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Others, however, maintained that Madame des Grassins was more intimate with the women of the house of Grandet than the Cruchots were, and could put into their minds certain ideas which would lead, sooner or later, to success. To this the former retorted that the Abbe Cruchot was the most insinuating man in the world: pit a woman against a monk, and the struggle was even.
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.
Others replied that Monsieur and Madame des Grassins were nobles, and exceedingly rich; that Adolphe was a personable young fellow; and that unless the old man had a nephew of the pope at his beck and call, such a suitable alliance ought to satisfy a man who came from nothing, a man whom Saumur remembered with an adze in his hand, and who had, moreover, worn the bonnet rouge.
When the Cruchots got into the street Madame des Grassins said to them, "There is something going on at the Grandets. The mother is very ill without her knowing it. The girl's eyes are red, as if she had been crying all day. Can they be trying to marry her against her will?"
Do you think it right to compromise your dignity as a magistrate in such a " He stopped, for he heard Monsieur des Grassins saying to the old cooper as they shook hands, "Grandet, we have heard of the frightful misfortunes which have just befallen your family, the failure of the house of Guillaume Grandet and the death of your brother. We have come to express our grief at these sad events."
Monsieur des Grassins had already called several times. Charles listened to him coldly, and then replied, without fully understanding what had been said to him, "My father's affairs are not mine. I am much obliged, monsieur, for the trouble you have been good enough to take, by which, however, I really cannot profit.
Madame des Grassins rang the changes on the peerage and the title of marquise, until, mistaking Eugenie's disdainful smile for acquiescence, she went about proclaiming that the marriage with "Monsieur Cruchot" was not nearly as certain as people thought. "Though Monsieur de Froidfond is fifty," she said, "he does not look older than Monsieur Cruchot.
When the receipts were all legally registered, and des Grassins had received for his services the sum of fifty thousand francs allowed to him by Eugenie, the president made his way to the hotel d'Aubrion and found Charles just entering his own apartment after a serious encounter with his prospective father-in-law.
"As it is Eugenie's birthday you had better play loto all together," said Pere Grandet: "the two young ones can join"; and the old cooper, who never played any game, motioned to his daughter and Adolphe. "Come, Nanon, set the tables." "We will help you, Mademoiselle Nanon," said Madame des Grassins gaily, quite joyous at the joy she had given Eugenie.
Such was his visible estate; as to his other property, only two persons could give even a vague guess at its value: one was Monsieur Cruchot, a notary employed in the usurious investments of Monsieur Grandet; the other was Monsieur des Grassins, the richest banker in Saumur, in whose profits Grandet had a certain covenanted and secret share.
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