you must acquire a great knowledge of life。 And what a life；good
God！ Parisian life； which defies the sagacity of the minister of
police and all his agents！ We have to circumvent the perpetual
conspiracy of Evil； master it in all its forms； while it changes so
often as to seem infinite。 Charity in Paris must know as much as vice；
just as a policeman must know all the tricks of thieves。 We must each
be frank and each distrustful； we must have quick perception and a
sure and rapid judgment。 And then； my child； we are old and getting
older； but we are so content with the results we have now obtained；
that we do not want to die without leaving successors in the work。 If
you persist in your desire； you will be our first pupil； and all the
dearer to us on that account。 There is no risk for us； because God
brought you to us。 Yours is a good nature soured； since you have been
here the evil leaven has weakened。 The divine nature of Madame has
acted upon yours。 Yesterday we took counsel together； and inasmuch as
I have your confidence； my good brothers resolved to give me to you as
guardian and teacher。 Does that please you？〃
〃Ah！ my kind Monsieur Alain； your eloquence awakens〃
〃No； my child； it is not I who speak well； it is things that are
eloquent。 We can be sure of being great； even sublime； in obeying God；
in imitating Jesus Christ；imitating him； I mean； as much as men are
able to do so； aided by faith。〃
〃This moment； then； decides my life！〃 cried Godefroid。 〃I feel within
me the fervor of a neophyte； I wish to spend my life in doing good。〃
〃That is the secret of remaining in God；〃 replied Alain。 〃Have you
studied our motto；/Transire benefaciendo/？ /Transire/ means to go
beyond this world； leaving benefits on our way。〃
〃Yes； I have understood it； I have put the motto of the order before
my bed。〃
〃That is well； it is a trifling action； but it counts for much in my
eyes。 And now I have your first affair； your first duel with misery；
prepared for you； I'll put your foot in the stirrup。 We are about to
part。 Yes； I myself am detached from the convent； to live for a time
in the crater of a volcano。 I am to be a clerk in a great manufactory；
where the workmen are infected with communistic doctrines； and dream
of social destruction； the abolishment of masters；not knowing that
that would be the death of industry； of commerce； of manufactures。 I
shall stay there goodness knows how long；perhaps a year；keeping
the books and paying the wages。 This will give me an entrance into a
hundred or a hundred and twenty homes of working…men； misled； no
doubt； by poverty； even before the pamphlets of the day misled them。
But you and I can see each other on Sundays and fete…days。 We shall be
in the same quarter； and if you come to the church of Saint…Jacques du
Haut…Pas； you will find me there any day at half…past seven； when I
hear mass。 If you meet me elsewhere don't recognize me； unless you see
me rub my hands like a man who is pleased at something。 That is one of
our signs。 We have a language of signs； like the deaf and dumb； you'll
soon find out the absolute necessity of it。〃
Godefroid made a gesture which the goodman Alain interpreted； for he
laughed； and immediately went on to say：
〃Now for your affair。 We do not practise either the benevolence or the
philanthropy that you know about； which are really divided into
several branches； all taken advantage of by sharpers in charity as a
business。 We practise charity as our great and sublime Saint Paul
defines it； for； my dear lad； we think that charity； and charity
alone； which is Love； can heal the wounds of Paris。 In our eyes；
misery； of whatever kind； poverty； suffering； misfortune； grief； evil；
no matter how produced； or in what social class they show themselves；
have equal rights。 Whatever his opinions or beliefs； an unhappy man
is； before all else； an unhappy man； and we ought not to attempt to
turn his face to our holy mother Church until we have saved him from
despair or hunger。 Moreover； we ought to convert him to goodness more
by example and by gentleness than by any other means； and we believe
that God will specially help us in this。 All constraint is bad。 Of the
manifold Parisian miseries； the most difficult to discover； and the
bitterest； is that of worthy persons of the middle classes who have
fallen into poverty； for they make concealment a point of honor。 Those
sorrows； my dear Godefroid； are to us the object of special
solicitude。 Such persons usually have intelligence and good hearts。
They return to us； sometimes with usury； the sums that we lend them。
Such restitutions recoup us in the long run for the losses we
occasionally incur through impostors； shiftless creatures； or those
whom misfortunes have rendered stupid。 Through such persons we often
obtain invaluable help in our investigations。 Our work has now become
so vast； its details are so multifarious； that we no longer suffice of
ourselves to carry it on。 So； for the last year we have a physician of
our own in every arrondissement in Paris。 Each of us takes general
charge of four arrondissements。 We pay each physician three thousand
