conversation with Madame de la Chanterie when they heard the stranger
returning。 They all had cold； discreet faces； in keeping with the
room； the house； the quarter of the town。
Madame de la Chanterie admitted the justice of Godefroid's
observations； but told him that she did not wish to make any change
until she knew the intentions of her lodger； or rather her boarder。 If
he would conform to the customs of the house he could become her
boarder； but these customs were widely different from those of Paris。
Life in the rue Chanoinesse was like provincial life： the lodger must
always be in by ten o'clock at night； they disliked noise； and could
have no women or children to break up their customary habits。 An
ecclesiastic might conform to these ways。 Madame de la Chanterie
desired； above all； some one of simple life； who would not be
exacting； she could afford to put only the strictest necessaries into
the apartment。 Monsieur Alain （here she designated one of the four men
present） was satisfied； and she would do for a new tenant just as she
did for the others。
〃I do not think；〃 said the priest； 〃that monsieur is inclined to enter
our convent。〃
〃Eh！ why not？〃 said Monsieur Alain； 〃we are all well off here； we have
nothing to complain of。〃
〃Madame；〃 said Godefroid； rising； 〃I shall have the honor of calling
again to…morrow。〃
Though he was a young man； the four old men and Madame de la Chanterie
rose； and the vicar accompanied him to the portico。 A whistle sounded。
At that signal the porter came with a lantern； guided Godefroid to the
street； and closed behind him the enormous yellow door；ponderous as
that of a prison； and decorated with arabesque ironwork of a remote
period that was difficult to determine。
Though Godefroid got into a cabriolet； and was soon rolling into the
living； lighted； glowing regions of Paris； what he had seen still
appeared to him a dream； and his impressions； as he made his way along
the boulevard des Italiens； had already the remoteness of a memory。 He
asked himself； 〃Shall I to…morrow find those people there？〃
III
THE HOUSE OF MONGENOD
The next day； as Godefroid rose amid the appointments of modern luxury
and the choice appliances of English 〃comfort；〃 he remembered the
details of his visit to that cloister of Notre…Dame； and the meaning
of the things he had seen there came into his mind。 The three unknown
and silent men； whose dress； attitude； and stillness acted powerfully
upon him； were no doubt boarders like the priest。 The solemnity of
Madame de la Chanterie now seemed to him a secret dignity with which
she bore some great misfortune。 But still； in spite of the
explanations which Godefroid gave himself； he could not help fancying
there was an air of mystery about those sober figures。
He looked around him and selected the pieces of furniture that he
would keep； those that were indispensable to him； but when he
transported them in thought to the miserable lodging in the rue
Chanoinesse； he began to laugh at the contrast they would make there；
resolving to sell all and let Madame de la Chanterie furnish the rooms
for him。 He wanted a new life； and the very sight of these objects
would remind him of that which he wished to forget。 In his desire for
transformation （for he belonged to those characters who spring at a
bound into the middle of a situation； instead of advancing； as others
do； step by step）； he was seized while he breakfasted with an idea；
he would turn his whole property into money； pay his debts； and place
the remainder of his capital in the banking…house with which his
father had done business。
This house was the firm of Mongenod and Company； established in 1816
or 1817； whose reputation for honesty and uprightness had never been
questioned in the midst of the commercial depravity which smirched；
more or less； all the banking…houses of Paris。 In spite of their
immense wealth； the houses of Nucingen； du Tillet； the Keller
Brothers； Palma and Company； were each regarded； more or less； with
secret disrespect； although it is true this disrespect was only
whispered。 Evil means had produced such fine results； such political
successes； dynastic principles covered so completely base workings；
that no one in 1834 thought of the mud in which the roots of these
fine trees； the mainstay of the State； were plunged。 Nevertheless
there was not a single one of those great bankers to whom the
confidence expressed in the house of Mongenod was not a wound。 Like
English houses； the Mongenods made no external display of luxury。 They
lived in dignified stillness； satisfied to do their business
prudently； wisely； and with a stern uprightness which enabled them to
carry it from one end of the globe to the other。
The actual head of the house； Frederic Mongenod； is the brother…in…law
of the Vicomte de Fontaine； therefore； this numerous family is allied
through the Baron de Fontaine to Monsieur Grossetete； the receiver…
general； brother of the Grossetete and Company of Limoges； to the
Vandenesses； and to Planat de Baudry； another receiver…general。 These
