from to…dayunless you go where he gave you rendezvous。〃
〃Madame；〃 said Godefroid in a low voice； 〃you know he doesn't
intimidate me as these gentlemen do； I wanted to make my report to
him〃
〃And I？〃
〃Oh you！ I can tell you all； and I have a great deal to tell。 For my
first essay I have found a most extraordinary misfortune； a cruel
mingling of pauperism and the need for luxuries； also scenes of a
sublimity which surpasses all the inventions of our great novelists。〃
〃Nature； especially moral nature； is always greater than art； just as
God is greater than his creatures。 But come；〃 said madame de la
Chanterie； 〃tell me the particulars of your first trip into worlds
unknown to you。〃
Monsieur Nicolas and Monsieur Joseph （for the Abbe de Veze had
remained a few moments in Notre…Dame） left Madame de la Chanterie
alone with Godefroid； who； being still under the influence of the
emotions he had gone through the night before； related even the
smallest details of his story with the force and ardor and action of a
first experience of such a spectacle and its attendant persons and
things。 His narrative had a great success； for the calm and gentle
Madame de la Chanterie wept； accustomed as she was to sound the depths
of sorrows。
〃You did quite right to send the accordion；〃 she said。
〃I would like to do a great deal more；〃 said Godefroid； 〃inasmuch as
this family is the first that has shown me the pleasures of charity； I
should like to obtain for that splendid old man a full return for his
great book。 I don't know if you have confidence enough in my capacity
to give me the means of undertaking such an affair。 From information I
have obtained； it will cost nine thousand francs to manufacture an
edition of fifteen hundred copies； and their selling value will be
twenty…four thousand francs。 But as we should have to pay off the
three thousand and some hundred francs due to Barbet； it would be an
outlay of twelve thousand francs to risk。 Oh！ madame； if you only knew
what bitter regrets I feel for having dissipated my little fortune！
The spirit of charity has appeared to me； it fills me with the ardor
of an initiate。 I wish to renounce the world； I long to embrace the
life of these gentlemen and be worthy of you。 Many a time during the
last two days I have blessed the chance that brought me to this house。
I will obey you in all things until you judge me fit to be one of
yours。〃
〃Then；〃 said Madame de la Chanterie； after reflecting for a time；
〃listen to me； for I have important things to tell。 You have been
allured； my child； by the poesy of misfortune。 Yes； misfortunes are
often poetical； for； as I think； poesy is a certain effect on the
sensibilities； and sorrows affect the sensibilities；life is so
intense in grief！〃
〃Yes； madame； I know that I have been gripped by the demon of
curiosity。 But how could I help it？ I have not yet acquired the habit
of penetrating to the heart of these great misfortunes； I cannot go
among them with the calmness of your three soldiers of the Lord。 But；
let me tell you； it is since I have recovered from that first
excitement that I have chiefly longed to devote myself to your work。〃
〃Listen to me； my dear angel！〃 said Madame de la Chanterie； who
uttered the last three words with a gentle solemnity that touched the
young man strangely。 〃We have forbidden ourselves absolutely；and we
do not trifle with words here； what is forbidden no longer occupies
our minds；we have forbidden ourselves to enter into any
speculations。 To print a book for sale on the chance of profit is a
matter of business； and any operation of that kind would throw us into
all the entanglements of commerce。 Certainly your scheme seems to me
feasible；even necessary。 But do you think it is the first that has
offered itself？ A score of times； a hundred times； we have come upon
just such ways of saving families； or firms。 What would have become of
us if we had taken part in such affairs？ We should be merchants。 No；
our true partnership with misfortune is not to take the work into our
own hands； but to help the unfortunate to work themselves。 Before long
you will meet with misfortunes more bitter still than these。 Would you
then do the same thing；that is； take the burdens of those
unfortunates wholly on yourself？ You would soon be overwhelmed。
Reflect； too； my dear child； that for the last year even the Messieurs
Mongenod find our accounts too heavy for them。 Half your time would be
taken up in merely keeping our books。 We have to…day over two thousand
debtors in Paris； and we must keep the record of their debts。 Not that
we ask for payment； we simply wait。 We calculate that if half the
money we expect is lost； the other half comes back to us； sometimes
doubled。 Now； suppose your Monsieur Bernard dies； the twelve thousand
francs are probably lost。 But if you cure his daughter； if his
grandson is put in the way of succeeding； if he comes； some day； a
magistrate； then； when the family is prosperous； they will remember
the debt； and return the money of the poor with usury。 Do you know
