Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-06-21
CHAPTER TX.

Nine Grandet betook herself to sleep
like a schoolboy who has not learned his
lessons and sees before him the angry
face of the master when he wakes. Sheer
terror led her to wrap the sheets about
her head, but just at that moment she
felt kiss on her forehead. 1t was Eu-
genie, who had slipped into the room in
the darkness and stood there barefooted
In her nightdress.
''Oh, mother-my kind mother" she
said. II shall tell him tomorrow morn
ing that it was all my doing"
mo, don't. IL you do, he will send
you away to Meyers. Let me manage it.
He will not eat me, after all"
"Oh, mamma, do you hear? He is
crying still"
Go back to bed, dear. The floor is
damp: it will strike cold to your feet"
So ended the solemn day, which had
brought for the poor wealthy heiress
lifelong burden of sorrow. Never again
would Eugene Grandet sleep as soundly
or as lightly as heretofore.
The trouble and excitement of the day
disturbed her rest; she woke again and
again TO listen for any sound from her
cousins room, thinking that she still
heard the means that all day long had
vihrated through her heart. Sometimes
she seemed to see him lying up there, dy-
ing of grief; sometimes she dreamed that
he was being starved TO death. Toward
morning she distinctly heard a terrible
cry. She dressed herself at once, and in
the dim light of the dawn fled neiselessly
mp the stairs to her cousins room. The
door stood open, the wax candle had
burned itself down to the socket. Nature
had asserted herself; Charles, still dress
ed, was sleeping in the armchair, with
his head fallen forward on the bed; he
had been dreaming as famished people
dream. Eugene admired the fair young
face. 1t was flushed and tear-stained;
the eyelids were swollen with weeping;
he seemed to be still crying in his sleep.
and Eugenie's own tears fell fast. Some
dim feeling that his cousin was present
awakened Charles; he opened his eyes
and saw her distress.
Pardon me, cousin" he said, dream
ily. Evidently he had lost all reckon
ing of time, and did not know where he
was.
There are hearts here that feel for
YOU. cousin. and we thought that you
might perhaps want something. You
should go to bed; you will tire yourself
out if you sleep like that"
yes" he said, that Is true"
"Good-by" she said, and fed, half in
confusion, half glad that she had come.
An hour later she went TO her mothers
room to help her to dress, as she always
did Then the two women went down
stairs and waited for Grandet's coming
in the anxiety which freezes or burns.
The cooper came downstairs. spoke in
an absent-minded way 10 his wife. kissed
Eugene. and sat down to table. He
seemed TO have forgotten last nights
threats.
what has become os my nephew? The
child is not much in the way"
"He is asleep. sir" said Nanon.
$50 much the better; he won't want a
wax candle for that" said Grandet, ia
cetiously.
His extraordinary mildness ard satir-
ical humor puzzled Nine. GranGet; she
looked earnestly at her husband. He
took up his hat and gloves with the re
mark:
II am goirg to have a look round in
the market place; l want TO meet the
CruchotS."
Grandet always slept but little. and
was wont TO spend half the night IN re-
volving and maturing schemes, process
by which his views. observations and
plans gained amazingly in clearness and
precision; indeed. this was the secret OF
that constant success which was the adj
miration OF Saumur.
During the night this excellent mans
ideas had taken an entirely new turn;
hence his unusual mildness. He had
l. ale Th@,,, IN
Paris; he would envelop them in his tolls,
they should be as clay in his hands; they
should hope and tremble, come and go
toll and sweat, and all for hrs amuSe-
ment all for the old cooper in the dingy
room at the head of the worm-eaten
staircase in the old house at Saumur; it
tickled his sense of humor.
He had been thinking about his
nephew lie wanted to save his dead
brothers name from dishonor in 4 way
that should not cost a penny either TO
his nephew or To himself. He was about
10 invest his money for three years his
mind was quite at leisure from his own
affairs: he really needed some outlet for
his malicious energy. and here was an
opportunity supplied by his brothers
failure. The claws were idle. he had
nothing TO squeeze between them, so he
would pound the PariSians for Charles
benefit. and exhibit himself in the light
of an excellent brother at a very eheap
rate. As matter Of fact, the honor OF
the family name counted for cry little
with him in this matter: he looked at il
from the purely impersonal point of view
of the gambler, who likes TO see game
well played although it is no affair OF
his The Cruchots we're necessary TO
him. but he did not mean to go in search