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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 said：
〃Mamma would like to see you； and my grandfather offers you a cup of
tea。〃
When Godefroid entered； the patient seemed to him transfigured by the
pleasure she felt in making music； her face was radiant； her eyes were
sparkling like diamonds。
〃I ought to have waited to let you hear the first sounds；〃 she said to
Godefroid； 〃but I flung myself upon the little organ as a starving man
flings himself on food。 You have a soul that comprehends me； and I
know you will forgive。〃
Vanda made a sign to her son； who placed himself in such a way as to
press with his foot the pedal which filled the bellows； and then the
invalid； whose fingers had for the time recovered all their strength
and agility； raising her eyes to heaven like Saint Cecilia； played the
〃Prayer of Moses in Egypt；〃 which her son had bought for her and which
she had learned by heart in a few hours。 Godefroid recognized in her
playing the same quality as in Chopin's。 The soul was satisfied by
divine sounds of which the dominant note was that of tender
melancholy。 Monsieur Bernard had received Godefroid with a look that
was long a stranger to his eyes。 If tears were not forever dried at
their source； withered by such scorching sorrows； that look would have
been tearful。
The old man sat playing with his snuff…box and looking at his daughter
in silent ecstasy。
〃To…morrow； madame；〃 said Godefroid； when the music ceased； 〃to…morrow
your fate will be decided。 I bring you good news。 The celebrated
Halpersohn is coming to see you at three o'clock in the afternoon。 He
has promised；〃 added Godefroid in a low voice to Monsieur Bernard； 〃to
tell me the exact truth。〃
The old man rose； and grasping Godefroid's hand； drew him to a corner
of the room beside the fireplace。
〃Ah！ what a night I shall pass！ a definitive decision！ My daughter
cured or doomed！〃
〃Courage！〃 said Godefroid； 〃after tea come out with me。〃
〃My child； my child； don't play any more；〃 said the old man； 〃you will
bring on an attack； such a strain upon your strength must end in
reaction。〃
He made Auguste take away the instrument and offered a cup of tea to
his daughter with the coaxing manner of a nurse quieting the petulance
of a child。
〃What is the doctor like？〃 she asked； her mind already distracted by
the prospect of seeing a new person。
Vanda； like all prisoners； was full of eager curiosity。 When the
physical phenomena of her malady ceased； they seemed to betake
themselves to the moral nature； she conceived the strangest fancies；
the most violent caprices； she insisted on seeing Rossini； and wept
when her father； whom she believed to be all powerful； refused to
fetch him。
Godefroid now gave her a minute account of the Jewish doctor and his
study； of which she knew nothing； for Monsieur Bernard had cautioned
Auguste not to tell his mother of his visits to Halpersohn； so much
had he feared to rouse hopes in her mind which might not be realized。
Vanda hung upon Godefroid's words like one fascinated； and she fell
into a sort of ecstasy in her passionate desire to see this strange
Polish doctor。
〃Poland has produced many singular； mysterious beings；〃 said Monsieur
Bernard。 〃To…day； for instance； besides this extraordinary doctor； we
have Hoene Wronski； the enlightened mathematician； the poet
Mickievicz； Towianksi the mystic； and Chopin； whose talent is
supernatural。 Great national convulsions always produce various
species of dwarfed giants。〃
〃Oh！ dear papa； what a man you are！ If you would only write down what
we hear you say merely to amuse me you would make your reputation。
Fancy； monsieur； my dear old father invents wonderful stories when I
have no novels to read； he often puts me to sleep in that way。 His
voice lulls me； and he quiets my mind with his wit。 Who can ever
reward him？ Auguste； my child； you ought for my sake； to kiss the
print of your grandfather's footsteps。〃
The young man raised his beautiful moist eyes to his mother； and the
look he gave her； fu