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for a few louis。 Monsieur draws his pension every six months； and he
could not make you an assignment of it for such a paltry sum。 I am
willing to advance the money； if you absolutely insist on having it。〃
〃Monsieur Bernard drew his pension two weeks ago； and has not paid me。
I am sorry to trouble him； of course。〃
〃Have you furnished him with plants all along？〃
〃Yes； monsieur； for six years； and he has always paid me。〃
Monsieur Bernard； who was listening to some sound in his own rooms and
paying no attention to what was being said； now heard a cry through
the partitions and hurried away without a word。
〃Come； come； my good man；〃 said Godefroid； taking advantage of the old
man's absence； 〃bring some nice flowers； your best flowers； this very
morning； and tell your wife to send the eggs and milk as usual； I will
pay you this evening。〃
Cartier looked oddly at Godefroid。
〃Then you must know more than Madame Vauthier does； she sent me word
to hurry if I hoped to be paid；〃 he said。 〃Neither she nor I can make
out why folks who eat nothing but bread and the odds and ends of
vegetables； bits of carrots； turnips； and such things； which they get
at the back…doors of restaurants；yes； monsieur； I assure you I came
one day on the little fellow filling an old handbag；well； I want to
know why such persons spend nearly forty francs a month on flowers。
They say the old man's pension is only three thousand francs。〃
〃At any rate；〃 said Godefroid； 〃it is not your business to complain if
they ruin themselves in flowers。〃
〃That's true； monsieur；provided they pay me。〃
〃Bring your bill to me。〃
〃Very good； monsieur；〃 said the gardener； with a tinge of respect。
〃Monsieur no doubt wants to see the mysterious lady。〃
〃My good friend；〃 said Godefroid； stiffly； 〃you forget yourself。 Go
home now and bring fresh plants for those you are to take away。 If you
can also supply me with good cream and fresh eggs I will take them；
and I will go this morning and take a look at your establishment。〃
〃It is one of the finest in Paris； monsieur。 I exhibit at the
Luxembourg。 My garden； which covers three acres； is on the boulevard；
behind the garden of La Grande…Chaumiere。〃
〃Very good； Monsieur Cartier。 You are； I see； much richer than I。 Have
some consideration for us； therefore。 Who knows how soon we may have
mutual need of each other？〃
The gardener went away； much puzzled as to who and what Godefroid
might be。
〃And yet I was once just like that；〃 thought Godefroid； blowing his
fire。 〃What a fine specimen of the bourgeois of to…day！gossiping；
inquisitive； crazy for equality； jealous of his customers； furious at
not knowing why a poor sick woman stays in her room without being
seen； concealing his wealth； and yet vain enough to betray it when he
thinks it will put him above his neighbor。 That man ought to be the
lieutenant of his company。 I dare say he is。 With what ease he plays
the scene of Monsieur Dimanche！ A little more and I should have made a
friend of Monsieur Cartier。〃
The old man broke into this soliloquy； which proves how Godefroid's
ideas had changed in four months。
〃Excuse me； neighbor；〃 said Monsieur Bernard； in a troubled voice； 〃I
see you have sent that gardener away satisfied； for he bowed civilly
to me on the landing。 It seems； young man； as if Providence had sent
you to me at the very moment when I was about to succumb。 Alas！ the
hard talk of that man must have shown you many things！ It is true that
I received the half…yearly payment of my pension two weeks ago； but I
had more pressing debts than his； and I was forced to put aside my
rent for fear of being turned out of the house。 I have told you the
state my daughter is in； and you have probably heard her。〃
He looked uneasily at Godefroid； who made him an affirmative sign。
〃Well； then； you know it would be her death warrant； for I should then
be compelled to put her in a hospital。 My grandson and I were fearing
that end this morning； but we do not dread Cartier so much as we do
the cold。〃
〃My dear Monsieur Bernard；〃 said Godefroid； 〃I have plenty of wood；
take all you want。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the old man； 〃but how can I ever return such services？〃
〃By accepting them without difficulty；〃 said Godefroid； quickly； 〃and
by giving me your confidence。〃
〃But what are my claims to so much generosity？〃 asked Monsieur
Bernard； becoming once more distrustful。 〃Ah！ my pride and that of my
grandson are lowered indeed！〃 he cried bitterly。 〃We are compelled to
offer explanations to the few creditorsonly two or threewhom we
cannot pay。 The utterly unfortunate have no creditors； to have them
one must needs present an exterior of some show； and that we have now
lost。 But I have not yet abdicated my common…sense；my reason；〃 he
added； as if he were talking to himself。
〃Monsieur；〃 replied Godefroid； gravely； 〃the history you gave me
yesterday would touch even a usurer。〃
〃No； no！ for Barbet； that publisher； the proprietor of this house； is
speculating on my poverty； and has sent the Vauthier woman； his former
cook； to spy upon it。〃
〃How can he speculate upon you？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃I will tell you later；〃 replied the old man。 〃My daughter is cold；
and since you offer it； I am reduced to accept alms； were it even from
my worst enemy。〃
〃I will carry in some wood；〃 said Godefroid； gathering up ten or a
dozen sticks； and taking them into Monsieur Bernard's first room。 The
old man took as many himself； and when he saw the little provision
safely deposited； he could not restrain the silly； and even idiotic
smile with which those who are saved from a mortal danger； which has
seemed to them inevitable； express their joy； for terror still lingers
in their joy。
〃Accept things from me； my dear Monsieur Bernard； without reluctance；
and when your daughter is safe； and you are once more at ease； we will
settle all。 Meantime； let me act for you。 I have been to see that
Polish doctor； unfortunately he is absent； he will not be back for two
days。〃
At this moment a voice which seemed to Godefroid to have； and really
had； a fresh； melodious ring； cried out； 〃Papa； papa！〃 on two
expressive notes。
While speaking to the old man； Godefroid had noticed that the jambs of
a door leading to another room were painted in a delicate manner；
altogether different from that of the rest of the lodging。 His
curiosity； already so keenly excited； was now roused to the highest
pitch。 He was conscious that his mission of benevolence was becoming
nothing more than a pretext； what he really wanted was to see that
sick woman。 He refused to believe for an instant that a creature
endowed with such a voice could be an object of repulsion。
〃You do； indeed； take too much trouble； papa！〃 said the voice。 〃Why
not have more servants？and at your age； too！ Good God！〃
〃But you know； my dear Vanda； that the boy and I cannot bear that any
one should wait upon you but ourselves！〃
Those sentences； which Godefroid heard through the door； or rather
divined； for a heavy portiere on the inside smothered the sounds； gave
him an inkling of the truth。 The sick woman； surrounded by luxury； was
evidently kept in i