From the outset, they treated "our saviour" as an old and valued
friend. By the time dessert was served, their friendship was well
cemented, and private confidences were being exchanged. Arsene
related the story of his life, the life of his father as a
magistrate, the sorrows of his childhood, and his present
difficulties. Gervaise, in turn, spoke of her youth, her marriage,
the kindness of the aged Brawford, the hundred millions that she
had inherited, the obstacles that prevented her from obtaining the
enjoyment of her inheritance, the moneys she had been obliged to
borrow at an exorbitant rate of interest, her endless contentions
with Brawford's nephews, and the litigation! the injunctions! in
fact, everything!
"Just think of it, Monsieur Lupin, the bonds are there, in my
husband's office, and if we detach a single coupon, we lose
everything! They are there, in our safe, and we dare not touch
them."
Monsieur Lupin shivered at the bare idea of his proximity to so
much wealth. Yet he felt quite certain that Monsieur Lupin would
never suffer from the same difficulty as his fair hostess who
declared she dare not touch the money.
"Ah! they are there!" he repeated, to himself; "they are there!"
A friendship formed under such circumstances soon led to closer
relations.
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