Eugenie Grandet, Honoré de Balzac [the reader ebook TXT] 📗

the business as white as the driven snow."

"Sn-n-now," said Grandet, putting his hand to his ear, "wh-wh-what about s-now?"

"But," cried the president, "do pray attend to what I am saying."

"I am at-t-tending."

"A note is merchandise,--an article of barter which rises and falls in prices. That is a deduction from Jeremy Bentham's theory about usury. That writer has proved that the prejudice which condemned usurers to reprobation was mere folly."

"Whew!" ejaculated the goodman.

"Allowing that money, according to Bentham, is an article of merchandise, and that whatever represents money is equally merchandise," resumed the president; "allowing also that it is notorious that the commercial note, bearing this or that signature, is liable to the fluctuation of all commercial values, rises or falls in the market, is dear at one moment, and is worth nothing at another, the courts decide--ah! how stupid I am, I beg your pardon--I am inclined to think you could buy up your brother's debts for twenty-five per cent."

"D-d-did you c-c-call him Je-Je-Jeremy B-Ben?"

"Bentham, an Englishman.'

"That's a Jeremy who might save us a lot of lamentations in business," said the notary, laughing.

"Those Englishmen s-sometimes t-t-talk sense," said Grandet. "So, ac-c-cording to Ben-Bentham, if my b-b-brother's n-notes are worth n-n-nothing; if Je-Je--I'm c-c-correct, am I not? That seems c-c-clear to my m-m-mind--the c-c-creditors would be--No, would not be; I understand."

"Let me explain it all," said the president. "Legally, if you acquire a title to all the debts of the Maison Grandet, your brother or his heirs will owe nothing to any one. Very good."

"Very g-good," repeated Grandet.

"In equity, if your brother's notes are negotiated--negotiated, do you clearly understand the term?--negotiated in the market at a reduction of so much per cent in value, and if one of your friends happening to be present should buy them in, the creditors having sold them of their own free-will without constraint, the estate of the late Grandet is honorably released."

"That's t-true; b-b-business is b-business," said the cooper. "B-b-but, st-still, you know, it is d-d-difficult. I h-have n-no m-m-money and n-no t-t-time."

"Yes, but you need not undertake it. I am quite ready to go to Paris (you may pay my expenses, they will only be a trifle). I will see the creditors and talk with them and get an extension of time, and everything can be arranged if you will add something to the assets so as to buy up all title to the debts."

"We-we'll see about th-that. I c-c-can't and I w-w-won't bind myself without--He who c-c-can't, can't; don't you see?"

"That's very true."

"I'm all p-p-put ab-b-bout by what you've t-t-told me. This is the f-first t-t-time in my life I have b-been obliged to th-th-think--"

"Yes, you are not a lawyer."

"I'm only a p-p-poor wine-g-grower, and know n-nothing about wh-what you have just t-told me; I m-m-must th-think about it."

"Very good," said the president, preparing to resume his argument.

"Nephew!" said the notary, interrupting him in a warning tone.

"Well, what, uncle?" answered the president.

"Let Monsieur Grandet explain his own intentions. The matter in question is of the first importance. Our good friend ought to define his meaning clearly, and--"

A loud knock, which announced the arrival of the des Grassins family, succeeded by their entrance and salutations, hindered Cruchot from concluding his sentence. The notary was glad of the interruption, for Grandet was beginning to look suspiciously at him, and the wen gave signs of a brewing storm. In the first place, the notary did not think it becoming in a president of the Civil courts to go to Paris and manipulate creditors and lend himself to an underhand job which clashed with the laws of strict integrity; moreover, never having known old Grandet to express the slightest desire to pay anything, no matter what, he instinctively feared to see his nephew taking part in the affair. He therefore profited by the entrance of the des Grassins to take the nephew by the arm and lead him into the embrasure of the window,--

"You have said enough, nephew; you've shown enough devotion. Your desire to win the girl blinds you. The devil! you mustn't go at it tooth and nail. Let me sail the ship now; you can haul on the braces. Do you think it right to compromise your dignity as a magistrate in such a--"

He stopped, for he heard Monsieur des Grassins saying to the old cooper as they shook hands,--

"Grandet, we have heard of the frightful misfortunes which have just befallen your family,--the failure of the house of Guillaume Grandet and the death of your brother. We have come to express our grief at these sad events."

"There is but one sad event," said the notary, interrupting the banker,--"the death of Monsieur Grandet, junior; and he would never have killed himself had he thought in time of applying to his brother for help. Our old friend, who is honorable to his finger-nails, intends to liquidate the debts of the Maison Grandet of Paris. To save him the worry of legal proceedings, my nephew, the president, has just offered to go to Paris and negotiate with the creditors for a satisfactory settlement."

These words, corroborated by Grandet's attitude as he stood silently nursing his chin, astonished the three des Grassins, who had been leisurely discussing the old man's avarice as they came along, very nearly accusing him of fratricide.

