Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1904 — THE MISER'S DAUGHTER [ARTICLE]

THE MISER'S DAUGHTER

By HONRE DE BALZAC

CHAPTER Xlll.—(Continued.) “Go on with your dinner. Gran Jot," aaid the hanker. "We can have a little chat. Have you heard what gold is fetching in Angers, and that people irom Nantes are buying it there? lam going to send some over.” • “You need not trouble yourself," answered his worthy client; "they have quite enough there by this time. * I don’t like to lose your labor when I can prevent it; we are too good friends for that.” "Bat gold is nt thirteen francs fifty centimes premium.” “Say was at a premium. I went over to Angers myself last night,” Grandet told him in a low voice. TTie banker started, and a whispered conversation followed; both des Grassins and Grandet looked at Charles from time to time, and once more a gesture of •tnprise escaped the banker, doubtless at the point when the old cooper commissioned him’ to purchase rentes to bring in « hundred thousand livres. “if. Grandet,” said des Grassins, addressing Charles, “I am going to Paris, land if there is anything I can do for Ijrou——” “Thank you, sir, there is nothing,” ICharles replied. “You jnust thank him more heartily than that, nephew. This gentleman is [going to wind up your father’s business and settle with his creditors.” “Then Is there any hope of coming to an arrangement?” asked Charles. “Why, are you not my nephew?” cried the cooper, with a fine assumption of pride. “Our honor is involved; is not four name Grandet?” Charles rose from his chair, impulsively flung his arms about his uncle, turned pale and left the room. Eugenie looked at her father with affection and pride in her eyes. “Well, let us say good by, my good friend,” said Grandet. “I am very much at your service. Try to get round those fellows over yonder." The two diplomatists shook hands, and the cooper went to the door with his neighbor; he came back to the room again when he had closed the door on des Grassins, flung himself down in his easy chair. The next morning, at the 8 o’clock breakfast, the party seemed for the.first time almost like one family. Mine; Grandet, Eugenie and Charles had been drawn together by these troubles, and Nanon herself unconsciously felt with them. As for the old vine grower, he scarcely noticed his nephew’s presence in the house, his greed of gold had been satisfied, and he was very shortly to be quit of this young sprig by the cheap and easy expedient of paying his nephew’s traveling expenses as far as Jsantes. Charles and Eugenie meanwhile were free to do what seemed to them good. They were under Mme. Grandet’s eyes, and Grandet reposed complete faith in his wife in all matters of conduct and religion. Moreover, he had other things to think of; his meadows were to be drained and a row of poplars was to be planted along the Loire, and there was all the ordinary winter work at Froidfond and elsewhere; in fact, he was exceedingly busy. CHAPTER XIV. And now began the springtime of love •for Eugenie. Since that hour in the night when she had given her gold to her cousin her heart had followed the gift. They shared a secret between thjpm; they were conscious of this understanding whenever they looked at each, other; and this knowledge, that brought them more and more closely together, drew them in a manner out of the current of everyday life. And did not relationship justify a certain tenderness in the voice and kindness in the eyes. Eugenie, therefore, set herself to make her cousin forget his grief in the childish Joys of growing love. She snatched at every happiness as some swimmer might catch at an overhanging willow branch, that so lie might reach the bank arid rest there for a little while. Was not the time of parting very pear now? The shadow of that parting seemed to fall across the brightest hours of those days that' fled so fast; and not one of them went by but something happened to remind her how soon it would be upon them. For instance, three days after des Grassins had started for Paris, Grandet had taken Charles before a magistrate with the funereal solemnity with which such acts are performed by provincials, *ud In the presence of that functionary the young man had had to sign a declaration that he renounced all claim to his father’s property. He went to M. Cruchot to procure two powers of attorney, one for des Grassins, the other for the friend who was commissioned to sell his own personal effects. There were also some necessary formalities in connection with his passport; and, finally, on the arrival of the plain suit of mourning; he sent for a clothier in Saumur and disposed of his now useless wardrobe. ' For several days Charles looked, spoke and behaved like a man who is in deep trouble, but who feels the weight of such heavy obligations that his misfortunes only brace him for greater effort. He had ceased to pity himself; ho had become a man. Never had Eugenie augured better of her cousin's character than ahe did on the day when she watched him come down stairs in his plain, black mourning suit, which set off his pole, sad face to such advantage. The too women had also gone Into mourning. Charles received letters from Puris as they took the midday "meal; he opened •nd read them. “Well, cousin,” aaid Eugeuie, in a low voice, “are your affairs going on satisfactorily?” “Never put question* of that sort, my «frb” remarked Grandet “I never talk to yon sbont my affaire, and why should rpa meddle tn your cousin's? Just let fee alone." “Oh! I have no secrets of any sort” •aid Charles. “Tut, tut, tut Yon will find out that yn mnst bridle your tongue In buaiueee, Whan the two lovers were alone In At cardan, Charlea drew Eugenie to

