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you would be bound in any case to return the purchase money。 Consent
to an arrangement； with power to redeem at the end of seven or eight
months； or a year even； or any convenient lapse of time； for the
repayment of the sum borrowed by Mme。 la Comtesse； unless you would
prefer to repurchase them outright and give security for repayment。'
〃Gobseck dipped his bread into the bowl of coffee； and ate with
perfect indifference； but at the words 'come to terms；' he looked at
me as who should say； 'A fine fellow that！ he has learned something
from my lessons！' And I； for my part； riposted with a glance； which he
understood uncommonly well。 The business was dubious and shady； there
was pressing need of coming to terms。 Gobseck could not deny all
knowledge of it； for I should appear as a witness。 The Count thanked
me with a smile of good…will。
〃In the debate which followed； Gobseck showed greed enough and skill
enough to baffle a whole congress of diplomatists； but in the end I
drew up an instrument； in which the Count acknowledged the receipt of
eighty…five thousand francs； interest included； in consideration of
which Gobseck undertook to return the diamonds to the Count。
〃 'What waste！' exclaimed he as he put his signature to the agreement。
'How is it possible to bridge such a gulf？'
〃 'Have you many children； sir？' Gobseck asked gravely。
〃The Count winced at the question； it was as if the old money…lender；
like an experienced physician； had put his finger at once on the sore
spot。 The Comtesse's husband did not reply。
〃 'Well；' said Gobseck； taking the pained silence for answer； 'I know
your story by heart。 The woman is a fiend； but perhaps you love her
still； I can well believe it； she made an impression on me。 Perhaps；
too； you would rather save your fortune； and keep it for one or two of
your children？ Well； fling yourself into the whirlpool of society；
lose that fortune at play； come to Gobseck pretty often。 The world
will say that I am a Jew； a Tartar； a usurer； a pirate； will say that
I have ruined you！ I snap my fingers at them！ If anybody insults me； I
lay my man out； nobody is a surer shot nor handles a rapier better
than your servant。 And every one knows it。 Then； have a friendif you
can find oneand make over your property to him by a fictitious sale。
You call that a fidei commissum； don't you？' he asked； turning to me。
〃The Count seemed to be entirely absorbed in his own thoughts。
〃 'You shall have your money to…morrow；' he said； 'have the diamonds
in readiness；' and he went。
〃 'There goes one who looks to me to be as stupid as an honest man；'
Gobseck said coolly when the Count had gone。
〃 'Say rather stupid as a man of passionate nature。'
〃 'The Count owes you your fee for drawing up the agreement！' Gobseck
called after me as I took my leave。
〃One morning； a few days after the scene which initiated me into the
terrible depths beneath the surface of the life of a woman of fashion；
the Count came into my private office。
〃 'I have come to consult you on a matter of grave moment；' he said；
'and I begin by telling you that I have perfect confidence in you； as
I hope to prove to you。 Your behavior to Mme。 de Grandlieu is above
all praise；' the Count went on。 （You see； madame； that you have paid
me a thousand times over for a very simple matter。）
〃I bowed respectfully； and replied that I had done nothing but the
duty of an honest man。
〃 'Well；' the Count went on； 'I have made a great many inquiries about
the singular personage to whom you owe your position。 And from all
that I can learn； Gobseck is a philosopher of the Cynic school。 What
do you think of his probity？'
〃 'M。 le Comte；' said I； 'Gobseck is my benefactorat fifteen per
cent；' I added； laughing。 'But his avarice does not authorize me to
paint him to the life for a stranger's benefit。'
〃 'Speak out； sir。 Your frankness cannot injure Gobseck or yourself。 I
do not expect to find an angel in a pawnbroker。'
〃 'Daddy Gobseck；' I began； 'is intimately convinced of the truth of
the principle which he takes for a rule of life。 In his opinion； money
is a commodity which you may sell cheap or dear； according to
circumstances； with a clear conscience。 A capitalist； by charging a
high rate of interest； becomes in his eyes a secured partner by
anticipation。 Apart from the peculiar philosophical views of human
