banking business between Paris and North America； so as to leave it to
this fellow here；' he added； showing me his eldest son； who was
fifteen years old。 We spent the rest of the day together and went to
the play； for Mongenod and his family were actually hungry for the
theatre。 The next morning I placed the whole sum in the Funds； and I
now had in all about fifteen thousand francs a year。 This fortune
enabled me to give up book…keeping at night； and also to resign my
place at the Mont…de…piete； to the great satisfaction of the underling
who stepped into my shoes。 My friend died in 1827； at the age of
sixty…three； after founding the great banking…house of Mongenod and
Company； which made enormous profits from the first loans under the
Restoration。 His daughter； to whom he subsequently gave a million in
dowry； married the Vicomte de Fontaine。 The eldest son； whom you know；
is not yet married； he lives with his mother and brother。 We obtain
from them all the sums we need。 Frederic （his father gave him my name
in America）；Frederic Mongenod is； at thirty…seven years of age； one
of the ablest； and most upright； bankers in Paris。 Not very long ago
Madame Mongenod admitted to me that she had sold her hair； as I
suspected； for twelve francs to buy bread。 She gives me now twenty…
four cords of wood a year for my poor people； in exchange for the half
cord which I once sent her。〃
〃This explains to me your relations with the house of Mongenod；〃 said
Godefroid；〃and your fortune。〃
Again the goodman looked at Godefroid with a smile； and the same
expression of kindly mischief。
〃Oh； go on！〃 said Godefroid； seeing from his manner that he had more
to tell。
〃This conclusion； my dear Godefroid； made the deepest impression on
me。 If the man who had suffered so much； if my friend forgave my
injustice； I could not forgive myself。〃
〃Oh！〃 ejaculated Godefroid。
〃I resolved to devote all my superfluous meansabout ten thousand
francs a yearto acts of intelligent benevolence；〃 continued Monsieur
Alain； tranquilly。 〃About this time it was that I made the
acquaintance of a judge of the Lower Civil Court of the Seine named
Popinot； whom we had the great grief of losing three years ago； and
who practised for fifteen years an active and most intelligent charity
in the quartier Saint…Marcel。 It was he； with the venerable vicar of
Notre…Dame and Madame； who first thought of founding the work in which
we are now co…operating； and which； since 1825； has quietly done much
good。 This work has found its soul in Madame de la Chanterie； for she
is truly the inspiration of this enterprise。 The vicar has known how
to make us more religious than we were at first； by showing us the
necessity of being virtuous ourselves in order to inspire virtue； in
short； to preach by example。 The farther we have advanced in our work；
the happier we have mutually found ourselves。 And so； you see； it
really was the repentance I felt for misconceiving the heart of my
friend which gave me the idea of devoting to the poor； through my own
hands； the fortune he returned to me； and which I accepted without
objecting to the immensity of the sum returned in proportion to the
sum lent。 Its destination justified my taking it。〃
This narration； made quietly； without assumption； but with a gentle
kindliness in accent； look； and gesture； would have inspired Godefroid
to enter this noble and sacred association if his resolution had not
already been taken。
〃You know the world very little；〃 he said； 〃if you have such scruples
about a matter that would not weigh on any other man's conscience。〃
〃I know only the unfortunate；〃 said Monsieur Alain。 〃I do not desire
to know a world in which men are so little afraid of judging one
another。 But see！ it is almost midnight； and I still have my chapter
of the 'Imitation of Jesus Christ' to meditate upon！ Good…night！〃
Godefroid took the old man's hand and pressed it； with an expression
of admiration。
〃Can you tell me Madame de la Chanterie's history？〃
〃Impossible； without her consent；〃 replied Monsieur Alain； 〃for it is
connected with one of the most terrible events of Imperial policy。 It
was through my friend Bordin that I first knew Madame。 He had in his
possession all the secrets of that noble life； it was he who； if I may
say so； led me to this house。〃
〃I thank you；〃 said Godefroid； 〃for having told me your life； there
are many lessons in it for me。〃
〃Do you know what is the moral of it？〃
〃Tell me；〃 said Godefroid； 〃for perhaps I may see something different
in it from what you see。〃
〃Well； it is this： that pleasure is an accident in a Christian's life；
it is not the aim of it； and this we learn too late。〃
〃What happens when we turn to Christianity？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃See！〃 said the goodman。
He pointed with his finger to some letters of gold on a black ground
which the new lodger had not observed； for this was the first time he
had ever been in Monsieur Alain's room。 Godefroid turned and read the
words： TRANSIRE BENEFACIENDO。
〃That is our motto。 If you become one of us； that will be your only
