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soul； made her universally pitied and respected。 Her husband never
gave her more than six francs at a time for her personal expenses。
Ridiculous as it may seem； this woman； who by her own fortune and her
various inheritances brought Pere Grandet more than three hundred
thousand francs； had always felt so profoundly humiliated by her
dependence and the slavery in which she lived； against which the
gentleness of her spirit prevented her from revolting； that she had
never asked for one penny or made a single remark on the deeds which
Maitre Cruchot brought for her signature。 This foolish secret pride；
this nobility of soul perpetually misunderstood and wounded by
Grandet； ruled the whole conduct of the wife。
Madame Grandet was attired habitually in a gown of greenish levantine
silk； endeavoring to make it last nearly a year； with it she wore a
large kerchief of white cotton cloth； a bonnet made of plaited straws
sewn together； and almost always a black…silk apron。 As she seldom
left the house she wore out very few shoes。 She never asked anything
for herself。 Grandet； seized with occasional remorse when he
remembered how long a time had elapsed since he gave her the last six
francs； always stipulated for the 〃wife's pin…money〃 when he sold his
yearly vintage。 The four or five louis presented by the Belgian or the
Dutchman who purchased the wine were the chief visible signs of Madame
Grandet's annual revenues。 But after she had received the five louis；
her husband would often say to her； as though their purse were held in
common： 〃Can you lend me a few sous？〃 and the poor woman； glad to be
able to do something for a man whom her confessor held up to her as
her lord and master； returned him in the course of the winter several
crowns out of the 〃pin…money。〃 When Grandet drew from his pocket the
five…franc piece which he allowed monthly for the minor expenses；
thread； needles； and toilet；of his daughter； he never failed to say
as he buttoned his breeches' pocket： 〃And you； mother； do you want
anything？〃
〃My friend；〃 Madame Grandet would answer； moved by a sense of maternal
dignity； 〃we will see about that later。〃
Wasted dignity！ Grandet thought himself very generous to his wife。
Philosophers who meet the like of Nanon； of Madame Grandet； of
Eugenie； have surely a right to say that irony is at the bottom of the
ways of Providence。
After the dinner at which for the first time allusion had been made to
Eugenie's marriage； Nanon went to fetch a bottle of black…currant
ratafia from Monsieur Grandet's bed…chamber； and nearly fell as she
came down the stairs。
〃You great stupid！〃 said her master； 〃are you going to tumble about
like other people； hey？〃
〃Monsieur； it was that step on your staircase which has given way。〃
〃She is right；〃 said Madame Grandet； 〃it ought to have been mended
long ago。 Yesterday Eugenie nearly twisted her ankle。〃
〃Here；〃 said Grandet to Nanon； seeing that she looked quite pale； 〃as
it is Eugenie's birthday； and you came near falling； take a little
glass of ratafia to set you right。〃
〃Faith！ I've earned it；〃 said Nanon； 〃most people would have broken
the bottle； but I'd sooner have broken my elbow holding it up high。〃
〃Poor Nanon！〃 said Grandet； filling a glass。
〃Did you hurt yourself？〃 asked Eugenie； looking kindly at her。
〃No； I didn't fall； I threw myself back on my haunches。〃
〃Well！ as it is Eugenie's birthday；〃 said Grandet； 〃I'll have the step
mended。 You people don't know how to set your foot in the corner where
the wood is still firm。〃
Grandet took the candle； leaving his wife； daughter； and servant
without any other light than that from the hearth； where the flames
were lively； and went into the bakehouse to fetch planks； nails； and
tools。
〃Can I help you？〃 cried Nanon； hearing him hammer on the stairs。
〃No； no！ I'm an old hand at it；〃 answered the former cooper。
At the moment when Grandet was mending his worm…eaten staircase and
whistling with all his might； in remembrance of the days of his youth；
the three Cruchots knocked at the door。
〃Is it you； Monsieur Cruchot？〃 asked Nanon； peeping through the little
grating。
〃Yes；〃 answered the president。
Nanon opened the door； and the light from the hearth； reflected on the
ceiling； enabled the three Cruchots to find their way into the room。
〃Ha！ you've come a…greeting；〃 said Nanon； smelling the flowers。
〃Excuse me； messieurs；〃 cried Grandet； recognizing their voices； 〃I'll
be with you in a moment。 I'm not proud； I am patching up a step on my
staircase。〃