"Ah! I was sure of it," cried the banker, looking at his wife. "What did I tell you just now, Madame des Grassins? Grandet is honorable to the backbone, and would never allow his name to remain under the slightest cloud! Money without honor is a disease. There is honor in the provinces! Right, very right, Grandet. I'm an old soldier, and I can't disguise my thoughts; I speak roughly. Thunder! it is sublime!"

"Th-then s-s-sublime th-things c-c-cost d-dear," answered the goodman, as the banker warmly wrung his hand.

"But this, my dear Grandet,--if the president will excuse me,--is a purely commercial matter, and needs a consummate business man. Your agent must be some one fully acquainted with the markets,--with disbursements, rebates, interest calculations, and so forth. I am going to Paris on business of my own, and I can take charge of--"

"We'll see about t-t-trying to m-m-manage it b-b-between us, under the p-p-peculiar c-c-circumstances, b-b-but without b-b-binding m-m-myself to anything th-that I c-c-could not do," said Grandet, stuttering; "because, you see, monsieur le president naturally expects me to pay the expenses of his journey."

The goodman did not stammer over the last words.

"Eh!" cried Madame des Grassins, "why it is a pleasure to go to Paris. I would willingly pay to go myself."

She made a sign to her husband, as if to encourage him in cutting the enemy out of the commission, _coute que coute_; then she glanced ironically at the two Cruchots, who looked chap-fallen. Grandet seized the banker by a button and drew him into a corner of the room.

"I have a great deal more confidence in you than in the president," he said; "besides, I've other fish to fry," he added, wriggling his wen. "I want to buy a few thousand francs in the Funds while they are at eighty. They fall, I'm told, at the end of each month. You know all about these things, don't you?"

"Bless me! then, am I to invest enough to give you a few thousand francs a year?"

"That's not much to begin with. Hush! I don't want any one to know I am going to play that game. You can make the investment by the end of the month. Say nothing to the Cruchots; that'll annoy them. If you are really going to Paris, we will see if there is anything to be done for my poor nephew."

"Well, it's all settled. I'll start to-morrow by the mail-post," said des Grassins aloud, "and I will come and take your last directions at--what hour will suit you?"

"Five o'clock, just before dinner," said Grandet, rubbing his hands.

The two parties stayed on for a short time. Des Grassins said, after a pause, striking Grandet on the shoulder,--

"It is a good thing to have a relation like him."

"Yes, yes; without making a show," said Grandet, "I am a g-good relation. I loved my brother, and I will prove it, unless it c-c-costs--"

"We must leave you, Grandet," said the banker, interrupting him fortunately before he got to the end of his sentence. "If I hurry my departure, I must attend to some matters at once."

"Very good, very good! I myself--in c-consequence of what I t-told you--I must retire to my own room and 'd-d-deliberate,' as President Cruchot says."

"Plague take him! I am no longer Monsieur de Bonfons," thought the magistrate ruefully, his face assuming the expression of a judge bored by an argument.

The heads of the two factions walked off together. Neither gave any further thought to the treachery Grandet had been guilty of in the morning against the whole wine-growing community; each tried to fathom what the other was thinking about the real intentions of the wily old man in this new affair, but in vain.

"Will you go with us to Madame Dorsonval's?" said des Grassins to the notary.

"We will go there later," answered the president. "I have promised to say good-evening to Mademoiselle de Gribeaucourt, and we will go there first, if my uncle is willing."

"Farewell for the present!" said Madame des Grassins.

When the Cruchots were a few steps off, Adolphe remarked to his father,--

"Are not they fuming, hein?"

"Hold your tongue, my son!" said his mother; "they might hear you. Besides, what you say is not in good taste,--law-school language."

"Well, uncle," cried the president when he saw the des Grassins disappearing, "I began by being de Bonfons, and I have ended as nothing but Cruchot."

"I saw that that annoyed you; but the wind has set fair for the des Grassins. What a fool you are, with all your cleverness! Let them sail off on Grandet's 'We'll see about it,' and keep yourself quiet, young man. Eugenie will none the less be your wife."

In a few moments the news of Grandet's magnanimous resolve was disseminated in three houses at the same moment, and the whole town began to talk of his fraternal devotion. Every one forgave Grandet for the sale made in defiance of the good faith pledged to the community; they admired his sense of honor, and began to laud a generosity of which they had never thought him capable. It is part of the French nature to grow enthusiastic, or angry, or fervent about some meteor of the moment. Can it be that collective beings, nationalities, peoples, are devoid of memory?

When Pere Grandet had shut the door he called Nanon.

"Don't let the dog loose, and don't go to bed; we have work to do together. At eleven o'clock Cornoiller will be at the door with the chariot from Froidfond. Listen for him and prevent his knocking; tell him to come in softly. Police regulations don't allow nocturnal racket. Besides, the whole neighborhood need not know that I am starting on a journey."

So saying, Grandet returned to his private room, where Nanon heard him moving about, rummaging, and walking to and fro, though with much precaution, for he evidently did not wish to wake his wife and daughter, and above all not to rouse the attention of his nephew, whom he had begun to