, 1872-12-15
EUGENiE GRAWDET;
Scenes Of Provincial Life.


cGc0 TRIBUNE.
XII
At last, one evening, toward the close Of
spring, Madame Grandet, consumed by grief far
more than by sickness, and not having succeed
ed, with all her entreates, in rcconcilng Eugenie
and her father, confded her secret sor1ows to
the Cruchots.
"Put girl OF twenty on bread and
water!" exclaimed the President de Bonfons,
and without cause! But that constitutes ile-
gal Il-usage; she can protest contra, and
"Como. my nephew" said the notary; drop
your courtroom jargon- Be, quiet, Madame
will have stop put to this imprisonment BY to-
morrow"
Eueenio, hearing them talk OF her, left her
room.
Gentlemen" said she, urged forward By an
impulse Of pride, ~ beg you nottoconcern your
selves with this matter. K1y father is master at
home. So long as live in his house, l must
obey him. His conduct should not be open to
the approval or disapproval OF the world; he Is
responsible for it to God alone. demand from
your friendship the profoundest silence concern
ing this. To blame my father would be to at
tack our own honor. I thank you, gentlemen, for
the interest you take. in me-; but you would
OOAES lAo Uol6 Il 1oA HouAA GtVE 44Ao oAAoA@4A'N v
reports which circulate in the city, and Of which
have been informed by accident
"Shc is right" said Madame Grandet.
"Mademoiseue, the best way to make people
quit talking is to have your liberty restored to
you," replied respectfully, the old notary, struck
by the beauty which seclusion, melancholy, and
love had given to Eugene.
swell, my daughter, leave it to A1r. Cruchot
+o aaff1a +hia rna{tar ai1co ha e11gUara FIR hia
SUCCESS. He knows your father, and under
stands how to take him. # you want to see me
happy during the little time have left to live,
it is necessary at any price, that your father and
you should be reconciled-"
The next day, in accordance with habit which
Grandet had fallen into since Eugenie's ina-
prisonment, he CAME to walk back and forth,
certain number Of times, in his little garden. He
had selected for this promenade the time when
Eugenie combed her hair. When the goodman
reached the great walnut tree, he hid himself
behind it's trunk, remained for Bome moments
looking at his daughters long tresses, and VA
vered, doubtless, between the thoughts which
the obstinacy Of his character suggested to him
and his desire to embrace his child. Often he
remained seated on the little bench Of rotten
rood where Charles and Eugenie had sworn
eC6Iudl 4uf6t "14lE G4A0 Luo AoOnoA 4AANFVAy3 VI
in her glass, at her father. It he rose and re-
sumed his walk, sho sat down good-natu1edly at
the window, and began to examine the bit OF
wall, from which hung the prettiest Of flowers,
and from tho crcyices Of which shot forth
Venus hairs, bind-weed, and thick plant, yell
Low or white, setst'l, which 1s very abundant ID
Cruchot came early, and found the old vino
dresser seated on the little bench, in fine June
day,-hiy back leaning against the boundary
wall, and busted in looking at his daughter:
What can do for you, III. Cruchot " said
I: i1aye 1 e@' come to tall business" "Ah! ah!
have you alttlo gold to give me for crowns 7''
mo, no; it does not relate to money, but
your daughter Eugenie, Everybody is talking Of
her aud vou.'
" Why do they medd1o with it. Every man is
master in his own house."
Il Certainly; he is free to kill himself, or,
which is worse, to throw his money out Of the
windows
How SO ?"
"Why! your wife is very sick, my friend.
You ought to consult lIr. Bergerin; she Ii likely
to de- It she were to die without having been
properly cared for, you would not be easy, be-
TIA, to, ia, ta! you know what is the matter
foot in your house, they COMO five Or six times q
day" ,. ~, a.
We arc real friends; do not believe that in all
Sauuur thero is Z man who takes moro interest
in what concerns you than do; therefore, 1t
was my duty to gay to you what have. Now,
take caro- OF yourself, 50 ahead. But that is
not the matter which brings NE. It is some-
thing of moro importance for you: perhsps. At
ter Ell, you do not want to kill your vito; she is
too useful to you. Just think Of the position in
Which you would bo in regard to your daughter,
if Madame Grandot were to die. You will haro
to account to Eugenie, since YOU and your wife
haye C. joint estate. Your daughter would have
the right to claim O. division of your fortune,
and to have Froidfond sold. In word, she
takes from her mother, from whom you cannot
inherit"
These words were o thunderbols for the good
man, who was not as learned in law as he prob
ably was in commerce: He had never dreamed
Of sale by order OF Court.
$50 advise you to treat her gently" said
Guchot in conclusion.
'But do you know what she did, Cruchot?''
"What ?' said the notary, curious to be told z
secret by Father Grandet, and to know the cause
Of the quarrel.
'She gave away her gold"
swell! Was it hers :" asked the notary.
"They all soy that to me-" said the goodman,
letting bis arms drop with a tragic emotion.
sumed Cruchot. !" to put obstacles in the way Of
obtaining the concessions which you will ask her
to make sou on her mothers death ?"
'Ah Do you call si1 Thousand francs in gold
a mere notu1uE
"Weu, my old friend, do you know what it
will cost to make an inventory, and set OF your
wife's fortune, if Eugene requires it ~
'tWhat?"
"Two, or three, Or perhaps four hundred
thousand franca. Will it not be necessary to 80
into court, and to sell, to know the real value
While by coming to an understanding- L
'sBy my fathers pruning-knife!' exclaimed
the vine-dresser, who sat down, pale, 1--WE will
see about that, Cruchot."
After moment Of silence, or Of agony, the
goodman looked at the notary, and said to him,
Lite is very hsld; There are many eorrows IN
deceive me; swear to me on your honor that
what you have been telling me has the law for
it. Show me the Code; I want to see the Code"
"My poor friend, replied the notary, ''do not |
I know my trade2''
$50 it is really true. I shall be p1undored,
betrayed, killed, deyoured, By my daughter!'
She inhe1its from her mother
"What are children good for, then? Ah! my |
wife, love her. Luckily, she is sound she is |
g La Bertelliere.''
ss She has not month to liyo.''
The cooper struck his forehead, walked away,
came back again, and, giving Cruchot 8 terrible