, 1872-10-14
EUGENE GRANDET:
Scenes of,-Provincial Eite.

Translated from the French ct Do Balzac yor III
! :: Chicago TRIBUNE.
III.
This social gaiety, in this gray old room
poorly lit by two candles these laughs, accom-
panied BY the noise Of Grande Nanon's wheel
and which we're sincere only when they cam
from Eugenie or her mother; that sma1lnes
associated with such great interests that younl
| girl who; like birds, victims Of the high price
at which they are held, and Of which they are ig
norant, found herself encirclod and bound by
manifestations of friendship whose dupe eh,
Was,-all Ehared in making this scene sorrow
fully comic. But is it not one common to al
times and places, though reduced to it's simplea
expression? The person Of Grandet, utilizing
the false attachment Of the two families b,
| drawing immense gains from it, controlled thit
drama and explained it. Was not the only mod
ern god who is believed in-money-in ali it,
power, expressed by single face? The sweetel
feelings Of life held but a secondary place there
| they animated three pure hearts: those oi
Nanon, Eugenie, and her mother. Still, how
much ignorance in their simplicity! Eugene
H~< AAANoAA~%
fortune; they judged Of worldly matters but By
the glimner Of their dull ideas, and neither val.
ued nor despised money, accustomed, as they
were, to do without it. Their feelings rasped,
though they knew it not, but yet lively, and
their secluded existence made them curious e1.
ceptions in this gathering OF people whose lives
were purely material. Frightful condition Of
man! there is not one Of his joys which does
not arise from his ignorance.
Just as Madame Grandet Won a pool Of six
teen sous,-the greatest that had ever been
played for in that room,-and as Grande Nnnon
laughed delightedly ct seeing her mistress
pocket that immense SUM, blow Of the knocker
resounded at the door Of the house, and made
so great noise that the women started from
their seats.
"No saumer man knocks in that way" eaid
the notary.
-. :" How can anyone pound like that?" said
Nanon. Do they want to break our door 7''
Nanon took one Of the two candles, and vent
to open the door, accompanied ty Grandet.
uGrandet! Grandet!" cried his wife, who, i'm
PEELED by an indefinite feeling Of fear, started
toward the door Of the sitting-roono
Az the players looked at one another.
supposing We wero to 50 also ?" eaid Mon
sieur deB Grassins. "That knock seemed rather
inlmical, to me.''
Monsieur des Grassins barely had a chance to
See the form Of q young man, accompanied by
porter, who carried two immense valises, and
dragged some travelling bags. Grandet turned
abruptly to bis wife, and said to her, Madame
Grandet, go to your lotto! Let me find what this
gentleman wants." Then he quickly closed the
sittinS-room door, when the disturbed players
resumed their seats, but without going on with
"fs it somebody belonging in saumur, Mon
eieur des Grasains?" ?" asked his wife.
"No, it is q traveller"
HHe must be from Paris. then" .
Indeed" said the Notary, pulling out his old
nats1 sssd two ngsGs ths s snd which s rssemnlsd
never late"
SIS this gentleman going ?" said the Able
:sYeg," replied Monsieur des Grassins, "and
Ne has baggage that must weigh at least seven
hundred pounds"
"Nanon does not come back" said
Eugenie.
- II can only be one OF your relations, said
the President
Let US put up our stakes" eaid Madame
Monsieur Grandet WIS Texed; perhaps he will
not be pleased II he noticed that We are talking
OF his concerns
Mademoisol1e," said Adolphe to his neigh
. very good-looking young man, whom saw at
Monsieur de Nucingen's ball" Adolphe did not
continue, for his mother pressed hin foot; than,
asking him loudly for two SOUS for her stake,
said il his ear, "Will you keep still, you great
foo17"
At that moment, Grandet came back, without
Grande Nanon, whose tread and that Of the por-
ter was heard on the stairway; he was followed
BY the stranger, who, for several minutes, had
pd tie ' mgnaon % e al af that as ez Es IN
this house, and his fall in the midst Of these
people might be compared to that of q snail in
8 beehive, or the introduction Of a peacock into
some obscure village poultry
Ss 6rypT1 hyyf 70 fro n1oi fro1 nj
Before doing so, the young man bowed atfably
to the company The men rose to acknowledge
it by courteous bow, anG the ladies' made cere-
monlous curtsies.
det. Perhaps you have come from"
"Just like you women - said the old vine
lresser, stopping the reading OF letter he held
IN bis hand. DO let him rest himself"
.:Bnt, father, perhaps he wants something"
said Eugenie.
, "He has tongue" replied the vine-dresser,
larshly.
The unknown waB the only one surprised by
ibis scene. The others were accustomed to
arandet's despotic ways. Nevertheless, when
been exchanged, the unknown rose, turned his |
back to the fire, raised one Of his feet so IS to
sarm the sole Of his boot, and eaid to Eugenie, |
Thank you, cousin, dined at Tours, =" and, !
am not even tired"
"Do you come from the Capital? 2 asked I
Madame des Grnasns.
Charles,-for that was the name Of the son Of |
Monsieur Grandet, Of Faris, hearing himself
Questioned, took q small eyeglass, hung by q
hain from his neck, put it to his right eye to
Examine both what Was on the table, and the
'ereon seated at it, stared very impertinently at
81 dfs t1sts and Y sftsr having
ee you are playing Lotto. NY aunt" added he,
ct me beg you to 50 on with your game; it IS
90 entertaining to leave"
~ was sure it was the cousin" thought Ma
lame des Greasinsa, oghn,g him;
"Forty~soven!" exclaimed the old Able,
'lease mark, Madame des Grassins is not that
our number Z"
Monsieur des GrasRins put q counter on the
ard of his wife, who, possessed by gloomy fore
odings, observed succeasively the Paris cousin
nd Eugenie, without thinking Of Lotto. Now
nd then the young heiress cast furtive glances
t her cousin, and the bankers wife could
asily discern in them a crescen2o Of astonieh-
nent Or curiosity.
Charles Grandet, q handsome young man Of
2, offered q singular contrast to these worthy
rovincials, whom his ariEtocratic manners had
lra2dY disgustad to snma axtant and all Of |