Miss Eugenie Grandet

The weather is fine, and a carriage is galloping on its way to the village of Priedov.The driver at the front seemed to be in a good mood, and even hummed a local folk tune.But the two passengers in the carriage are obviously not on the same channel now.

"My dear," the gentleman who spoke, that is, Mr. Philip Larner, seemed enthusiastic, "Have you chosen the place where we will travel together after we get married? Santorini in the Aegean Sea, or Norway Or go to the highland Swan Castle in Fussen. The king has repeatedly invited me to go, and promised that it will be as charming as a fairy tale world.”

"Why do you have to choose?" The lady sitting next to him was looking at the field scenery outside the window, and said casually, "Why don't you go to all of them?"

Philip's eyes lit up quickly, "Great! That's exactly what I thought. So when can we make the trip?"

"It's impossible," the lady finally turned her face away and glanced at him, "Even if I can make the trip, you can't stay outside for so long—want to visit all these places, with the current traffic speed For me, it will take at least two or three months. I am still deeply impressed by the previous trip to Montebello.”

About this trip to Montebello, the process is like this.In order to express his reward for the Duke of Montebello's contribution to the empire, Emperor II finally gave him the Elysee Palace, one of the royal properties.After learning in detail about the expenditure required to maintain the original appearance of this big house (not including any repairs) for one year, the Duke expressed that he was under a lot of pressure.Inspired by the exhortations of the old Grandet before his death, he set his sights on the extra-large manor equivalent to 25 Flois, and decided to learn from the old Grandet, planting grapes and sugar beets , Planting oats... It is said that this way, there will be several million francs of income a year-in fact, even if it is not so much, Mr. Lanner is very satisfied with the income that can make up for the expenses of the Elysee Palace.Regarding this kind of matter, Miss Grandet, who has won the true biography of the old Grandet, is naturally the best candidate for guidance.So Mr. Laner immediately went to invite Miss Grandet to go there with great interest-in addition to this, he actually had two other purposes, one is that this is a good opportunity to get along with Miss Grandet intimately, two, It is also selfish to show off the only property he can afford in front of Miss Grandet.Unexpectedly, she was mercilessly rejected by the lady because she was busy with business.Mr. Lana, who was furious and angry, resorted to shameless means, saying that if she did not accompany him, then the capable secretary next to her would receive a conscription order from the Imperial Army tomorrow, and at this time next month, He should have been sent to the North Sea Fleet as an honorable Imperial sailor.According to the investigation, the young man's father escaped military service by self-harming at the time of the Battle of Wagram in 1809.Then, according to the military service law of the empire, if this matter is verified, then even if the son has completed his own military service, he must perform the military service again for Lao Tzu.

Mademoiselle Grandet knew that M. Laner had always been hostile to her secretary—probably thinking that she spent far more time with the young man than with him.Now faced with such a brazen threat from him, she had to give in - her secretary had already served a military service.This young man is very capable and has almost become her right-hand man now.Now if he is really taken away by the military, it will not be easy to find someone who can replace him in a short time.So she dropped things off and went to Montebello with the victorious Mr. Laner.

Naturally, the trip was filled with sweet memories - if not constantly interrupted by messengers from the Parisian court.After staying in the manor for seven or eight days, after seeing the envoy sent from the court for the third time, the depressed Mr. Lana had no choice but to apologize to Eugenie in trepidation and ask her forgiveness—seeing him like this, Ou Ye On the contrary, Ni felt the need to comfort him, so she offered to accompany him to visit his grandmother in Gers after he was busy during this time.With her permission, she might consider accepting the one hundred and one marriages he has proposed.

Regarding Eugenie's statement, Philip couldn't believe his ears.

He had begun his long courtship a few months ago, when she had finally agreed to join him as his companion at James Rochelle's baronial ball.Only God knows how many times he has been rejected by her for various reasons.If it wasn't for his steel heart, which even a single bullet can't pierce, he would have already fallen to the ground by now.Now that she finally got such a reply, what could be more important than this?He vowed that if there was another major war between European monarchs tomorrow, he would get it over with before the sun rose in the morning—and so, more than a week after Montebello returned, he Taking Eugenie on the road to Gers.All the while, he described with gusto the places he wanted to take her.But she seemed less interested.Now being blocked by her words, Philip felt a little guilty, and finally shut up.

