perhaps, it
will be done."

"They expect it will take twenty years to finish it," said Mr. George.

"Twenty years!" repeated Rollo, surprised.

"Yes," said Mr. George, "and about four millions of dollars. Why, when
they first determined that they would attempt to finish it, it took
fifteen years to make the repairs which were necessary in the old work,
before they could begin any of the new. And now, at the rate that they
are going on, it will take twenty years to finish it. For my part, I do
not know whether we ought to be glad to have it finished or not, on
account of the immense cost. It seems as if that money could be better
expended."

"Perhaps it could," said Rollo. "But every body that comes here to see
it gets a great deal of pleasure; and as an immense number of people
will come, I think the amount of the pleasure will be very great in
all."

"That is true," said Mr. George, "and that is the right way to consider
it; but let us make the calculation in the same way that we made the
calculation about the gold chain that you were going to buy in London.
If we suppose that the church was half done when they left off the work,
and that it will now cost four millions of dollars to finish it, that
will make eight millions of dollars in all. Now, what is the interest of
eight millions of dollars, say at three per cent.?"

Rollo began to calculate it in his mind; but before he had got through,
Mr. George said that it was two hundred and forty thousand dollars a
year.

"That," said Mr. George, "is equal, with a proper allowance for repairs,
to, say a thousand dollars per day. Now, do you think that the people
who will come here to see it will get pleasure enough from it to amount
in all to a thousand dollars a day?"

"I don't know," said Rollo, doubtfully. "I'd give one dollar, I know, to
see it."

"Yes," said Mr. George, "so would I; and I do not know but that there
would be three hundred thousand to come in a year, including all the
great occasions that would bring out immense assemblages from all the
surrounding country."

"At any rate, I hope they will finish it," said Rollo.

"So do I," said Mr. George.

"And I mean to put a little in the man's plate when I go down," said
Rollo, "and then I shall have a share in it."

"I will too," said Mr. George.

Accordingly, as they passed by the man when they were leaving the
church, Mr. George put a franc into his plate, and Rollo half a franc.
Just at the