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eugenie grandet-第25章

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  friends; but let me assure you that while I doubt the friendship
  of the world; I have never doubted yours。 I beg you therefore to
  settle all my affairs; and I trust to you to get as much as you
  can out of my possessions。 By this time you know my situation。 I
  have nothing left; and I intend to go at once to the Indies。 I
  have just written to all the people to whom I think I owe money;
  and you will find enclosed a list of their names; as correct as I
  can make it from memory。 My books; my furniture; my pictures; my
  horses; etc。; ought; I think; to pay my debts。 I do not wish to
  keep anything; except; perhaps; a few baubles which might serve as
  the beginning of an outfit for my enterprise。 My dear Alphonse; I
  will send you a proper power of attorney under which you can make
  these sales。 Send me all my weapons。 Keep Briton for yourself;
  nobody would pay the value of that noble beast; and I would rather
  give him to youlike a mourning…ring bequeathed by a dying man to
  his executor。 Farry; Breilmann; & Co。 built me a very comfortable
  travelling…carriage; which they have not yet delivered; persuade
  them to keep it and not ask for any payment on it。 If they refuse;
  do what you can in the matter; and avoid everything that might
  seem dishonorable in me under my present circumstances。 I owe the
  British Islander six louis; which I lost at cards; don't fail to
  pay him

〃Dear cousin!〃 whispered Eugenie; throwing down the letter and running
softly back to her room; carrying one of the lighted candles。 A thrill
of pleasure passed over her as she opened the drawer of an old oak
cabinet; a fine specimen of the period called the Renaissance; on
which could still be seen; partly effaced; the famous royal
salamander。 She took from the drawer a large purse of red velvet with
gold tassels; edged with a tarnished fringe of gold wire;a relic
inherited from her grandmother。 She weighed it proudly in her hand;
and began with delight to count over the forgotten items of her little
hoard。 First she took out twenty /portugaises/; still new; struck in
the reign of John V。; 1725; worth by exchange; as her father told her;
five /lisbonnines/; or a hundred and sixty…eight francs; sixty…four
centimes each; their conventional value; however; was a hundred and
eighty francs apiece; on account of the rarity and beauty of the
coins; which shone like little suns。 Item; five /genovines/; or five
hundred…franc pieces of Genoa; another very rare coin worth eighty…
seven francs on exchange; but a hundred francs to collectors。 These
had formerly belonged to old Monsieur de la Bertelliere。 Item; three
gold /quadruples/; Spanish; of Philip V。; struck in 1729; given to her
one by one by Madame Gentillet; who never failed to say; using the
same words; when she made the gift; 〃This dear little canary; this
little yellow…boy; is worth ninety…eight francs! Keep it; my pretty
one; it will be the flower of your treasure。〃 Item (that which her
father valued most of all; the gold of these coins being twenty…three
carats and a fraction); a hundred Dutch ducats; made in the year 1756;
and worth thirteen francs apiece。 Item; a great curiosity; a species
of medal precious to the soul of misers;three rupees with the sign
of the Scales; and five rupees with the sign of the Virgin; all in
pure gold of twenty…four carats; the magnificent money of the Great
Mogul; each of which was worth by mere weight thirty…seven francs;
forty centimes; but at least fifty francs to those connoisseurs who
love to handle gold。 Item; the napoleon of forty francs received the
day before; which she had forgotten to put away in the velvet purse。
This treasure was all in virgin coins; true works of art; which
Grandet from time to time inquired after and asked to see; pointing
out to his daughter their intrinsic merits;such as the beauty of the
milled edge; the clearness of the flat surface; the richness of the
lettering; whose angles were not yet rubbed off。

Eugenie gave no thought to these rarities; nor to her father's mania
for them; nor to the danger she incurred in depriving herself of a
treasure so dear to him; no; she thought only of her cousin; and soon
made out; after a few mistakes of calculation; that she possessed
about five thousand eight hundred francs in actual value; which might
be sold for their additional value to collectors for nearly six
thousand。 She looked at her wealth and clapped her hands like a happy
child forced to spend its overflowing joy in artless movements of the
body。 Father and daughter had each counted up their fortune this
night;he; to sell his gold; Eugenie to fling hers into the ocean of
affection。 She put the pieces back into the old purse; took it in her
hand; and ran upstairs without hesitation。 The secret misery of her
cousin made her forget the hour and conventional propriety; she was
strong in her conscience; in her devotion; in her happiness。

