"Grandet, will you let Nanon light a fire here for me? The cold is so
sharp that I am freezing under the bedclothes. At my age I need some
comforts. Besides," she added, after a slight pause, "Eugenie shall come
and dress here; the poor child might get an illness from dressing in her
cold room in such weather. Then we will go and wish you a happy New Year
beside the fire in the hall."

"Ta, ta, ta, ta, what a tongue! a pretty way to begin the new year,
Madame Grandet! You never talked so much before; but you haven't been
sopping your bread in wine, I know that."

There was a moment's silence.

"Well," resumed the goodman, who no doubt had some reason of his own for
agreeing to his wife's request, "I'll do what you ask, Madame Grandet.
You are a good woman, and I don't want any harm to happen to you at your
time of life,--though as a general thing the Bertellieres are as sound
as a roach. Hein! isn't that so?" he added after a pause. "Well, I
forgive them; we got their property in the end." And he coughed.

"You are very gay this morning, monsieur," said the poor woman gravely.

"I'm always gay,--

"'Gai, gai, gai, le tonnelier,
Raccommodez votre cuvier!'"

he answered, entering his wife's room fully dressed. "Yes, on my word,
it is cold enough to freeze you solid. We shall have a fine breakfast,
wife. Des Grassins has sent me a pate-de-foie-gras truffled! I am going
now to get it at the coach-office. There'll be a double napoleon for
Eugenie in the package," he whispered in Madame Grandet's ear. "I have
no gold left, wife. I had a few stray pieces--I don't mind telling you
that--but I had to let them go in business."

Then, by way of celebrating the new year, he kissed her on the forehead.

"Eugenie," cried the mother, when Grandet was fairly gone, "I don't know
which side of the bed your father got out of, but he is good-tempered
this morning. Perhaps we shall come out safe after all?"

"What's happened to the master?" said Nanon, entering her mistress's
room to light the fire. "First place, he said, 'Good-morning; happy New
Year, you big fool! Go and light my wife's fire, she's cold'; and then,
didn't I feel silly when he held out his hand and gave me a six-franc
piece, which isn't worn one bit? Just look at it, madame! Oh, the kind
man! He is a good man, that's a fact. There are some people who the
older they get the harder they grow; but he,--why he's getting soft and
improving with time, like you