, 1872-12-29
EUGENE GRANDET +;
Scenes Of Provincial Lifo.

Scenes Of Provincial Lifo.
TRANSLATED from the French af DeRalzac for The Chi
e1yo Tribune.
XIV.
Eugenie uosealed the letter. trembling. There
fell from it draft on the house OF Madame Des
Grassins j. Corret Of Sau1nur. Nanon picked
it up.
"I am no longer Eugenio," thought che, and
her heart beat heavy.
"You-"
F" He once called me- tho1.'"
She crossed her arms, did not care to read the
etter further, and big tears came in her eyes.
*1s he dead, ," asked Nanon.
"H ho were, he would not W1ite," gaid
Eugenie.
she read the whole letter, as follows:
j" Ny dear cousin, you will learn, I believe
with pleasure the SUCCESS Of my undertaking.
You brought me good fortune. I hare returned
rich, and have followed tho advice Of my uncle,
of whose death, and that Of my aunt, I have
been informed by NIr. Dea Grassins The death
OF our relatives is in the nature Of things, and
We have to follow them. I hope that you arc
! now conRoled Nothing resists time feel it.
Yes. my dear cousin, unhappily for me- the time
Of Illusions is over. How could it be helped2
While travelling through many lands, I have
| hayo oft meditated on life. I left
| chile, I have returned q man. To-day think Of
| many things Of which did not formerly dream.
You are free, my cousin. and / am also free; ap-
parently nothing hinders the carrying out Of
! our little plans; but nave too much honor III
my character to hide from you the situation Of
my affairs. I have not forgotten that. do not
| belong to myself. I have always remembered,
in my long wanderlngs, the little wooden
! bench"
Eugenie rose az if she had been on hot GOALS,
and went and sat down OF one Of tho steps Of
| the court:
g the little wooden bench, where VIC sworo
eternal love; the passage; the gray sitting
| room; my garret chamber; and the night in
| which, by your delicate kindness, you made my
future easier. Yes these memories have sus-
tanned my courage, and I have said to myself
that you always thought of NE, as I often
thought Of you. at tho hour We agreed upon.
Have you really looked at tho clouds st o'clock
Yes, have you not2 So lido not wish to betray
deceive you. There ia now under
consideration, ut this moment, an alliance for
mo which satisfies al the ideas that have
formed concerning marriage. Love. in marriage,
that it is necessary to obey ali social laws, and,
III marrying, to comply with Ell things deemed
proper by the world. Now, thero is already a
difference il age between US, which will perhaps
cousin, ttan over mine. I will speak to you
neither Of your customs, nor your education, no1
your habits, which do not at all coincide
with Partisan life, and which, doubtless, would
not harmonize with my Interior schemes. It il
part Of my plan to keep up an extensive estab.
1ishment, and to receive many people; and !
think recollect that you love . still and quiet
life. No, will be moro frank, and wish to make
you the judge Of my situation; it is proper sou
should know it, and you have 3 right to decide
$4,000 lyres. This fortune enables NE
to ally myself to the D4abrion family;
whose heirsss, young an lady +t3f 81 ~
place OF Honorary Gentleman Of the Chamber Of
Lis Majesty, and an exceedingly brilliant posi-
tion. l will acknowledge to you, my dear cou-
Bin, that do not love MademoiBelle DAubrion
to the slightest extent; but, by marrying her, ]
vantages Of which will some day be incalcu:
liable; monarcLical ideas are daily re.
gaining favor. Then, fey years later,
son having become ONE, Marquis nA
livreH gear, can take whatever position in the
State it will suit him to choose. Wo owo our
Belves to our children. You SEQ, my cousin
with what sincerity lay bare to yon the condi
ture. It il possible that you, on your side, have
forgotten our childish actions after seven yearl
OF absence; but have forgotten neither you1
kind treatment nor your words; I remember
which a young man less conscientious than
am, having . heart less youthful and los&
upright, would not even think. When say tx
you that think Of merely making marriage
de co1!rendnce, and that I still remember OIL
childhood loves, do not put myself entirely q
your discretion, make you mistress OF my fate
and say to you that, if I must renounce NJ,
. eocial ambition, will gladly content myeel
r.i3I bot riy, md 1nt1Y of f.r|ai
you have offered me such affecting images ?"
"Tan, ia, ta,-Tan, ta. ti,-1inn, ta, ta,-
Touu !-Toun, ia, t,-Tinn, ia, ia, }" etc, hum
med Charles Grandet, to the tune Of Non pi'
audrait, as be signed:
"Your devoted cousin,
} "CuAa1Es."
. "God's thunder! am taking good deal O
trouble about thie, u eaid he to himself. Then b.
had obtained the draft, and had added tho fol
; lowing:
"P. s. incloee in my letter draft on tn
house of Dcs GraEsins for $500 francs payabl
to your order, in gold, being the interest an
principal OF the sum you we're go kind as to len
NE. | am expecting from Bordeaux q box con
taining some things which you will allow me- +
! offer you as a testimonial OF my everlastin
> gratitude. You can send back my dressing cas-
,, 6y the stage, to the Hotel D'Aubrion, Stree
, Hillerin-Bertin."
"By tile stsgo!" said Eugene, IA thing TO
which I would have given my Life thousan
times!''
, Frightfu1 and other disastsrl Tho veEse
!, went down without leaving q rope or plank O.
,, the vast ocean of hopes. Some women, whe
. they see themselves deserted, go and tear thei
; lover from the arms of rival, kill her, and 4
to the end OF the world, to the scaffold to til
tomb. Doubtless this is admirable; tho incit
ing cause OF that crime is q sublim
passion which oyernwes human justice
> Other women lower their heads, and suffer i
I silence; they 80 on, dying and resigned, weep
' ing and pardoning, praying, and remembering
till the last Sign: This is love, true love, an
gcic love, proud love, which lives on its grief
an1 dies Of it. That was the feeling Of Eu
genie after she had read that terrible lotte'
She raised her eyes to Heaven, thinking Of th
last words OF her mother, who, like some dyin
persons, had ;,e cast ;,so dear H. and pa1a psns
then Eugenie, remembering that prophet
death and lifo, took in her whole destin
with one look. She had nothing left but to u1
furl her wings, aim at Heaven, and live in praye
till the day Of her deliverence.
"My mother was right" said she, weeping
+ 'To suffer and to die"
She came with slow steps from her garden t
the sittng-room. Contrary to her custom, sh
rid mt rs1 throurh tia DnsBapB. hut Hha fonn