The Money Master, Complete

child must have good luck, or she will not have her share of happiness. She has depths that are not deep enough." Pres

sked M. Fille rather stiffl

about a man-not

urt tightened. "Never at any ti

till

rnoon of three days before, and he had fled from it as a child would fly from a demon. He was a purist at law, but he was a purist in life also, and not because the flush of youth had gone and his feet were on t

rred to him to speak to Jean Jacques. That would have seemed so brutal to the woman. It came to him to speak to Carmen, but he knew that he dared not do so. He could not say to a woman that which must shame her before him, she who had kept her head so arrogantly high-not so much to him, however, as to

and he said: "Come, now, my Plato, what is it? A man has com

monsieur-a ma

secret. I have seen much. I have no prejudices. As you will, however; but I can see it would relieve your mind to tell me. In truth I felt there was something when I saw you look at

but it is so. Hi

he price of wheat-but certainly, I understand it all, my Fille. She is too much alone, and if she has travelled

one moment of weakness breaks it. Then there is a sense of awful shame of being lost, of never being able to put right the breaking of the vow, though the rest can be put right by sorrow and repentance! I wo

vows of the priests, of the nuns, of those who had given themselves to eternal service? Monsieur had spoken terrible things. And yet he had said at the last: "It is not v

world hurt your sensibilities, my little Clerk, and we are not nearly so far apart as you think at the minute. Thank God, I keep the faith that is behind all faith

as not always sorry when his teasing hurt; for, to his mind, men should be lashed into streng

Clerk to end. He was glad to see the figure beside him presently straighten itself, as though to be

he road, down the hill-Mont Violet-behind the house. I could see into the windows of the house. There wa

s eyes are open, and one sees what one

a man's arms round her, and his li

ourse. Proceed.

ed. I fe

e. Behind

me elderbe

etter than a tree. I am very fond of e

was falling down for Jean Jacques and his Zoe-and his wife. But with a sigh he continued: "There is nothing mo

e that you should

d that I had seen things I should not have seen. I do not blush th

Zoe, and the little

e is ther

ut as one who, finding a crime, must needs find the criminal too. "I mu

sential, of course. You must know that t

eep and it let in the water of the river to the mill-wheels. A flume regulat

ore. It was out of repair, and Jean Jacques called in a master-carpent

g ago wa

orkmen who did the repairs, but he came over to see-to superinte

every day! How d

across the fields and through the woods, making a walk of much charm-especially in the autumn, when the colo

You walked to study life and to reflect and to enjoy your intimacy with nature, but also to se

, as it might seem, I am quite happy, talking to her, or picnicking, or idling

itre Fille, I think I understand the story, but there are lacunee which you must f

monsieur. Only one workman is left, an

end to-morrow?" remarked the Judge seriously. "How d

s-he told me

s to-morrow," re

he Judge in wonder. Why should it all end to-morrow simply

ct near here, but three miles from the Manor Cartier. Also besides, how can we know what she will d

ade a protesting gesture. "Jean Jacques can find comfort, but the child-ah, no, it is too terrible! Someone should speak. I tried to

nd by the shoulders, fastening him with the ey

impossible things. But did it not occur to you that the one person to have in a quiet room with the doors shut, with the light of the sun in his face, with the book of the law open on your desk and the damages

urt right on points of procedure, who was looked upon almost with the respect given the position of the Jud

ecile," he responded

ery man some time or other makes just such a

ture of dissent. "Not

while you have only done it privately. But let us see. That Masson must be struck of a hea

monsieur. He made himself from an apprentice wi

es not drin

er, mo

e a fa

monsi

old i

hereabouts,

unmarried and forty, and no vices except this. It gives him f

low brown of a peach, hair that curls close to his head, blue eye

ou have watched him, mai

ing to do. But I did not. I used to study him while the work was going on, when he first came, but I ha

eplied briskly. "Like the snap of a whip. He flies into anger and flies out. He has a l

t end of the stick; and he will kiss and ride away. It will not be easy, but the game is in your hands, my Fille. In a quiet room, with the book of the law open, and figures of

ean that I shall do this, shall s

ish is dear. As all are aware, no doubt, you are the trusted ancient comrade of the daughter of the wo

yourself,

but even if there were, I should not be the best person to do this. I am known to few;

of the Court sought release for himsel

another. I had forgotten. It is Madam

him; so we are one in our imbecility, my little

lumber-firm. Ah, monsieur, that is the way to deal w

sort i

and did not answer. "Ah,

lle n

weak ch

. Fille

reputation

help. He and his daughter are not close friends, and yet he likes to be near her. She can endure him at least. He can

n except as a last resort; for sooner or later he would tell his daughter,

nsieur, even though it gives me a task which I abhor, I do not think that M. Dolores could

y. You can as can no other, my Solon. The secret of success in such things is a good heart, a right

omewhat and bowed to the Judge. "I take your commands, monsieur, to

ment, then said: "Tonigh

ontract, and I can ask him to step into my office on a little affair of business. He will not guess, and I shall be armed"-the Judge frowned-"with the book of t

inutes before. He was now as he appeared in court, clothed with an austere authority which gave him a vicarious strength and digni

red house, where Maitre Fille lived alone with his sister, a tiny

cques, laughing, and cracking his whip, drive past with his daughter beside him, chirruping to