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"Yes, in full, capital and interest; and I am about to do honor to his memory " "What folly!" exclaimed his mother-in-law. "Who is this?" she whispered in Grandet's ear, perceiving the president. "My man of business," he answered in a low voice. The marquise bowed superciliously to Monsieur de Bonfons. "We are pushing each other's fortunes already," said the president, taking up his hat.
One or another would remark that in seven years he had largely increased his fortune, that Bonfons brought in at least ten thousand francs a year, and was surrounded, like the other possessions of the Cruchots, by the vast domains of the heiress. "Do you know, mademoiselle," said an habitual visitor, "that the Cruchots have an income of forty thousand francs among them!"
God thus flung piles of gold upon this prisoner to whom gold was a matter of indifference, who longed for heaven, who lived, pious and good, in holy thoughts, succoring the unfortunate in secret, and never wearying of such deeds. Madame de Bonfons became a widow at thirty-six. She is still beautiful, but with the beauty of a woman who is nearly forty years of age.
The president understood perfectly that he owed the acquiescence of Mademoiselle Grandet to some bitterness of love, and he made haste to obey her orders, lest time should effect a reconciliation between the pair. When Monsieur de Bonfons left her, Eugenie fell back in her chair and burst into tears. All was over. The president took the mail-post, and reached Paris the next evening.
At precisely five o'clock Monsieur C. de Bonfons and his uncle the notary arrived in their Sunday clothes. The party sat down to table and began to dine with good appetites. Grandet was grave, Charles silent, Eugenie dumb, and Madame Grandet did not say more than usual; so that the dinner was, very properly, a repast of condolence. When they rose from table Charles said to his aunt and uncle,
It is done constantly," said Monsieur C. de Bonfons, bestriding Grandet's meaning, or thinking he guessed it, and kindly wishing to help him out with it. "Listen." "Y-yes," said Grandet humbly, with the mischievous expression of a boy who is inwardly laughing at his teacher while he pays him the greatest attention. "When a man so respected and important as, for example, your late brother "
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.
"Good-by, cousin." "He is laughing at me, the old cockatoo! I'd like to put six inches of iron into him!" muttered Charles. The president was out of hearing. Three days later Monsieur de Bonfons, on his return to Saumur, announced his marriage with Eugenie. Six months after the marriage he was appointed councillor in the Cour royale at Angers.
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!
"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."
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