ant 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 re