"Nor was this all. Forgive, my son, this foolish fear,--this apprehension so insulting to your affectionate heart,--but during my lifetime I was loath that you should know that you would profit by my death. "Another, and possibly the most potent reason of all, led me to conceal my wealth from you. I love you so much that it would have been impossible for me to see you subjected to the slightest privation had you known it depended only upon me to give you an easier, broader, and more luxurious life. "In spite of the apparent contradiction between this feeling and my avaricious conduct toward you, I hope that you will understand me. "And now that in thought I place myself face to face with death, which may strike me down to-morrow, to-day, this very hour, I solemnly declare that I bless you from the inmost depths of my soul, my beloved son. You have never given me one moment's pain or sorrow, but only joy and happiness. "God for ever bless you, my good and loving son. If you are as happy as you deserve to be, the dearest wish of my heart will be gratified. "Your father, A. RICHARD. "_Paris, February 25, 18--._" * * * * * Deeply touched by this strange letter, Louis fell into a deep, sad reverie, and the day was nearing a close when the young man heard some one knock at the door of his garret, and the well-known voice of Florestan de Saint-Herem greeted his ears. CHAPTER XIII. THE MISER EXTOLLED. Saint-Herem threw himself in his friend's arms, exclaiming: "Louis, my poor friend, I know all. The porter just told me of your father's death. What a sudden and cruel blow!" "Read this, Florestan, and you will understand how bitter my regret must be!" said Louis, brokenly, handing Saint-Herem the dead man's letter. "Now do you think any one can blame my father for his avarice?" Louis asked, when his friend had finished the letter. "His one thought seems to have been to enrich me, and to prepare me to make a good use of the large property he would bequeath to me. It was for my sake that he hoarded his wealth, and imposed the hardest privations upon himself!" "No sacrifice is too great for a miser," replied Florestan. "Misers are capable of the grandest and most heroic acts. This may seem a paradox to you, but it is true, nevertheless. The prejudice against misers is unjust in the extreme. Misers! Why, we ought to erect altars to them!" added Saint-Herem, with growing enthusiasm. "Is it not wonderful the ingenuity they display in devising all sorts of ways to save? Is it not marvellous to see them accumulating, by persistent efforts, a fortune from the ends of matches and the collecting of lost pins. And people deny the existence of alchemists, and of discoverers of the philosopher's stone! Why, the miser has found the philosopher's stone, for does he not make gold out of what would be worthless to others?" "You are right in that respect, Florestan."