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Updated: June 8, 2025
Sometimes Grandet, reflecting that the poor creature had never heard a flattering word, that she was ignorant of all the tender sentiments inspired by women, that she might some day appear before the throne of God even more chaste than the Virgin Mary herself, Grandet, struck with pity, would say as he looked at her, "Poor Nanon!"
"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?"
Monsieur Grandet, whom Providence no doubt desired to compensate for the loss of his municipal honors, inherited three fortunes in the course of this year, that of Madame de la Gaudiniere, born de la Bertelliere, the mother of Madame Grandet; that of old Monsieur de la Bertelliere, her grandfather; and, lastly, that of Madame Gentillet, her grandmother on the mother's side: three inheritances, whose amount was not known to any one.
Follow the windings of the picturesque thoroughfare, whose irregularities awaken recollections that plunge the mind mechanically into reverie, and you will see a somewhat dark recess, in the centre of which is hidden the door of the house of Monsieur Grandet.
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!"
"Horses and carriages are useless," answered Grandet, looking at Charles, who remained silent, his eyes growing fixed. "Yes, my poor boy, you guess the truth, he is dead. But that's nothing; there is something worse: he blew out his brains." "My father!" "Yes, but that's not the worst; the newspapers are all talking about it. Here, read that."
"My brother did not consult me. Besides, he owes four millions." "What is a 'million, father?" she asked, with the simplicity of a child which thinks it can find out at once all that it wants to know. "A million?" said Grandet, "why, it is a million pieces of twenty sous each, and it takes five twenty sous pieces to make five francs."
The Cruchots, Madame des Grassins, and her son arrived at the usual hour of eight, and were surprised to see neither Madame Grandet nor her daughter. "My wife is not very well, and Eugenie is with her," said the old wine-grower, whose face betrayed no emotion.
This soft emotion was all the more precious to Charles in the midst of his heavy grief because it was wholly unexpected. The sound of the knocker recalled the women to their usual station. Happily they were able to run downstairs with sufficient rapidity to be seated at their work when Grandet entered; had he met them under the archway it would have been enough to rouse his suspicions.
"Yes, father." She soon came, after reassuring her mother. "My daughter," said Grandet, "you will now tell me what you have done with your gold." "My father, if you make me presents of which I am not the sole mistress, take them back," she answered coldly, picking up the napoleon from the chimney-piece and offering it to him. Grandet seized the coin and slipped it into his breeches' pocket.
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