francs a year to take care of our poor。 His time belongs to us in the
first instance； but we do not prevent him from attending other sick
persons if he can。 Would you believe that for many months we were
unable to find twelve really trustworthy； valuable men； in spite of
all our own efforts and those of our friends？ We could not employ any
but men of absolute discreetness； pure lives； sound knowledge；
experience； active men； and lovers of doing good。 Now； although there
are in Paris some ten thousand individuals； more or less； who would
gladly do the work； we could not find twelve to meet our needs in a
whole year。〃
〃Our Saviour had difficulty in gathering his apostles； and even then a
traitor and an unbeliever got among them；〃 said Godefroid。
〃However； within the last month all our arrondissements are provided
with a Visitorthat is the name we give to our physicians。 At the
same time the business is increasing； and we have all redoubled our
activity。 If I confide to you these secrets of our system； it is that
you must know the physician； that is； the Visitor of the
arrondissement to which we are about to send you； from him； all
original information about our cases comes。 This Visitor is named
Berton； Doctor Berton； he lives in the rue d'Enfer。 And now here are
the facts： Doctor Berton is attending a lady whose disease puzzles and
defies science。 That； of course； is not our concern； but that of the
Faculty。 Our business is to discover the condition of the family of
this patient； Doctor Berton suspects that their poverty is frightful；
and concealed with a pride and determination which demand our utmost
care。 Until now； my son； I should have found time for this case； but
the work I am undertaking obliges me to find a helper in my four
arrondissements； and you shall be that helper。 This family lives in
the rue Notre…Dame des Champs； in a house at the corner of the
boulevard du Mont…Parnasse。 You will find a room to let in the same
house； where you can live for a time so as to discover the truth about
these persons。 Be sordid for yourself； but as for the money you may
think needed for this case have no uneasiness。 I will remit you such
sums as we may judge necessary after ourselves considering all the
circumstances。 But remember that you must study the moral qualities of
these unfortunates： their hearts； the honorableness of their feelings；
those are our guarantees。 Miserly we may be for ourselves； and
generous to those who suffer； but we must be prudent and even
calculating； for we are dealing with the money of the poor。 So then；
to…morrow morning you can start； think over the power we put in your
hands： the brothers are with you in heart。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Godefroid； 〃you have given me such a pleasure in the
opportunity of doing good and making myself worthy to belong to you
some day； that I shall not sleep to…night。〃
〃One more word； my child。 I told you not to recognize me without the
signal； the same rule applies to the other gentlemen and to Madame；
and even to the people you see about this house。 We are forced to keep
up an absolute incognito in all we do； this is so necessary to our
enterprises that we have made a rule about it。 We seek to be ignored；
lost in this great Paris。 Remember also； my dear Godefroid； the spirit
of our order； which is； never to appear as benefactors； to play an
obscure part； that of intermediaries。 We always present ourselves as
the agent of a pious； saintly person （in fact； we are working for
God）； so that none of those we deal with may feel the obligation of
gratitude towards any of us； or think we are wealthy persons。 True；
sincere humility； not the false humility of those who seek thereby to
be set in the light； must inspire you and rule all your thoughts。 You
may indeed be glad when you succeed； but so long as you feel within
you a sentiment of vanity or of pride； you are not worthy to do the
work of the order。 We have known two perfect men： one； who was one of
our founders； Judge Popinot； the other is revealed by his works； he is
a country doctor whose name is written on the annals of his canton。
That man； my dear Godefroid； is one of the greatest men of our time；
he brought a whole region out of wretchedness into prosperity； out of
irreligion into Christianity； out of barbarism into civilization。＇*＇
The names of those two men are graven on our hearts and we have taken
them as our models。 We should be happy indeed if we ourselves could
some day acquire in Paris the influence that country doctor had in his
canton。 But here； the sore is vast； beyond our strength at present。
May God preserve to us Madame； may he send us some young helpers like
you； and perhaps we may yet leave behind us an institution worthy of
his divine religion。 And now good…bye； your initiation beginsAh！ I
chatter like a professor and forget the essential thing！ Here is the
address of that family；〃 he added； giving Godefroid a piece of paper；
〃I have added the number of Dr。 Berton's house in the rue d'Enfer； and
now； go and pray to God to help yo