d only by Madame de Portenduere. Having weighted these
difficulties carefully, and wishing to leave you enough money to secure
to you a prosperous existence--

"The scoundrel, he has thought of everything!"

--without injuring my heirs--

"The Jesuit! as if he did not owe us every penny of his money!"--I
intend you to have the savings from my income which I have for the last
eighteen years steadily invested, by the help of my notary, seeking
to make you thereby as happy as any one can be made by riches. Without
means, your education and your lofty ideas would cause you unhappiness.
Besides, you ought to bring a liberal dowry to the fine young man who
loves you. You will therefore find in the middle of the third volume
of Pandects, folio, bound in red morocco (the last volume on the first
shelf above the little table in the library, on the side of the room
next the salon), three certificates of Funds in the three-per-cents,
made out to bearer, each amounting to twelve thousand francs a year--

"What depths of wickedness!" screamed the post master. "Ah! God would
not permit me to be so defrauded."

Take these at once, and also some uninvested savings made to this date,
which you will find in the preceding volume. Remember, my darling child,
that you must obey a wish that has made the happiness of my whole life;
a wish that will force me to ask the intervention of God should
you disobey me. But, to guard against all scruples in your dear
conscience--for I well know how ready it is to torture you--you will
find herewith a will in due form bequeathing these certificates to
Monsieur Savinien de Portenduere. So, whether you possess them in your
own name, or whether they come to you from him you love, they will be,
in every sense, your legitimate property.

Your godfather, Denis Minoret.

To this letter was annexed the following paper written on a sheet of
stamped paper.

This is my will: I, Denis Minoret, doctor of medicine, settled in
Nemours, being of sound mind and body, as the date of this document will
show, do bequeath my soul to God, imploring him to pardon my errors in
view of my sincere repentance. Next, having found in Monsieur le Vicomte
Savinien de Portenduere a true and honest affection for me, I bequeath
to him the sum of thirty-six thousand francs a year from the Funds, at
three per cent, the said bequest to take precedence of all inheritance
accruing to my heirs.

Written by my own hand, at Nem