iation 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 thou