d old Alain
became unshakable. Without having any vocation for the work, he had the
will to do it.

The next day Godefroid, already habituated by his new life to rising
early, saw from his window a young man about seventeen years of age,
dressed in a blouse, who was coming back, no doubt from the public
fountain, bringing a crock full of water in each hand. The face of this
lad, who was not aware that he was seen, revealed his feelings, and
never had Godefroid observed one so artless and so melancholy. The
graces of youth were all repressed by poverty, by study, by great
physical fatigue. Monsieur Bernard's grandson was remarkable for a
complexion of extreme whiteness, which the contrast with his dark hair
seemed to make still whiter. He made three trips; when he returned from
the last he saw some men unloading a cord of wood which Godefroid
had ordered the night before, for the long-delayed winter of 1838 was
beginning to be felt; snow had fallen slightly during the night.

Nepomucene, who had begun his day by going for the wood (on which
Madame Vauthier levied a handsome tribute), spoke to the young lad while
waiting until the woodman had sawed enough for him to carry upstairs.
It was easy to see that the sudden cold was causing anxiety to Monsieur
Bernard's grandson, and that the sight of the wood, as well as that of
the threatening sky, warned him that they ought to be making their
own provision for wintry weather. Suddenly, however, as if reproaching
himself for lost time, he seized his crocks and hastily entered the
house. It was, in fact, half-past seven o'clock, the hour was just
ringing from the belfry of the convent of the Visitation, and he was due
at the college of Louis-le-Grand by half-past eight.

As the young lad entered the house, Godefroid went to his door to admit
Madame Vauthier who brought her new lodger the wherewithal to make a
fire, and he thus became the witness of a scene which took place on the
landing.

A neighboring gardener, who had rung several times at Monsieur Bernard's
door without making any one hear (for the bell was wrapped in paper),
had a rather rough dispute with the young lad who now came up with the
water, demanding to be paid for the flowers he had supplied. As the man
raised his voice angrily Monsieur Bernard appeared. "Auguste," he said
to his grandson, "dress yourself, it is time for school."

He himself took the two crocks of water, carried them into the first of
his