Yet he was lying, and this affectation of
ignorance was a conceit of the aristocratic man of the world. It
was very noble, very distingue, to ruin one's self without knowing
how!
"But, my dear fellow," cried Sauvresy, "how can we clear up your
affairs?"
"Oh, don't clear them up at all; do as I do--let the creditors act
as they please, they will know how to settle it all, rest assured;
let them sell out my property."
"Never! Then you would be ruined, indeed!"
"Well, it's only a little more or a little less."
"What splendid disinterestedness!" thought Bertha; "what coolness,
what admirable contempt of money, what noble disdain of the petty
details which annoy common people! Was Sauvresy capable of all
this?"
She could not at least accuse him of avarice, since for her he was
as prodigal as a thief; he had never refused her anything; he
anticipated her most extravagant fancies. Still he had a strong
appetite for gain, and despite his large fortune, he retained the
hereditary respect for money. When he had business with one of his
farmers, he would rise very early, mount his horse, though it were
mid-winter, and go several leagues in the snow to get a hundred
crowns.
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