But Eugenie muffled his mouth, which had been chattering in his ears all the way, Eugenie hissed.Thinking that she might have to face such a talkative guy for the rest of her life, she felt that her future was gloomy.

"Are you disliking me for talking too much?"

After a few seconds of silence, she heard him speak again, and this time, the voice was not very happy.

She glanced at him with a displeased expression on his face, even though I don't have the heart to hit you, but what you said happened to be the truth.

He stared at her angrily. "The people in the Paris court and the Congress all think that I cherish my words like gold!"——When I talk to you, it means that I think highly of you, okay?

"Should show them what you look like now."

Having finished speaking, Eugenie turned her face out of the window again, so as not to look at his darkened handsome face.

She knew he was staring at her with dissatisfaction.But it doesn't matter, eyes can't kill anyway.After a while, she felt a tightness around her waist, and one arm stretched out, and after hugging her, she raised the other hand, huffed, and pulled the curtains of the carriage.

She knew immediately what he wanted to do.Frowning, turning his face away, he stared at the hand that was holding him.

"Remind you again, I am a devout Catholic." - Hey, get rid of this salty pig's hand!

"Damn Catholics!"

At this time, Philip, as the son-in-law-to-be, was surprisingly consistent with his father-in-law, Grandet, who had passed away.

"Since you think I'm too talkative, then I won't talk. But there is still some way to Pulidorf, we'd better find something to do..."

He moved his face closer, with an expression that even a slap would not stop me, and then whispered in her ear with a charming voice.

----

In the afternoon, the carriage finally arrived at Pulitov and stopped at the entrance of the village.

It was very quiet in the village.Walking in this small village with a strong Provence style, occasionally one or two people can be heard talking nearby, but no one can be seen.A puppy with black and white spots suddenly jumped out from a hole in the fence by the side of the road. Eugenie was startled and stopped walking.

"Shh - take it easy, Grandma will love it."

As if seeing her anxiety, Philip squeezed her hand hard.

She already knew that she had been here once.Now it's back to the old place, and the mood is completely different from last time.

She smiled and nodded at him.

----

The Countess's old house appeared before her eyes again.When walking on the clean bluestone road, the door was opened just in time, and a middle-aged woman in a white dress came out with a watering can for watering the flowers and plants.When she saw Philip, she showed an expression of surprise and joy, and opened her mouth to scream, but Philip made a silent gesture to her.The woman laughed and hurried over quickly.

"My God, I can't believe it, you're here so soon. I thought it would be so long!"

After Philip came back, he sent a letter of safety to his grandmother, telling her that he had won the battle, and said that he would visit her as soon as possible when he was free.

"Dear Laura, is grandma all right?"

Philip asked.

"It's the same as before." Laura smiled, "I've been looking forward to your coming all day. Oh, by the way, this lady..."

She looked at Eugenie, and was taken aback for a moment when she saw her face.As if remembering something, suddenly, a surprised and joyful expression appeared.

"Ah, I see, it's the lady in the painting!"

"You are so clever," Philip said with a smile as he glanced at Eugenie next to him, "is she a hundred times more beautiful than the one in my painting?"

"Pretty, cute! It's just perfect!" said Laura cheerfully.

Eugenie felt a little embarrassed, but more, there was joy and intimacy from the bottom of her heart. When Laura reached out to her, she immediately stepped forward and hugged her.

"It's so wonderful, it's like a dream." Laura looked in the direction of the door behind her. "The countess just woke up and has woken up. Take her to see her quickly. I dare you Guaranteed, she will be very happy."

"Thank you, Laura."

said Philip, turning to Eugenie, "Come, I will take you."

----

As usual, the Countess sat by the window where the sun was shining all afternoon, waiting for Jalina, who was reading to her, to come.Her old cat was still dozing lazily on her lap.

