“I never shall forget it, Louise, never fear; my heart is full of gratitude.  This morning, even, he was so affectionate and kind to me—­but his health is ruined; he is now a weak old man.  Soon—­I not only fear it, but I am certain of it—­soon he will be incapable of work.  I can see his poor hands tremble now.  He will not even have a right to a pension.  If he could not continue to work in the office he could hardly obtain a meagre relief, and that by favor only.  And for long years I can only hope for an insufficient salary.  Oh! to think that the catastrophe draws near, that one of these days he may fall ill and become infirm, perhaps, and that we shall be almost needy and I shall be unable to surround him with care in his old age.  That is what makes me tremble!”

They walked along side by side upon the moist, soft ground of the large garden, under the leafless trees, where hung a slight penetrating mist which made them shiver under their wraps.

“Amedee,” said she, looking at the young man with a serious gentleness, “I have known you from a child, and I am the elder.  I am twenty-two; that makes me almost an old maid, Amedee, and gives me the right to scold you a little.  You lack confidence in life, my friend, and it is wrong at your age.  Do you think I do not see that my father has aged very much, that his eyesight fails, that we are much more cramped in circumstances in the house than formerly?  Are we any the more sad?  Mamma makes fewer little dishes and I teach in Paris, that is all.  We live nearly the same as before, and our dear Maria—­she is the pet of us all, the joy and pride of the house-well, our Maria, all the same, has from time to time a new frock or a pretty hat.  I have no experience, but it seems to me that in order to feel really unhappy I must have nobody to love—­that is the only privation worth the trouble of noticing.  Do you know that I have just had one of the greatest pleasures of my life?  I noticed that papa did not smoke as much as usual, in order to be economical, poor man!  Fortunately I found a new pupil at Batignolles, and as soon as I had the first month’s pay in my pocket I bought a large package of tobacco and put it beside his work.  One must never complain so long as one is fortunate enough to keep those one loves.  I know the secret grief that troubles you regarding your father; but think what he has suffered, that he loves you, that you are his only consolation.  And when you have gloomy thoughts, come and see your old friends, Amedee.  They will try to warm your heart at the fireside of their friendship, and to give you some of their courage, the courage of poor people which is composed of a little indifference and a little resignation.”

They had reached the Florentine Terrace, where stand the marble statues of queens and ladies, and on the other side of the balustrade, ornamented with large vases, they could see through the mist the reservoir with its two swans, the solitary gravel walks, the empty grass-plots of a pale green, surrounded by the skeletons of lilac-trees, and the facade of the old palace, whose clock-hands pointed to ten.