the brotherhood of consolation-第45章

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what　bitter　regrets　I　feel　for　having　dissipated　my　little　fortune！
The　spirit　of　charity　has　appeared　to　me；　it　fills　me　with　the　ardor
of　an　initiate。　I　wish　to　renounce　the　world；　I　long　to　embrace　the
life　of　these　gentlemen　and　be　worthy　of　you。　Many　a　time　during　the
last　two　days　I　have　blessed　the　chance　that　brought　me　to　this　house。
I　will　obey　you　in　all　things　until　you　judge　me　fit　to　be　one　of
yours。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　after　reflecting　for　a　time；
〃listen　to　me；　for　I　have　important　things　to　tell。　You　have　been
allured；　my　child；　by　the　poesy　of　misfortune。　Yes；　misfortunes　are
often　poetical；　for；　as　I　think；　poesy　is　a　certain　effect　on　the
sensibilities；　and　sorrows　affect　the　sensibilities；life　is　so
intense　in　grief！〃

〃Yes；　madame；　I　know　that　I　have　been　gripped　by　the　demon　of
curiosity。　But　how　could　I　help　it？　I　have　not　yet　acquired　the　habit
of　penetrating　to　the　heart　of　these　great　misfortunes；　I　cannot　go
among　them　with　the　calmness　of　your　three　soldiers　of　the　Lord。　But；
let　me　tell　you；　it　is　since　I　have　recovered　from　that　first
excitement　that　I　have　chiefly　longed　to　devote　myself　to　your　work。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　my　dear　angel！〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　who
uttered　the　last　three　words　with　a　gentle　solemnity　that　touched　the
young　man　strangely。　〃We　have　forbidden　ourselves　absolutely；and　we
do　not　trifle　with　words　here；　what　is　forbidden　no　longer　occupies
our　minds；we　have　forbidden　ourselves　to　enter　into　any
speculations。　To　print　a　book　for　sale　on　the　chance　of　profit　is　a
matter　of　business；　and　any　operation　of　that　kind　would　throw　us　into
all　the　entanglements　of　commerce。　Certainly　your　scheme　seems　to　me
feasible；even　necessary。　But　do　you　think　it　is　the　first　that　has
offered　itself？　A　score　of　times；　a　hundred　times；　we　have　come　upon
just　such　ways　of　saving　families；　or　firms。　What　would　have　become　of
us　if　we　had　taken　part　in　such　affairs？　We　should　be　merchants。　No；
our　true　partnership　with　misfortune　is　not　to　take　the　work　into　our
own　hands；　but　to　help　the　unfortunate　to　work　themselves。　Before　long
you　will　meet　with　misfortunes　more　bitter　still　than　these。　Would　you
then　do　the　same　thing；that　is；　take　the　burdens　of　those
unfortunates　wholly　on　yourself？　You　would　soon　be　overwhelmed。
Reflect；　too；　my　dear　child；　that　for　the　last　year　even　the　Messieurs
Mongenod　find　our　accounts　too　heavy　for　them。　Half　your　time　would　be
taken　up　in　merely　keeping　our　books。　We　have　to…day　over　two　thousand
debtors　in　Paris；　and　we　must　keep　the　record　of　their　debts。　Not　that
we　ask　for　payment；　we　simply　wait。　We　calculate　that　if　half　the
money　we　expect　is　lost；　the　other　half　comes　back　to　us；　sometimes
doubled。　Now；　suppose　your　Monsieur　Bernard　dies；　the　twelve　thousand
francs　are　probably　lost。　But　if　you　cure　his　daughter；　if　his
grandson　is　put　in　the　way　of　succeeding；　if　he　comes；　some　day；　a
magistrate；　then；　when　the　family　is　prosperous；　they　will　remember
the　debt；　and　return　the　money　of　the　poor　with　usury。　Do　you　know
that　more　than　one　family　whom　we　have　rescued　from　poverty；　and　put
upon　their　feet　on　the　road　to　prosperity　by　loans　of　money　without
interest；　have　laid　aside　a　portion　for　the　poor；　and　have　returned　to
us　the　money　loaned　doubled；　and　sometimes　tripled？　Those　are　our　only
speculations。　Moreover；　reflect　that　what　is　now　interesting　you　so
deeply　（and　you　ought　to　be　interested　in　it）；　namely；　the　sale　of
this　lawyer's　book；　depends　on　the　value　of　the　work。　Have　you　read
it？　Besides；　though　the　book　may　be　an　excellent　one；　how　many
excellent　books　remain　one；　two；　three　years　without　obtaining　the
success　they　deserve。　Alas！　how　many　crowns　of　fame　are　laid　upon　a
grave！　I　know　that　publishers　have　ways　of　negotiating　and　realizing
profits　which　make　their　business　the　most　hazardous　to　do　with；　and
the　most　difficult　to　unravel；　of　all　the　trades　of　Paris。　Monsieur
Joseph　can　tell　you　of　these　difficulties；　inherent　in　the　making　of
books。　Thus；　you　see；　we　are　sensible；　we　have　experience　of　all
miseries；　also　of　all　trades；　for　we　have　studied　Paris　for　many
years。　The　Mongenods　have　helped　us　in　this；　they　have　been　like
torches　to　us。　It　is　through　them　that　we　know　how　the　Bank　of　France
holds　the　publishing　business　under　constant　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　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