eugenie grandet-第4章

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cherry…wood　filled　up　the　embrasure；　and　the　little　armchair　of
Eugenie　Grandet　stood　beside　it。　In　this　spot　the　lives　had　flowed
peacefully　onward　for　fifteen　years；　in　a　round　of　constant　work　from
the　month　of　April　to　the　month　of　November。　On　the　first　day　of　the
latter　month　they　took　their　winter　station　by　the　chimney。　Not　until
that　day　did　Grandet　permit　a　fire　to　be　lighted；　and　on　the　thirty…
first　of　March　it　was　extinguished；　without　regard　either　to　the
chills　of　the　early　spring　or　to　those　of　a　wintry　autumn。　A　foot…
warmer；　filled　with　embers　from　the　kitchen　fire；　which　la　Grande
Nanon　contrived　to　save　for　them；　enabled　Madame　and　Mademoiselle
Grandet　to　bear　the　chilly　mornings　and　evenings　of　April　and　October。
Mother　and　daughter　took　charge　of　the　family　linen；　and　spent　their
days　so　conscientiously　upon　a　labor　properly　that　of　working…women；
that　if　Eugenie　wished　to　embroider　a　collar　for　her　mother　she　was
forced　to　take　the　time　from　sleep；　and　deceive　her　father　to　obtain
the　necessary　light。　For　a　long　time　the　miser　had　given　out　the
tallow　candle　to　his　daughter　and　la　Grande　Nanon　just　as　he　gave　out
every　morning　the　bread　and　other　necessaries　for　the　daily
consumption。

La　Grande　Nanon　was　perhaps　the　only　human　being　capable　of　accepting
willingly　the　despotism　of　her　master。　The　whole　town　envied　Monsieur
and　Madame　Grandet　the　possession　of　her。　La　Grande　Nanon；　so　called
on　account　of　her　height；　which　was　five　feet　eight　inches；　had　lived
with　Monsieur　Grandet　for　thirty…five　years。　Though　she　received　only
sixty　francs　a　year　in　wages；　she　was　supposed　to　be　one　of　the
richest　serving…women　in　Saumur。　Those　sixty　francs；　accumulating
through　thirty…five　years；　had　recently　enabled　her　to　invest　four
thousand　francs　in　an　annuity　with　Maitre　Cruchot。　This　result　of　her
long　and　persistent　economy　seemed　gigantic。　Every　servant　in　the
town；　seeing　that　the　poor　sexagenarian　was　sure　of　bread　for　her　old
age；　was　jealous　of　her；　and　never　thought　of　the　hard　slavery　through
which　it　had　been　won。

At　twenty…two　years　of　age　the　poor　girl　had　been　unable　to　find　a
situation；　so　repulsive　was　her　face　to　almost　every　one。　Yet　the
feeling　was　certainly　unjust：　the　face　would　have　been　much　admired　on
the　shoulders　of　a　grenadier　of　the　guard；　but　all　things；　so　they
say；　should　be　in　keeping。　Forced　to　leave　a　farm　where　she　kept　the
cows；　because　the　dwelling…house　was　burned　down；　she　came　to　Saumur
to　find　a　place；　full　of　the　robust　courage　that　shrinks　from　no
labor。　Le　Pere　Grandet　was　at　that　time　thinking　of　marriage　and　about
to　set　up　his　household。　He　espied　the　girl；　rejected　as　she　was　from
door　to　door。　A　good　judge　of　corporeal　strength　in　his　trade　as　a
cooper；　he　guessed　the　work　that　might　be　got　out　of　a　female　creature
shaped　like　a　Hercules；　as　firm　on　her　feet　as　an　oak　sixty　years　old
on　its　roots；　strong　in　the　hips；　square　in　the　back；　with　the　hands
of　a　cartman　and　an　honesty　as　sound　as　her　unblemished　virtue。
Neither　the　warts　which　adorned　her　martial　visage；　nor　the　red…brick
tints　of　her　skin；　nor　the　sinewy　arms；　nor　the　ragged　garments　of　la
Grande　Nanon；　dismayed　the　cooper；　who　was　at　that　time　still　of　an
age　when　the　heart　shudders。　He　fed；　shod；　and　clothed　the　poor　girl；
gave　her　wages；　and　put　her　to　work　without　treating　her　too　roughly。
Seeing　herself　thus　welcomed；　la　Grande　Nanon　wept　secretly　tears　of
joy；　and　attached　herself　in　all　sincerity　to　her　master；　who　from
that　day　ruled　her　and　worked　her　with　feudal　authority。　Nanon　did
everything。　She　cooked；　she　made　the　lye；　she　washed　the　linen　in　the
Loire　and　brought　it　home　on　her　shoulders；　she　got　up　early；　she　went
to　bed　late；　she　prepared　the　food　of　the　vine…dressers　during　the
harvest；　kept　watch　upon　the　market…people；　protected　the　property　of
her　master　like　a　faithful　dog；　and　even；　full　of　blind　confidence；
obeyed　without　a　murmur　his　most　absurd　exactions。

