Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-08-02
CHAPTER Xxx.

While these events were taking place
in Saumur, Charles was making his for
tune in the East. His first venture was
very successful He had promptly re-
allied the sum of six thousand dollars.
Crossing the line had cured him of many
early prejudices; he soon saw very clear
" that the best and quickest way of
making money was the same in the trop-
les as in Europe-by buying and selling
men. He made a descent on the African
coasts and bargained for negroes and
other goods in demand in various mar
kets. He threw himself heart and soul
into his business, and thought of nothing
else. He set one clear aim before him.
10 reappear in Paris. and to dazzle the
world there with his wealth, to attain
asposition even higher than the one from
which he had fallen.
BY dint of rubbing shoulders with
many men, travelling in many lands. com
ing. in contact with various customs. his
code had been relaxed. His notions of
right and wrong became less rigid when
he found that what was looked upon as
a crime in one country was held up 10
admiration in another. He saw that ev-
cry one was working for himself, that
disinterestedness was rarely TO be met
with. and grew selfish and suspicious:
the hereditary failings of the Grandets
came ont in him-the hardness. the
stiffness. and the greed of gain. He
sold Chinese coolies. negro slaves. swal
low nests, children. artists. anything
and everything that brought in money.
He became a money lender on a large
scale. Long practice in cheating the Gus
toms authorities had made him unscrupu-
lous in other ways.
During his first voyage Eugenie's pure
and noble face had been with him; he
had attributed his first success TO Il kind
of magical efficacy possessed by her
PRAYERS: but as time went on, adventures
in many lands completely cfaced all rec
election of his cousin, of the old house.
OF the bench, and of the kiss that he had
snatched in the passage. he remem-
bered nothing but the little garden shut
in by its crumbIing walls where he had
learned the fate that lay in store for
him: but he rejected all connection with
the family. His uncle was an old fox
who had filched his jewels. Eugene had
no place in his heart, he never gave her
thought; but she occupied page IN
his ledger as a creditor for six thousand
frSncs.
Such conduct and such ideas explain
ed Charles Grandet's silence. In the
East Indies. on -eaast OF Africa. at
Lisbon. in the Ia States. Charles
Grandet the adventurer was known as
Carl Sepherd. a psoadonym which he as
Sumed so as not to compromise his real
name. Carl Sepherd could be indefati-
gable. braEen and greedy of sain; could
coIduct himself. in short, like a man
wEo resolves to make fortune no mat
ter what way. and makes haste 10 have
dore with villainy as soon as possible.
in order to live respected for the rest OF
his days.
With such methods his career Of pros
perity was rapid and brilliant, and in
1877 he returned 10 Bordeaux on board
n 6ae brig belonging 70 n Royaiist firm.
He had nineteen hundred thousand
francs with him in gold dust. carefully
secrrted in three strong casks; he hoped
70 sell il to the Paris mint. ana TO make
eight per cent or the transaction. There
was also on bcard the brig a gentle
man-in-ordinary 10 his Majesty Charles
X If. d'A4brion, a worthy old man
Who had betn rash snOsgh to marry q