His eyes were red and swollen as if he had been weeping,
but as soon as he caught sight of Andre his face brightened, and he
welcomed him warmly.

"Oh, it does me good to see you, and I bless the fortunate chance that
has brought you here to-day."

"It is not a very fortunate chance," answered Andre, as he shook his
head sadly.

For the first time Gandelu noticed the air of gravity which marked the
young man, and the shade of sorrow upon his brow.

"What ails you, Andre?" asked he.

"A great misfortune is hanging over me."

"What do you mean?"

"The naked truth and this misfortune may bring death and despair to me."

"I am your friend, my dear boy," said the old man, "and would gladly be
of service to you. Tell me if I can be of any use?"

"I come to you to-day to ask a favor at your hands."

"And you thought of the old man, then? I thank you for doing so. Give me
your hand; I like to feel the grasp of an honest man's hand; it warms my
heart."

"It is the secret of my life that I am going to confide to you," said
he, with some solemnity.

M. Gandelu made no reply, but struck his clenched fist upon his breast,
as though to show that any secret confided to him would be locked up in
the safe security of his heart.

Then Andre hesitated no longer, and, with the exception of giving names,
told the whole story of his love, his ambitions, and his hopes, and gave
a clear account of how matters stood.

"How can I help you?" asked M. Gandelu.

"Allow me," said Andre, "to hand over the work with which you have
intrusted me to one of my friends. I will retain the responsibility, but
will merely act as one of the workmen. This, to a certain extent, will
give me my liberty, while at the same time I shall be earning a little
money, which is just now of vast importance to me."

"Is that what you call a favor?"

"Certainly, and a very great one, too."

Gandelu rose hastily, and, opening an iron safe which stood in one
corner of the room, and taking from it a bundle of banknotes, he placed
them on the table before Andre with an expressive look, which meant,
"Take what you desire."

The unlooked-for kindness of this man, who forgot all his own sorrows
in his anxiety to relieve the necessities of another, affected Andre
deeply.

"I do not need money," began he.

With a wave of his hand Gandelu inspired silence. "Take these twenty
thousand francs," said he, "and then I can tell you why I asked you to
come upsta