In　the　famous　year　of　1811；　when　the　grapes　were　gathered　with
unheard…of　difficulty；　Grandet　resolved　to　give　Nanon　his　old　watch；
the　first　present　he　had　made　her　during　twenty　years　of　service。
Though　he　turned　over　to　her　his　old　shoes　（which　fitted　her）；　it　is
impossible　to　consider　that　quarterly　benefit　as　a　gift；　for　the　shoes
were　always　thoroughly　worn…out。　Necessity　had　made　the　poor　girl　so
niggardly　that　Grandet　had　grown　to　love　her　as　we　love　a　dog；　and
Nanon　had　let　him　fasten　a　spiked　collar　round　her　throat；　whose
spikes　no　longer　pricked　her。　If　Grandet　cut　the　bread　with　rather　too
much　parsimony；　she　made　no　complaint；　she　gaily　shared　the　hygienic
benefits　derived　from　the　severe　regime　of　the　household；　in　which　no
one　was　ever　ill。　Nanon　was；　in　fact；　one　of　the　family；　she　laughed
when　Grandet　laughed；　felt　gloomy　or　chilly；　warmed　herself；　and
toiled　as　he　did。　What　pleasant　compensations　there　were　in　such
equality！　Never　did　the　master　have　occasion　to　find　fault　with　the
servant　for　pilfering　the　grapes；　nor　for　the　plums　and　nectarines
eaten　under　the　trees。　〃Come；　fall…to；　Nanon！〃　he　would　say　in　years
when　the　branches　bent　under　the　fruit　and　the　farmers　were　obliged　to
give　it　to　the　pigs。

To　the　poor　peasant　who　in　her　youth　had　earned　nothing　but　harsh
treatment；　to　the　pauper　girl　picked　up　by　charity；　Grandet's
ambiguous　laugh　was　like　a　sunbeam。　Moreover；　Nanon's　simple　heart　and
narrow　head　could　hold　only　one　feeling　and　one　idea。　For　thirty…five
years　she　had　never　ceased　to　see　herself　standing　before　the　wood…
yard　of　Monsieur　Grandet；　ragged　and　barefooted；　and　to　hear　him　say：
〃What　do　you　want；　young　one？〃　Her　gratitude　was　ever　new。　Sometimes
Grandet；　reflecting　that　the　poor　creature　had　never　heard　a
flattering　word；　that　she　was　ignorant　of　all　the　tender　sentiments
inspired　by　women；　that　she　might　some　day　appear　before　the　throne　of
God　even　more　chaste　than　the　Virgin　Mary　herself；Grandet；　struck
with　pity；　would　say　as　he　looked　at　her；　〃Poor　Nanon！〃　The
exclamation　was　always　followed　by　an　undefinable　look　cast　upon　him
in　return　by　the　old　servant。　The　words；　uttered　from　time　to　time；
formed　a　chain　of　friendship　that　nothing　ever　parted；　and　to　which
each　exclamation　added　a　link。　Such　compassion　arising　in　the　heart　of
the　miser；　and　accepted　gratefully　by　the　old　spinster；　had　something
inconceivably　horrible　about　it。　This　cruel　pity；　recalling；　as　it
did；　a　thousand　pleasures　to　the　heart　of　the　old　cooper；　was　for
Nanon　the　sum　total　of　happiness。　Who　does　not　likewise　say；　〃Poor
Nanon！〃　God　will　recognize　his　angels　by　the　inflexions　of　their
voices　and　by　their　secret　sighs。

There　were　very　many　households　in　Saumur　where　the　servants　were
better　treated；　but　where　the　masters　received　far　less　satisfaction
in　return。　Thus　it　was　often　said：　〃What　have　the　Grandets　ever　done
to　make　their　Grande　Nanon　so　attached　to　them？　She　would　go　through
fire　and　water　for　their　sake！〃　Her　kitchen；　whose　barred　windows
looked　into　the　court；　was　always　clean；　neat；　cold；a　true　miser's
kitchen；　where　nothing　went　to　waste。　When　Nanon　had　washed　her
dishes；　locked　up　the　remains　of　the　dinner；　and　put　out　her　fire；　she
left　the　kitchen；　which　was　separated　by　a　passage　from　the　living…
room；　and　went　to　spin　hemp　beside　her　masters。　One　tallow　candle
sufficed　the　family　for　the　evening。　The　servant　slept　at　the　end　of
the　passage　in　a　species　of　closet　lighted　only　by　a　fan…light。　Her
robust　health　enabled　her　to　live　in　this　hole　with　impunity；　there
she　could　hear　the　slightest　noise　through　the　deep　silence　which
reigned　night　and　day　in　that　dreary　house。　Like　a　watch…dog；　she
slept　with　one　ear　open；　and　took　her　rest　with　a　mind　alert。

