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The young man raised his beautiful moist eyes to his mother； and the
look he gave her； full of a long…repressed compassion； was a poem。
Godefroid rose； took the lad's hand； and pressed it。
〃God has placed two angels beside you； madame；〃 he said。
〃Yes； I know that。 And for that reason I often reproach myself for
harassing them。 Come； my dear Auguste； and kiss your mother。 He is a
child； monsieur； of whom all mothers might be proud； pure as gold；
frank and honest； a soul without sinbut too passionate a soul； alas！
like that of his poor mother。 Perhaps God has fastened me in this bed
to keep me from the follies of womenwho have too much heart；〃 she
added； smiling。
Godefroid replied with a smile and a bow。
〃Adieu； monsieur； and thank your friend for the instrument； tell him
it makes the happiness of a poor cripple。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Godefroid； when they were alone in the latter's room。
〃I think I may assure you that you shall not be robbed by that trio of
bloodsuckers。 I have the necessary sum to free your book； but you must
first show me your written agreement with them。 And after that； in
order to do still more for you； you must let me have your work to
read；not I myself； of course； I have not knowledge enough to judge
of it； but a former magistrate； a lawyer of eminence and of perfect
integrity； who will undertake； according to what he thinks of the
book； to find you an honorable publisher with whom you can make an
equitable agreement。 This； however； I will not insist upon。 Meantime
here are five hundred francs；〃 he added； giving a bank…note to the
stupefied old man； 〃to meet your present needs。 I do not ask for any
receipt； you will be under obligations to your own conscience only；
and that conscience is not to move you until you have recovered a
sufficient competence；I undertake to pay Halpersohn。〃
〃Who are you； then？〃 asked the old man； dropping into a chair。
〃I myself；〃 replied Godefroid； 〃am nothing； but I serve powerful
persons to whom your distress is known； and who feel an interest in
you。 Ask me nothing more about them。〃
〃But what induces them to do this？〃 said the old man。
〃Religion。〃
〃Religion！ is it possible？〃
〃Yes； the catholic； apostolic； and Roman religion。〃
〃Ah！ do you belong to the order of Jesus？〃
〃No； monsieur；〃 replied Godefroid。 〃Do not feel uneasy； these persons
have no designs upon you； except that of helping you to restore your
family to prosperity。〃
〃Can philanthropy be anything but vanity？〃
〃Ah！ monsieur；〃 said Godefroid； hastily； 〃do not insult the virtue
defined by Saint Paul； sacred； catholic Love！〃
Monsieur Bernard； hearing this answer； began to stride up and down
with long steps。
〃I accept；〃 he said suddenly； 〃and I have but one way of thanking you；
and that is to offer you my work。 The notes and citations are
unnecessary to the magistrate you speak of； and I have still two
months' work to do in arranging them for the press。 To…morrow I will
give you the five volumes；〃 he added； offering Godefroid his hand。
〃Can I have made a conversion？〃 thought Godefroid； struck by the new
expression which he saw on the old man's face。
XVII
HALPERSOHN
The next afternoon at three o'clock a cabriolet stopped before the
house； and Godefroid saw Halpersohn getting out of it； wrapped in a
monstrous bear…skin pelisse。 The cold had strengthened during the
night； the thermometer marking ten degrees of it。
The Jewish doctor examined with curious eyes； though furtively； the
room in which his client of the day before received him； and Godefroid
detected the suspicious thought which darted from his eyes like the
sharp point of a dagger。 This rapid conception of distrust gave
Godefroid a cold chill； for he thought within himself that such a man
would be pitiless in all relations； it is so natural to suppose that
genius is connected with goodness that a strong sensation of disgust
took possession of him。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； 〃I see that the simplicity of my room makes you
uneasy； therefore you need not be surprised at my method of
proceeding。 Here are your two hundred francs； and here； too； are three
notes of a thousand francs each；〃 he added； drawing from his pocket…
book the money Madame de la Chanterie had given him to release
Monsieur Bernard's book； but in case you still feel doubtful of my
solvency I offer you as reference Messrs。 Mongenod； bankers； rue de la
Victoire。〃
〃I know them；〃 said Halpersohn； putting the ten gold pieces into his
pocket。
〃He'll inquire of them；〃 thought Godefroid。
〃Where is the patient？〃 asked the doctor； rising like a man who knows
the value of time。
〃This way； monsieur；〃 said Godefroid； preceding him to show the way。
The Jew examined with a shrewd and suspicious eye the places he passed
through； giving them the keen； rapid glance of a spy； he saw all the
horrors of poverty through the door of the room in which the
grandfather and the grandson lived； for； unfortunately； Monsieur
Bernard had gone in to change his clothes before entering his
daughter's room； and in his haste to open the outer door to the
doctor； he had forgotten to close that of his lair。
He bowed in a stately manner to Halpersohn； and opened the door of his
daughter's room cautiously。
〃Vanda； my child； here is the doctor；〃 he said。
Then he stood aside to allow Halpersohn； who kept on his bear…skin
pelisse； to pass him。 The Jew was evidently surprised at the luxury of
the room； which in this quarter； and more especially in this house；
was an anomaly； but his surprise only lasted for an instant； for he
had seen among German and Russian Jews many instances of the same
contrast between apparent misery and hoarded wealth。 As he walked from
the door to the bed he kept his eye on the patient； and the moment he
reached her he said in Polish：
〃You are a Pole？〃
〃No； I am not； my mother was。〃
〃Whom did your grandfather； Colonel Tarlowski； marry？〃
〃A Pole。〃
〃From what province？〃
〃A Soboleska； of Pinsk。〃
〃Very good； monsieur is your father？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； turning to the old man； 〃your wife〃
〃Is dead；〃 said Monsieur Bernard。
〃Was she very fair？〃 said Halpersohn； showing a slight impatience at
being interrupted。
〃Here is her portrait；〃 said Monsieur Bernard； unhooking from the wall
a handsome frame which enclosed several fine miniatures。
Halpersohn felt the head and handled the hair of the patient while he
looked at the portrait of Vanda Tarlowska； born Countess Sobolewska。
〃Relate to me the symptoms of your illness；〃 he said； placing himself
on the sofa and looking fixedly at Vanda during the twenty minutes the
history； given alternately by the father and daughter； lasted。
〃How old are you？〃
〃Thirty…eight。〃
〃Ah！ good！〃 he cried； rising； 〃I will answer for the cure。 Mind； I do
not say that I can restore the use of her legs； but cured of the
disease； that she shall be。 Only； I must have her in a private
hospital under my own eye。〃
〃But； monsieur； my daughter cannot be moved！〃
〃I will answer for her；〃 said Halpersohn； curtly； 〃but I will answer
for her only on those conditions。 She will have to exchange her