xedly at Birotteau and said: "Monsieur, will you pledge
yourself, here, in presence of your whole family, to consent to our
marriage, if mademoiselle will accept me as her husband, on the day when
you have retrieved your failure?"

There was an instant's silence, during which all present were affected
by the emotions painted on the worn face of the poor man.

"Yes," he said, at last.

Anselme made a gesture of unspeakable joy, as he took the hand which
Cesarine held out to him, and kissed it.

"You consent, then?" he said to her.

"Yes," she answered.

"Now that I am one of the family, I have the right to concern myself in
its affairs," he said, with a strange, excited expression of face.

He left the room precipitately, that he might not show a joy which
contrasted too cruelly with the sorrow of his master. Anselme was not
actually happy at the failure, but love is such an egoist! Even Cesarine
felt within her heart an emotion that counteracted her bitter grief.

"Now that we have got so far," whispered Pillerault to Constance, "shall
we strike the last blow?"

Madame Birotteau let a sign of grief rather than of acquiescence escape
her.

"My nephew," said Pillerault, addressing Cesar, "what do you intend to
do?"

"To carry on my business."

"That would not be my judgment," said Pillerault. "Take my advice, wind
up everything, make over your whole assets to your creditors, and keep
out of business. I have often imagined how it would be if I were in a
situation such as yours--Ah, one has to foresee everything in business!
a merchant who does not think of failure is like a general who counts on
never being defeated; he is only half a merchant. I, in your position,
would never have continued in business. What! be forced to blush
before the men I had injured, to bear their suspicious looks and tacit
reproaches? I can conceive of the guillotine--a moment, and all is over.
But to have the head replaced, and daily cut off anew,--that is agony I
could not have borne. Many men take up their business as if nothing
had happened: so much the better for them; they are stronger than
Claude-Joseph Pillerault. If you pay in cash, and you are obliged to
do so, they say that you have kept back part of your assets; if you are
without a penny, it is useless to attempt to recover yourself. No, give
up your property, sell your business, and find something else to do."

"What could I find?" said Cesar.

"Well," said Pillerau