soul　and　mind。〃
  These　words　made　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　so　happy　that　a　faint　color
  stole　upon　her　cheeks。　She　took　Godefroid's　hand　and　pressed　it；　then
  she　said；　with　strange　emotion；　〃It　is　well。〃
  That　evening；　after　dinner；　visitors　came　in：　a　vicar…general　of　the
  diocese　of　Paris；　two　canons；　two　former　mayors　of　Paris；　and　one　of
  the　ladies　who　distributed　the　charities　of　Notre…Dame。　No　cards　were
  played；　but　the　conversation　was　gay；　without　being　vapid。
  A　visit　which　surprised　Godefroid　greatly　was　that　of　the　Comtesse　de
  Cinq…Cygne；　one　of　the　highest　personages　in　aristocratic　society；
  whose　salon　was　inaccessible　to　the　bourgeoisie　and　to　parvenus。　The
  presence　of　this　great　lady　in　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　salon　was
  sufficiently　surprising；　but　the　manner　in　which　the　two　women　met　and
  treated　each　other　seemed　to　Godefroid　inexplicable；　for　it　showed　the
  closest　intimacy　and　a　constant　intercourse　which　gave　Madame　de　la
  Chanterie　an　added　value　in　his　eyes。　Madame　de　Cinq…Cygne　was
  gracious　and　affectionate　in　manner　to　the　four　friends　of　her　friend；
  and　showed　the　utmost　respect　to　Monsieur　Nicolas。
  We　may　see　here　how　social　vanities　still　governed　Godefroid；　for　up
  to　this　visit　of　Madame　de　Cinq…Cygne　he　was　still　undecided；　but　he
  now　resolved　to　give　himself　up；　with　or　without　conviction；　to
  whatever　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　and　her　friends　might　exact　of　him；　in
  order　to　get　affiliated　with　their　order　and　initiated　into　their
  secrets；　assuring　himself　that　in　that　way　he　should　find　a　career。
  The　next　day　he　went　to　a　book…keeper　whom　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
  recommended；　and　arranged　with　him　the　hours　at　which　they　should　work
  together。　His　whole　time　was　now　employed。　The　Abbe　de　Veze　instructed
  him　in　the　mornings；　he　was　two　hours　a　day　with　the　book…keeper；　and
  he　spent　the　rest　of　his　time　between　breakfast　and　dinner　in　doing
  imaginary　commercial　accounts　which　his　master　required　him　to　write
  at　home。
  Some　time　passed　thus；　during　which　Godefroid　felt　the　charm　of　a　life
  in　which　each　hour　has　its　own　employment。　The　recurrence　of　a　settled
  work　at　settled　moments；　regularity　of　action；　is　the　secret　of　many　a
  happy　life；　and　it　proves　how　deeply　the　founders　of　religious　orders
  had　meditated　on　the　nature　of　man。　Godefroid；　who　had　made　up　his
  mind　to　listen　to　the　Abbe　de　Veze；　began　to　have　serious　thoughts　of
  a　future　life；　and　to　find　how　little　he　knew　of　the　real　gravity　of
  religious　questions。
  Moreover；　from　day　to　day　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　with　whom　he　always
  remained　for　an　hour　after　the　second　breakfast；　allowed　him　to
  discover　the　treasures　that　were　in　her；　he　knew　then　that　he　never
  could　have　imagined　a　loving…kindness　so　broad　and　so　complete。　A
  woman　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　apparent　age　no　longer　has　the
  pettiness　of　younger　women。　She　is　a　friend　who　offers　you　all
  feminine　refinements；　who　displays　the　graces；　the　choice　attractions
  which　nature　inspires　in　a　woman　for　man；　she　gives　them；　and　no
  longer　sells　them。　Such　a　woman　is　either　detestable　or　perfect；　for
  her　gifts　are　either　not　of　the　flesh　or　they　are　worthless。　Madame　de
  la　Chanterie　was　perfect。　She　seemed　never　to　have　had　a　youth；　her
  glance　never　told　of　a　past。　Godefroid's　curiosity　was　far　from　being
  appeased　by　a　closer　and　more　intimate　knowledge　of　this　sublime
  nature；　the　discoveries　of　each　succeeding　day　only　redoubled　his
  desire　to　learn　the　anterior　life　of　a　woman　whom　he　now　thought　a
  saint。　Had　she　ever　loved？　Had　she　been　a　wife；a　mother？　Nothing
  about　her　was　characteristic　of　an　old　maid；　she　displayed　all　the
  graces　of　a　well…born　woman；　and　an　observer　would　perceive　in　her
  robust　health；　in　the　extraordinary　phenomena　of　her　physical
  preservation；　a　divine　life；　and　a　species　of　ignorance　of　the　earthly
  existence。
  Except　the　gay　and　cheery　goodman　Alain；　all　these　persons　had
  suffered；　but　Monsieur　Nicolas　himself　seemed　to　give　the　palm　of
  martyrdom　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　Nevertheless；　the　memory　of　her
  sorrows　was　so　restrained　by　religious　resignation；　by　her　secret
  avocations；　that　she　seemed　to　have　been　always　happy。
  〃You　are　the　life　of　your　friends；〃　Godefroid　said　to　her　one　day；
  〃you　are　the　tie　that　unites　them；the　house…mother；　as　it　were；　of
  some　great　work；　and；　as　we　are　all　mortal；　I　ask　myself　sometimes
  what　your　association　would　become　without　you。〃
  〃That　is　what　frightens　the　others；　but　Providence；　to　whom　we　owe　our
  new　book…keeper；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃will　provide。　Besides；　I　am　on
