don! I see now, that it is brain-work that has worn you
out a little. But, bless you, that will all get smoothed out when you
begin to enjoy the windfall of fortune! I dare say now you are selling
out because the Emperor offers you a piece of one of his parks, wanting
you to live near him. And I presume this bright young gentleman is of
the same profession? Has he, too, invented a great gun?"

"He is the author of several not inconsiderable inventions," replied
Clemenceau for Antonino, who was not delighted with the stranger's ways,
had gone to look out of the nearest window, although it necessitated his
rudely turning his back on him.

"Any cannon among them?"

"No, M. Cant--Cant--"

"Cantagnac--"

"Cantagnac; only a very notable bullet of novel shape."

"A bullet, dear me! a bullet! a novel bullet! what an age we are living
in, to be sure! I applaud you, young man, and you must allow me to say
to my companions in the Cafe de la Garde at Marseilles, that I shook the
hand of the inventor of the new bullet!" But as Antonino did not make a
responsive movement, he had to add, unabashed: "before I go, I mean!
But allow me to say, gentlemen, that though I am only a commonplace
notary, and a retired one, at that, ha, ha! a buyer of houses to
modernize, and land to improve in cultivation; though lowly, and very
ill-informed on the great questions which occupy you, yet I venture to
assert that I take the greatest interest in your labors. I would give
half--aye, three-quarters of my possessions toward your success. My life
should be yours if it were useful in any way, although that would be a
small gift, as it has no value in my own eyes. I had a son, M.
Clemenceau--an only son, tall, dark, handsome and, though he took after
me, bright--like this young gentleman of talent here!" He flourished the
voluminous red handkerchief again. "In an evil hour, I let him go on a
holiday excursion and he chose the Rhine. His boyish gallantry caused
him to champion a waitress on a steamboat, whom a bullying German
officer of the Landsturm had chucked under the chin. High words were
exchanged--my boy challenged the giant, who did not understand our way
among gentlemen of settling such matters--he knocked my hopeful one
overboard--no, gentlemen, he was not drowned, but he never recovered
from the mortification of being laughed at. He came home but to die--in
the following year, poor, sensitive soul! His mother never held her head
up again