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child of a small tradesman at Noyon； I had not a sou to my name； nor
personal knowledge of any capitalist but Daddy Gobseck。 An ambitious
idea； and an indefinable glimmer of hope； put heart into me。 To
Gobseck I betook myself； and slowly one evening I made my way to the
Rue des Gres。 My heart thumped heavily as I knocked at his door in the
gloomy house。 I recollected all the things that he used to tell me； at
a time when I myself was very far from suspecting the violence of the
anguish awaiting those who crossed his threshold。 Now it was I who was
about to beg and pray like so many others。
〃 'Well； no； not THAT；' I said to myself； 'an honest man must keep his
self…respect wherever he goes。 Success is not worth cringing for； let
us show him a front as decided as his own。'
〃Daddy Gobseck had taken my room since I left the house； so as to have
no neighbor； he had made a little grated window too in his door since
then； and did not open until he had taken a look at me and saw who I
was。
〃 'Well；' said he； in his thin； flute notes； 'so your principal is
selling his practice？'
〃 'How did you know that？' said I； 'he has not spoken of it as yet
except to me。'
〃The old man's lips were drawn in puckers； like a curtain； to either
corner of his mouth； as a soundless smile bore a hard glance company。
〃 'Nothing else would have brought you here；' he said drily； after a
pause； which I spent in confusion。
〃 'Listen to me； M。 Gobseck；' I began； with such serenity as I could
assume before the old man； who gazed at me with steady eyes。 There was
a clear light burning in them that disconcerted me。
〃He made a gesture as if to bid me 'Go on。' 'I know that it is not
easy to work on your feelings； so I will not waste my eloquence on the
attempt to put my position before youI am a penniless clerk； with no
one to look to but you； and no heart in the world but yours can form a
clear idea of my probable future。 Let us leave hearts out of the
question。 Business is business； and business is not carried on with
sentimentality like romances。 Now to the facts。 My principal's
practice is worth in his hands about twenty thousand francs per annum；
in my hands； I think it would bring in forty thousand。 He is willing
to sell it for a hundred and fifty thousand francs。 And HERE；' I said；
striking my forehead； 'I feel that if you would lend me the purchase…
money； I could clear it off in ten years' time。'
〃 'Come； that is plain speaking；' said Daddy Gobseck； and he held out
his hand and grasped mine。 'Nobody since I have been in business has
stated the motives of his visit more clearly。 Guarantees？' asked he；
scanning me from head to foot。 'None to give；' he added after a pause；
'How old are you？'
〃 'Twenty…five in ten days' time；' said I； 'or I could not open the
matter。'
〃 'Precisely。'
〃 'Well？'
〃 'It is possible。'
〃 'My word； we must be quick about it； or I shall have some one buying
over my head。'
〃 'Bring your certificate of birth round to…morrow morning； and we
will talk。 I will think it over。'
〃 'Next morning； at eight o'clock； I stood in the old man's room。 He
took the document； put on his spectacles； coughed； spat； wrapped
himself up in his black greatcoat； and read the whole certificate
through from beginning to end。 Then he turned it over and over； looked
at me； coughed again； fidgeted about in his chair； and said； 'We will
try to arrange this bit of business。'
〃I trembled。
〃 'I make fifty per cent on my capital；' he continued； 'sometimes I
make a hundred； two hundred； five hundred per cent。'
〃I turned pale at the words。
〃 'But as we are acquaintances； I shall be satisfied to take twelve
and a half per cent per（he hesitated）'well； yes； from you I would
be content to take thirteen per cent per annum。 Will that suit you？'
〃 'Yes；' I answered。
〃 'But if it is too much； stick up for yourself； Grotius！' （a name he
jokingly gave me）。 'When I ask you for thirteen per cent； it is all in
the way of business； look into it； see if you can pay it； I don't like
a man to agree too easily。 Is it too much？'
〃 'No；' said I； 'I will make up for it by working a little harder。'
〃 'Gad！ your clients will pay for it！' said he； looking at me wickedly
out of the corner of his eyes。
〃 'No； by all the devils in hell！' cried I； 'it shall be I who will
pay。 I would sooner cut my hand off than flay people。'
〃 'Good…night；' said Daddy Gobseck。
〃 'Why； fees are all according to scale；' I added。
〃 'Not for compromises and settlements out of Court； and cases where
litigants come to terms；' said he。 'You can send in a bill for
thousands of francs； six thousand even at a swoop （it depends on the
importance of the case）； for conferences with So…and…so； and expenses；
and drafts； and memorials； and your jargon。 A man must learn to look
out for business of this kind。 I will recommend you as a most
competent； clever attorney。 I will send you such a lot of work of this
sort that your colleagues will be fit to burst with envy。 Werbrust；
Palma； and Gigonnet； my cronies； shall hand over their expropriations
to you； they have plenty of them； the Lord knows！ So you will have two
practicesthe one you are buying； and the other I will build up for
you。 You ought almost to pay me fifteen per cent on my loan。'
〃 'So be it； but no more；' said I； with the firmness which means that
a man is determined not to concede another point。
〃Daddy Gobseck's face relaxed； he looked pleased with me。
〃 'I shall pay the money over to your principal myself；' said he； 'so
as to establish a lien on the purchase and caution…money。'
〃 '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。'
〃 'Oh； no！' he answered briskly； 'you ought to go into society and see
your clients； and I myself have my friends at my cafe。'
〃 'His friends！' thought I to myself。'Very well；' said I； 'why not
come at dinner…time？'
〃 'That is the time；' said Gobseck； 'after 'Change； at five o'clock。
Good； you will see me Wednesdays and Saturdays。 We will talk over
business like a pair of friends。 Aha！ I am gay sometimes。 Just give me
the wing of a partridge and a glass of champagne； and we will have our
chat together。 I know a great many things that can be told now at this
distance of time； I will teach you to know men； and what is more
women！'
〃 'Oh！ a partridge and a glass of champagne if you like。'
〃 'Don't do anything foolish； or I shall lose my faith in you。 And
don't set up housekeeping in a grand way。 Just one old general
servant。 I will come and see that you keep your health。 I have capital
invested in your head； he！ he！ so I am bound to look after you。 There；
come round in the evening and bring your principal with you！'
〃 'Would you mind telling me； if there is no harm in asking； what was
the good of my birth certificate in this business？' I asked； when the
little old man and I stood on the doorstep。
〃Jean…Esther Van Gobseck shrugged his shoulders； smiled maliciously；
and said； 'What blockheads youngsters are！ Learn； master attorney （for
learn you must if you don't mean to be taken in）； that integrity and
brains in a man under thirty are commodities which can be mortgaged。
After that age there is no counting on a man。'
〃And with that he shut the door。
〃Three months later I was an attorney。 Before very long； madame； it
was my good fortune to undertake the suit for the recovery of your
estates。 I won the day； and my name became known。 In spite of the
exorbitant rate of interest； I paid off Gobseck in less than five
years。 I married Fanny Malvaut； whom I loved with all my heart。 There
was a parallel between her life and mine； between our hard work and
our luck； which increased the strength of feeling on either side。 One
of her uncles； a well…to…do farmer； died and left her seventy thousand
francs； which helped to clear off the loan。 From that day my life has
been nothing