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the soul of your mother。〃
Godefroid colored and said nothing。
〃Will you do me the favor；〃 continued Madame de la Chanterie； 〃to go
to your room and not come into the salon for an hour？ You can
meditate； if you love me； on the first chapter in the third book of
the 'Imitation'the one entitled： 'Of inward communing。'〃
Godefroid bowed stiffly and went to his room。
〃The devil take them！〃 he exclaimed to himself； giving way to
downright anger。 〃What do they want with me here？ What is all this
traffic they are carrying on？ Pooh！ all women； even pious ones； are up
to the same tricks。 If Madame〃 （giving her the name by which her
lodgers spoke of her） 〃wants me out of the way it is probably because
they are plotting something against me。〃
With that thought in his mind he tried to look from his window into
that of the salon； but the situation of the rooms did not allow it。 He
went down one flight； and then returned；reflecting that according to
the rigid principles of the house he should be dismissed if discovered
spying。 To lose the respect of those five persons seemed to him as
serious as public dishonor。
He waited three quarters of an hour； then he resolved to surprise
Madame de la Chanterie and come upon her suddenly before she expected
him。 He invented a lie to excuse himself； saying that his watch was
wrong； for which purpose he set it on twenty minutes。 Then he went
downstairs； making no noise； reached the door of the salon； and opened
it abruptly。
He saw a man； still young； but already celebrated； a poet； whom he had
frequently met in society； Victor de Vernisset； on his knees before
Madame de la Chanterie and kissing the hem of her dress。 If the sky
had fallen； and shivered to atoms like glass； as the ancients thought
it was； Godefroid could not have been more astonished。 Shocking
thoughts came into his mind； and then a reaction more terrible still
when； before the sarcasm he was about to utter had left his lips； he
saw Monsieur Alain in a corner of the room counting out bank…notes。
In an instant Vernisset was on his feet； and the worthy Alain looked
thunderstruck。 Madame de la Chanterie； on her part； gave Godefroid a
look which petrified him； for the twofold expression on the face of
the visitor had not escaped him。
〃Monsieur is one of us；〃 she said to the young poet； with a sign
towards Godefroid。
〃Then you are a happy man； my dear fellow；〃 said Vernisset； 〃you are
saved！ But； madame；〃 he added； turning to Madame de la Chanterie； 〃if
all Paris had seen me； I should rejoice in it。 Nothing can ever mark
my gratitude to you。 I am yours forever； I belong to you utterly。
Command me as you will and I obey。 I owe you my life； and it is
yours。〃
〃Well； well； young man！〃 said the kind Alain； 〃then be wise； be
virtuous；only； /work/； but do not attack religion in your books。
Moreover； remember that you owe a debt。〃
And he handed him an envelope thick with the bank…notes he had counted
out。 The tears were in Victor de Vernisset's eyes； he kissed Madame de
la Chanterie's hand respectfully； and went away； after shaking hands
with Monsieur Alain and Godefroid。
〃You have not obeyed madame；〃 said the goodman Alain solemnly； with a
sad expression on his face that Godefroid had never before seen there；
〃and that is a great wrong； if it happens again we must part。 This may
seem hard to you after we had begun to give you our confidence。〃
〃My dear Alain；〃 said Madame de la Chanterie； 〃have the kindness for
my sake to say no more about this piece of thoughtlessness。 We ought
not to ask too much a new arrival； who has been spared great
misfortunes and knows nothing of religion； and who； moreover； has only
an excessive curiosity about our vocation； and does not yet believe in
us。〃
〃Forgive me； madame；〃 said Godefroid； 〃I do desire； from this time
forth； to be worthy of you。 I will submit to any trial you think
necessary before initiating me into the secrets of your work； and if
the Abbe de Veze will undertake to instruct me I will listen to him；
soul and mind。〃
These words made Madame de la Chanterie so happy that a faint color
stole upon her cheeks。 She took Godefroid's hand and pressed it； then
she said； with strange emotion； 〃It is well。〃
That evening； after dinner； visitors came in： a vicar…general of the
diocese of Paris； two canons； two former mayors of Paris； and one of
the ladies who distributed the charities of Notre…Dame。 No cards were
played； but the conversation was gay； without being vapid。
A visit which surprised Godefroid greatly was that of the Comtesse de
Cinq…Cygne； one of the highest personages in aristocratic society；
whose salon was inaccessible to the bourgeoisie and to parvenus。 The
presence of this great lady in Madame de la Chanterie's salon was
sufficiently surprising； but the manner in which the two women met and
treated each other seemed to Godefroid inexplicable； for it showed the
closest intimacy and a constant intercourse which gave Madame de la
Chanterie an added value in his eyes。 Madame de Cinq…Cygne was
gracious and affectionate in manner to the four friends of her friend；
and showed the utmost respect to Monsieur Nicolas。
We may see here how social vanities still governed Godefroid； for up
to this visit of Madame de Cinq…Cygne he was still undecided； but he
now resolved to give himself up； with or without conviction； to
whatever Madame de la Chanterie and her friends might exact of him； in
order to get affiliated with their order and initiated into their
secrets； assuring himself that in that way he should find a career。
The next day he went to a book…keeper whom Madame de la Chanterie
recommended； and arranged with him the hours at which they should work
together。 His whole time was now employed。 The Abbe de Veze instructed
him in the mornings； he was two hours a day with the book…keeper； and
he spent the rest of his time between breakfast and dinner in doing
imaginary commercial accounts which his master required him to write
at home。
Some time passed thus； during which Godefroid felt the charm of a life
in which each hour has its own employment。 The recurrence of a settled
work at settled moments； regularity of action； is the secret of many a
happy life； and it proves how deeply the founders of religious orders
had meditated on the nature of man。 Godefroid； who had made up his
mind to listen to the Abbe de Veze； began to have serious thoughts of
a future life； and to find how little he knew of the real gravity of
religious questions。
Moreover； from day to day Madame de la Chanterie； with whom he always
remained for an hour after the second breakfast； allowed him to
discover the treasures that were in her； he knew then that he never
could have imagined a loving…kindness so broad and so complete。 A
woman of Madame de la Chanterie's apparent age no longer has the
pettiness of younger women。 She is a friend who offers you all
feminine refinements； who displays the graces； the choice attractions
which nature inspires in a woman for man； she gives them； and no
longer sells them。 Such a woman is either detestable or perfect； for
her gifts are either not of the flesh or