"A cousin, I believe," said the justice.

"Yes, a Monsieur Julien de Buxieres, who is employed by the Government
at Nancy."

"In fact, then, and until we receive more ample information, he is, for
us, the sole legitimate heir. Has he been notified?"

"Yes, Monsieur. He has even sent his power of attorney to Monsieur
Arbillot's clerk."

"So much the better," said M. Destourbet, "in that case, we can proceed
regularly without delay."

While thus conversing, they had traversed the forest, and emerged on
the hill overlooking Vivey. From the border line where they stood, they
could discover, between the half-denuded branches of the line of aspens,
the sinuous, deepset gorge, in which the Aubette wound its tortuous way,
at the extremity of which the village lay embanked against an almost
upright wall of thicket and pointed rocks. On the west this narrow
defile was closed by a mill, standing like a sentinel on guard, in
its uniform of solid gray; on each side of the river a verdant line
of meadow led the eye gradually toward the clump of ancient and lofty
ash-trees, behind which rose the Buxieres domicile. This magnificent
grove of trees, and a monumental fence of cast-iron, were the only
excuse for giving the title of chateau to a very commonplace structure,
of which the main body presented bare, whitewashed walls, flanked by
two small towers on turrets shaped like extinguishers, and otherwise
resembling very ordinary pigeon-houses.

This chateau, or rather country squire's residence, had belonged to the
Odouart de Buxieres for more than two centuries. Before the Revolution,
Christophe de Buxieres, grandfather of the last proprietor, had owned a
large portion of Vivey, besides several forges in operation on the Aube
and Aubette rivers. He had had three children: one daughter, who had
embraced religion as a vocation; Claude Antoine, the elder son, to whom
he left his entire fortune, and Julien Abdon, the younger, officer in
the regiment of Rohan Soubise, with whom he was not on good terms.
After emigrating and serving in Conde's army, the younger Buxieres
had returned to France during the Restoration, had married, and been
appointed special receiver in a small town in southern France. But since
his return, he had not resumed relations with his elder brother, whom he
accused of having defrauded him of his rights. The older one had married
also, one of the Rochetaillee family; he had had but one son, Claude
Odouart de