Madame Grandet and Eugenie were obliged to go and come and
listen to the interminable talk of all these workmen and country folk.
Nanon put away in her kitchen the produce which they brought as
tribute. She always waited for her master's orders before she knew
what portion was to be used in the house and what was to be sold in
the market. It was the goodman's custom, like that of a great many
country gentlemen, to drink his bad wine and eat his spoiled fruit.
Towards five in the afternoon Grandet returned from Angers, having
made fourteen thousand francs by the exchange on his gold, bringing
home in his wallet good treasury-notes which bore interest until the
day he should invest them in the Funds. He had left Cornoiller at
Angers to look after the horses, which were well-nigh foundered, with
orders to bring them home slowly after they were rested.
"I have got back from Angers, wife," he said; "I am hungry."
Nanon called out to him from the kitchen: "Haven't you eaten anything
since yesterday?"
"Nothing," answered the old man.
Nanon brought in the soup. Des Grassins came to take his client's
orders just as the family sat down to dinner. Grandet had not even
observed his nephew.
"Go on eating, Grandet," said the banker; "we can talk. Do you know
what gold is worth in Angers? They have come from Nantes after it? I
shall send some of ours."
"Don't send any," said Grandet; "they have got enough. We are such old
friends, I ought to save you from such a loss of time.
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