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vine, and almost to a twig.
The door of Eugenie's chamber was opposite to the walled-up entrance
to this room. At the other end of the landing were the appartements of
the married pair, which occupied the whole front of the house. Madame
Grandet had a room next to that of Eugenie, which was entered through
a glass door. The master's chamber was separated from that of his wife
by a partition, and from the mysterious strong-room by a thick wall.
Pere Grandet lodged his nephew on the second floor, in the high
mansarde attic which was above his own bedroom, so that he might hear
him if the young man took it into his head to go and come. When
Eugenie and her mother reached the middle of the landing they kissed
each other for good-night; then with a few words of adieu to Charles,
cold upon the lips, but certainly very warm in the heart of the young
girl, they withdrew into their own chambers.
"Here you are in your room, my nephew," said Pere Grandet as he opened
the door. "If you need to go out, call Nanon; without her, beware! the
dog would eat you up without a word. Sleep well. Good-night. Ha! why,
they have made you a fire!" he cried.
At this moment Nanon appeared with the warming pan.
"Here's something more!" said Monsieur Grandet. "Do you take my nephew
for a lying-in woman? Carry off your brazier, Nanon!"
"But, monsieur, the sheets are damp, and this gentleman is as delicate
as a woman."
"Well, go on, as you've taken it into your head," said Grandet,
pushing her by the shoulders; "but don't set things on fire." So
saying, the miser went down-stairs, grumbling indistinct sentences.
Charles stood aghast in the midst of his trunks. After casting his
eyes on the attic-walls covered with that yellow paper sprinkled with
bouquets so well known in dance-houses, on the fireplace of ribbed
stone whose very look was chilling, on the chairs of yellow wood with
varnished cane seats that seemed to have more than the usual four
angles, on the open night-table capacious enough to hold a small
sergeant-at-arms, on the meagre bit of rag-carpet beside the bed, on
the tester whose cloth valance shook as if, devoured by moths, it was
about to fall, he turned gravely to la Grande Nanon and said,--
"Look here! my dear woman, just tell me, am I in the house of Monsieur
Grandet, formerly mayor of Saumur, and brother to Monsieur Grandet of
Paris?"
"Yes, monsieur; and a very good, a very kind, a very perfect
gentleman. Shall I help you to unpack your trunks?"
"Faith! yes, if you will, my old trooper. Didn't you serve in the
marines of the Imperial Guard?"
"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed Nanon. "What's that,--the marines of the guard?
Is it salt? Does it go in the water?"
"Here, get me my dressing-gown out of that valise; there's the key."
Nanon was wonder-struck by the sight of a dressing-gown made of green
silk, brocaded with gold flowers of an antique design.
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