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plenty of time for dressing carefully had led her to get up too early。
Ignorant of the art of retouching every curl and studying every
effect； Eugenie simply crossed her arms； sat down by the window； and
looked at the court…yard； the narrow garden； and the high terraced
walls that over…topped it： a dismal； hedged…in prospect； yet not
wholly devoid of those mysterious beauties which belong to solitary or
uncultivated nature。 Near the kitchen was a well surrounded by a curb；
with a pulley fastened to a bent iron rod clasped by a vine whose
leaves were withered； reddened； and shrivelled by the season。 From
thence the tortuous shoots straggled to the wall； clutched it； and ran
the whole length of the house； ending near the wood…pile； where the
logs were ranged with as much precision as the books in a library。 The
pavement of the court…yard showed the black stains produced in time by
lichens； herbage； and the absence of all movement or friction。 The
thick walls wore a coating of green moss streaked with waving brown
lines； and the eight stone steps at the bottom of the court…yard which
led up to the gate of the garden were disjointed and hidden beneath
tall plants； like the tomb of a knight buried by his widow in the days
of the Crusades。 Above a foundation of moss…grown； crumbling stones
was a trellis of rotten wood； half fallen from decay； over them
clambered and intertwined at will a mass of clustering creepers。 On
each side of the latticed gate stretched the crooked arms of two
stunted apple…trees。 Three parallel walks； gravelled and separated
from each other by square beds； where the earth was held in by box…
borders； made the garden； which terminated； beneath a terrace of the
old walls； in a group of lindens。 At the farther end were raspberry…
bushes； at the other； near the house； an immense walnut…tree drooped
its branches almost into the window of the miser's sanctum。
A clear day and the beautiful autumnal sun common to the banks of the
Loire was beginning to melt the hoar…frost which the night had laid on
these picturesque objects； on the walls； and on the plants which
swathed the court…yard。 Eugenie found a novel charm in the aspect of
things lately so insignificant to her。 A thousand confused thoughts
came to birth in her mind and grew there； as the sunbeams grew without
along the wall。 She felt that impulse of delight； vague； inexplicable；
which wraps the moral being as a cloud wraps the physical body。 Her
thoughts were all in keeping with the details of this strange
landscape； and the harmonies of her heart blended with the harmonies
of nature。 When the sun reached an angle of the wall where the 〃Venus…
hair〃 of southern climes drooped its thick leaves； lit with the
changing colors of a pigeon's breast； celestial rays of hope illumined
the future to her eyes； and thenceforth she loved to gaze upon that
piece of wall； on its pale flowers； its blue harebells； its wilting
herbage； with which she mingled memories as tender as those of
childhood。 The noise made by each leaf as it fell from its twig in the
void of that echoing court gave answer to the secret questionings of
the young girl； who could have stayed there the livelong day without
perceiving the flight of time。 Then came tumultuous heavings of the
soul。 She rose often； went to her glass； and looked at herself； as an
author in good faith looks at his work to criticise it and blame it in
his own mind。
〃I am not beautiful enough for him！〃 Such was Eugenie's thought；a
humble thought； fertile in suffering。 The poor girl did not do herself
justice； but modesty； or rather fear； is among the first of love's
virtues。 Eugenie belonged to the type of children with sturdy
constitutions； such as we see among the lesser bourgeoisie； whose
beauties always seem a little vulgar； and yet； though she resembled
the Venus of Milo； the lines of her figure were ennobled by the softer
Christian sentiment which purifies womanhood and gives it a
distinction unknown to the sculptors of antiquity。 She had an enormous
head； with the masculine yet delicate forehead of the Jupiter of
Phidias； and gray eyes； to which her chaste life； penetrating fully
into them； carried a flood of light。 The features of her round face；
formerly fresh and rosy； were at one time swollen by the small…pox；
which destroyed the velvet texture of the skin； though it kindly left
no other traces； and her cheek was still so soft and delicate that her
mother's kiss made a momentary red mark upon it。 Her nose was somewhat
too thick； but it harmonized well with the vermilion mouth； whose
lips； creased in many lines； were full of love and kindness。 The
throat was exquisitely round。 The bust； well curved and carefully
covered； attracted the eye and inspired reverie。 It lacked； no doubt；
the grace which a fitting dress can bestow； but to a connoisseur the
non…flexibility of her figure had its own charm。 Eugenie； tall and
strongly made； had none of the prettiness which pleases the masses；
but she was beautiful with a beauty which the spirit recognizes； and
none but artists truly love。 A painter seeking here below for a type
of Mary's celestial purity； searching womankind for those proud modest
eyes which Raphael divined； for those virgin lines； often due to
chances of conception； which the modesty of Christian life alone can
bestow or keep unchanged；such a painter； in love with his ideal；
would have found in the face of Eugenie the innate nobleness that is
ignorant of itself； he would have seen beneath the calmness of that
brow a world of love； he would have felt； in the shape of the eyes； in
the fall of the eyelids； the presence of the nameless something that
we call divine。 Her features； the contour of her head； which no
expression of pleasure had ever altered or wearied； were like the
lines of the horizon softly traced in the far distance across the
tranquil lakes。 That calm and rosy countenance； margined with light
like a lovely full…blown flower； rested the mind； held the eye； and
imparted the charm of the conscience that was there reflected。 Eugenie
was standing on the shore of life where young illusions flower； where
daisies are gathered with delights ere long to be unknown； and thus
she said； looking at her image in the glass； unconscious as yet of
love： 〃I am too ugly； he will not notice me。〃
Then she opened the door of her chamber which led to the staircase；
and stretched out her neck to listen for the household noises。 〃He is
not up；〃 she thought； hearing Nanon's morning cough as the good soul
went and came； sweeping out the halls； lighting her fire； chaining the
dog； and speaking to the beasts in the stable。 Eugenie at once went
down and ran to Nanon； who was milking the cow。
〃Nanon； my good Nanon； make a little cream for my cousin's breakfast。〃
〃Why； mademoiselle； you should have thought of that yesterday；〃 said
Nanon； bursting into a loud peal of laughter。 〃I can't make cream。
Your cousin is a darling； a darling！ oh； that he is！ You should have
seen him in his dressing…gown； all silk and gold！ I saw him； I did！ He
wears linen as fine as the surplice of monsieur le cure。〃
〃Nanon； please make us a /galette/。〃
〃And who'll give me wood for the oven； and flour and butter for the
cakes？〃 said Nanon； who in her function of prime…minister to Grandet
assumed at times enormous importance in the eyes of Eugenie and her
mother。 〃Mustn't rob the master to feast the cousin。 You ask him for
butter and flour and wood： he's your father； perhaps he'll give you
some。 See！ there he is now； coming to give out the provisions。〃
Eugenie escaped into the garden； quite frightened as she heard the
staircase shaking under her father's step。 Already she felt the
effects of that virgin modesty and that special consciousness of
happiness which lead us to fancy； not perhaps without reason； that our
thoughts are graven on our foreheads and are open to the eyes of all。
Perceiving for the first time the cold nakedness of her father's
house； the poor girl felt a sort of rage that she could not put it in
harmony with her cousin's elegance。 She felt the need of doing
something for him；what； she did not know。 Ingenuous and truthful；
she foll