nature and financial principles； which enable him to behave like a
usurer； I am fully persuaded that； out of his business； he is the most
loyal and upright soul in Paris。 There are two men in him； he is petty
and greata miser and a philosopher。 If I were to die and leave a
family behind me； he would be the guardian whom I should appoint。 This
was how I came to see Gobseck in this light； monsieur。 I know nothing
of his past life。 He may have been a pirate； may； for anything I know；
have been all over the world； trafficking in diamonds； or men； or
women； or State secrets； but this I affirm of himnever has human
soul been more thoroughly tempered and tried。 When I paid off my loan；
I asked him； with a little circumlocution of course； how it was that
he had made me pay such an exorbitant rate of interest； and why；
seeing that I was a friend； and he meant to do me a kindness； he
should not have yielded to the wish and made it complete。〃My son；〃
he said； 〃I released you from all need to feel any gratitude by giving
you ground for the belief that you owed me nothing。〃So we are the
best friends in the world。 That answer； monsieur； gives you the man
better than any amount of description。'
〃 'I have made up my mind once and for all；' said the Count。 'Draw up
the necessary papers； I am going to transfer my property to Gobseck。 I
have no one but you to trust to in the draft of the counter…deed；
which will declare that this transfer is a simulated sale； and that
Gobseck as trustee will administer my estate （as he knows how to
administer）； and undertakes to make over my fortune to my eldest son
when he comes of age。 Now； sir； this I must tell you： I should be
afraid to have that precious document in my own keeping。 My boy is so
fond of his mother； that I cannot trust him with it。 So dare I beg of
you to keep it for me？ In case of death； Gobseck would make you
legatee of my property。 Every contingency is provided for。'
〃The Count paused for a moment。 He seemed greatly agitated。
〃 'A thousand pardons；' he said at length； 'I am in great pain； and
have very grave misgivings as to my health。 Recent troubles have
disturbed me very painfully； and forced me to take this great step。'
〃 'Allow me first to thank you； monsieur；' said I； 'for the trust you
place me in。 But I am bound to deserve it by pointing out to you that
you are disinheriting yourother children。 They bear your name。
Merely as the children of a once…loved wife； now fallen from her
position； they have a claim to an assured existence。 I tell you
plainly that I cannot accept the trust with which you propose to honor
me unless their future is secured。'
〃The Count trembled violently at the words； and tears came into his
eyes as he grasped my hand； saying； 'I did not know my man thoroughly。
You have made me both glad and sorry。 We will make provision for the
children in the counter…deed。'
〃I went with him to the door； it seemed to me that there was a glow of
satisfaction in his face at the thought of this act of justice。
〃Now； Camille； this is how a young wife takes the first step to the
brink of a precipice。 A quadrille； a ballad； a picnic party is
sometimes cause sufficient of frightful evils。 You are hurried on by
the presumptuous voice of vanity and pride； on the faith of a smile；
or through giddiness and folly！ Shame and misery and remorse are three
Furies awaiting every woman the moment she oversteps the limits〃
〃Poor Camille can hardly keep awake；〃 the Vicomtesse hastily broke in。
〃Go to bed； child； you have no need of appalling pictures to keep
you pure in heart and conduct。〃
Camille de Grandlieu took the hint and went。
〃You were going rather too far； dear M。 Derville；〃 said the
Vicomtesse； 〃an attorney is not a mother of daughters nor yet a
preacher。〃
〃But any newspaper is a thousand times〃
〃Poor Derville！〃 exclaimed the Vicomtesse； 〃what has come over you？ Do
you really imagine that I allow a daughter of mine to read the
newspapers？Go on；〃 she added after a pause。
〃Three months after everything was signed and sealed between the Count
and Gobseck〃
〃You can call him the Comte de Restaud； now that Camille is not here；〃
said the Vicomtesse。
〃So be it！ Well； time went by； and I saw nothing of the counter…deed；
which by rights should have been in my hands。 An attorney in Paris
lives in such a whirl of business that with certain exceptions which
we make for ourselves； we have not the time to give eac