rely a preliminary to my telling you that
for the future I did not expect you to toil as hard as you had hitherto
done, for I wish you to perform a duty less laborious, but more
responsible; you will for the future act as farm-bailiff."

Norbert looked up suddenly into his father's face.

"For I wish you to become accustomed to independent action, so that at
my death your sudden liberty may not intoxicate you."

The Duke then rose from his seat, and took a highly finished gun from a
cupboard.

"I have been very much pleased with you for some time past," said he,
"and this is a sign of my satisfaction. The gamekeeper has brought in a
thoroughly trained dog, which will also be yours. Shoot as much as you
like, and, as you cannot go about without money in your pocket, take
this, but be careful of it; for remember that extravagance on your part
will procrastinate the day upon which our descendants will resume their
proper station in the world."

The Duke spoke for some time longer, but his son paid no heed to his
words, and was too much astonished to accept the six five-franc pieces
which his father tendered to him.

"I suppose," said the Duke at last in angry accents, "that you will have
the grace to thank me."

"You will find that I am not ungrateful," stammered Norbert, aroused by
this reproach.

The Duke turned away impatiently.

"What has the boy got into his head now?" muttered he.

It was owing to the advice of the priest of Bevron that the Duke had
acted as he had done; but this indulgence came too late, for Norbert's
detestation of his tyrant was too deeply buried in his heart to be
easily eradicated.

A gun was not such a wonderful present after all--a matter of a
few francs, perhaps. Had the Duke offered him the means of a better
education, it would be a different matter; but as it was, he would still
remain the "Young Savage of Champdoce."

However, Norbert took advantage of the permission accorded to him, and
rambled daily over the estate with his gun and his dog Bruno, to which
he had become very much attached. His thoughts often wandered to Daumon;
but he had made inquiries, and had heard that the Counsellor was a most
dangerous man, who would stick at nothing; but for all that, he had
made up his mind to go back to him again for further advice, though his
better nature warned him of the precipice on the brink of which he was
standing.

CHAPTER IV.

A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION.

Daumon wa