The door was pushed open, and there was a sound of walking footsteps.

The countess recognized it immediately.Neither Laura nor the young girl reading to her would have made such footsteps.

The corners of her lips rose slightly, suppressing the joy in her heart, deliberately pretending not to notice it.

"Dear grandma," a moment later, a familiar voice sounded in her ears, and then, her grandson, who made her so proud, stopped in front of her, bent down, and kissed her forehead , "I came to see you. Are you okay?"

"Philip!"

The Countess could bear it no longer, and happily called her grandson by name.Put the cat down on your lap and let him sit next to you.

"This sentence should be for me to ask you, my child, what can be wrong with an old lady like me who can bask in the sun every day? It is you, my dear Philip," she raised her head. With one hand, he tentatively stroked his face, hands and feet, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, grandma."

Philip sat still and let the Countess finish touching his hands and feet, to prove to her that he was perfectly fine - his father had both legs amputated after being shot in a battle Later, he died of an unhealed infection.So he would never stop this subconscious move every time he met the countess.

After confirming that her grandson was indeed safe and sound, the countess finally breathed a sigh of relief, held his hand with a happy smile, and began to ask about his recent situation.Seeing Philip's patient answer, for some reason, Eugenie, who was standing at the door watching, suddenly felt a slight heat in her eyes—she remembered the night before her father's death.Now at last I understood why Philip had been so patient with him all night.

"Dear grandmother," after answering the countess' question about what he had for breakfast this morning, he looked up at Eugenie who had been silent all this time, and winked at her, "Grandmother, I'll take A girl is here. Let's read to you together, shall we?"

The countess was startled, and after a moment of silence, she seemed to understand, with a look of joy on her face.

"It's so good. I can't wait."

Eugenie went to Philip, sat down beside him, picked up an Othello from the table, and opened to the bookmarked pages.

"...My desperation against fate can declare to the world on my behalf that because I love this Moor, I am willing to be with him forever. My heart is completely conquered by his noble virtue. I Get to know his heart first, and then get to know his majestic appearance. I have already presented him with my soul and destiny..."

"God, that's exactly what I thought..."

When she was reading the confession that the heroine asked the Duke in court, Philip beside her muttered something in a low voice.

Eugenie paused.He smiled at her, and continued to read: "...God is my witness, I am not asking you for the sweetness of life, nor is it to satisfy my own desires. My only motive is, I just can't bear to let her down..."

Amidst the eloquent reading, the Countess' expression suddenly changed slightly.She seemed to remember something.He listened more carefully to Eugenie's voice.At last, when they finished reading the chapter together, she heaved a long breath, turned her face in Eugenie's direction, and smiled tenderly at her.

"Philip, I think you should dedicate that picture to the lady. By the way, I have something for her to keep. It is your mother's wedding ring--if she will accept it."

"My dear grandmother, you are simply an angel sent from heaven! I am so touched!"

Faced with such an excellent opportunity to propose marriage, Philip had no time to wipe away his tears. He dropped the book in his hand, ran to the cabinet, opened the drawer, and took out the portrait that he had poured all his imagination into. Returning to Eugenie, she knelt down again.

"Dear Mademoiselle Grandet, I solemnly propose to you once again, and I implore you to have mercy on me and agree to this most sincere and ardent request from the depths of my soul!"

"My dear, look, my Philip is so cute, do you really have the heart to refuse?"

said the countess in a low voice.

"I am willing to listen to the Countess and accept your marriage proposal."

Eugenie said, resisting the feeling of wanting to cry.

Philip rose quickly from the ground, embraced Eugenie, and bowed his head to kiss her.Eugenie was startled, avoided his face hastily, and pointed to the countess.

"Grandma, may I kiss this young lady here?"

Philip immediately asked the countess.

"Oh, since she has agreed to your marriage proposal, then of course there is no problem. Besides, I can't see it either."

The countess was leaning on the back of the easy chair, stroking the back of the old cat that jumped back on her lap, and said with a smile.