'Oh, for God's sake let me alone!' he exploded.
But even Goundran must forget to be loyal, this
in spite of that time just prior to his marriage when
the Benedits had stood forth as his friends in the
teeth of much hostile public opinion. Even Goundran
went about shaking his head and declaring that
Jouse had been very foolish. For Goundran, these
days, had grown dotingly fond of his eighteen months
old daughter Aurano, and Aurano loved good things
to eat and toys, which were promptly procured for
her by her father. Kahn's villas, once lived in, would
provide a fresh market for such delicacies as turbot
and langoustes which could always be sold at excel-
lent prices. There would also be cod to sell for la
brandade — Goundran had noticed that visitors ate
the rich Provengal dishes with remarkable gusto.
So now he must go about shaking his head and pro-
testing that Jouse had been very foolish. Yet in justice
to Goundran it should be admitted that his deep
disapproval was not purely selfish. He considered
that Jouse in refusing Kahn's work had inflicted a very
real wrong upon Christophe. He had wilfully de-
prived the boy of a friend who might well have proved
useful to him in the future.
Goundran said to his cronies: 'I am grieved for
my godson. Jan has got the Cure and that Madame
de Berac, but Christophe has no one to help him along,
and his father's business is practically ruined. I
do not say that I respect Jouse less, not at all; I think
everyone should respect Jouse for an honest, coura-
geous and Christian man, but I think he is wrong upon
this occasion. Pecaire! why such a to-do about the
walls and the planks and the paint of a few little
villas? Only God Himself can erect perfect walls,
and those He reserves for our mansions in heaven!
In this world we must all live as best we may and be
thankful for a roof to cover our heads. Moreover a
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