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from the Indian Isles； he would have found the same people and the
same interests。 Madame des Grassins； to whom Eugenie was full of
kindness and courtesy； still persisted in tormenting the Cruchots。
Eugenie； as in former days； was the central figure of the picture； and
Charles； as heretofore； would still have been the sovereign of all。
Yet there had been some progress。 The flowers which the president
formerly presented to Eugenie on her birthdays and fete…days had now
become a daily institution。 Every evening he brought the rich heiress
a huge and magnificent bouquet； which Madame Cornoiller placed
conspicuously in a vase； and secretly threw into a corner of the
court…yard when the visitors had departed。
Early in the spring； Madame des Grassins attempted to trouble the
peace of the Cruchotines by talking to Eugenie of the Marquis de
Froidfond； whose ancient and ruined family might be restored if the
heiress would give him back his estates through marriage。 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。 He is a widower； and he has children；
that's true。 But then he is a marquis； he will be peer of France； and
in times like these where you will find a better match？ I know it for
a fact that Pere Grandet； when he put all his money into Froidfond；
intended to graft himself upon that stock； he often told me so。 He was
a deep one； that old man！〃
〃Ah！ Nanon；〃 said Eugenie； one night as she was going to bed； 〃how is
it that in seven years he has never once written to me？〃
XIII
While these events were happening in Saumur； Charles was making his
fortune in the Indies。 His commercial outfit had sold well。 He began
by realizing a sum of six thousand dollars。 Crossing the line had
brushed a good many cobwebs out of his brain； he perceived that the
best means of attaining fortune in tropical regions； as well as in
Europe； was to buy and sell men。 He went to the coast of Africa and
bought Negroes； combining his traffic in human flesh with that of
other merchandise equally advantageous to his interests。 He carried
into this business an activity which left him not a moment of leisure。
He was governed by the desire of reappearing in Paris with all the
prestige of a large fortune； and by the hope of regaining a position
even more brilliant than the one from which he had fallen。
By dint of jostling with men； travelling through many lands； and
studying a variety of conflicting customs； his ideas had been modified
and had become sceptical。 He ceased to have fixed principles of right
and wrong； for he saw what was called a crime in one country lauded as
a virtue in another。 In the perpetual struggle of selfish interests
his heart grew cold； then contracted； and then dried up。 The blood of
the Grandets did not fail of its destiny； Charles became hard； and
eager for prey。 He sold Chinamen； Negroes； birds' nests； children；
artists； he practised usury on a large scale； the habit of defrauding
custom…houses soon made him less scrupulous about the rights of his
fellow men。 He went to the Island of St。 Thomas and bought； for a mere
song； merchandise that had been captured by pirates； and took it to
ports where he could sell it at a good price。 If the pure and noble
face of Eugenie went with him on his first voyage； like that image of
the Virgin which Spanish mariners fastened to their masts； if he
attributed his first success to the magic influence of the prayers and
intercessions of his gentle love； later on women of other kinds；
blacks； mulattoes； whites； and Indian dancing…girls；orgies and
adventures in many lands； completely effaced all recollection of his
cousin； of Saumur； of the house； the bench； the kiss snatched in the
dark passage。 He remembered only the little garden shut in with
crumbling walls； for it was there he learned the fate that had
overtaken him； but he rejected all connection with his family。 His
uncle was an old dog who had filched his jewels； Eugenie had no place
in his heart nor in his thoughts； though she did have a place in his
accounts as a creditor for the sum of six thousand francs。
Such conduct and such ideas explain Charles Grandet's silence。 In the
Indies； at St。 Thomas； on the coast of Africa； at Lisbon； and in the
United States the adventurer had taken the pseudonym of Shepherd； that
he might not compromise his own name。 Charles Shepherd could safely be
indefatigable； bold； grasping； and greedy of gain； like a man who
resolves to snatch his fortune /quibus cumque viis/； and makes haste
to have done with villany； that he may spend the rest of his life as
an honest man。
With such methods； prosperity was rapid and brilliant； and in 1827
Charles Grandet returned to Bordeaux on the 〃Marie Caroline；〃 a fine
brig belonging to a royalist house of business。 He brought with him
nineteen hundred thousand francs worth of gold…dust； from which he
expected to derive seven or eight per cent more at the Paris mint。 On
the brig he met a gentleman…in…ordinary to His Majesty Charles X。；
Monsieur d'Aubrion； a worthy old man who had committed the folly of
marrying a woman of fashion with a fortune derived from the West India
Islands。 To meet the costs of Madame d'Aubrion's extravagance； he had
gone out to the Indies to sell the property； and was now returning
with his family to France。
Monsieur and Madame d'Aubrion； of the house of d'Aubrion de Buch； a
family of southern France； whose last /captal/； or chief； died before
1789； were now reduced to an income of about twenty thousand francs；
and they possessed an ugly daughter whom the mother was resolved to
marry without a /dot/；the family fortune being scarcely sufficient
for the demands of her own life in Paris。 This was an enterprise whose
success might have seemed problematical to most men of the world； in
spite of the cleverness with which such men credit a fashionable
woman； in fact； Madame d'Aubrion herself； when she looked at her
daughter； almost despaired of getting rid of her to any one； even to a
man craving connection with nobility。 Mademoiselle d'Aubrion was a
long； spare； spindling demoiselle； like her namesake the insect； her
mouth was disdainful； over it hung a nose that was too long； thick at
the end； sallow in its normal condition； but very red after a meal；a
sort of vegetable phenomenon which is particularly disagreeable when
it appears in the middle of a pale； dull； and uninteresting face。 In
one sense she was all that a worldly mother； thirty…eight years of age
and still a beauty with claims to admiration； could have wished。
However； to counterbalance her personal defects； the marquise gave her
daughter a distinguished air； subjected her to hygienic treatment
which provisionally kept her nose at a reasonable flesh…tint； taught
her the art of dressing well； endowed her with charming manners；
showed her the trick of melancholy glances which interest a man and
make him believe that he has found a long…sought angel； taught her the
manoeuvre of the foot；letting it peep beneath the petticoat； to show
its tiny size； at the moment when the nose became aggressively red； in
short； Madame d'Aubrion had cleverly made the very best of her
offspring。 By means of full sleeves； deceptive pads； puffed dresses
amply trimmed； and high…pressure corsets； she had obtained such
curious feminine developments that she ought； for the instruction of
mothers； to have exhibited them in a museum。
Charles became very intimate with Madame d'Aubrion precisely because
she was desirous of becoming intimate with him。 Persons who were on
board the brig declared that the handsome Madame d'Aubrion neglected
no means of capturing so rich a son…in…law。 On landing at Bordeaux in
June； 1827； Monsieur； Madame； Mademoiselle d'Aubrion； and Charles
lodged at the same hotel and started together for Paris。 The hotel
d'Aubrion was hampered with mortgages； Charles was destined to free
it。 The mother told him