morning before midday
`` Your son wanted a leetle money , and , as I know what a goot mother you are , I lent him joost a leetle to go on vith . '' Jeanne was trembling . `` But why did he not come to me for it ? '' The Jew entered into a long explanation about a gambling debt which had had to be paid on a certain morning before midday , that no one would lend Paul anything as he was not yet of age , and that his `` honor would have been compromised , '' if he , the Jew , had not `` rendered this little service '' to the young man . Jeanne wanted to send for the baron , but her emotion seemed to have taken all the strength from her limbs , and she could not rise from her seat . `` Would you be kind enough to ring ? '' she said to the money-lender , at last .