Grandet remained alone. However,
in a few moments he went up six or eight stairs and called out,--
"Eugenie, when your mother is in bed, come down."
"Yes, father."
She soon came, after reassuring her mother.
"My daughter," said Grandet, "you will now tell me what you have done
with your gold."
"My father, if you make me presents of which I am not the sole
mistress, take them back," she answered coldly, picking up the
napoleon from the chimney-piece and offering it to him.
Grandet seized the coin and slipped it into his breeches' pocket.
"I shall certainly never give you anything again. Not so much as
that!" he said, clicking his thumb-nail against a front tooth. "Do you
dare to despise your father? have you no confidence in him? Don't you
know what a father is? If he is nothing for you, he is nothing at all.
Where is your gold?"
"Father, I love and respect you, in spite of your anger; but I humbly
ask you to remember that I am twenty-three years old. You have told me
often that I have attained my majority, and I do not forget it. I have
used my money as I chose to use it, and you may be sure that it was
put to a good use--"
"What use?"
"That is an inviolable secret," she answered. "Have you no secrets?"
"I am the head of the family; I have my own affairs."
"And this is mine."
"It must be something bad if you can't tell it to your father,
Mademoiselle Grandet."
"It is good, and I cannot tell it to my father.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193