Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-05-21
CHAPTER iv-tContinued.)

he able to bear the smell OF talIow
candle. Suppose that we buy a wax
Gambler
She fed, lightly a. a bird. to find her
purse. and drew thence the Ave francs
which she had received for the months
expenses.
Here, Nanon. be quick"
But what will your father say"
This dreadful objection was raised by
Nine. Grandet when she saw her daugh-
ter with an old Sevres china sugar basin
which Grandet had brought back with
him from the chateau at Froidfond.
And where il the sugar to come
FROM she went on. Are you madT"
"Nanon can easily buy 1t when she
goes for the candle, mamma. Ii II
right thing that his nephew should not
have sugar II he happens to want II!
Besides. he will Not notice IT,"
"Your father always notices things"
said Nine. Grandet. shaking her head.
While Eugene and her mother were
doing their best TO adorn the room which
NJ. Grnndet had allotted to his nephew.
Nine. DIES Grassins was bcstOwing her
attention on Charles. and making abun.
dant use of her eyes rs she did 40.
you are very brave" she said. ito
leave the pleasures of the capital in
winter In order to come to stay In Sau-
muir. But IL you are not frightened away
at first sight Of us. you shall zee that
even here we can nmuse ourselves And
she gave him languishing glance, In
true provincial style.
Women In the provinces are wont to
aRsct demure and staid demeanor
which gives fnrtive and eager eloQuence
TO their eyes. Charles was 40 thorough
ly out Of his element In this room. II was
all 40 far removed from the great cha
teAu md the splendid surroundings In
which he had thought to find his uncle
that, on paying closer attention to Nine
des Grassins. she almost reminded him
Of Partisan faces half obliterated already
by these strange. new impressions. He
responded Rrnciously TO the advances
which had been made to him. and nat.
urally they fell into conversation.
Nine. dos Grassins gradually lowered
her voice TO tones suited to tile nature
Of her condolences. Both she and Charles
Grandet felt n need Of mutual conf
dencc. Of explanations md an under.
standing. so after u few minutes spent In
coquettish chatter and tests that covered
dame felt free TO converse without fear
Of being overheard. under cover Of a
conversation on the sale Of the vintage.
ment In Saumur.
''lf you will honor us with visit"
she said. ''you will certainly do us n
pleasure; my husband and l shall be very
glad to zee You. Our salon is the only
t.
the wealthy merchant society and the
noblessc. We ourselves. belong In n man
ner to both. My husband. ! am proud to
say, IN very highly thought Of In both
circles. so we will do our best to be
guile the tedium Of your stay. II you
are going TO remain with the Grandcts,
what will become OF you! Your uncle II
. miser. his mind runs on nothing hut
his vine cuttings; your aunt II saint
who cannot put two ideas together: and
your cousin Ii a silly little thing. n com
mon sort Of girl. who spends her life IN
mending dishcloths."
ut seems to me that you mean to
monopOlize the gentleman" said the bie
banker. laughing. to his wife. an uDlucky
observation. followed by remarks more
or less spiteful from the notary and the
president: but the Able gave them q
shrewd glance. while he gave expression
tn their thoughts, where could the gen
tleman have found any one better quail
fed to do the honors Of Saumuri' hi
said.
Adolphe des Grassins spoke at last
with what was meant to be nm offhant
manner. II do not know" he said, nd
dressing Charles. whether you have an!
recollection OF me; once had the pleas
ure Of dancing In the same Quadrille n,
u ball given by NJ. le Baron de Nuvigen.
II remember 1t perfectly" answered
Charles. surprised to find himself the OBJ
ject Of general attention. us this gen
tleman your SOM" he asked Of Nine. DEF
Grassins.
Eyes, ] am his mother" she answered
"You must have been very young whel
you came to ParisI" Charles went on
speaking to Adolphe.
I'VE cannot help ourselves. sir" sal,
the Able. Our babes IRE scarcely wean
ed before we send them to Babylon. 70,
must 70 into the country II you want I,
find women not much on the other sid
Of thirty, with RrOwn-up son a licen
tiate OF law, who look as fresh an,
youthful as Nine. des Grassins. 1t onl,
seems like the other day when the yOunI
men and the ladies' stood on chairs to re-
you dance. madame" tho Able added
turning toward his fair antagonist; you
triumphs are as fresh In my memory q
II they had happened yesterday"
1T looks as though ] should have
great success In Saumur," though
Charles. lie unbuttoned his Overcon
and stood with his hand In his waistcoa
pocket. gazing into space. striking tn
attitude which Chantrey thought fit I
give to Byron In his statue OF that poe,
Meanwhile Grandet's preoccmpatio
during the reading of his letter had e.
capped neither the notary nor the magis
tratc. Both of them tried to guess q
the contents by watching the almost I'M
perceptible changes In the worthy man
face. The vine grower was hard put I
II to preserve his wontcd composure Iii
expression must he left to the inM gina
ton. but here Is the fatal letter:
my Brother--lt Is nearly twenty
three years now since We saw each Othe
The last time We met II was to make al
engagements for my marriage, and "
parted In high spirits Little did the
think, when you were congratulatin
yourself on our prosperity, that one da
you would be the sole hope and stay &
our family. by the t.ns that this lette
reaches your hands, l shall be no NOR,
In my position, ! could not survive tn
disgrace Of bankruptcy; l have held u
my head above the surface till the Ia,
moment, hoping to weather the storm;
Is all of no use must sink now. Ju.
after the failure OF my stock brok,
came the failure Of my notary; my la