immediately； casting a reproachful glance to heaven：
〃I am one of the thousand victims of political reaction。 I conceal my
name because it is the mark for many a revenge。 If the lessons of
experience were not always wasted from one generation to another I
should warn you； young man； never to adopt the sternness of any
policy。 Not that I regret having done my duty； my conscience is
perfectly clear on that score； but the powers of to…day have not that
solidarity which formerly bound all governments together as
governments； no matter how different they might be； if to…day they
reward zealous agents it is because they are afraid of them。 The
instrument they have used； no matter how faithful it has been； is；
sooner or later； cast aside。 You see in me one of the firmest
supporters of the government of the elder branch of the Bourbons； as I
was later of the Imperial power； yet here I am in penury！ Since I am
too proud to beg； they have never dreamed that I suffer untold misery。
Five days ago； monsieur； the doctor who takes care of my daughter； or
rather I should say； observes her； told me that he was unable to cure
a disease the forms of which varied perpetually。 He says that neurotic
patients are the despair of science； for the causes of their
conditions are only to be found in some as yet unexplored system。 He
advised me to have recourse to a physician who has been called a
quack； but he carefully pointed out that this man was a stranger； a
Polish Jew； a refugee； and that the Parisian doctors were extremely
jealous of certain wonderful cures he had made； and also of the
opinion expressed by many that he is very learned and extremely able。
Only； Dr。 Berton says； he is very exacting and overbearing。 He selects
his patients； and will not allow an instant of his time to be wasted；
and he isa communist！ His name is Halpersohn。 My grandson has been
twice to find him； but he is always too busy to attend to him； he has
not been to see us； I fully understand why。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃Because my grandson； who is sixteen years old； is even more shabbily
dressed than I am。 Would you believe it； monsieur？ I /dare/ not go to
that doctor； my clothes are so out of keeping with a man of my age and
dignity。 If he saw the father as shabby as I am； and the boy even
worse； he might not give my daughter the needful attention； he would
treat us as doctors treat the poor。 And think； my dear monsieur； that
I love my daughter for all the suffering she has caused me； just as I
used to love her for the joys I had in her。 She has become angelic。
Alas！ she is nothing now but a soul； a soul which beams upon her son
and me； the body no longer exists； she has conquered suffering。 Think
what a spectacle for a father！ The whole world； to my daughter； is
within the walls of her room。 I keep it filled with flowers； for she
loves them。 She reads a great deal； and when she has the use of her
hands she works like a fairy。 She has no conception of the horrible
poverty to which we are reduced。 This makes our household way of life
so strange； so eccentric； that we cannot admit visitors。 Do you now
understand me； monsieur？ Can you not see how impossible a neighbor is？
I should have to ask for so much forbearance from him that the
obligation would be too heavy。 Besides； I have no time for friends； I
educate my grandson； and I have so much other work to do that I only
sleep three； or at most four hours at night。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Godefroid； who had listened patiently； observing the
old man with sorrowful attention； 〃I will be your neighbor； and I will
help you。〃
A scornful gesture； even an impatient one； escaped the old man； for he
was one who believed in nothing good in human nature。
〃I will help you；〃 pursued Godefroid； taking his hand； 〃but in my own
way。 Listen to me。 What do you mean to make of your grandson？〃
〃He is soon to enter the Law school。 I am bringing him up to the bar。〃
〃Then he will cost you six hundred francs a year。〃
The old man made no reply。
〃I myself；〃 continued Godefroid after a pause； 〃have nothing； but I
may be able to do much。 I will obtain the Polish doctor for you。 And
if your daughter is curable she shall be cured。 We will find some way
of paying Halpersohn。〃
〃Oh！ if my daughter be cured I will make a sacrifice I can make but
once；〃 cried the old man。 〃I will sell the pear I have kept for a
thirsty day。〃
〃You shall keep the pair〃
〃Oh； youth！ youth！〃 exclaimed Monsieur Bernard； shaking his head。
〃Adieu； monsieur； or rather； au revoir。 This is the hour for the
Library； and as my books are all sold I am obliged to go there every
day to do my work。 I shall bear in mind the kindness you express； but
I must wait and see whether you will grant us the consideration I must
ask from my neighbor。 That is all I expect of you。〃
〃Yes； monsieur； let me be your neighbor； for； I assure you； Barbet is
not a man to allow the rooms to be long unrented； and you might have
far worse neighbors than I。 I do not ask you to believe in me； only to
let me be useful to you。〃
