This, to a certain extent, will give me my liberty, while at the same time I shall be earning a little money, which is just now of vast importance to me." "Is that what you call a favor ?" "Certainly, and a very great one, too." Gandelu rose hastily, and, opening an iron safe which stood in one corner of the room, and taking from it a bundle of banknotes, he placed them on the table before Andre with an expressive look, which meant, "Take what you desire." The unlooked-for kindness of this man, who forgot all his own sorrows in his anxiety to relieve the necessities of another, affected Andre deeply.
"I do not need money," began he.
With a wave of his hand Gandelu inspired silence.

"Take these twenty thousand francs," said he, "and then I can tell you why I asked you to come upstairs." A refusal would have wounded the old man deeply, and so Andre took the proffered loan.
Gandelu resumed his seat, and remained in gloomy silence for some time.
"My dear boy," said he, in a voice broken by emotion, "a day or two back you saw something of the trouble that I am laboring under.

I have no longer any respect or esteem for that wretched fool, my son, Pierre." Andre had already guessed that he had been incensed with reference to something connected with Gaston.
"You son has behaved very foolishly," said he; "but remember he is very young." A sad smile passed over the old man's face.
"My son is old in vice," replied he.

"I have thought the matter over only too plainly.

Yesterday he declared that he would kill himself.