〃Go on； go on； Monsieur Grandet； a man's house is his castle；〃 said
the president sententiously。
Madame and Mademoiselle Grandet rose。 The president； profiting by the
darkness； said to Eugenie：
〃Will you permit me； mademoiselle； to wish you； on this the day of
your birth； a series of happy years and the continuance of the health
which you now enjoy？〃
He offered her a huge bouquet of choice flowers which were rare in
Saumur； then； taking the heiress by the elbows； he kissed her on each
side of her neck with a complacency that made her blush。 The
president； who looked like a rusty iron nail； felt that his courtship
was progressing。
〃Don't stand on ceremony；〃 said Grandet； entering。 〃How well you do
things on fete…days； Monsieur le president！〃
〃When it concerns mademoiselle；〃 said the abbe； armed with his own
bouquet； 〃every day is a fete…day for my nephew。〃
The abbe kissed Eugenie's hand。 As for Maitre Cruchot； he boldly
kissed her on both cheeks； remarking： 〃How we sprout up； to be sure！
Every year is twelve months。〃
As he replaced the candlestick beside the clock； Grandet； who never
forgot his own jokes； and repeated them to satiety when he thought
them funny； said；
〃As this is Eugenie's birthday let us illuminate。〃
He carefully took off the branches of the candelabra； put a socket on
each pedestal； took from Nanon a new tallow candle with paper twisted
round the end of it； put it into the hollow； made it firm； lit it； and
then sat down beside his wife； looking alternately at his friends； his
daughter； and the two candles。 The Abbe Cruchot； a plump； puffy little
man； with a red wig plastered down and a face like an old female
gambler； said as he stretched out his feet； well shod in stout shoes
with silver buckles： 〃The des Grassins have not come？〃
〃Not yet；〃 said Grandet。
〃But are they coming？〃 asked the old notary； twisting his face； which
had as many holes as a collander； into a queer grimace。
〃I think so；〃 answered Madame Grandet。
〃Are your vintages all finished？〃 said Monsieur de Bonfons to Grandet。
〃Yes； all of them；〃 said the old man； rising to walk up and down the
room； his chest swelling with pride as he said the words； 〃all of
them。〃 Through the door of the passage which led to the kitchen he saw
la Grande Nanon sitting beside her fire with a candle and preparing to
spin there； so as not to intrude among the guests。
〃Nanon；〃 he said； going into the passage； 〃put out that fire and that
candle； and come and sit with us。 Pardieu！ the hall is big enough for
all。〃
〃But monsieur； you are to have the great people。〃
〃Are not you as good as they？ They are descended from Adam； and so are
you。〃
Grandet came back to the president and said；
〃Have you sold your vintage？〃
〃No； not I； I shall keep it。 If the wine is good this year； it will be
better two years hence。 The proprietors； you know； have made an
agreement to keep up the price； and this year the Belgians won't get
the better of us。 Suppose they are sent off empty…handed for once；
faith！ they'll come back。〃
〃Yes； but let us mind what we are about；〃 said Grandet in a tone which
made the president tremble。
〃Is he driving some bargain？〃 thought Cruchot。
At this moment the knocker announced the des Grassins family； and
their arrival interrupted a conversation which had begun between
Madame Grandet and the abbe。
Madame des Grassins was one of those lively； plump little women； with
pink…and…white skins； who； thanks to the claustral calm of the
provinces and the habits of a virtuous life； keep their youth until
they are past forty。 She was like the last rose of autumn；pleasant
to the eye； though the petals have a certain frostiness； and their
perfume is slight。 She dressed well； got her fashions from Paris； set
the tone to Saumur； and gave parties。 Her husband； formerly a
quartermaster in the Imperial guard； who had been desperately wounded
at Austerlitz； and had since retired； still retained； in spite of his
respect for Grandet； the seeming frankness of an old soldier。
〃Good evening； Grandet；〃 he said； holding out his hand and affecting a
sort of superiority； with which he always crushed the Cruchots。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he added； turning to Eugenie； after bowing to Madame
Grandet； 〃you are always beautiful and good； and truly I do not know
what to wish you。〃 So saying； he offered her a little box which his
servant had brought and which contained a Cape heather；a flower
lately imported into Europe and very rare。
Madame des Grassins kissed Eugenie very affectionately； pressed her
hand； and said： 〃Adolphe wishes to make you my little offering。