at least, entirely, as it has also of the power to compel me to marry a particular person. Thus, beautiful, witty, somewhat talented, as the comic operas say, and rich. Why, that is happiness, sir! Why do you call me unhappy?"
Danglars, seeing his daughter smiling, and proud even to insolence, could not entirely repress his brutal feelings; but they betrayed themselves only by an exclamation. Under the inquiring gaze of his daughter, before that beautiful black eyebrow, contracted by interrogation, he prudently turned away, and calmed himself immediately, daunted by the iron hand of circumspection.
"Truly, my daughter," replied he, with a smile, "you are all you boast of being, excepting one thing; I will not too hastily tell you which, but would rather leave you to guess it."
Eugénie looked at Danglars, much surprised that one flower of her crown of pride, with which she had so superbly decked herself, should be disputed. "My daughter," continued the banker, "you have perfectly explained to me the sentiments which influence a girl like you who is determined she will not marry; now, it remains for me to tell you the motives of a father like me, who has decided his daughter shall marry."
Eugénie bowed, not as a submissive daughter, but as an adversary prepared for a discussion.
"My daughter," continued Danglars, "when a father asks his daughter to choose a husband, he has always some reason for wishing her to marry. Some are affected with the mania to which you alluded just now, that of living again in their grandchildren. This is not my weakness, I tell you at once; family joys have no charm for me. I may acknowledge this to a daughter whom I know to be philosophical enough to understand my indifference, and not to impute it to me as a crime."
"A la bonne heure," said Eugénie; "let us speak candidly, sir, I admire it."
"Oh!" said Danglars; "I can, when circumstances render it desirable, adopt your love of frankness, although it may not be my general practice. I will therefore proceed. I have proposed to you to marry, not for your sake, for, indeed, I did not think of you in the least at the moment (you admire candor, and will now be satisfied, I hope); but because I had need of your taking this husband, as soon as possible, on account of certain commercial speculations I am desirous of entering into." Eugénie became uneasy.
"It is just so, I assure you, and you must not be angry with me; for you have sought this disclosure. I do not willingly enter into all these
