Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 5.djvu/245

Rh this day, my grandmother, who was very fond of him, will fly in a rage if anyone speaks disrespectfully of him in her presence. Thinking he might advance her the sum she needed, she wrote him a note asking him to call and see her. The old wizard came immediately and found her in the depths of despair. In a few words she related her troubles, telling him of her husband's hard-heartedness, adding that her only hope now lay in his being able to help her. After a few minutes of deep thought, Saint Germain said: 'Madam, I could easily advance you the money you require, but I know that you would not be happy until you had returned it to me, and I don't want to help you out of one scrape to get you into another. There is one way by which you can settle your debt, and that is, to win back the money. . . .' 'But, my dear Count,' answered my grandmother, 'I have just told you that I have not a penny of my own. . . .' 'You don't need any,' continued Saint Germain, 'just listen to me.' And there and then he told her a secret which each one of you fellows would give a great deal to know."

The officers all listened attentively. Tomski stopped to fill and relight his pipe and continued in this way: