not
endure the thought of bankruptcy, nor that of losing a fortune of three
millions acquired by forty years of incessant toil. The moral malady
which resulted from this anguish of mind aggravated the inflammatory
disease always ready to break forth in his blood. He took to his bed.
Since her confinement Veronique's regard for her husband had developed,
and had overthrown all the hopes of her admirer, Monsieur de Grandville.
She strove to save her husband's life by unremitting care, with no
result but that of prolonging for a few months the poor man's tortures;
but the respite was very useful to Grossetete, who, foreseeing the end
of his former clerk and partner, obtained from him all the information
necessary for the prompt liquidation of the assets.

Graslin died in April, 1831, and the widow's grief yielded only to
Christian resignation. Veronique's first words, when the condition
of Monsieur Graslin's affairs were made known to her, were that she
abandoned her own fortune to pay the creditors; but it was found that
Graslin's own property was more than sufficient. Two months later, the
liquidation, of which Grossetete took charge, left to Madame Graslin the
estate of Montegnac and six hundred thousand francs, her whole personal
fortune. The son's name remained untainted, for Graslin had injured no
one's property, not even that of his wife. Francis Graslin, the son,
received about one hundred thousand francs.

Monsieur de Grandville, to whom Veronique's grandeur of soul and noble
qualities were well known, made her an offer of marriage; but, to the
surprise of all Limoges, Madame Graslin declined, under pretext that
the Church discouraged second marriages. Grossetete, a man of strong
common-sense and sure grasp of a situation, advised Veronique to invest
her property and what remained of Monsieur Graslin's in the Funds; and
he made the investment himself in one of the government securities which
offered special advantages at that time, namely, the Three-per-cents,
which were then quoted at fifty. The child Francis received, therefore,
six thousand francs a year, and his mother forty thousand. Veronique's
fortune was still the largest in the department.

When these affairs were all settled, Madame Graslin announced her
intention of leaving Limoges and taking up her residence at Montegnac,
to be near Monsieur Bonnet. She sent for the rector to consult about
the enterprise he was so anxious to carry on at Montegnac, i