seemed to say, "Parry that thrust if you can!" Madame des Grassins
cast her eyes on the blue vases which held the Cruchot bouquets,
looking at the enemy's gifts with the pretended interest of a
satirical woman. At this delicate juncture the Abbe Cruchot left the
company seated in a circle round the fire and joined Grandet at the
lower end of the hall. As the two men reached the embrasure of the
farthest window the priest said in the miser's ear: "Those people
throw money out of the windows."

"What does that matter if it gets into my cellar?" retorted the old
wine-grower.

"If you want to give gilt scissors to your daughter, you have the
means," said the abbe.

"I give her something better than scissors," answered Grandet.

"My nephew is a blockhead," thought the abbe as he looked at the
president, whose rumpled hair added to the ill grace of his brown
countenance. "Couldn't he have found some little trifle which cost
money?"

"We will join you at cards, Madame Grandet," said Madame des Grassins.

"We might have two tables, as we are all here."

"As it is Eugenie's birthday you had better play loto all together,"
said Pere Grandet: "the two young ones can join"; and the old cooper,
who never played any game, motioned to his daughter and Adolphe.
"Come, Nanon, set the tables."