Marquis, my story is especially intended for you.

As soon as I entered the room, my friends ran up to me, delighted at seeing me return in safety, but I thrust them aside.
"'Let me alone!' cried I; 'I am no longer fit to take an honest man's hand; but we have money, money!' And I threw the bags upon the table.
One of them burst, and a flood of silver coins rolled to every part of the room.
"Marie started from her chair with upraised hands.

'Money!' she repeated, 'money! we shall have food, and I won't die.' "My friends, Marquis, were not as they are now, and they started back in horror, fearing that I had committed some crime.
"'No,' said I, 'I have committed no crime, not one, at least, that will bring me within the reach of the strong arm of the law.

This money is the price of our honor, but no one will know that fact but ourselves.' "Marquis, there was no sleeping in the garret all that night; but when daylight peered through the broken windows, it beamed on a table covered with empty bottles, and round it were seated three men, who, having cast aside all honorable scruples, had sworn that they would arrive at wealth and prosperity by any means, no matter how foul and treacherous they might be.

That is all.".