h! thunder! if I had ever made a discovery,
rather than put it up at auction I would have sold one of my eyes! Don't
you see that a new invention is like a child to a workman? He takes care
of it, he makes a way for it in the world, and it is only poor creatures
who sell it."

Robert colored a little.

"You will think differently, father," said he, "when you know why I sold
my plan."

"Yes, and you will thank him for it," added Genevieve, who could no
longer keep silence.

"Never!" replied Michael.

"But, wretched man!" cried she, "he only sold it for our sakes!"

The joiner looked at his wife and son with astonishment. The latter
related how he had entered into a negotiation with Master Benoit, who
had positively refused to sell his business unless one-half of the 2,000
francs were first paid down. It was in the hopes of obtaining this sum
that he had gone to work with the contractor at Versailles; he had had
an opportunity of trying his invention and of finding a purchaser.
Thanks to the money he received for it, he had just concluded the
bargain with Benoit, and had brought his father the key of the new
work-yard.

This explanation was given by the young workman with so much modesty and
simplicity that I was quite affected by it. Genevieve cried; Michael
pressed his son to his heart, and seemed to ask his pardon for having
unjustly accused him.

All was now explained with honor to Robert. The conduct which his
parents had ascribed to indifference really sprang from affection; he
had neither obeyed the voice of ambition nor of avarice, nor even the
nobler inspiration of inventive genius; his whole motive and single aim
had been the happiness of Genevieve and Michael. The day for proving his
gratitude had come, and he had returned them sacrifice for sacrifice!

After the explanation and exclamations of joy were over, all three were
about to leave me; but the cloth being laid, I added three more places,
and kept them to breakfast.

The meal was prolonged: the fare was only tolerable, but the
overflowings of affection made it delicious. Never had I better
understood the unspeakable charm of family love. What calm enjoyment in
that happiness which is always shared with others; in that community of
interests which unites such various feeling; in that association of
existences which forms one single being of so many! What is man without
those home affections which, like so many roots, fix him firmly in the
ear