Whenever it becomes necessary to be decided, I will make a loyal disclosure of my condition.

If the declaration ruin my hopes I will follow your advice.

I will sell all I have; I will quit the country and seek in some foreign land to maintain myself and my beloved child by teaching." He stopped for a moment, as if swallowing his grief, and then continued, in a lower tone, half speaking to himself, "And, yet, did I not promise my dear wife on her death-bed--did I not promise it on the holy cross--that our child should not undergo such a fate?
Ten years of suffering--ten abject years--have not sufficed to realize my promise; and now, at last, a feeble ray of hope struggles into my sombre future--" He grasped the notary's hand, looked wildly but earnestly into his eyes, and added, in suppliant tones, "Oh, my friend, help me! help me in this last and trying effort; do not prolong my torture; grant my prayer, and as long as I live I will bless my benefactor, the savior of my child!" The notary withdrew his hand as he answered, with some embarrassment, "Yet, Monsieur De Vlierbeck, I cannot comprehend what all this has to do with the loan of a thousand _francs_!" De Vlierbeck thrust his rejected hand into his pocket as he replied, "Yes, sir, it _is_ ridiculous, is it not, to fall so low and to see one's happiness or misery depend on things about which other persons may laugh?
And yet, alas! so it is! The young gentleman of whom I spoke to you is to dine with us to-morrow in company with his uncle,--the uncle invited himself,--and we have absolutely _nothing to give them!_ Besides this, my child needs some trifles to appear decently before the guests, and it is probable that the civility will be returned by an invitation from them.

Our isolation cannot long conceal our want.

Sacrifices of all kinds have already been made to prevent our being overwhelmed with mortification." As he uttered these last words he drew forth his hand from his pocket with about two _francs_ in small change, which he held exposed on his palm before the notary.