t a wax candle," said Grandet in a
jeering tone.

This unusual clemency, this bitter gaiety, struck Madame Grandet with
amazement, and she looked at her husband attentively. The goodman--here
it may be well to explain that in Touraine, Anjou, Pitou, and Bretagne
the word "goodman," already used to designate Grandet, is bestowed as
often upon harsh and cruel men as upon those of kindly temperament, when
either have reached a certain age; the title means nothing on the score
of individual gentleness--the goodman took his hat and gloves, saying as
he went out,--

"I am going to loiter about the market-place and find Cruchot."

"Eugenie, your father certainly has something on his mind."

Grandet, who was a poor sleeper, employed half his nights in the
preliminary calculations which gave such astonishing accuracy to his
views and observations and schemes, and secured to them the unfailing
success at sight of which his townsmen stood amazed. All human power is
a compound of time and patience. Powerful beings will and wait. The life
of a miser is the constant exercise of human power put to the service of
self. It rests on two sentiments only,--self-love and self-interest;
but self-interest being to a certain extent compact and intelligent
self-love, the visible sign of real superiority, it follows that
self-love and self-interest are two parts of the same whole,--egotism.
From this arises, perhaps, the excessive curiosity shown in the habits
of a miser's life whenever they are put before the world. Every nature
holds by a thread to those beings who challenge all human sentiments by
concentrating all in one passion. Where is the man without desire? and
what social desire can be satisfied without money?

Grandet unquestionably "had something on his mind," to use his wife's
expression. There was in him, as in all misers, a persistent craving to
play a commercial game with other men and win their money legally. To
impose upon other people was to him a sign of power, a perpetual proof
that he had won the right to despise those feeble beings who suffer
themselves to be preyed upon in this world. Oh! who has ever truly
understood the lamb lying peacefully at the feet of God?--touching
emblem of all terrestrial victims, myth of their future, suffering and
weakness glorified! This lamb it is which the miser fattens, puts in his
fold, slaughters, cooks, eats, and then despises. The pasture of misers
is compounded of money and disda