I had a severe attack of the gout, such as a man seldom recovers from, and my son was constant in his attendance at my sick couch.

This consoled me.

'He loves me after all,' said I.But it was only my testamentary arrangements that he wanted to discover, and he went straight to a money-lender called Clergot and raised a hundred thousand francs assuring the blood-sucker that I had not many hours to live." "It is a lie!" cried Gaston, his face crimsoning with shame.
The old man raised the leg of the chair in his hand, and made so threatening a movement that Andre flung himself between father and son.
"Great heavens!" cried he, "think what you are doing, sir, and forbear." The old man paused, passed his hand round his brow, and flung the weapon into a remote corner of the room.

"I thank you," said he, grasping Andre's hand; "you have saved me from a great crime.

In another moment I should have murdered him." Gaston was no coward, and he still retained the position he had been in before.
"This is quite romantic," muttered he.