“Do not keep anything from me,” he said at last.

“Well,” exclaimed Eve, “he is going away with her.”

Mme. Chardon came in again, and, not seeing David, began at once: 

“Postel is willing to lend you the thousand francs, Lucien,” she said, “but only for six months; and even then he wants you to let him have a bill endorsed by your brother-in-law, for he says that you are giving him no security.”

She turned and saw David, and there was a deep silence in the room.  The Chardons thought how they had abused David’s goodness, and felt ashamed.  Tears stood in the young printer’s eyes.

“Then you will not be here at our wedding,” he began.  “You are not going to live with us!  And here have I been squandering all that I had!  Oh!  Lucien, as I came along, bringing Eve her little bits of wedding jewelry, I did not think that I should be sorry I spent the money on them.”  He brushed his hand over his eyes as he drew the little cases from his pocket.

He set down the tiny morocco-covered boxes on the table in front of his mother-in-law.

“Oh! why do you think so much for me?” protested Eve, giving him a divinely sweet smile that belied her words.

“Mamma, dear,” said David, “just tell M. Postel that I will put my name to the bill, for I can tell from your face, Lucien, that you have quite made up your mind to go.”

Lucien’s head sank dejectedly; there was a little pause, then he said, “Do not think hardly of me, my dear, good angels.”

He put his arms about Eve and David, and drew them close, and held them tightly to him as he added, “Wait and see what comes of it, and you shall know how much I love you.  What is the good of our high thinking, David, if it does not enable us to disregard the petty ceremonial in which the law entangles our affections?  Shall I not be with you in spirit, in spite of the distance between us?  Shall we not be united in thought?  Have I not a destiny to fulfil?  Will publishers come here to seek my Archer of Charles IX. and the Marguerites?  A little sooner or a little later I shall be obliged in any case to do as I am doing to-day, should I not?  And shall I ever find a better opportunity than this?  Does not my success entirely depend upon my entrance on life in Paris through the Marquise d’Espard’s salon?”

“He is right,” said Eve; “you yourself were saying, were you not, that he ought to go to Paris at once?”

David took Eve’s hand in his, and drew her into the narrow little room where she had slept for seven years.

“Love, you were saying just now that he would want two thousand francs?” he said in her ear.  “Postel is only lending one thousand.”

Eve gave her betrothed a look, and he read all her anguish in her eyes.

“Listen, my adored Eve, we are making a bad start in life.  Yes, my expenses have taken all my capital; I have just two thousand francs left, and half of it will be wanted to carry on the business.  If we give your brother the thousand francs, it will mean that we are giving away our bread, that we shall live in anxiety.  If I were alone, I know what I should do; but we are two.  Decide for us.”