the old bench under the wnlnut tree, where they so often sat of late. “I felt sure of Alphonse, anil I was right,” lie said, "he has done wonders, and has settled my affairs prudently and loyally. All niy debts in Paris are paid, lay furniture sold well, and he tells me that he has acted on the advice of an old sea captain Who had made the voyage to the Indies, and hits invested the surplus money in ornaments and odds and ends for which there is a great demand out there. He has sent my packages to Nantes, where an East Indinmon is taking freight for Java, and so, Eugeuie. in fivo days we must bid each other farewell, for a long while at any rate, and perhaps forever. My trading venture and the ten thousand francs which two of my best friends have sent me, are a very poor start; I cannot expect to return for many years. Dear cousin, let us not consider ourselves bound in any way; I may die, and very likely some good opportunity for settling yourself ” “You love me?” sho asked. “Oh, yes, indeed,” he replied with an eagerness of manner that betokened a like earnestness in his feelings. “Then I will wait for you, Charles. My father is looking out of his window*,” she exclaimed, evading her cousin, who had drawn closer to embrace her. She fled to the archway; and seeing that Charles followed her thither, she retreated farther, flung back the folding door at the foot of the staircase, and with no very clear idea, save that of flight, she rushed toward the darkest corner of the passage, outside Nation’s sleeping hole; and there Charles, who' was close beside her, grasped both hands in his and pressed her to his heart; his arms went round her waist, Eugenie resisted no longer, and leaning against her lover she received and gave the purest, sweetest and most perfect of all kisses. “Dear Eugenie, a cousin is better than a brother; he can marry you,” said Charles. ===== - “Amen, so be it!” cried Nanon, opening the door behind them, and emerging from her den. Her voice startled the two lovers, who fled into the dining room, where Eugenie took up her sewing, and Charles seized on a book and began to read industriously. As soon as Charles fixed the day of his departure, Grandet bustled about and affected to take the greatest interest in the whole matter. He was liberal with advice and with anything else that cost him nothing. He was up betimes every morning planning, fitting, nailing deal boards together, squaring and shaping, and, in fact, he made some strong cases, packed all Charles’ property in them, and undertook to send them by steamer down to the merchant Ship, and to insure them during the voyage. Since that kiss given and taken in the passage, the hours sped with terrible rapidity for Eugenie. At times she thought of following her cousin, for of all ties that bind one human being to another, this passion of love is the closest and strongest, and those who know this will know the agony that Eugenie suffered. She shed many tears as she walked up and down the little garden; it had grown so narrow for her now; the court yard, the old house and the town had all grown narrow, and her thoughts w*ent forth nlready across vast spaces of sea. It was a melancholy group round the breakfast table on the morning of the day of departure. Even Nanon herself, in spite of Charles’ gift of a new gown, had a tear in her eye, but she was free to express her feelings, and did so. “Oh! that poor, delicate young gentleman who is going to sea!” was the burden of her discourse. At half past 10 the whole family left the house to see Charles start in thediiigence. Nanon meant to carry Charles* handbag. Every storekeeper in the ancient street was in the doorway to watch the little procession pass. M. Cruchot joined them in the market place. “Eugenie,” whispered her mother, “mind you don’t cry." They reached the gateway of the inn, and there Grandet kissed Charles on both cheeks. “Well, nephew,” he said, “set out poor and come back rich; you leave your father’s honor in safo keeping. I Grandet —will answer to you for that; you will only have to do your part -” “Oh! uncle, tills sweetens the bitterness of parting. Is not this the greatest gift you could possibly give me?” Charles put his arms round his uncle’s neck, and let fall tears of gratitude on the vino grower’s sunburned cheeks; Eugenie clasped her cousin’s hand in one of hers, and her father’s in the other, and held them tightly. Only the notary smiled to himself; he alone understood the worthy man, and he could not kelp admiring his astute cunning. The little group of onlookers hung about the diligence till the last moment; and looked after it until it disappeared. “A good riddance!” said the cooper. Luckily no one but M. Cruchot heard this ejaculation; Eugenie and her mother had walked along the quay to a point of view whence they could still see the diligence, and stood there waving their handkerchiefs and watching Charles’ answering signal till he was out of sight.

