the brotherhood of consolation-第13章

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had　cause　of　complaint　against　such　a　comrade；　the　rights　of　the
friendship　between　you　can　never　be　effaced。　But　there　had　never　been
the　slightest　jar　between　us　two。　At　the　death　of　his　father；　in　1787；
Mongenod　was　left　richer　than　I。　Though　I　had　never　borrowed　money
from　him；　I　owed　him　pleasures　which　my　father's　economy　denied　me。
Without　my　generous　comrade　I　should　never　had　seen　the　first
representation　of　the　'Marriage　of　Figaro。'　Mongenod　was　what　was
called　in　those　days　a　charming　cavalier；　he　was　very　gallant。
Sometimes　I　blamed　him　for　his　facile　way　of　making　intimacies　and　his
too　great　amiability。　His　purse　opened　freely；　he　lived　in　a　free…
handed　way；　he　would　serve　a　man　as　second　having　only　seen　him　twice。
Good　God！　how　you　send　me　back　to　the　days　and　the　ways　of　my　youth！〃
said　the　worthy　man；　with　his　cheery　smile。

〃Are　you　sorry？〃　said　Godefroid。

〃Oh；　no！　and　you　can　judge　by　the　minuteness　with　which　I　am　telling
you　all　this　how　great　a　place　this　event　has　held　in　my　life。

〃Mongenod；　endowed　with　an　excellent　heart　and　fine　courage；　a　trifle
Voltairean；　was　inclined　to　play　the　nobleman；〃　went　on　Monsieur
Alain。　〃His　education　at　Grassins；　where　there　were　many　young　nobles；
and　his　various　gallantries；　had　given　him　the　polished　manners　and
ways　of　people　of　condition；　who　were　then　called　aristocrats。　You　can
therefore　imagine　how　great　was　my　surprise　to　see　such　symptoms　of
poverty　in　the　young　and　elegant　Mongenod　of　1787　when　my　eyes　left
his　face　and　rested　on　his　garments。　But　as；　at　that　unhappy　period　of
our　history；　some　persons　assumed　a　shabby　exterior　for　safety；　and　as
he　might　have　had　some　other　and　sufficient　reasons　for　disguising
himself；　I　awaited　an　explanation；　although　I　opened　the　way　to　it。
'What　a　plight　you　are　in；　my　dear　Mongenod！'　I　said；　accepting　the
pinch　of　snuff　he　offered　me　from　a　copper　and　zinc　snuff…box。　'Sad
indeed！'　he　answered；　'I　have　but　one　friend　left；　and　that　is　you。　I
have　done　all　I　could　to　avoid　appealing　to　you；　but　I　must　ask　you
for　a　hundred　louis。　The　sum　is　large；　I　know；'　he　went　on；　seeing　my
surprise；　'but　if　you　gave　me　fifty　I　should　be　unable　ever　to　return
them；　whereas　with　one　hundred　I　can　seek　my　fortune　in　better　ways；
despair　will　inspire　me　to　find　them。'　'Then　you　have　nothing？'　I
exclaimed。　'I　have；'　he　said；　brushing　away　a　tear；　'five　sous　left　of
my　last　piece　of　money。　To　come　here　to　you　I　have　had　my　boots
blacked　and　my　face　shaved。　I　possess　what　I　have　on　my　back。　But；'　he
added；　with　a　gesture；　'I　owe　my　landlady　a　thousand　francs　in
assignats；　and　the　man　I　buy　cold　victuals　from　refused　me　credit
yesterday。　I　am　absolutely　without　resources。'　'What　do　you　think　of
doing？'　'Enlisting　as　a　soldier　if　you　cannot　help　me。'　'You！　a
soldier；　Mongenod？'　'I　will　get　myself　killed；　or　I　will　be　General
Mongenod。'　'Well；'　I　said；　much　moved；　'eat　your　breakfast　in　peace；　I
have　a　hundred　louis。'

〃At　that　point；〃　said　the　goodman；　interrupting　himself　and　looking　at
Godefroid　with　a　shrewd　air；　〃I　thought　it　best　to　tell　him　a　bit　of　a
fib。〃

〃'That　is　all　I　possess　in　the　world；'　I　said。　'I　have　been　waiting
for　a　fall　in　the　Funds　to　invest　that　money；　but　I　will　put　it　in
your　hands　instead；　and　you　shall　consider　me　your　partner；　I　will
leave　to　your　conscience　the　duty　of　returning　it　to　me　in　due　time。
The　conscience　of　an　honest　man；'　I　said；　'is　a　better　security　than
the　Funds。'　Mongenod　looked　at　me　fixedly　as　I　spoke；　and　seemed　to　be
inlaying　my　words　upon　his　heart。　He　put　out　his　right　hand；　I　laid　my
left　into　it；　and　we　held　them　together；I　deeply　moved；　and　he　with
two　big　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　The　sight　of　those　tears　wrung
my　heart。　I　was　more　moved　still　when　Mongenod　pulled　out　a　ragged
foulard　handkerchief　to　wipe　them　away。　'Wait　here；'　I　said；　and　I
went　to　my　secret　hiding…place　with　a　heart　as　agitated　as　though　I
had　heard　a　woman　say　she　loved　me。　I　came　back　with　two　rolls　of
fifty　louis　each。　'Here；　count　them。'　He　would　not　count　them；　and　he
looked　about　him　for　a　desk　on　which　to　write；　he　said；　a　proper
receipt。　I　positively　refused　to　take　any　paper。　'If　I　should　die；'　I
said；　'my　heirs　would　trouble　you。　This　is　to　be　between　ourselves。'

