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Count's mansion on lease； he spent the summers on the country estates。
He was a lord of the manor in earnest； putting up farm buildings；
repairing mills and roadways； and planting timber。 I came across him
one day in a walk in the Jardin des Tuileries。
〃 'The Countess is behaving like a heroine；' said I； 'she gives
herself up entirely to the children's education； she is giving them a
perfect bringing up。 The oldest boy is a charming young fellow'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃 'But ought you not to help Ernest？' I suggested。
〃 'Help him！' cried Gobseck。 'Not I。 Adversity is the greatest of all
teachers； adversity teaches us to know the value of money and the
worth of men and women。 Let him set sail on the seas of Paris； when he
is a qualified pilot； we will give him a ship to steer。'
〃I left him without seeking to explain the meaning of his words。
〃M。 de Restaud's mother has prejudiced him against me； and he is very
far from taking me as his legal adviser； still； I went to see Gobseck
last week to tell him about Ernest's love for Mlle。 Camille； and
pressed him to carry out his contract； since that young Restaud is
just of age。
〃I found the old bill…discounter had been kept to his bed for a long
time by the complaint of which he was to die。 He put me off； saying
that he would give the matter his attention when he could get up again
and see after his business； his idea being no doubt that he would not
give up any of his possessions so long as the breath was in him； no
other reason could be found for his shuffling answer。 He seemed to me
to be much worse than he at all suspected。 I stayed with him long
enough to discern the progress of a passion which age had converted
into a sort of craze。 He wanted to be alone in the house； and had
taken the rooms one by one as they fell vacant。 In his own room he had
changed nothing； the furniture which I knew so well sixteen years ago
looked the same as ever； it might have been kept under a glass case。
Gobseck's faithful old portress； with her husband； a pensioner； who
sat in the entry while she was upstairs； was still his housekeeper and
charwoman； and now in addition his sick…nurse。 In spite of his
feebleness； Gobseck saw his clients himself as heretofore； and
received sums of money； his affairs had been so simplified； that he
only needed to send his pensioner out now and again on an errand； and
could carry on business in his bed。
〃After the treaty； by which France recognized the Haytian Republic；
Gobseck was one of the members of the commission appointed to
liquidate claims and assess repayments due by Hayti； his special
knowledge of old fortunes in San Domingo； and the planters and their
heirs and assigns to whom the indemnities were due； had led to his
nomination。 Gobseck's peculiar genius had then devised an agency for
discounting the planters' claims on the government。 The business was
carried on under the names of Werbrust and Gigonnet； with whom he
shared the spoil without disbursements； for his knowledge was accepted
instead of capital。 The agency was a sort of distillery； in which
money was extracted from doubtful claims； and the claims of those who
knew no better； or had no confidence in the government。 As a
liquidator； Gobseck could make terms with the large landed
proprietors； and these； either to gain a higher percentage of their
claims； or to ensure prompt settlements； would send him presents in
proportion to their means。 In this way presents came to be a kind of
percentage upon sums too large to pass through his control； while the
agency bought up cheaply the small and dubious claims； or the claims
of those persons who preferred a little ready money to a deferred and
somewhat hazy repayment by the Republic。 Gobseck was the insatiable
boa constrictor of the great business。 Every morning he received his
tribute； eyeing it like a Nabob's prime minister； as he considers
whether he will sign a pardon。 Gobseck would take anything； from the
present of game sent him by some poor devil or the pound's weight of
wax candles from devout folk； to the rich man's plate and the
speculator's gold snuff…box。 Nobody knew what became of the presents
sent to the old money…lender。 Everything went in； but nothing came
out。
〃 'On the word of an honest woman；' said the portress； an old
acquaintance of mine； 'I believe he swallows it all and is none the
