fifteen or twenty persons and going out to get you just what you want
for breakfast！ See here！ there's a roll； eggs； butter； the cost of
lighting a fire； sugar； milk； coffee！just think！ they ask you
sixteen sous for a cup of coffee alone on the place de l'Odeon； and
then you have to give a sou or two to the waiter。 Here you have no
trouble； you can breakfast in slippers。〃
〃Very well； very well；〃 said Godefroid。
〃Without Madame Cartier who supplies me with milk and eggs and herbs I
couldn't manage it。 You ought to go and see their establishment；
monsieur。 Ha！ it's fine！ They employ five journeymen gardeners； and
Nepomucene goes there in summer to draw water for them； they hire him
of me as a waterer。 They make lots of money out of melons and
strawberries。 It seems monsieur takes quite an interest in Monsieur
Bernard；〃 continued the widow in dulcet tones； 〃or he wouldn't be
responsible for his debts。 Perhaps he doesn't know all that family
owes。 There's the lady who keeps the circulating library on the place
Saint…Michel； she is always coming here after thirty francs they owe
her；and she needs it； God knows！ That sick woman in there； she
reads； reads； reads！ Two sous a volume makes thirty francs in three
months。〃
〃That means a hundred volumes a month；〃 said Godefroid。
〃Ah！ there's the old man going now to fetch a roll and cream for his
daughter's tea；yes； tea！ she lives on tea； that lady。 She drinks it
twice a day。 And twice a week she has to have sweet things。 Oh！ she's
dainty！ The old man buys cakes and pates from the pastry cook in the
rue de Buci。 He don't care what he spends； if it's for her。 He calls
her his daughter！ It ain't often that men of his age do for a daughter
what he does for her！ He just kills himself； he and Auguste too； for
that woman。 Monsieur is just like me； I'd give anything to see her。
Monsieur Berton says she's a monster；something like those they show
for money。 That's the reason they've come to live here； in this lonely
quarter。 Well； so monsieur thinks of dining at Madame Machillot's；
does he？〃
〃Yes； I think of making an arrangement there。〃
〃Monsieur； it isn't that I want to interfere； but I must say；
comparing food with food； you'd do much better to dine in the rue de
Tournon； you needn't engage by the month； and you'll find a better
table。〃
〃Whereabouts in the rue de Tournon？〃
〃At the successors to Madame Giraud。 That's where the gentlemen
upstairs go； they are satisfied； and more than satisfied。〃
〃Well； I'll take your advice and dine there to…day。〃
〃My dear monsieur；〃 said the woman； emboldened by the good…nature
which Godefroid intentionally assumed； 〃tell me seriously； you are not
going to be such a muff as to pay Monsieur Bernard's debts？ It would
really trouble me if you did； for just reflect； my kind monsieur
Godefroid； he's nearly seventy； and after him； what then？ not a penny
of pension！ How'll you get paid？ Young men are so imprudent！ Do you
know that he owes three thousand francs？〃
〃To whom？〃 inquired Godefroid。
〃Oh！ to whom？ that's not my affair；〃 said the widow； mysteriously； 〃it
is enough that he does owe them。 Between ourselves I'll tell you this：
somebody will soon be down on him for that money； and he can't get a
penny of credit now in the quarter just on that account。〃
〃Three thousand francs！〃 repeated Godefroid； 〃oh； you needn't be
afraid I'll lend him that。 If I had three thousand francs to dispose
of I shouldn't be your lodger。 But I can't bear to see others suffer；
and just for a hundred or so of francs I sha'n't let my neighbor； a
man with white hair too； lack for bread or wood； why； one often loses
as much as that at cards。 But three thousand francs！ good heavens！
what are you thinking of？〃
Madame Vauthier； deceived by Godefroid's apparent frankness； let a
smile of satisfaction appear on her specious face； which confirmed all
her lodger's suspicions。 Godefroid was convinced that the old woman
was an accomplice in some plot that was brewing against the
unfortunate old man。
〃It is strange； monsieur；〃 she went on； 〃what fancies one takes into
one's head！ You'll think me very curious； but yesterday； when I saw
you talking with Monsieur Bernard I said to myself that you were the
clerk of some publisher； for this； you know； is a publisher's quarter。
I once lodged the foreman of a printing…house in the rue de Vaugirard；
and his name was the same as yours〃
〃What does my business signify to you？〃 interrupted Godefroid。
〃Oh； pooh！ you can tell me； or you needn't tell me； I shall know it
all the same；〃 retorted Vauthier。 〃There's Monsieur Bernard； for
instance； for eighteen months he concealed everything from me； but on
the nineteenth I discovered that he had been a magistrate； a judge
somewhere or other； I forget where； and was writing a book on law
matters。 What did he gain by concealing it； I ask you。 If he had told
me I'd have said nothing about itso there！〃
〃I am not yet a publisher's clerk； but I expect to be；〃 said
Godefroid。
〃I thought so！〃 exclaimed Madame Vauthier； turning round from the bed
