"'Oh, anything you like in the way of guarantees.'

"'And besides that, you will give me bills for the amount made
payable to a third party (name left blank), fifteen bills of ten
thousand francs each.'

"'Well, so long as it is acknowledged in writing that this is a
double----'

"'No!' Gobseck broke in upon me. 'No! Why should I trust you any more
than you trust me?'

"I kept silence.

"'And furthermore,' he continued, with a sort of good humor, 'you
will give me your advice without charging fees as long as I live, will
you not?'

"'So be it; so long as there is no outlay.'

"'Precisely,' said he. "Ah, by the by, you will allow me to go to see
you?' (Plainly the old man found it not so easy to assume the air of
good-humor.)

"'I shall always be glad.'

"'Ah! yes, but it would be very difficult to arrange of a morning.
You will have your affairs to attend to, and I have mine.'

"'Then come in the evening.'