commission。 We read that commission； which we have given to ourselves；
at all times； in the morning when we rise； in the evening when we lie
down； and when we are dressing。 Ah！ if you did but know what immense
pleasures there are in accomplishing that motto！〃
〃Such as？〃 said Godefroid； hoping for further revelations。
〃I must tell you that we are as rich as Baron de Nucingen himself。 But
the 'Imitation of Jesus Christ' forbids us to regard our wealth as our
own。 We are only the spenders of it； and if we had any pride in being
that； we should not be worthy of dispensing it。 It would not be
/transire benefaciendo/； it would be inward enjoyment。 For if you say
to yourself with a swelling of the nostrils； 'I play the part of
Providence！' （as you might have thought if you had been in my place
this morning and saved the future lives of a whole family）； you would
become a Sardanapalus；an evil one！ None of these gentlemen living
here thinks of himself when he does good。 All vanity； all pride； all
self…love； must be stripped off； and that is hard to do；yes； very
hard。〃
Godefroid bade him good…night； and returned to his own room； deeply
affected by this narrative。 But his curiosity was more whetted than
satisfied； for the central figure of the picture was Madame de la
Chanterie。 The history of the life of that woman became of the utmost
importance to him； so that he made the obtaining of it the object of
his stay in that house。 He already perceived in this association of
five persons a vast enterprise of Charity； but he thought far less of
that than he did of its heroine。
VIII
WHO SHE WASWIFE AND MOTHER
The would…be disciple passed many days in observing more carefully
than he had hitherto done the rare persons among whom fate had brought
him； and he became the subject of a moral phenomenon which modern
philosophers have despised；possibly out of ignorance。
The sphere in which he lived had a positive action upon Godefroid。 The
laws which regulate the physical nature under relation to the
atmospheric environment in which it is developed； rule also in the
moral nature。 Hence it follows that the assembling together of
condemned prisoners is one of the greatest of social crimes； and also
that their isolation is an experiment of doubtful success。 Condemned
criminals ought to be in religious institutions； surrounded by
prodigies of Good； instead of being cast as they are into sight and
knowledge of Evil only。 The Church can be expected to show an absolute
devotion in this matter。 If it sends missionaries to heathen or savage
nations； with how much greater joy would it welcome the mission of
redeeming the heathen of civilization？ for all criminals are atheists；
and often without knowing they are so。
Godefroid found these five associated persons endowed with the
qualities they required in him。 They were all without pride； without
vanity； truly humble and pious； also without any of the pretension
which constitutes /devotion/； using that word in its worst sense。
These virtues were contagious； he was filled with a desire to imitate
these hidden heroes； and he ended by passionately studying the book he
had begun by despising。 Within two weeks he reduced his views of life
to its simplest lines；to what it really /is/ when we consider it
from the higher point of view to which the Divine spirit leads us。 His
curiosityworldly at first； and excited by many vulgar and material
motivespurified itself； if he did not renounce it altogether； the
fault was not his； any one would have found it difficult to resign an
interest in Madame de la Chanterie； but Godefroid showed； without
intending it； a discretion which was appreciated by these persons； in
whom the divine Spirit had developed a marvellous power of the
faculties；as； indeed； it often does among recluses。 The
concentration of the moral forces； no matter under what system it may
be effected； increases the compass of them tenfold。
〃Our friend is not yet converted；〃 said the good Abbe de Veze； 〃but he
is seeking to be。〃
An unforeseen circumstance brought about the revelation of Madame de
la Chanterie's history to Godefroid； and so fully was this made to him
that the overpowering interest she excited in his soul was completely
satisfied。
The public mind was at that time much occupied by one of those
horrible criminal trials which mark the annals of our police…courts。
This trial had gathered its chief interest from the character of the
criminals themselves； whose audacity； superior intelligence in evil；
and cynical replies； had horrified the community。 It is a matter
worthy of remark that no newspaper ever found its way into the hotel
de la Chanterie； and Godefroid only heard of the rejection of the
criminals' appeal from his master in book…keeping； for the trial
itself had taken place some time before he came to live in his new
abode。
〃Do you ever encounter；〃 he said to his new friends； 〃such atrocious
villains as those men？ and if you do encounter them； how do you manage
them？〃
〃In the first place；〃 said Monsieur Nicolas； 〃there are no atrocious