  the　look…out。〃
  〃Will　your　new　book…keeper　soon　be　allowed　to　work　at　your　business？〃
  asked　Godefroid。
  〃That　depends　on　himself；〃　she　answered；　smiling。　〃He　must　be
  sincerely　religious；　truly　pious；　without　the　least　self…interest；　not
  concerned　about　the　riches　of　our　house；　able　to　rise　above　all　petty
  social　considerations　on　the　two　wings　which　God　has　given　us。〃
  〃What　are　they？〃
  〃Singleness　of　mind　and　purity；〃　replied　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　〃Your
  ignorance　shows　that　you　have　neglected　the　reading　of　our　book。〃　she
  added；　laughing　at　the　innocent　trick　she　had　played　to　know　if
  Godefroid　had　read　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　〃And；　lastly；〃　she
  went　on；　〃fill　your　soul　with　Saint　Paul's　epistle　upon　Charity。　When
  that　is　done；〃　she　added；　with　a　sublime　look；　〃it　will　not　be　you　who
  belong　to　us；　we　shall　belong　to　you；　and　you　will　be　able　to　count　up
  greater　riches　than　the　sovereigns　of　this　world　possess；　you　will
  enjoy　as　we　enjoy；　yes；　let　me　tell　you　（if　you　remember　the　'Arabian
  Nights'）　that　the　treasures　of　Aladdin　are　nothing　to　those　we
  possess。　And　so　for　the　last　year　we　have　not　sufficed　for　our
  affairs；　and　we　needed；　as　you　see；　a　book…keeper。〃
  While　speaking；　she　studied　Godefroid's　face；　he；　on　his　part；　did　not
  know　how　to　take　this　extraordinary　confidence。　But　as　the　scene　in
  the　counting…room　at　Mongenod's　came　often　to　his　mind；　he　hovered
  between　doubt　and　belief。
  〃Ah；　you　will　be　very　happy！〃　she　said。
  Godefroid　was　so　consumed　with　curiosity　that　from　this　moment　he
  determined　to　break　through　the　reserve　of　one　of　the　four　friends　and
  question　him。　Now；　the　one　to　whom　he　felt　the　most　drawn；　and　who
  seemed　naturally　to　excite　the　sympathies　of　all　classes；　was　the
  kind；　gay；　simple　Monsieur　Alain。　By　what　strange　path　could
  Providence　have　led　a　being　so　guileless　into　this　monastery　without　a
  lock；　where　recluses　of　both　sexes　lived　beneath　a　rule　in　the　midst
  of　Paris；　in　absolute　freedom；　as　though　they　were　guarded　by　the
  sternest　of　superiors？　What　drama；　what　event；　had　made　him　leave　his
  own　road　in　life；　and　take　this　path　among　the　sorrows　of　the　great
  city？
  Godefroid　resolved　to　ask。
  VII
  MONSIEUR　ALAIN　TELLS　HIS　SECRETS
  One　evening　Godefroid　determined　to　pay　a　visit　to　his　neighbor　on　the
  floor　above　him；　with　the　intention　of　satisfying　a　curiosity　more
  excited　by　the　apparent　impossibility　of　a　catastrophe　in　such　an
  existence　than　it　would　have　been　under　the　expectation　of　discovering
  some　terrible　episode　in　the　life　of　a　corsair。
  At　the　words　〃Come　in！〃　given　in　answer　to　two　raps　struck　discreetly
  on　the　door；　Godefroid　turned　the　key　which　was　in　the　lock　and　found
  Monsieur　Alain　sitting　by　the　fire　reading；　before　he　went　to　bed；　his
  accustomed　chapter　in　the　〃Imitation　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　by　the　light　of
  two　wax…candles；　each　protected　by　a　moveable　green　shade；　such　as
  whist…players　use。
  The　goodman　wore　trousers　/a　pied/　and　his　gray　camlet　dressing…gown。
  His　feet　were　at　a　level　with　the　fire；　resting　on　a　cushion　done　in
  worsted…work；　as　were　his　slippers；　by　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　The
  fine　head　of　the　old　man；　without　other　covering　than　its　crown　of
  white　hair；　almost　like　that　of　a　monk；　stood　out　in　clear　relief
  against　the　brown　background　of　an　enormous　armchair。
  Monsieur　Alain　gently　laid　his　book；　which　was　much　worn　at　the
  corners；　on　a　little　table　with　twisted　legs；　and　signed　to　the　young
  man　to　take　another　chair；　removing　as　he　did　so　a　pair　of　spectacles
  which　were　hanging　on　the　end　of　his　nose。
  〃Are　you　ill；　that　you　have　left　your　room　at　this　hour？〃　he　asked。
  〃Dear　Monsieur　Alain；〃　said　Godefroid；　frankly；　〃I　am　tortured　with　a
  curiosity　which　one　word　from　you　will　make　very　harmless　or　very
  indiscreet；　and　that　explains　clearly　enough　the　spirit　in　which　I
  shall　ask　my　question。〃
  〃Oh！　oh！　and　what　is　your　question？〃　said　the　good　soul；　looking　at
  the　young　man　with　an　eye　that　was　half　mischievous。
  〃What　was　it　that　brought　you　here　to　lead　the　life　that　you　live
  here？　For；　surely；　to　accept　the　doctrines　of　such　total　renunciation
  of　all　personal　interests；　a　man　must　have　been　disgusted　with　the
  world；　or　else　have　injured　others。〃
  〃Eh！　my　dear　lad；〃　replied　the　old　man；　letting　a　smile　flicker　on　his
  large　lips；　which　gave　to　his　rosy　mouth　the　kindliest　expression　that
  the　genius　of　a　painter　ever　imagined；　〃can　we　not　be　moved　to　the
  deepest　pity　by　the　spectacle　of　human　wretchedness　which　Paris　holds
  within　her　walls？　Did　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul　need　the　spur　of　remorse
  or　wounded　vanity　to　make　him　de