liberality because my modesty left it to him always to think of me.
Towards the end of January 1827, at the house of the Comtesse de
Serizy, I had such persistent ill-luck at play that I lost two
thousand francs, and I would not draw them out of my savings. Next
morning I asked myself, 'Had I better ask my uncle for the money, or
put my confidence in the Count?'

"I decided on the second alternative.

"'Yesterday,' said I, when he was at breakfast, 'I lost persistently
at play; I was provoked, and went on; I owe two thousand francs. Will
you allow me to draw the sum on account of my year's salary?'

"'No,' said he, with the sweetest smile; 'when a man plays in
society, he must have a gambling purse. Draw six thousand francs; pay
your debts. Henceforth we must go halves; for since you are my
representative on most occasions, your self-respect must not be made
to suffer for it.'

"I made no speech of thanks. Thanks would have been superfluous
between us. This shade shows the character of our relations. And yet
we had not yet unlimited confidence in each other; he did not open to
me the vast subterranean chambers which I had detected in his secret
life; and I, for my part, never said to him, 'What ails you? From what
are you suffering?'

"What could he be doing during those long evenings? He would often
come in on foot or in a hackney cab when I returned in a carriage--I,
his secretary! Was so pious a man a prey to vices hidden under
hypocrisy? Did he expend all the powers of his mind to satisfy a