that more than one family whom we have rescued from poverty； and put
upon their feet on the road to prosperity by loans of money without
interest； have laid aside a portion for the poor； and have returned to
us the money loaned doubled； and sometimes tripled？ Those are our only
speculations。 Moreover； reflect that what is now interesting you so
deeply （and you ought to be interested in it）； namely； the sale of
this lawyer's book； depends on the value of the work。 Have you read
it？ Besides； though the book may be an excellent one； how many
excellent books remain one； two； three years without obtaining the
success they deserve。 Alas！ how many crowns of fame are laid upon a
grave！ I know that publishers have ways of negotiating and realizing
profits which make their business the most hazardous to do with； and
the most difficult to unravel； of all the trades of Paris。 Monsieur
Joseph can tell you of these difficulties； inherent in the making of
books。 Thus； you see； we are sensible； we have experience of all
miseries； also of all trades； for we have studied Paris for many
years。 The Mongenods have helped us in this； they have been like
torches to us。 It is through them that we know how the Bank of France
holds the publishing business under constant suspicion； although it is
one of the most profitable trades； it is unsound。 As for the four
thousand francs necessary to save this noble family from the horrors
of penury；for that poor boy and his grandfather must be fed and
clothed properly；I will give them to you at once。 There are
sufferings； miseries； wants； which we immediately relieve； without
hesitation； without even asking whom we help； religion； honor；
character； are all indifferent to us； but when it comes to lending
money to the poor to assist them in any active form of industry or
commerce； then we require guarantees； with all the sternness of
usurers。 So you must； my dear child； limit your enthusiasm for this
unhappy family to finding for the father an honest publisher。 This
concerns Monsieur Joseph。 He knows lawyers； professors； authors of
works on jurisprudence； I will speak to him； and next Sunday he will
be sure to have some good advice to give you。 Don't feel uneasy； some
way will certainly be found to solve the difficulty。 Perhaps it would
be well； however； if Monsieur Joseph were to read the lawyer's book。
If you think it can be done； you had better obtain the manuscript。〃
Godefroid was amazed at the good sense of this woman； whom he had
thought controlled by the spirit of charity only。 He took her
beautiful hand and kissed it； saying：
〃You are good sense and judgment too！〃
〃We must be all that in our business；〃 she replied； with the soft
gaiety of a real saint。
There was a moment's silence； and then Godefroid exclaimed：
〃Two thousand debtors！ did you say that； madame？ two thousand accounts
to keep！ why； it is immense！〃
〃Oh！ I meant two thousand accounts which rely for liquidation； as I
told you； on the delicacy and good feeling of our debtors； but there
are fully three thousand other families whom we help who make us no
other return than thanks to God。 This is why we feel； as I told you；
the necessity of keeping books ourselves。 If you prove to us your
discretion and capacity you shall be； if you like； our accountant。 We
keep a day…book； a ledger； a book of current accounts； and a bank…
book。 We have many notes； but we lose a great deal of time in looking
them up。 Ah！ here are the gentlemen；〃 she added。
Godefroid； grave and thoughtful； took little part in the general
conversation which now followed。 He was stunned by the communication
Madame de la Chanterie had just made to him； in a tone which implied
that she wished to reward his ardor。
〃Five thousand families assisted！〃 he kept repeating to himself。 〃If
they were to cost what I am to spend on Monsieur Bernard； we must have
millions scattered through Paris。〃
This thought was the last expiring movement of the spirit of the
world； which had slowly and insensibly become extinguished in
Godefroid。 On reflection he saw that the united fortunes of Madame de
la Chanterie； Messieurs Alain； Nicolas； Joseph； and that of Judge
Popinot； the gifts obtained through the Abbe de Veze； and the
assistance lent by the firm of Mongenod must produce a large capital；
and that this capital； increased during the last dozen years by
grateful returns from those assisted； must have grown like a snowball；
inasmuch as the charitable stewards of it spent so little on
themselves。 Little by little he began to see clearly into this vast
work； and his desire to co…operate in it increased。
He was preparing at nine o'clock to return on foot to the boulevard du
Mont…Parnasse； but Madame de la Chanterie； fearing the solitude of
that neighborhood at a late hour； made him take a cab。 When he reached
the house Godefroid heard the sound of an instrument； though the
shutters were so carefully closed that not a ray of light issued
through them。 As soon as he reached the landing； Auguste； who was
probably on the watch for him； opened the door of Monsieur Bernard's
apartment and sa