A Start in Life [71]
and Oscar,
instead of doing so, allowed himself to be fooled. The master was
furious. It's a chance if I have been able to repair the mischief by
going this morning, at six o'clock, to see the head-clerk at the
Palais, who has promised me to have a copy ready by seven o'clock to-
morrow morning."
"Ah, Godeschal!" cried Oscar, going up to him and pressing his hand.
"You are, indeed, a true friend."
"Ah, monsieur!" said Madame Clapart, "a mother is happy, indeed, in
knowing that her son has a friend like you; you may rely upon a
gratitude which can end only with my life. Oscar, one thing I want to
say to you now. Distrust that Georges Marest. I wish you had never met
him again, for he was the cause of your first great misfortune in
life."
"Was he? How so?" asked Godeschal.
The too devoted mother explained succinctly the adventure of her poor
Oscar in Pierrotin's coucou.
"I am certain," said Godeschal, "that that blagueur is preparing some
trick against us for this evening. As for me, I can't go to the
Marquise de las Florentinas' party, for my sister wants me to draw up
the terms of her new engagement; I shall have to leave after the
dessert. But, Oscar, be on your guard. They will ask you to play, and,
of course, the Desroches office mustn't draw back; but be careful. You
shall play for both of us; here's a hundred francs," said the good
fellow, knowing that Oscar's purse was dry from the demands of his
tailor and bootmaker. "Be prudent; remember not to play beyond that
sum; and don't let yourself get tipsy, either with play or libations.
Saperlotte! a second clerk is already a man of weight, and shouldn't
gamble on notes, or go beyond a certain limit in anything. His
business is to get himself admitted to the bar. Therefore don't drink
too much, don't play too long, and maintain a proper dignity,--that's
your rule of conduct. Above all, get home by midnight; for, remember,
you must be at the Palais to-morrow morning by seven to get that
judgment. A man is not forbidden to amuse himself, but business first,
my boy."
"Do you hear that, Oscar?" said Madame Clapart. "Monsieur Godeschal is
indulgent; see how well he knows how to combine the pleasures of youth
and the duties of his calling."
Madame Clapart, on the arrival of the tailor and the bootmaker with
Oscar's new clothes, remained alone with Godeschal, in order to return
him the hundred francs he had just given her son.
"Ah, monsieur!" she said, "the blessings of a mother will follow you
wherever you go, and in all your enterprises."
Poor woman! she now had the supreme delight of seeing her son well-
dressed, and she gave him a gold watch, the price of which she had
saved by economy, as the reward of his good conduct.
"You draw for the conscription next week," she said, "and to prepare,
in case you get a bad number, I have been to see your uncle Cardot. He
is very much pleased with you; and so delighted to know you are a
second clerk at twenty, and to hear of your successful examination at
the law-school, that he promised me the money for a substitute. Are
not you glad to think that your own good conduct has brought such
reward? Though you have some privations to bear, remember the
happiness of being able, five years from now, to buy a practice. And
think, too, my dear little kitten, how happy you make your mother."
Oscar's face, somewhat thinned by study, had acquired, through habits
of business, a serious expression. He had reached his full growth, his
beard was thriving; adolescence had given place to virility. The
mother could not refrain from admiring her son and kissing him, as she
said:--
"Amuse yourself, my dear boy, but remember the advice of our good
Monsieur Godeschal. Ah! by the bye, I was nearly forgetting! Here's a
present our friend Moreau sends you. See! what a pretty pocket-book."
"And I want it, too; for the master
instead of doing so, allowed himself to be fooled. The master was
furious. It's a chance if I have been able to repair the mischief by
going this morning, at six o'clock, to see the head-clerk at the
Palais, who has promised me to have a copy ready by seven o'clock to-
morrow morning."
"Ah, Godeschal!" cried Oscar, going up to him and pressing his hand.
"You are, indeed, a true friend."
"Ah, monsieur!" said Madame Clapart, "a mother is happy, indeed, in
knowing that her son has a friend like you; you may rely upon a
gratitude which can end only with my life. Oscar, one thing I want to
say to you now. Distrust that Georges Marest. I wish you had never met
him again, for he was the cause of your first great misfortune in
life."
"Was he? How so?" asked Godeschal.
The too devoted mother explained succinctly the adventure of her poor
Oscar in Pierrotin's coucou.
"I am certain," said Godeschal, "that that blagueur is preparing some
trick against us for this evening. As for me, I can't go to the
Marquise de las Florentinas' party, for my sister wants me to draw up
the terms of her new engagement; I shall have to leave after the
dessert. But, Oscar, be on your guard. They will ask you to play, and,
of course, the Desroches office mustn't draw back; but be careful. You
shall play for both of us; here's a hundred francs," said the good
fellow, knowing that Oscar's purse was dry from the demands of his
tailor and bootmaker. "Be prudent; remember not to play beyond that
sum; and don't let yourself get tipsy, either with play or libations.
Saperlotte! a second clerk is already a man of weight, and shouldn't
gamble on notes, or go beyond a certain limit in anything. His
business is to get himself admitted to the bar. Therefore don't drink
too much, don't play too long, and maintain a proper dignity,--that's
your rule of conduct. Above all, get home by midnight; for, remember,
you must be at the Palais to-morrow morning by seven to get that
judgment. A man is not forbidden to amuse himself, but business first,
my boy."
"Do you hear that, Oscar?" said Madame Clapart. "Monsieur Godeschal is
indulgent; see how well he knows how to combine the pleasures of youth
and the duties of his calling."
Madame Clapart, on the arrival of the tailor and the bootmaker with
Oscar's new clothes, remained alone with Godeschal, in order to return
him the hundred francs he had just given her son.
"Ah, monsieur!" she said, "the blessings of a mother will follow you
wherever you go, and in all your enterprises."
Poor woman! she now had the supreme delight of seeing her son well-
dressed, and she gave him a gold watch, the price of which she had
saved by economy, as the reward of his good conduct.
"You draw for the conscription next week," she said, "and to prepare,
in case you get a bad number, I have been to see your uncle Cardot. He
is very much pleased with you; and so delighted to know you are a
second clerk at twenty, and to hear of your successful examination at
the law-school, that he promised me the money for a substitute. Are
not you glad to think that your own good conduct has brought such
reward? Though you have some privations to bear, remember the
happiness of being able, five years from now, to buy a practice. And
think, too, my dear little kitten, how happy you make your mother."
Oscar's face, somewhat thinned by study, had acquired, through habits
of business, a serious expression. He had reached his full growth, his
beard was thriving; adolescence had given place to virility. The
mother could not refrain from admiring her son and kissing him, as she
said:--
"Amuse yourself, my dear boy, but remember the advice of our good
Monsieur Godeschal. Ah! by the bye, I was nearly forgetting! Here's a
present our friend Moreau sends you. See! what a pretty pocket-book."
"And I want it, too; for the master