-
ler the grayish ceiling Of the sitting-room.
'tWe do not wear out our tongues" said she,
showing teeth as white and large as blnnched
almonds.
ssWe should wear out nothing" replied Gran
let, awaking from his meditations. He saw
himself, prospectively, with eight millions in
three years, and sailed on that long sheet OF
gold. - Let us 60 to bed. will say good night
TO my nephew for everybody, and seeif he wants
20 take anything ....
Madame Grandet remained on the first floor
anding, to hear the conversation between
Charles and the good man. Eugenie, bolder than
1er mother, went up q couple Of steps.
swell, my nephew, you are in sorrow. Yes,
,ry, that is natural. A father is father. But
ve must take our misfortunes patiently. am
'usyins myself about youwhile you weep. I am
7ou drink little glass Of wine i. Wine costs
,othing at saumur; they, offer it there as they
10 cup Of tea at the Indies. But, said Gran |
let, "you are without light. Bad! bad! One
hould see plainly what one is doing" Grandet |