fatter for it； he is as thin and dried up as the cuckoo in the clock。'
〃At length； last Monday； Gobseck sent his pensioner for me。 The man
came up to my private office。
〃 'Be quick and come； M。 Derville；' said he； 'the governor is just
going to hand in his checks； he has grown as yellow as a lemon； he is
fidgeting to speak with you； death has fair hold of him； the rattle is
working in his throat。'
〃When I entered Gobseck's room； I found the dying man kneeling before
the grate。 If there was no fire on the hearth； there was at any rate a
monstrous heap of ashes。 He had dragged himself out of bed； but his
strength had failed him； and he could neither go back nor find the
voice to complain。
〃 'You felt cold； old friend；' I said； as I helped him back to his
bed； 'how can you do without a fire？'
〃 'I am not cold at all；' he said。 'No fire here！ no fire！ I am going；
I know not where； lad；' he went on； glancing at me with blank；
lightless eyes； 'but I am going away from this。I have carpology；'
said he （the use of the technical term showing how clear and accurate
his mental processes were even now）。 'I thought the room was full of
live gold； and I got up to catch some of it。To whom will all mine
go； I wonder？ Not to the crown； I have left a will； look for it；
Grotius。 La belle Hollandaise had a daughter； I once saw the girl
somewhere or other； in the Rue Vivienne； one evening。 They call her
〃La Torpille；〃 I believe； she is as pretty as pretty can be； look her
up； Grotius。 You are my executor； take what you like； help yourself。
There are Strasburg pies； there； and bags of coffee； and sugar； and
gold spoons。 Give the Odiot service to your wife。 But who is to have
the diamonds？ Are you going to take them； lad？ There is snuff too
sell it at Hamburg； tobaccos are worth half as much again at Hamburg。
All sorts of things I have in fact； and now I must go and leave them
all。Come； Papa Gobseck； no weakness； be yourself！'
〃He raised himself in bed； the lines of his face standing out as
sharply against the pillow as if the profile had been cast in bronze；
he stretched out a lean arm and bony hand along the coverlet and
clutched it； as if so he would fain keep his hold on life； then he
gazed hard at the grate； cold as his own metallic eyes； and died in
full consciousness of death。 To usthe portress； the old pensioner；
and myselfhe looked like one of the old Romans standing behind the
Consuls in Lethiere's picture of the Death of the Sons of Brutus。
〃 'He was a good…plucked one； the old Lascar！' said the pensioner in
his soldierly fashion。
〃But as for me； the dying man's fantastical enumeration of his riches
still sounding in my ears； and my eyes； following the direction of
his； rested on that heap of ashes。 It struck me that it was very
large。 I took the tongs； and as soon as I stirred the cinders； I felt
the metal underneath； a mass of gold and silver coins； receipts taken
during his illness； doubtless； after he grew too feeble to lock the
money up； and could trust no one to take it to the bank for him。
〃 'Run for the justice of the peace；' said I； turning to the old
pensioner； 'so that everything can be sealed here at once。'
〃Gobseck's last words and the old portress' remarks had struck me。 I
took the keys of the rooms on the first and second floor to make a
visitation。 The first door that I opened revealed the meaning of the
phrases which I took for mad ravings； and I saw the length to which
covetousness goes when it survives only as an illogical instinct； the
last stage of greed of which you find so many examples among misers in
country towns。
〃In the room next to the one in which Gobseck had died； a quantity of
eatables of all kinds were storedputrid pies； mouldy fish； nay； even
shell…fish； the stench almost choked me。 Maggots and insects swarmed。
These comparatively recent presents were put down； pell…mell； among
chests of tea； bags of coffee； and packing…cases of every shape。 A
silver soup tureen on the chimney…piece was full of advices of the
arrival of goods consigned to his order at Havre； bales of cotton；
hogsheads of sugar； barrels of rum； coffees； indigo； tobaccos； a
perfect bazaar of colonial produce。 The room itself was crammed with
furniture； and silver…plate； and lamps； and vases； and pictures； there
were books； and curiosities； and fine engravings lying rolled up；
unframed。 Perhaps these were not all presents； and some part of this
vast quantity of stuff had been deposited with him in the s