CHAPTER XV. To save further interruption to the course of the story, it is necessary to. glance a little ahead, and give a brief account of the course of events in the matter of Guillaume Grandet's affairs. A month after des Grassins had gone, Grandet received a certificate for a hundred thousand livres per annum of rentes, purchased at eighty francs. As for Guillaume Grandet’s creditors, everything had happened as the cooper had intended and foreseen. At the Bank of France they keep accurate lists of all great fortunes. The names of des Grassins and of Felix Grandet of Saumur were duly to be found inscribed therein; indeed, they shone conspicuous there as well-known name* in tho business world, as men who were not only financially sound, but owners of broad acres. And now it was said that des Grassins of Saumur had com# to Paris with intent to call a meeting of the creditors of the firm of Guillaume Grandet; tlie shade of the wine merchant was to be spared the disgrace of protested bills. The seals were broken

in the presence of the creditors, and the , family notary proceeded to make out an inventory .in due form. Before very long, in fact, des Crassins called a meeting of the creditors, i who, with one voice, appointed the hunk- : c-r of Rauitiiir as trustee conjointly with | Francois Keeler, the head of a large business house, empowering them to take j such measures as they thought fit, in j order to save the family name. The fart j that des Grassins wnst. acting as his agent produced a hopeful tone in the meeting, find things went smoothly from the first; the banker (lid not find a single dissentient voice. Each one said to himself: “Grandet of Saumur is going to pay!” Six months went by. The Parisian merchants had withdrawn the bills from circulation, and had consigned them to tlie depths of their portfolios. The cooper had gained his first point. Niue months after the first meeting the two trustees paid tlie creditors a dividend of forty--B<oen per cent.- This stun had been raised by the sale of the late Guillaume Grandet’s property, goods, chattels and general effects; the most scrupulous integrity characterized theso proceedings; indeed, the whole affair was conducted with the most conscientious honesty, and the delighted creditors fell to admiring Grandet’s high-minded probity. Twenty-three months after Guillaume Grnndet’s death, many of the merchants had forgotten all about their claims in the course of events in a business life, or they only thought of them to say to themselves: . ■ “It begins to look as though the fortyseven per cent is about all I shall get out of that business.” *-■* The cooper had reckoned on the aid of Time, who, so he was wont to say, is a good fellow. By the end of the third year des Grassins wrote to Grandet, saying that he had induced most of the creditors to give up their bills, and that the amount now* owing was only about ten per cent of the outstanding two millions four hundred thousand francs'. Grandet replied that there yet remained the notary and the stock broker, whoso failures had been the death of his brother; they were still alive. They might be solvent again by this time, and proceedings ought to be taken against them; something might be recovered in this way which would still further reduce the sum total of the deficit. When the fourth year drew to a close the deficit had been duly brought down to the sum of 1,200,000 francs; the limit appeared to have been reached. Six months were further spent in parleyings between the trustees and the creditors, and between Grandet and the trustees. In short, strong pressure being brought to bear upon Grandet of Saumur, he announced, somewhere about the ninth mouth of the same year, that his nephew, who had made a fortune in the East Indies, had signified his intention of settling in full all claims on his father’s estate, and that meantime he could not take it upon himself to act nor to defraud the creditors by winding up the affair before he had consulted his nephew; lie added that he had written to him, and was now awaiting an answer. The middle of the fifth year had been reached, and still the creditors were held in Check by the magic words "in full,” let fall judiciously from time to time by the sublime cooper, who was laughing at them in his sleeve. “Those Parisians,” he would say to himself, and a cunning smile would steal across his features. In fact, a mqrtyrdom unknown to the calendars of commerce was in store for the creditors. When next they appear in the course of this story they will be found in exactly the same position that they were in when Grandet had done with them. Consols went up to 115, old Grandet sold out, and received from Paris about 2,400,000 francs in gold, which went into his wooden kegs to keep company with the 000,000 francs of interest which his investment had brought in. Des Grassins stayed on in Paris. It was very lucky for hi 3 wife that she had brains enough to carry on the concern at Saumur in her own name, and could' extricate the remains of her fortune, which had suffered not a little from M. des Grassins’ extravagance. But tlie quasiwidow was in a false position, and the Crnchotins did all that in them lay to make matters worse; she had to give up all hope of a match between her son and Eugenie Grandet, and married her daughter very badly, Adolphe des Grassins went to join his father in Paris, and there acquired, so it was said, an unenviable reputation. The triumph of the Cruchotius wns complete. (To be continued.)