“The scoundrel, he has thought of everything!”

  —­without injuring my heirs—­

“The Jesuit! as if he did not owe us every penny of his money!”

—­I intend you to have the savings from my income which I have for the last eighteen years steadily invested, by the help of my notary, seeking to make you thereby as happy as any one can be made by riches.  Without means, your education and your lofty ideas would cause you unhappiness.  Besides, you ought to bring a liberal dowry to the fine young man who loves you.  You will therefore find in the middle of the third volume of Pandects, folio, bound in red morocco (the last volume on the first shelf above the little table in the library, on the side of the room next the salon), three certificates of Funds in the three-per-cents, made out to bearer, each amounting to twelve thousand francs a year—­

“What depths of wickedness!” screamed the post master.  “Ah!  God would not permit me to be so defrauded.”

Take these at once, and also some uninvested savings made to this date, which you will find in the preceding volume.  Remember, my darling child, that you must obey a wish that has made the happiness of my whole life; a wish that will force me to ask the intervention of God should you disobey me.  But, to guard against all scruples in your dear conscience—­for I well know how ready it is to torture you—­you will find herewith a will in due form bequeathing these certificates to Monsieur Savinien de Portenduere.  So, whether you possess them in your own name, or whether they come to you from him you love, they will be, in every sense, your legitimate property.

Your godfather,
Denis Minoret.

To this letter was annexed the following paper written on a sheet of stamped paper.

This is my will:  I, Denis Minoret, doctor of medicine, settled in Nemours, being of sound mind and body, as the date of this document will show, do bequeath my soul to God, imploring him to pardon my errors in view of my sincere repentance.  Next, having found in Monsieur le Vicomte Savinien de Portenduere a true and honest affection for me, I bequeath to him the sum of thirty-six thousand francs a year from the Funds, at three per cent, the said bequest to take precedence of all inheritance accruing to my heirs.

Written by my own hand, at Nemours, on the 11th of January, 1831.

Denis Minoret.

Without an instant’s hesitation the post master, who had locked himself into his wife’s bedroom to insure being alone, looked about for the tinder-box, and received two warnings from heaven by the extinction of two matches which obstinately refused to light.  The third took fire.  He burned the letter and the will on the hearth and buried the vestiges of paper and sealing-wax in the ashes by way of superfluous caution.  Then, allured by the thought of possessing thirty-six thousand francs a year of which his wife knew nothing, he returned at full speed to his uncle’s house, spurred by the only idea, a clear-cut, simple idea, which was able to piece and penetrate his dull brain.  Finding the house invaded by the three families, now masters of the place, he trembled lest he should be unable to accomplish a project to which he gave no reflection whatever, except so far as to fear the obstacles.