not keep money in her pocket. So the table was a heavy item of
expenditure for a man with Castanier's income. The ex-dragoon was
compelled to resort to various shifts for obtaining money, for he
could not bring himself to renounce this delightful life. He loved the
woman too well to cross the freaks of the mistress. He was one of
those men who, through self-love or through weakness of character, can
refuse nothing to a woman; false shame overpowers them, and they
rather face ruin than make the admissions: "I cannot----" "My means
will not permit----" "I cannot afford----"

When, therefore, Castanier saw that if he meant to emerge from the
abyss of debt into which he had plunged, he must part with Aquilina
and live upon bread and water, he was so unable to do without her or
to change his habits of life, that daily he put off his plans of
reform until the morrow. The debts were pressing, and he began by
borrowing money. His position and previous character inspired
confidence, and of this he took advantage to devise a system of
borrowing money as he required it. Then, as the total amount of debt
rapidly increased, he had recourse to those commercial inventions
known as accommodation bills. This form of bill does not represent
goods or other value received, and the first endorser pays the amount
named for the obliging person who accepts it. This species of fraud is
tolerated because it is impossible to detect it, and, moreover, it is
an imaginary fraud which only becomes real if payment is ultimately
refused.

When at length it was evidently impossible to borrow any longer,
whether because the amount of the debt was now so greatly increased,
or because Castanier was unable to pay the large amount of interest on
the aforesaid sums of money, the cashier saw bankruptcy before him. On