“You are an innocent youth, nephew; your ingenuousness is amusing.”

“Explain yourself.”

“Certainly.  The banker, his wife, and Madeleine must be informed that the Clameran of Oloron was a natural son of my father, consequently my brother, born at Hamburg, and recognized during the emigration.  Of course, he wished to leave his fortune to his own family.  This is the story which you must tell Mme. Fauvel to-morrow.”

“That is a bold step to take.”

“How so?”

“Inquiries might be made.”

“Who would make them?  The banker would not trouble himself to do so.  What difference is it to him whether I had a brother or not?  My title as heir is legally authenticated; and all he has to do is to pay the money he holds, and there his business ends.”

“I am not afraid of his giving trouble.”

“Do you think that Mme. Fauvel and her niece will ask any questions?  Why should they?  They have no grounds for suspicion.  Besides, they cannot take a step without compromising themselves.  If they knew all our secrets I would not have the least fear of their making revelations.  They have sense enough to know that they had best keep quiet.”

Not finding any other objections to make, Raoul said: 

“Very well, then, I obey you; but I am not to call upon Mme. Fauvel for any more money, am I?”

“And why not, pray?”

“Because, my uncle, you are rich now.”

“Suppose I am rich,” replied Louis, triumphantly; “what is that to you?  Have we not quarrelled about the means of making this money? and did you not heap abuse upon me until I consider myself justified in refusing you any assistance whatever?  However, I will overlook the past.  And, when I explain my present plan, you will feel ashamed of your former doubts and suspicion.  You will say with me, ‘Success is certain.’”

Louis de Clameran’s scheme was very simple, and therefore unfortunately presented the strongest chances of success.

“We will go back and look at our balance-sheet.  As heretofore, my brilliant nephew, you seem to have misunderstood my management of this affair; I will now explain it to you.”

“I am listening.”

“In the first place, I presented myself to Mme. Fauvel, and said not, ‘Your money or your life,’ but ‘Your money or your reputation!’ It was a rude blow to strike, but effective.  As I expected, she was frightened, and regarded me with the greatest aversion.”

“Aversion is a mild term, uncle.”

“I know that.  Then I brought you upon the scene; and, without flattering you in the least, I must say that your opening act was a perfect success.  I was concealed behind the curtain, and saw your first interview; it was sublime!  She saw you, and loved you:  you spoke a few words and won her heart.”

“And but for you?”

“Let me finish.  This was the first act of our comedy.  Let us pass to the second.  Your extravagant follies—­your grandfather would have said, your dissoluteness—­soon changed our respective situations.  Mme. Fauvel, without ceasing to worship you—­you resemble Gaston so closely—­was uneasy about you.  She was so frightened that she was forced to come to me for assistance.”