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des Grassins？ To this problem some replied that Monsieur Grandet would
never give his daughter to the one or to the other。 The old cooper；
eaten up with ambition； was looking； they said； for a peer of France；
to whom an income of three hundred thousand francs would make all the
past； present； and future casks of the Grandets acceptable。 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/。 Certain wise heads called attention
to the fact that Monsieur Cruchot de Bonfons had the right of entry to
the house at all times； whereas his rival was received only on
Sundays。 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。 〃It is diamond cut diamond；〃 said a
Saumur wit。
The oldest inhabitants； wiser than their fellows； declared that the
Grandets knew better than to let the property go out of the family；
and that Mademoiselle Eugenie Grandet of Saumur would be married to
the son of Monsieur Grandet of Paris； a wealthy wholesale wine…
merchant。 To this the Cruchotines and the Grassinists replied： 〃In the
first place； the two brothers have seen each other only twice in
thirty years； and next； Monsieur Grandet of Paris has ambitious
designs for his son。 He is mayor of an arrondissement； a deputy；
colonel of the National Guard； judge in the commercial courts； he
disowns the Grandets of Saumur； and means to ally himself with some
ducal family；ducal under favor of Napoleon。〃 In short； was there
anything not said of an heiress who was talked of through a
circumference of fifty miles； and even in the public conveyances from
Angers to Blois； inclusively！
At the beginning of 1811； the Cruchotines won a signal advantage over
the Grassinists。 The estate of Froidfond； remarkable for its park； its
mansion； its farms； streams； ponds； forests； and worth about three
millions； was put up for sale by the young Marquis de Froidfond； who
was obliged to liquidate his possessions。 Maitre Cruchot； the
president； and the abbe； aided by their adherents； were able to
prevent the sale of the estate in little lots。 The notary concluded a
bargain with the young man for the whole property； payable in gold；
persuading him that suits without number would have to be brought
against the purchasers of small lots before he could get the money for
them； it was better； therefore； to sell the whole to Monsieur Grandet；
who was solvent and able to pay for the estate in ready money。 The
fine marquisate of Froidfond was accordingly conveyed down the gullet
of Monsieur Grandet； who； to the great astonishment of Saumur； paid
for it； under proper discount； with the usual formalities。
This affair echoed from Nantes to Orleans。 Monsieur Grandet took
advantage of a cart returning by way of Froidfond to go and see his
chateau。 Having cast a master's eye over the whole property； he
returned to Saumur； satisfied that he had invested his money at five
per cent； and seized by the stupendous thought of extending and
increasing the marquisate of Froidfond by concentrating all his
property there。 Then； to fill up his coffers； now nearly empty； he
resolved to thin out his woods and his forests； and to sell off the
poplars in the meadows。
II
It is now easy to understand the full meaning of the term； 〃the house
of Monsieur Grandet；〃that cold； silent； pallid dwelling； standing
above the town and sheltered by the ruins of the ramparts。 The two
pillars and the arch； which made the porte…cochere on which the door
opened； were built； like the house itself； of tufa；a white stone
peculiar to the shores of the Loire； and so soft that it lasts hardly
more than two centuries。 Numberless irregular holes； capriciously
bored or eaten out by the inclemency of the weather； gave an
appearance of the vermiculated stonework of French architecture to the
arch and the side walls of this entrance； which bore some resemblance
to the gateway of a jail。 Above the arch was a long bas…relief； in
hard stone； representing the four seasons； the faces already crumbling
away and blackened。 This bas…relief was surmounted by a projecting
plinth； upon which a variety of chance growths had sprung up；yellow
pellitory； bindweed； convolvuli； nettles； plantain； and even a little
cherry…tree； already grown to some height。
The door of the archway was made of solid oak； brown； shrunken； and
split in many places； though frail in appearance； it was firmly held
in place by a system of iron bolts arranged in symmetrical patterns。 A
small square grating； with close bars red with rust； filled up the
middle panel and made； as it were； a motive for the knocker； fastened
to it by a ring； which struck upon the grinning head of a huge nail。
This knocker； of the oblong shape and kind which our ancestors called
/jaquemart/； looked like a huge note of exclamation； an antiquary who
examined it attentively might have found indications of the figure；
essentially burlesque； which it once represented； and which long usage
had now effaced。 Through this little gratingintended in olden times
for the recognition of friends in times of civil warinquisitive
persons could perceive； at the farther end of the dark and slimy
vault； a few broken steps which led to a garden； picturesquely shut in
by walls that were thick and damp； and through which oozed a moisture
that nourished tufts of sickly herbage。 These walls were the ruins of
the ramparts； under which ranged the gardens of several neighboring
houses。
The most important room on the ground…floor of the house was a large
hall； entered directly from beneath the vault of the porte…cochere。
Few people know the importance of a hall in the little towns of Anjou；
Touraine； and Berry。 The hall is at one and the same time antechamber；
salon； office； boudoir； and dining…room； it is the theatre of domestic
life； the common living…room。 There the barber of the neighborhood
came； twice a year； to cut Monsieur Grandet's hair； there the farmers；
the cure； the under…prefect； and the miller's boy came on business。
This room； with two windows looking on the street； was entirely of
wood。 Gray panels with ancient mouldings covered the walls from top to
bottom； the ceiling showed all its beams； which were likewise painted
gray； while the space between them had been washed over in white； now
yellow with age。 An old brass clock； inlaid with arabesques； adorned
the mantel of the ill…cut white stone chimney…piece； above which was a
greenish mirror； whose edges； bevelled to show the thickness of the
glass； reflected a thread of light the whole length of a gothic frame
in damascened steel…work。 The two copper…gilt candelabra which
decorated the corners of the chimney…piece served a double purpose： by
taking off the side…branches； each of which held a socket； the main
stemwhich was fastened to a pedestal of bluish marble tipped with
coppermade a candlestick for one candle； which was sufficient for
ordinary occasions。 The chairs； antique in shape； were covered with
tapestry representing the fables of La Fontaine； it was necessary；
however； to know that writer well to guess at the subjects； for the
faded colors and the figures； blurred by much darning； were difficult
to distinguish。
At the four corners of the hall were closets； or rather buffets；
surmounted by dirty shelves。 An old card…table in marquetry； of which
the upper part was a chess…board； stood in the space between the two
windows。 Above this table was an oval barometer with a black border
enlivened with gilt bands； on which the flies had so licentiously
disported themselves that the gilding had become problematical。 On the
pa