Frightful condition of the human race! there is no one of its joys
that does not come from some species of ignorance.

At the moment when Madame Grandet had won a loto of sixteen sous,--the
largest ever pooled in that house,--and while la Grande Nanon was
laughing with delight as she watched madame pocketing her riches, the
knocker resounded on the house-door with such a noise that the women
all jumped in their chairs.

"There is no man in Saumur who would knock like that," said the
notary.

"How can they bang in that way!" exclaimed Nanon; "do they want to
break in the door?"

"Who the devil is it?" cried Grandet.



III

Nanon took one of the candles and went to open the door, followed by
her master.

"Grandet! Grandet!" cried his wife, moved by a sudden impulse of fear,
and running to the door of the room.

All the players looked at each other.

"Suppose we all go?" said Monsieur des Grassins; "that knock strikes