"No, monsieur; I will not hand you the principal sum which I received, because your father expressly forbade me to do it. That was the first condition on which he let me have the money; and who knows if he didn't read the future then? if he didn't foresee that the day would come when this small income would be his son's last resource?" "Monsieur Bernardin, you presume to----" "I beg your pardon, monsieur; I do not presume at all. But monsieur must realize that I am aware of his position." "My position? Why, pardieu! it's the position of all young men who have lived well, who have amused themselves, and adored the ladies." "True, monsieur; but perhaps you have been too kind, too generous, to them." "I have done what I chose; if I could begin over again, I would do the same." "I don't doubt it, monsieur; and, of course, you are at liberty to dispose of your own property." "Yes, to be sure I am--that is to say, I was. Come, Bernardin, won't you give me the eleven thousand francs?" "No, monsieur; for, from above, your father would blame me." "Give me a thousand crowns, then." "Not that, either; but I shall continue to pay monsieur the interest; and if I should die to-morrow, my children would continue to pay it. Oh! it's a sacred thing, and monsieur can rely upon it." "Very good! pay me three years in advance: sixteen hundred and fifty francs. You can't refuse me that?" "Excuse me, monsieur; I do refuse, and in your own interest; for you would spend the three years' interest in less than six months; and then you would not have even that trifling resource." "Monsieur Bernardin, do you refuse to make me any advance?" "I cannot do it, monsieur." "Very well! off with you, then; I have my cue!" Bernardin saluted his late master's son with the utmost respect, and took his leave. Some time after, when he was in a most desperate plight, Arthur Cherami had renewed his urgent solicitations to Bernardin, in the hope of obtaining a little interest in advance or a portion of the principal; but all his entreaties were of no avail. The old fellow was not to be moved, and his resolution was the more inflexible because he knew that by acting thus he was saving a modest income for his benefactor's son.