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Parisian； with a smile； tossed them a disdainful affirmative； they
looked at each other and shook their heads with an incredulous air。 So
large a fortune covered with a golden mantle all the actions of this
man。 If in early days some peculiarities of his life gave occasion for
laughter or ridicule； laughter and ridicule had long since died away。
His least important actions had the authority of results repeatedly
shown。 His speech； his clothing； his gestures； the blinking of his
eyes； were law to the country…side； where every one； after studying
him as a naturalist studies the result of instinct in the lower
animals； had come to understand the deep mute wisdom of his slightest
actions。
〃It will be a hard winter；〃 said one； 〃Pere Grandet has put on his fur
gloves。〃
〃Pere Grandet is buying quantities of staves； there will be plenty of
wine this year。〃
Monsieur Grandet never bought either bread or meat。 His farmers
supplied him weekly with a sufficiency of capons； chickens； eggs；
butter； and his tithe of wheat。 He owned a mill； and the tenant was
bound； over and above his rent； to take a certain quantity of grain
and return him the flour and bran。 La Grande Nanon； his only servant；
though she was no longer young； baked the bread of the household
herself every Saturday。 Monsieur Grandet arranged with kitchen…
gardeners who were his tenants to supply him with vegetables。 As to
fruits； he gathered such quantities that he sold the greater part in
the market。 His fire…wood was cut from his own hedgerows or taken from
the half…rotten old sheds which he built at the corners of his fields；
and whose planks the farmers carted into town for him； all cut up； and
obligingly stacked in his wood…house； receiving in return his thanks。
His only known expenditures were for the consecrated bread； the
clothing of his wife and daughter； the hire of their chairs in church；
the wages of la Grand Nanon； the tinning of the saucepans； lights；
taxes； repairs on his buildings； and the costs of his various
industries。 He had six hundred acres of woodland； lately purchased；
which he induced a neighbor's keeper to watch； under the promise of an
indemnity。 After the acquisition of this property he ate game for the
first time。
Monsieur Grandet's manners were very simple。 He spoke little。 He
usually expressed his meaning by short sententious phrases uttered in
a soft voice。 After the Revolution； the epoch at which he first came
into notice； the good man stuttered in a wearisome way as soon as he
was required to speak at length or to maintain an argument。 This
stammering； the incoherence of his language； the flux of words in
which he drowned his thought； his apparent lack of logic； attributed
to defects of education； were in reality assumed； and will be
sufficiently explained by certain events in the following history。
Four sentences； precise as algebraic formulas； sufficed him usually to
grasp and solve all difficulties of life and commerce： 〃I don't know；
I cannot； I will not； I will see about it。〃 He never said yes； or no；
and never committed himself to writing。 If people talked to him he
listened coldly； holding his chin in his right hand and resting his
right elbow in the back of his left hand； forming in his own mind
opinions on all matters； from which he never receded。 He reflected
long before making any business agreement。 When his opponent； after
careful conversation； avowed the secret of his own purposes； confident
that he had secured his listener's assent； Grandet answered： 〃I can
decide nothing without consulting my wife。〃 His wife； whom he had
reduced to a state of helpless slavery； was a useful screen to him in
business。 He went nowhere among friends； he neither gave nor accepted
dinners； he made no stir or noise； seeming to economize in everything；
even movement。 He never disturbed or disarranged the things of other
people； out of respect for the rights of property。 Nevertheless； in
spite of his soft voice； in spite of his circumspect bearing； the
language and habits of a coarse nature came to the surface； especially
in his own home； where he controlled himself less than elsewhere。
Physically； Grandet was a man five feet high； thick…set； square…built；
with calves twelve inches in circumference； knotted knee…joints； and
broad shoulders； his face was round； tanned； and pitted by the small…
pox； his chin was straight； his lips had no curves； his teeth were
white； his eyes had that calm； devouring expression which people
attribute to the basilisk； his forehead； full of transverse wrinkles；
was not without certain significant protuberances； his yellow…grayish
hair was said to be silver and gold by certain young people who did
not realize the impropriety of making a jest about Monsieur Grandet。
His nose； thick at the end； bore a veined wen； which the common people
said； not without reason； was full of malice。 The whole countenance
showed a dangerous cunning； an integrity without warmth； the egotism
of a man long used to concentrate every feeling upon the enjoyments of
avarice and upon the only human being who was anything whatever to
him；his daughter and sole heiress； Eugenie。 Attitude； manners；
bearing； everything about him； in short； testified to that belief in
himself which the habit of succeeding in all enterprises never fails
to give to a man。
Thus； though his manners were unctuous and soft outwardly； Monsieur
Grandet's nature was of iron。 His dress never varied； and those who
saw him to…day saw him such as he had been since 1791。 His stout shoes
were tied with leathern thongs； he wore； in all weathers； thick
woollen stockings； short breeches of coarse maroon cloth with silver
buckles； a velvet waistcoat； in alternate stripes of yellow and puce；
buttoned squarely； a large maroon coat with wide flaps； a black
cravat； and a quaker's hat。 His gloves； thick as those of a gendarme；
lasted him twenty months； to preserve them； he always laid them
methodically on the brim of his hat in one particular spot。 Saumur
knew nothing further about this personage。
Only six individuals had a right of entrance to Monsieur Grandet's
house。 The most important of the first three was a nephew of Monsieur
Cruchot。 Since his appointment as president of the Civil courts of
Saumur this young man had added the name of Bonfons to that of
Cruchot。 He now signed himself C。 de Bonfons。 Any litigant so ill…
advised as to call him Monsieur Cruchot would soon be made to feel his
folly in court。 The magistrate protected those who called him Monsieur
le president； but he favored with gracious smiles those who addressed
him as Monsieur de Bonfons。 Monsieur le president was thirty…three
years old； and possessed the estate of Bonfons （Boni Fontis）； worth
seven thousand francs a year； he expected to inherit the property of
his uncle the notary and that of another uncle； the Abbe Cruchot； a
dignitary of the chapter of Saint…Martin de Tours； both of whom were
thought to be very rich。 These three Cruchots； backed by a goodly
number of cousins； and allied to twenty families in the town； formed a
party； like the Medici in Florence； like the Medici； the Cruchots had
their Pazzi。
Madame des Grassins； mother of a son twenty…three years of age； came
assiduously to play cards with Madame Grandet； hoping to marry her
dear Adolphe to Mademoiselle Eugenie。 Monsieur des Grassins； the
banker； vigorously promoted the schemes of his wife by means of secret
services constantly rendered to the old miser； and always arrived in
time upon the field of battle。 The three des Grassins likewise had
their adherents； their cousins； their faithful allies。 On the Cruchot
side the abbe； the Talleyrand of the family； well backed…up by his
brother the notary； sharply contested every inch of ground with his
female adversary； and tried to obtain the rich heiress for his nephew
the president。
This secret warfare between the Cruchots and des Grassins； the prize
thereof being the hand in marriage of Eugenie Grandet； kept the
various social circles of Saumur in violent agitation。 Would
Mademoiselle Grandet marry Monsieur le president or Monsieur Adolphe
des Grassins？ To this problem some replied that Monsieur Gran