"People talk more than they know, but there's always some fire where
there's smoke," she hastened to explain. "Besides, your father-in-law
babbles more than is good for him or for you. I thought at first that
M. Dolores was a first-class kind of man, that he had had hard times too,
and I let him come and see me; but I found him out, and that was the end
of it, you may be sure. If you like him, I don't want to say anything
more, but I'm sure that he's no real friend to you-or to anybody. If
that man went to confession--but there, that's not what I've come for.
I've come to say to you that I never felt so sorry for anyone in my life
as I do for you. I cried all night after your beautiful mill was burned
down. You were coming to see me next day--you remember what you said in
M. Fille's office--but of course you couldn't. Of course, there was no
reason why you should come to see me really--I've 'only got two hundred
acres and the house. It's a good house, though--Palass saw to that--and
it's insured; but still I know you'd have come just the same if I'd had
only two acres. I know. There's hosts of people you've been good to
here, and they're sorry for you; and I'm sorrier than any, for I'm alone,
and you're alone, too, except for the old Dolores, and he's no good to
either of us--mark my words, no good to you! I'm sorry for you, M'sieu'
Jean Jacques, and I've come to say that I'm ready to lend you two
thousand dollars, if that's any help. I could make it more if I had
time; but sometimes money on the spot is worth a lot more than what's
just crawling to you--snailing along while you eat your heart out. Two
thousand dollars is two thousand dollars--I know what it's worth to me,
though it mayn't be much to you; but I didn't earn it. It belonged to
a first-class man, and he worked for it, and he died and left it to me.
It's not come easy, go easy with me. I like to feel I've got two
thousand cash without having to mortgage for it. But it belonged to
a number-one man, a man of brains--I've got no brains, only some sense
--and I want another good man to use it and make the world easier for