But don't die, mother; live a long time yet, my poor wife! Come, try
to move! Listen! you shall have the finest altar that ever was made in
Saumur."
"Oh, how can you treat your wife and daughter so!" said Madame Grandet
in a feeble voice.
"I won't do so again, never again," cried her husband; "you shall see,
my poor wife!" He went to his inner room and returned with a handful
of louis, which he scattered on the bed. "Here, Eugenie! see, wife!
all these are for you," he said, fingering the coins. "Come, be happy,
wife! feel better, get well; you sha'n't want for anything, nor
Eugenie either. Here's a hundred _louis d'or_ for her. You won't give
these away, will you, Eugenie, hein?"
Madame Grandet and her daughter looked at each other in astonishment.
"Take back your money, father; we ask for nothing but your affection."
"Well, well, that's right!" he said, pocketing the coins; "let's be
good friends! We will all go down to dinner to-day, and we'll play
loto every evening for two sous. You shall both be happy. Hey, wife?"
"Alas! I wish I could, if it would give you pleasure," said the dying
woman; "but I cannot rise from my bed."
"Poor mother," said Grandet, "you don't know how I love you! and you
too, my daughter!" He took her in his arms and kissed her. "Oh, how
good it is to kiss a daughter when we have been angry with her! There,
mother, don't you see it's all over now? Go and put that away,
Eugenie," he added, pointing to the case.
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