〃Well；〃　continued　Monsieur　Alain；　smiling；　〃when　Mongenod　found　me　a
good　friend　he　ceased　to　look　as　sad　and　anxious　as　when　he　entered；
in　fact；　he　became　quite　gay。　My　housekeeper　gave　us　some　oysters；
white　wine；　and　an　omelet；　with　broiled　kidneys；　and　the　remains　of　a
pate　my　old　mother　had　sent　me；　also　some　dessert；　coffee；　and　liqueur
of　the　Iles。　Mongenod；　who　had　been　starving　for　two　days；　was　fed　up。
We　were　so　interested　in　talking　about　our　life　before　the　Revolution
that　we　sat　at　table　till　three　in　the　afternoon。　Mongenod　told　me　how
he　had　lost　his　fortune。　In　the　first　place；　his　father　having
invested　the　greater　part　of　his　capital　in　city　loans；　when　they　fell
Mongenod　lost　two　thirds　of　all　he　had。　Then；　having　sold　his　house　in
the　rue　de　Savoie；　he　was　forced　to　receive　the　price　in　assignats。
After　that　he　took　into　his　head　to　found　a　newspaper；　'La
Sentinelle；'　that　compelled　him　to　fly　at　the　end　of　six　months。　His
hopes；　he　said；　were　now　fixed　on　the　success　of　a　comic　opera　called
'Les　Peruviens。'　When　he　said　that　I　began　to　tremble。　Mongenod　turned
author；　wasting　his　money　on　a　newspaper；　living　no　doubt　in　the
theatres；　connected　with　singers　at　the　Feydeau；　with　musicians；　and
all　the　queer　people　who　lurk　behind　the　scenes；to　tell　you　the
truth；　he　didn't　seem　my　Mongenod。　I　trembled。　But　how　could　I　take
back　the　hundred　louis？　I　saw　each　roll　in　each　pocket　of　his　breeches
like　the　barrels　of　two　pistols。

〃Then；〃　continued　Monsieur　Alain；　and　this　time　he　sighed；　〃Mongenod
went　away。　When　I　was　alone；　and　no　longer　in　presence　of　hard　and
cruel　poverty；　I　began；　in　spite　of　myself；　to　reflect。　I　was　sobered。
'Mongenod；'　thought　I；　'is　perhaps　thoroughly　depraved；　he　may　have
been　playing　a　comedy　at　my　expense。'　His　gaiety；　the　moment　I　had
handed　over　to　him　readily　such　a　large　sum　of　money；　struck　me　then
as　being　too　like　the　joy　of　the　valets　on　the　stage　when　they　catch　a
Geronte。　I　ended；　where　I　ought　to　have　begun；　by　resolving　to　make
some　investigations　as　to　my　friend　Mongenod；　who　had　given　me　his
address；written　on　the　back　of　a　playing　card！　I　did　not　choose；　as
a　matter　of　delicacy；　to　go　and　see　him　the　next　day；　he　might　have
thought　there　was　distrust　in　such　promptness；　as；　indeed；　there　would
have　been。　The　second　day　I　had　certain　matters　to　attend　to　which
took　all　my　time；　and　it　was　only　at　the　end　of　two　weeks　that；　not
seeing　or　hearing　of　Mongenod；　I　went　one　morning　from　the　Croix…
Rouge；　where　I　was　then　living；　to　the　rue　des　Moineaux；　where　he
lived。　I　found　he　was　living　in　furnished　lodgings　of　the　lowest
class；　but　the　landlady　was　a　very　worthy　woman；　the　widow　of　a
magistrate　who　had　died　on　the　scaffold；　she　was　utterly　ruined　by　the
Revolution；　and　had　only　a　few　louis　with　which　to　begin　the　hazardous
trade　of　taking　lodgers。〃

Here　Monsieur　Alain　interrupted　himself　to　explain。　〃I　knew　her
later；〃　he　said；　〃she　then　had　seven　houses　in　Saint…Roch；　and　was
making　quite　a　little　fortune。

〃'The　citizen　Mongenod　is　not　at　home；'　the　landlady　said　to　me；　'but
there　is　some　one　there。'　This　remark　excited　my　curiosity。　I　went　up
to　the　fifth　story。　A　charming　person　opened　the　door；oh；　such　a
pretty　young　woman！　who　looked　at　me　rather　suspiciously　and　kept　the
door　half　closed。　'I　am　Alain；　a　friend　of　Mongenod's；'　I　said。
Instantly　the　door　opened　wide；　and　I　entered　a　miserable　garret；
which　was；　nevertheless；　kept　with　the　utmost　neatness。　The　pretty
young　woman　offered　me　a　chair　before　a　fireplace　where　were　ashes　but
no　fire；　at　the　corner　of　which　I　saw　a　common　earthen　foot…warmer。
'It　makes　me　very　happy；　monsieur；'　she　said；　taking　my　hand　and
pressing　it　affectionately；　'to　be　able　to　express　to　you　my
gratitude。　You　have　indeed　saved　us。　Were　it　not　for　you　I　might　never
have　seen　Mongenod　again。　He　might；yes；　he　would　have　th