Chapter 3

Nanon took one of the candles and went to open the door, followed by
her master.

"Grandet! Grandet!" cried his wife, moved by a sudden impulse of fear,
and running to the door of the room.

All the players looked at each other.

"Suppose we all go?" said Monsieur des Grassins; "that knock strikes
me as evil-intentioned."

Hardly was Monsieur des Grassins allowed to see the figure of a young
man, accompanied by a porter from the coach-office carrying two large
trunks and dragging a carpet-bag after him, than Monsieur Grandet
turned roughly on his wife and said,--

"Madame Grandet, go back to your loto; leave me to speak with
monsieur."

Then he pulled the door quickly to, and the excited players returned
to their seats, but did not continue the game.

"Is it any one belonging to Saumur, Monsieur des Grassins?" asked his
wife.

"No, it is a traveller."

"He must have come from Paris."

"Just so," said the notary, pulling out his watch, which was two
inches thick and looked like a Dutch man-of-war; "it's nine o'clock;
the diligence of the Grand Bureau is never late."

"Is the gentleman young?" inquired the Abbe Cruchot.

"Yes," answered Monsieur des Grassins, "and he has brought luggage
which must weigh nearly three tons."

"Nanon does not come back," said Eugenie.

"It must be one of your relations," remarked the president.

"Let us go on with our game," said Madame Grandet gently. "I know from
Monsieur Grandet's tone of voice that he is annoyed; perhaps he would
not like to find us talking of his affairs."

"Mademoiselle," said Adolphe to his neighbor, "it is no doubt your
cousin Grandet,--a very good-looking young man; I met him at the ball
of Monsieur de Nucingen." Adolphe did not go on, for his mother trod
on his toes; and then, asking him aloud for two sous to put on her
stake, she whispered: "Will you hold your tongue, you great goose!"

At this moment Grandet returned, without la Grande Nanon, whose steps,
together with those of the porter, echoed up the staircase; and he was
followed by the traveller who had excited such curiosity and so filled
the lively imaginations of those present that his arrival at this
dwelling, and his sudden fall into the midst of this assembly, can
only be likened to that of a snail into a beehive, or the introduction
of a peacock into some village poultry-yard.

"Sit down near the fire," said Grandet.

Before seating himself, the young stranger saluted the assembled
company very