After dinner Pierquin came to see Monsieur Claes, and sat down between father and daughter on the very bench in the garden where Emmanuel had sat that morning.

“My dear cousin,” he said to Balthazar, “I have come to-night to talk to you on business.  It is now forty-two days since the decease of your wife.”

“I keep no account of time,” said Balthazar, wiping away the tears that came at the word “decease.”

“Oh, monsieur!” cried Marguerite, looking at the lawyer, “how can you?”

“But, my dear Marguerite, we notaries are obliged to consider the limits of time appointed by law.  This is a matter which concerns you and your co-heirs.  Monsieur Claes has none but minor children, and he must make an inventory of his property within forty-five days of his wife’s decease, so as to render in his accounts at the end of that time.  It is necessary to know the value of his property before deciding whether to accept it as sufficient security, or whether we must fall back on the legal rights of minors.”

Marguerite rose.

“Do not go away, my dear cousin,” continued Pierquin; “my words concern you—­you and your father both.  You know how truly I share your grief, but to-day you must give your attention to legal details.  If you do not, every one of you will get into serious difficulties.  I am only doing my duty as the family lawyer.”

“He is right,” said Claes.

“The time expires in two days,” resumed Pierquin; “and I must begin the inventory to-morrow, if only to postpone the payment of the legacy-tax which the public treasurer will come here and demand.  Treasurers have no hearts; they don’t trouble themselves about feelings; they fasten their claws upon us at all seasons.  Therefore for the next two days my clerk and I will be here from ten till four with Monsieur Raparlier, the public appraiser.  After we get through the town property we shall go into the country.  As for the forest of Waignies, we shall be obliged to hold a consultation about that.  Now let us turn to another matter.  We must call a family council and appoint a guardian to protect the interests of the minor children.  Monsieur Conyncks of Bruges is your nearest relative; but he has now become a Belgian.  You ought,” continued Pierquin, addressing Balthazar, “to write to him on this matter; you can then find out if he has any intention of settling in France, where he has a fine property.  Perhaps you could persuade him and his daughter to move into French Flanders.  If he refuses, then I must see about making up the council with the other near relatives.”

“What is the use of an inventory?” asked Marguerite.

“To put on record the value and the claims of the property, its debts and its assets.  When that is all clearly scheduled, the family council, acting on behalf of the minors, makes such dispositions as it sees fit.”

“Pierquin,” said Claes, rising from the bench, “do all that is necessary to protect the rights of my children; but spare us the distress of selling the things that belonged to my dear—­” he was unable to continue; but he spoke with so noble an air and in a tone of such deep feeling that Marguerite took her father’s hand and kissed it.