she had been making as a pretext for staying in the room。 〃You have
come here to cut the ground from under the feet ofGood！ /a man
warned/ is a man armed。〃
〃Stop！〃 cried Godefroid； placing himself between the Vauthier and the
door。 〃Look here； what interest have you in the matter？〃
〃Gracious！〃 said the old woman； eyeing Godefroid cautiously； 〃you're a
bold one； anyhow。〃
She went to the door of the outer room and bolted it； then she came
back and sat down on a chair beside the fire。
〃On my word of honor； and as sure as my name is Vauthier； I took you
for a student until I saw you giving your wood to that old Bernard。
Ha！ you're a sly one； and what a play…actor！ I was so certain you were
a ninny！ Look here； will you guarantee me a thousand francs？ As sure
as the sun shines； my old Barbet and Monsieur Metivier have promised
me five hundred to keep my eyes open for them。〃
〃They！ five hundred francs！ nonsense！〃 cried Godefroid。 〃I know their
ways； two hundred is the very most； my good woman； and even that is
only promised； you can't assign it。 But I will say this： if you will
put me in the way to do the business they want to do with Monsieur
Bernard I will pay you four hundred francs。 Now； then； how does the
matter stand？〃
〃They have advanced fifteen hundred francs upon the work；〃 said Madame
Vauthier； making no further effort at deception； 〃and the old man has
signed an acknowledgment for three thousand。 They wouldn't do it under
a hundred per cent。 He thought he could easily pay them out of his
book； but they have arranged to get the better of him there。 It was
they who sent Cartier here； and the other creditors。〃
Here Godefroid gave the old woman a glance of ironical intelligence；
which showed her that he saw through the role she was playing in the
interest of her proprietor。 Her words were； in fact； a double
illumination to Godefroid； the curious scene between himself and the
gardener was now explained。
〃Well；〃 she resumed； 〃they have got him now。 Where is he to find three
thousand francs？ They intend to offer him five hundred the day he puts
the first volume of his book into their hands； and five hundred for
each succeeding volume。 The affair isn't in their names； they have put
it into the hands of a publisher whom Barbet set up on the quai des
Augustins。〃
〃What； that little fellow？〃
〃Yes； that little Morand； who was formerly Barbet's clerk。 It seems
they expect a good bit of money out of the affair。〃
〃There's a good bit to spend；〃 said Godefroid； with a significant
grimace。
Just then a gentle rap was heard at the door of the outer room。
Godefroid； glad of the interruption； having got all he wanted to know
out of Madame Vauthier； went to open it。
〃What is said； is said； Madame Vauthier；〃 he remarked as he did so。
The visitor was Monsieur Bernard。
〃Ah！ Monsieur Bernard；〃 cried the widow when she saw him； 〃I've got a
letter downstairs for you。〃
The old man followed her down a few steps。 When they were out of
hearing from Godefroid's room she stopped。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I haven't any letter； I only wanted to tell you to
beware of that young man； he belongs to a publishing house。〃
〃That explains everything；〃 thought the old man。
He went back to his neighbor with a very different expression of
countenance。
The look of calm coldness with which Monsieur Bernard now entered the
room contrasted so strongly with the frank and cordial air he had worn
not an instant earlier that Godefroid was forcibly struck by it。
〃Pardon me； monsieur；〃 said the old man； stiffly； 〃but you have shown
me many favors； and a benefactor creates certain rights in those he
benefits。〃
Godefroid bowed。
〃I； who for the last five years have endured a passion like that of
our Lord； I； who for thirty…six years represented social welfare；
government； public vengeance； have； as you may well believe； no
illusionsno； I have nothing left but anguish。 Well； monsieur； I was
about to say that your little act in closing the door of my wretched
lair； that simple little thing； was to me the glass of water Bossuet
tells of。 Yes； I did find in my heart； that exhausted heart which
cannot weep； just as my withered body cannot sweat； I did find a last
drop of the elixir which makes us fancy in our youth that all human
beings are noble； and I came to offer you my hand； I came to bring you
that celestial flower of belief in good〃
〃Monsieur Bernard；〃 said Godefroid； remembering the kind old Alain's
lessons。 〃I have done nothing to obtain your gratitude。 You are quite
mistaken。〃
〃Ah； that is frankness indeed！〃 said the former magistrate。 〃Well； it
pleases me。 I was about to reproach you； pardon me； I now esteem you。
So you are a publisher； and you have come here to get my work away
from Barbet； Metivier； and Morand？ All is now explained。 You are
making me advances in money as they did； only you do it with some
grace。〃
〃Did Madame Vauthier just tell you that I was employed by a
publisher？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then； Monsieur Bernard； before I can say how much I can /give/
over what those other gentlem