ratafia from Monsieur Grandet's bed-chamber, and nearly fell as she
came down the stairs.

"You great stupid!" said her master; "are you going to tumble about
like other people, hey?"

"Monsieur, it was that step on your staircase which has given way."

"She is right," said Madame Grandet; "it ought to have been mended
long ago. Yesterday Eugenie nearly twisted her ankle."

"Here," said Grandet to Nanon, seeing that she looked quite pale, "as
it is Eugenie's birthday, and you came near falling, take a little
glass of ratafia to set you right."

"Faith! I've earned it," said Nanon; "most people would have broken
the bottle; but I'd sooner have broken my elbow holding it up high."

"Poor Nanon!" said Grandet, filling a glass.

"Did you hurt yourself?" asked Eugenie, looking kindly at her.

"No, I didn't fall; I threw myself back on my haunches."

"Well! as it is Eugenie's birthday," said Grandet, "I'll have the step
mended. You people don't know how to set your foot in the corner where
the wood is still firm."

Grandet took the candle, leaving his wife, daughter, and servant
without any other light than that from the hearth, where the flames