"Such devotion on your part is very generous, I must say."
"I am only doing my duty, monsieur. My godmother took care of me after my parents died, and paid for a three years' apprenticeship for me. But for her, I should not be in a position to earn my living, so it is only right that she should profit now by the assistance she gave me years ago."
"But you must have to work very hard to support her and yourself?"
"Yes; I have to work from fifteen to eighteen hours a day, monsieur."
"And at night you have to nurse her instead of taking the rest you so much need?"
"Who else would nurse her, monsieur?"
"But why doesn't she try to get into some hospital?"
"They will not take her into a hospital because the lung trouble she has is incurable. Besides, I could not desert her like that."
"Ah, well, my child, I see that I was not mistaken. You are a good, noble-hearted girl, there is no doubt of it," added the old man, holding out his hand to Mariette.
As he did, either through awkwardness, or intentionally, the scrivener overturned the inkstand that stood on his desk in such a way that a good part of the contents ran over the letter, which lacked only the address to complete it.