connections； having procured for the late Mongenod； father of the
present head of the house； many favors in the financial operations
under the Restoration； obtained for him also the confidence of the old
/noblesse/； whose property and whose savings； which were immense； were
deposited in this bank。 Far from coveting a peerage； like the Kellers；
Nucingen； and du Tillet； the Mongenods kept away from politics； and
only knew as much about them as their banking interests demanded。
The house of Mongenod is established in a fine old mansion in the rue
de la Victoire； where Madame Mongenod； the mother； lived with her two
sons； all three being partners in the house；the share of the
Vicomtesse de Fontaine having been bought out by them on the death of
the elder Mongenod in 1827。
Frederic Mongenod； a handsome young man about thirty…five years of
age； cold； silent； and reserved in manner like a Swiss； and neat as an
Englishman； had acquired by intercourse with his father all the
qualities necessary for his difficult profession。 Better educated than
the generality of bankers； his studies had the breadth and
universality which characterize the polytechnic training； and he had；
like most bankers； predilections and tastes outside of his business；
he loved mechanics and chemistry。 The second brother； who was ten
years younger than Frederic； held the same position in the office of
his elder brother that a head clerk holds in that of a notary or
lawyer。 Frederic trained him； as he had himself been trained by his
father； in the variety of knowledge necessary to a true banker； who is
to money what a writer is to ideas；they must both know all of that
with which they have to deal。
When Godefroid reached the banking house and gave his name； he saw at
once the estimation in which his father had been held； for he was
ushered through the offices without delay to the private counting…room
of the Mongenods。 This counting…room was closed with a glass door； so
that Godefroid； without any desire to listen； overheard as he
approached it what was being said there。
〃Madame； your account is balanced to sixteen hundred thousand francs；〃
said the younger Mongenod。 〃I do not know what my brother's intentions
are； he alone can say whether an advance of a hundred thousand francs
can be made。 You must have been imprudent。 Sixteen hundred thousand
francs should not be entrusted to any business。〃
〃Do not speak so loud； Louis！〃 said a woman's voice。 〃Your brother has
often told you to speak in a low voice。 There may be some one in the
next room。〃
At this moment Frederic Mongenod himself opened the door of
communication between his private house and the counting…room。 He saw
Godefroid and crossed the room； bowing respectfully to the lady who
was conversing with his brother。
〃To whom have I the honor of speaking？〃 he said to Godefroid。
As soon as Godefroid gave his name； Frederic begged him to be seated；
and as the banker opened the lid of his desk； Louis Mongenod and the
lady； who was no other than Madame de la Chanterie； rose and went up
to him。 All three then moved into the embrasure of a window and talked
in a low voice with Madame Mongenod； the mother； who was sitting
there； and to whom all the affairs of the bank were confided。 For over
thirty years this woman had given； to her husband first and then to
her sons； such proofs of business sagacity that she had long been a
managing partner in the firm and signed for it。
Godefroid； as he looked about him； noticed on a shelf certain boxes
ticketed with the words 〃De la Chanterie；〃 and numbered 1 to 7。 When
the conference was ended by the banker saying to his brother； 〃Very
good； go down to the cashier；〃 Madame de la Chanterie turned round；
saw Godefroid； checked a gesture of surprise； and asked a few
questions of the banker in a low voice； to which he replied in a few
words spoken equally in a whisper。
Madame de la Chanterie now wore gray silk stockings and small prunella
shoes； her gown was the same as before； but she was wrapped in a
Venetian 〃mantua；〃a sort of cloak which was just then returning into
fashion。 On her head was a drawn bonnet of green silk； lined with
white silk； of a style called /a la bonne femme/。 Her face was framed
by a cloud of lace。 She held herself very erect； in an attitude which
bespoke； if not noble birth； certainly the habits of an aristocratic
life。 Without the extreme affability of her manner； she might have
seemed haughty； she was certainly imposing。
〃It is the will of Providence rather than mere chance that has brought
us here together； monsieur；〃 she said to Godefroid； 〃for I had almost
decided to refuse a lodger whose ways of life seemed to me quite
antipathetic to those of my household； but Monsieur Mongenod has just
given me some information about your family which〃
〃Ah； madame；monsieur！〃 said Godefroid； addressing both Madame de la
Chanterie and the banker； 〃I have no longer a family； and I have come
here now to ask some financial advice of my father's business advisers
as to the best method of adapting my means to a new way of life。〃