"I resolved to devote all my superfluous means--about ten thousand francs a year--to acts of intelligent benevolence," continued Monsieur Alain, tranquilly."About this time it was that I made the acquaintance of a judge of the Lower Civil Court of the Seine named Popinot, whom we had the great grief of losing three years ago, and who practised for fifteen years an active and most intelligent charity in the quartier Saint-Marcel.It was he, with the venerable vicar of Notre-Dame and Madame, who first thought of founding the work in which we are now co-operating, and which, since 1825, has quietly done much good.This work has found its soul in Madame de la Chanterie, for she is truly the inspiration of this enterprise.The vicar has known how to make us more religious than we were at first, by showing us the necessity of being virtuous ourselves in order to inspire virtue; in short, to preach by example.The farther we have advanced in our work, the happier we have mutually found ourselves.And so, you see, it really was the repentance I felt for misconceiving the heart of my friend which gave me the idea of devoting to the poor, through my own hands, the fortune he returned to me, and which I accepted without objecting to the immensity of the sum returned in proportion to the sum lent.Its destination justified my taking it."This narration, made quietly, without assumption, but with a gentle kindliness in accent, look, and gesture, would have inspired Godefroid to enter this noble and sacred association if his resolution had not already been taken.
"You know the world very little," he said, "if you have such scruples about a matter that would not weigh on any other man's conscience.""I know only the unfortunate," said Monsieur Alain."I do not desire to know a world in which men are so little afraid of judging one another.But see! it is almost midnight, and I still have my chapter of the 'Imitation of Jesus Christ' to meditate upon! Good-night!"Godefroid took the old man's hand and pressed it, with an expression of admiration.