As she stood upon the threshold of the door; holding the candle in one
hand and the purse in the other; Charles woke; caught sight of her;
and remained speechless with surprise。 Eugenie came forward; put the
candle on the table; and said in a quivering voice:

〃My cousin; I must beg pardon for a wrong I have done you; but God
will pardon meif youwill help me to wipe it out。〃

〃What is it?〃 asked Charles; rubbing his eyes。

〃I have read those letters。〃

Charles colored。

〃How did it happen?〃 she continued; 〃how came I here? Truly; I do not
know。 I am tempted not to regret too much that I have read them; they
have made me know your heart; your soul; and〃

〃And what?〃 asked Charles。

〃Your plans; your need of a sum〃

〃My dear cousin〃

〃Hush; hush! my cousin; not so loud; we must not wake others。 See;〃
she said; opening her purse; 〃here are the savings of a poor girl who
wants nothing。 Charles; accept them! This morning I was ignorant of
the value of money; you have taught it to me。 It is but a means; after
all。 A cousin is almost a brother; you can surely borrow the purse of
your sister。〃

Eugenie; as much a woman as a young girl; never dreamed of refusal;
but her cousin remained silent。

〃Oh! you will not refuse?〃 cried Eugenie; the beatings of whose heart
could be heard in the deep silence。

Her cousin's hesitation mortified her; but the sore need of his
position came clearer still to her mind; and she knelt down。

〃I will never rise till you have taken that gold!〃 she said。 〃My
cousin; I implore you; answer me! let me know if you respect me; if
you are generous; if〃

As he heard this cry of noble distress the young man's tears fell upon
his cousin's hands; which he had caught in his own to keep her from
kneeling。 As the warm tears touched her; Eugenie sprang to the purse
and poured its contents upon the table。

〃Ah! yes; yes; you consent?〃 she said; weeping with joy。 〃Fear
nothing; my cousin; you will be rich。 This gold will bring you
happiness; some day you shall bring it back to me;are we not
partners? I will obey all conditions。 But you should not attach such
value to the gift。〃

Charles was at last able to express his feelings。

〃Yes; Eugenie; my soul would be small indeed if I did not accept。 And
yet;gift for gift; confidence for confidence。〃

〃What do you mean?〃 she said; frightened。

〃Listen; dear cousin; I have here〃 He interrupted himself to point
out a square box covered with an outer case of leather which was on
the drawers。 〃There;〃 he continued; 〃is something as precious to me as
life itself。 This box was a present from my mother。 All day I have
been thinking that if she could rise from her grave; she would herself
sell the gold which her love for me lavished on this dressing…case;
but were I to do so; the act would seem to me a sacrilege。〃 Eugenie
pressed his hand as she heard these last words。 〃No;〃 he added; after
a slight pause; during which a liquid glance of tenderness passed
between them; 〃no; I will neither sell it nor risk its safety on my
journey。 Dear Eugenie; you shall be its guardian。 Never did friend
commit anything more sacred to another。 Let me show it to you。〃

He went to the box; took it from its outer coverings; opened it; and
showed his delighted cousin a dressing…case where the rich workmanship
gave to the gold ornaments a value far above their weight。

〃What you admire there is nothing;〃 he said; pushing a secret spring
which opened a hidden drawer。 〃Here is something which to me is worth
the whole world。〃 He drew out two portraits; masterpieces of Madame
Mirbel; richly set with pearls。

〃Oh; how beautiful! Is it the lady to whom you wrote that〃

〃No;〃 he said; smiling; 〃this is my mother; and here is my father;
your aunt and uncle。 Eugenie; I beg you on my knees; keep my treasure
safely。 If I die and your little fortune is lost; this gold and these
pearls will repay you。 To you alone could I leave these portraits; you
are worthy to keep them。 But destroy them at last; so that they may
pass into no other hands。〃 Eugenie was silent。 〃Ah; yes; say yes! You
consent?〃 he added with winning grace。

Hearing the very words she had just used to her cousin now addressed
to herself; she turned upon him a l
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