"He committed, while in my employ, not an act of dishonesty, for I should not, at any price, have saved him from the punishment he merited; but he was guilty of an indelicacy under circumstances which proved to me that the man was a wretch, and I dismissed him." "Marcelange told me, in fact, that you sent him away." "You are acquainted with him?" replied Dutertre, in surprise, as he recalled his father's words. "Some days ago he came to see me. He wished to get a position in the Durand house." "He? Among such honourable people?" "Why not? He was employed by you." "But, as I have told you, my dear M. Pascal, I sent him away as soon as his conduct was known to me." "I understand perfectly. Only, as he is without a position, he must have, in order to enter the Durand house, a letter of recommendation from you, as the Durands are not willing to accept the poor fellow otherwise; now this letter, my dear Dutertre, I come honestly to ask of you." After a moment of astonishment, Dutertre said, with a smile: "After all, I ought not to be astonished. You are so kind! This man is full of artifice and falsity, and knows how to take advantage of your confidence." "I believe, really, that Marcelange is very false, very sly; but that need not prevent your giving me the letter I ask." Dutertre could not believe that he had heard aright, or that he understood M. Pascal, and replied: "I beg your pardon, sir. I have just told you that--" "You have reason to complain of an act of indelicacy on the part of this fellow, but, bah! what does that matter?" "What! M. Pascal, you ask, what does it matter? Know then, that, in my eyes, this man's act was even more blamable than fraud in money matters." "I believe you, my dear Dutertre, I believe you; there is no better judge of honourable dealing than yourself. Marcelange seems to me truly a cunning rascal, and, if I must tell you, it is on that account that I insist--insist very much on his being recommended by you." "Honestly, M. Pascal, I believe that I should be acting a dishonourable part in aiding the entrance of Marcelange into a thoroughly respectable house." "Come, now, do this for me!" "You are not speaking seriously, M. Pascal?" "I am speaking very seriously." "After what I have just confided to you?" "My God! yes, why not?" "You! you! honour and loyalty itself!" "I, the impersonation of honour and loyalty, ask you to give me this letter." Dutertre looked at M. Pascal, bewildered; then, after a moment's reflection, he replied, in a tone of affectionate reproach: "Ah, sir, after a year has elapsed, was this proof necessary?" "What proof?" "To propose an unworthy action to me, that you might feel assured that I deserved your confidence." "My dear Dutertre, I repeat to you that I must have this letter. It concerns an affair which is very important to me."