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furnaces upstairs where you fricassee pearls till there's nothing else
talked of in town。 Get your roast chickens up there。〃
Lemulquinier took his dry bread and went out。
〃He will go and buy something to eat with his own money；〃 said Martha；
〃all the better；it is just so much saved。 Isn't he stingy； the old
scarecrow！〃
〃Starve him！ that's the only way to manage him；〃 said Josette。 〃For a
week past he hasn't rubbed a single floor； I have to do his work； for
he is always upstairs。 He can very well afford to pay me for it with
the present of a few herrings； if he brings any home； I shall lay
hands on them； I can tell him that。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Martha； 〃I hear Mademoiselle Marguerite crying。 Her
wizard of a father would swallow the house at a gulp without asking a
Christian blessing； the old sorcerer！ In my country he'd be burned
alive； but people here have no more religion than the Moors in
Africa。〃
Marguerite could scarcely stifle her sobs as she came through the
gallery。 She reached her room； took out her mother's letter； and read
as follows：
My Child；If God so wills； my spirit will be within your heart
when you read these words； the last I shall ever write； they are
full of love for my dear ones； left at the mercy of a demon whom I
have not been able to resist。 When you read these words he will
have taken your last crust； just as he took my life and squandered
my love。 You know； my darling； if I loved your father： I die
loving him less； for I take precautions against him which I never
could have practised while living。 Yes； in the depths of my coffin
I shall have kept a resource for the day when some terrible
misfortune overtakes you。 If when that day comes you are reduced
to poverty； or if your honor is in question； my child； send for
Monsieur de Solis； should he be living；if not； for his nephew；
our good Emmanuel； they hold one hundred and seventy thousand
francs which are yours and will enable you to live。
If nothing shall have subdued his passion； if his children prove
no stronger barrier than my happiness has been； and cannot stop
his criminal career；leave him； leave your father； that you may
live。 I could not forsake him； I was bound to him。 You；
Marguerite； you must save the family。 I absolve you for all you
may do to defend Gabriel and Jean and Felicie。 Take courage； be
the guardian angel of the Claes。 Be firm；I dare not say be
pitiless； but to repair the evil already done you must keep some
means at hand。 On the day when you read this letter； regard
yourself as ruined already； for nothing will stay the fury of that
passion which has torn all things from me。
My child； remember this： the truest love is to forget your heart。
Even though you be forced to deceive your father； your
dissimulation will be blessed； your actions； however blamable they
may seem； will be heroic if taken to protect the family。 The
virtuous Monsieur de Solis tells me so； and no conscience was ever
purer or more enlightened than his。 I could never have had the
courage to speak these words to you； even with my dying breath。
And yet； my daughter； be respectful； be kind in the dreadful
struggle。 Resist him； but love him； deny him gently。 My hidden
tears； my inward griefs will be known only when I am dead。 Kiss my
dear children in my name when the hour comes and you are called
upon to protect them。
May God and the saints be with you！
Josephine。
To this letter was added an acknowledgment from the Messieurs de
Solis； uncle and nephew； who thereby bound themselves to place the
money entrusted to them by Madame Claes in the hands of whoever of her
children should present the paper。
〃Martha；〃 cried Marguerite to the duenna； who came quickly； 〃go to
Monsieur Emmanuel de Solis； and ask him to come to me。Noble；
discreet heart！ he never told me；〃 she thought； 〃though all my griefs
and cares are his； he never told me！〃
Emmanuel came before Martha could get back。
〃You have kept a secret from me；〃 she said； showing him her mother's
letter。
Emmanuel bent his head。
〃Marguerite； are you in great trouble？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃be my support；you； whom my mother calls 'our
good Emmanuel。'〃 She showed him the letter； unable to repress her joy
in knowing that her mother approved her choice。
〃My blood and my life were yours on the morrow of the day when I first
saw you in the gallery；〃 he said； 〃but I scarcely dared to hope the
time might come when you would accept them。 If you know me well； you
know my word is sacred。 Forgive the absolute obedience I have paid to
your mother's wishes； it was not for me to judge her intentions。〃
〃You have saved us；〃 she said； interrupting him； and taking his arm to
go down to the parlor。
After hearing from Emmanuel the origin of the money entrusted to him；
Marguerite confided to him the terrible straits in which the family
now found themselves。
〃I must pay those notes at once；〃 said Emmanuel。 〃If Merkstus holds
them all； you can at least save the interest。 I will bring you the
remaining seventy thousand francs。 My poor uncle left me quite a large
sum in ducats； which are easy to carry secretly。〃
〃Oh！〃 she said； 〃bring them at night； we can hide them when my father
is asleep。 If he knew that I had money； he might try to force it from
me。 Oh； Emmanuel； think what it is to distrust a father！〃 she said；
weeping and resting her forehead against the young man's heart。
This sad； confiding movement； with which the young girl asked
protection； was the first expression of a love hitherto wrapped in
melancholy and restrained within a sphere of grief： the heart； too
full； was forced to overflow beneath the pressure of this new misery。
〃What can we do； what will become of us？ He sees nothing； he cares for
nothing；neither for us nor for himself。 I know not how he can live
in that garret； where the air is stifling。〃
〃What can you expect of a man who calls incessantly； like Richard
III。； 'My kingdom for a horse'？〃 said Emmanuel。 〃He is pitiless； and
in that you must imitate him。 Pay his notes； give him； if you will；
your whole fortune； but that of your sister and of your brothers is
neither yours nor his。〃
〃Give him my fortune？〃 she said； pressing her lover's hand and looking
at him with ardor in her eyes； 〃you advise it； you！and Pierquin told
a hundred lies to make me keep it！〃
〃Alas！ I may be selfish in my own way；〃 he said。 〃Sometimes I long for
you without fortune； you seem nearer to me then！ At other times I want
you rich and happy； and I feel how paltry it is to think that the poor
grandeurs of wealth can separate us。〃
〃Dear； let us not speak of ourselves。〃
〃Ourselves！〃 he repeated； with rapture。 Then； after a pause； he added：
〃The evil is great； but it is not irreparable。〃
〃It can be repaired only by us：