A　description　of　the　other　parts　of　the　dwelling　will　be　found
connected　with　the　events　of　this　history；　though　the　foregoing　sketch
of　the　hall；　where　the　whole　luxury　of　the　household　appears；　may
enable　the　reader　to　surmise　the　nakedness　of　the　upper　floors。

In　1819；　at　the　beginning　of　an　evening　in　the　middle　of　November；　la
Grande　Nanon　lighted　the　fire　for　the　first　time。　The　autumn　had　been
very　fine。　This　particular　day　was　a　fete…day　well　known　to　the
Cruchotines　and　the　Grassinists。　The　six　antagonists；　armed　at　all
points；　were　making　ready　to　meet　at　the　Grandets　and　surpass　each
other　in　testimonials　of　friendship。　That　morning　all　Saumur　had　seen
Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Grandet；　accompanied　by　Nanon；　on　their　way　to
hear　Mass　at　the　parish　church；　and　every　one　remembered　that　the　day
was　the　anniversary　of　Mademoiselle　Eugenie's　birth。　Calculating　the
hour　at　which　the　family　dinner　would　be　over；　Maitre　Cruchot；　the
Abbe　Cruchot；　and　Monsieur　C。　de　Bonfons　hastened　to　arrive　before　the
des　Grassins；　and　be　the　first　to　pay　their　compliments　to
Mademoiselle　Eugenie。　All　three　brought　enormous　bouquets；　gathered　in
their　little　green…houses。　The　stalks　of　the　flowers　which　the
president　intended　to　present　were　ingeniously　wound　round　with　a
white　satin　ribbon　adorned　with　gold　fringe。　In　the　morning　Monsieur
Grandet；　following　his　usual　custom　on　the　days　that　commemorated　the
birth　and　the　fete　of　Eugenie；　went　to　her　bedside　and　solemnly
presented　her　with　his　paternal　gift；which　for　the　last　thirteen
years　had　consisted　regularly　of　a　curious　gold…piece。　Madame　Grandet
gave　her　daughter　a　winter　dress　or　a　summer　dress；　as　the　case　might
be。　These　two　dresses　and　the　gold…pieces；　of　which　she　received　two
others　on　New　Year's　day　and　on　her　father's　fete…day；　gave　Eugenie　a
little　revenue　of　a　hundred　crowns　or　thereabouts；　which　Grandet　loved
to　see　her　amass。　Was　it　not　putting　his　money　from　one　strong…box　to
another；　and；　as　it　were；　training　the　parsimony　of　his　heiress？　from
whom　he　sometimes　demanded　an　account　of　her　treasure　（formerly
increased　by　the　gifts　of　the　Bertellieres）；　saying：　〃It　is　to　be　your
marriage　dozen。〃

The　〃marriage　dozen〃　is　an　old　custom　sacredly　preserved　and　still　in
force　in　many　parts　of　central　France。　In　Berry　and　in　Anjou；　when　a
young　girl　marries；　her　family；　or　that　of　the　husband；　must　give　her
a　purse；　in　which　they　place；　according　to　their　means；　twelve　pieces；
or　twelve　dozen　pieces；　or　twelve　hundred　pieces　of　gold。　The　poorest
shepherd…girl　never　marries　without　her　dozen；　be　it　only　a　dozen
coppers。　They　still　tell　in　Issoudun　of　a　certain　〃dozen〃　presented　to
a　rich　heiress；　which　contained　a　hundred　and　forty…four　/portugaises
d'or/。　Pope　Clement　VII。；　uncle　of　Catherine　de'　Medici；　gave　her　when
he　married　her　to　Henri　II。　a　dozen　antique　gold　medals　of　priceless
value。

During　dinner　the　father；　delighted　to　see　his　Eugenie　looking　well　in
a　new　gown；　exclaimed：　〃As　it　is　Eugenie's　birthday　let　us　have　a
fire；　it　will　be　a　good　omen。〃

〃Mademoiselle　will　be　married　this　year；　that's　certain；〃　said　la
Grande　Nanon；　carrying　away　the　remains　of　the　goose；the　pheasant　of
tradesmen。

〃I　don't　see　any　one　suitable　for　her　in　Saumur；〃　said　Madame　Grandet；
glancing　at　her　husband　with　a　timid　look　which；　considering　her
years；　revealed　the　conjugal　slavery　under　which　the　poor　woman
languished。

Grandet