ive or thirty francs.

But Maxence's patience was exhausted; and one morning he declared
resolutely that he would no longer attend the law-school, that he
had been mistaken in his vocation, and that there was no human power
capable to make him return to M. Chapelain's.

"And where will you go?" exclaimed his father. "Do you expect me
eternally to supply your wants?"

He answered that it was precisely in order to support himself, and
conquer his independence, that he had resolved to abandon a
profession, which, after two years, yielded him twenty francs a month.

"I want some business where I have a chance to get rich," he replied.
"I would like to enter a banking-house, or some great financial
establishment."

Mme. Favoral jumped at the idea.

"That's a fact," she said to her husband. "Why couldn't you find
a place for our son at the Mutual Credit? There he would be under
your own eyes. Intelligent as he is, backed by M. de Thaller and
yourself, he would soon earn a good salary."

M. Favoral knit his brows.

"That I shall never do," he uttered. "I have not sufficient
confidence in my son. I cannot expose myself to have him compromise
the consideration which I have acquired for myself."

And, revealing to a certain extent the secret of his conduct:

"A cashier," he added, "who like me handles immense sums cannot be
too careful of his reputation. Confidence is a delicate thing in
these times, when there are so many cashiers constantly on the road
to Belgium. Who knows what would be thought of me, if I was known
to have such a son as mine?"

Mme. Favoral was insisting, nevertheless, when he seemed to make up
his mind suddenly.

"Enough," he said. "Maxence is free. I allow him two years to
establish himself in some position. That delay over, good-by: he
can find board and lodging where he please. That's all. I don't
want to hear any thing more about it."

It was with a sort of frenzy that Maxence abused that freedom; and
in less than two weeks he had dissipated three months' earnings of
his mother and sister.

That time over, he succeeded, thanks to M. Chapelain, in finding a
place with an architect.

This was not a very brilliant opening; and the chances were, that
he might remain a clerk all his life. But the future did not trouble
him much. For the present, he was delighted with this inferior
position, which assured him each month one hundred and seventy-five
francs.

One hundred and