〃What object have you？〃 said the old man； preparing to go down the
steps from the cloister of the Chartreux which leads from the great
alley of the Luxembourg to the rue d'Enfer。
〃Did you never； in your public functions； oblige any one？〃
The old man looked at Godefroid with frowning brows； his eyes were
full of memories； like a man who turns the leaves of his book of life；
seeking for the action to which he owed this gratitude； then he turned
away coldly； with a bow； full of doubt。
〃Well； for a first investigation I did not frighten him too much；〃
thought Godefroid。
XIII
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS
Godefroid now went to the rue d'Enfer； the address given him by
Monsieur Alain； and there found Dr。 Berton； a cold； grave man； who
astonished him much by confirming all the details given by Monsieur
Bernard about his daughter's illness。 From him Godefroid obtained the
address of Halpersohn。
This Polish doctor； since so celebrated； then lived in Chaillot； rue
Marbeuf； in an isolated house where he occupied the first floor。
General Romanus Zarnowski lived on the second floor； and the servants
of the two refugees inhabited the garret of this little house； which
had but two stories。 Godefroid did not find Halpersohn； and was told
that he had gone into the provinces； sent for by a rich patient； he
was almost glad not to meet him； for in his hurry he had forgotten to
supply himself with money； and he now went back to the hotel de la
Chanterie to get some。
These various trips and the time consumed in dining at a restaurant in
the rue de l'Odeon brought Godefroid to the hour when he said he would
return and take possession of his lodging on the boulevard du Mont…
Parnasse。 Nothing could be more forlorn than the manner in which
Madame Vauthier had furnished the two rooms。 It seemed as though the
woman let rooms with the express purpose that no one should stay in
them。 Evidently the bed； chairs； tables； bureau； secretary； curtains；
came from forced sales at auction； articles massed together in lots as
having no separate intrinsic value。
Madame Vauthier； with her hands on her hips； stood waiting for thanks；
she took Godefroid's smile for one of surprise。
〃There！ I picked out for you the very best we have； my dear Monsieur
Godefroid；〃 she said with a triumphant air。 〃See those pretty silk
curtains； and the mahogany bedstead which hasn't got a worm…hole in
it！ It formerly belonged to the Prince of Wissembourg。 When he left
his house； rue Louis…le…Grand； in 1809； I was the kitchen…girl。 From
there； I went to live as cook with the present owner of this house。〃
Godefroid stopped the flux of confidences by paying a month's rent in
advance； and he also gave； in advance； the six francs he was to pay
Madame Vauthier for the care of his rooms。 At that moment he heard
barking； and if he had not been duly warned by Monsieur Bernard； he
would certainly have supposed that his neighbor kept a dog。
〃Does that dog bark at night？〃 he asked。
〃Oh！ don't be uneasy； monsieur； you'll only have one week to stand
those persons。 Monsieur Bernard can't pay his rent and we are going to
put him out。 They are queer people； I tell you！ I have never seen
their dog。 That animal is sometimes months； yes； six months at a time
without making a sound； you might think they hadn't a dog。 The beast
never leaves the lady's room。 There's a sick lady in there； and very
sick； too； she's never been out of her room since she came。 Old
Monsieur Bernard works hard； and the son； too； the lad is a day…
scholar at the school of Louis…le…Grand； where he is nearly through
his philosophy course； and only sixteen； too； that's something to
boast of！ but the little scamp has to work like one possessed。
Presently you'll hear them bring out the plants they keep in the
lady's room and carry in fresh ones。 They themselves； the grandfather
and the boy； only eat bread； though they buy flowers and all sorts of
dainties for the lady。 She must be very ill； not to leave her room
once since entering it； and if one's to believe Monsieur Berton； the
doctor； she'll never come out except feet foremost。〃
〃What does this Monsieur Bernard do？〃
〃It seems he's a learned man； he writes and goes about to libraries。
Monsieur lends him money on his compositions。〃
〃Monsieur？ who is he？〃
〃The proprietor of the house； Monsieur Barbet； the old bookseller。 He
is a Norman who used to sell green stuff in the streets； and
afterwards set up a bookstall； in 1818； on the quay。 Then he got a
little shop； and now he is very rich。 He is a kind of a Jew； with a
score of trades； he was even a partner with the Italian who built this
barrack to lodge silk…worms。〃
〃So this house is a refuge for unfortunate authors？〃 said Godefroid。
〃Is monsieur unluckily one himself？〃 asked the widow Vauthier。
〃I am only just starting；〃 replied Godefroid。
〃Oh！ my dear monsieur； take my advice and don't go on； journalist？
well；I won't say anything against that。〃
Godefroid could not help laughing as he bade good…night to the
portress； who thus； all unconsciously； represented the bourgeoisie。 As
he went to bed in the hor