Page:Honest debtor, or, The virtuous man struggling with, rising superior to, and overcoming misfortune (1).pdf/20

( 20 ) 'When I came to theſe words in which Oliver had addreſſed me: “Ah! ſir, how ſweet and conſolatory is the idea that the eſteem of my fellow citizens will be reſtored to grace my old age, and crown my grey hairs.”- I ſaw Nervin lift up his head, his eyes all ſuffuſed with tears: “No, virtuous man,” he exclaimed, in the effuſion of his generoſity, you ſhall not wait the tedious decline of life, in order to be free and honoured as you deſerve. Sir," added he to me, "you are in the right, there is not a nobler man in the world. As to the common and ſtrait-forward duties of life, any one may fulfil them; but to preſerve this reſolution and probity, while hanging over the precipices of misfortune and ſhame, without once loſing ſight of them for a moment! this is rare indeed! this is what I call poſſeſſing a well-tempered mind. He will commit no more follies. I will be anſwerable for it. He will be kind, but he will be prudent; he knows too well what weakneſs and imprudence have coſt him, & with d'Amene's good leave, that is the man I ſhould like for a ſon in law-And you, daughter, what think you of it?"-"I, ſir !" anſwered Juſtina. "I confeſs that ſuch would be the huſband I ſhould chooſe." "You ſhall have him," ſaid her father: "Write to him to come to Paris; tell him that a good match awaits him here, and tell him nothing more."