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energyfor； I shall succeed！ surely I shall！I have observed that
your integrity； your honor is that of the olden time； your judgment
righteous and inflexible。 Also； you have a knowledge of business； and
these qualities combined are precious helps to a man。 With a mother…
in…law； as I may say； of your powers； I should find my home life
relieved of a crowd of cares and details as to property； which hinder
a man's advance in a political career if he is forced to attend to
them。 I admired you deeply on Sunday evening。 Ah！ you were fine！ How
you did manage matters！ In ten minutes that dining…room was cleared！
And； without going outside of your own apartment； you had everything
at hand for the refreshments； for the supper！ 'There；' I said to
myself； as I watched you； 'is a true 〃maitresse…femme〃a masterly
woman！'〃
Brigitte's nostrils dilated； she breathed in the words of the young
lawyer。 He gave her a side…long glance to enjoy his triumph； he had
touched the right chord in her breast。
At this moment he was standing； but he now resumed his seat beside
her； and said：
〃Now here is our affair； dear auntfor you will be a sort of aunt〃
〃Hush！ you naughty fellow！〃 said Brigitte； 〃and go on。〃
〃I'll tell you the matter roughlyand remark； if you please； that I
compromise myself in telling it to you； for these secrets are
entrusted to me as a lawyer。 Therefore understand that you and I are
both committing a crime； so to speak； of leze…confidence！ A notary of
Paris was in partnership with an architect； they bought land and built
upon it； at the present moment； property has come down with a rush；
they find themselves embarrassedbut all that doesn't concern us。
Among the houses built by this illegal partnershipfor notaries； you
know； are sworn to have nothing to do with enterprisesis a very good
one which； not being finished； must be sold at a great sacrifice； so
great that they now ask only one hundred thousand francs for it；
although the cost of the land and the building was at least four
hundred thousand。 As the whole interior is still unfinished； the value
of what is still to do is easily appraised； it will probably not be
more than fifty thousand francs。 Now； owing to its excellent position；
this house； when finished； will certainly bring in a rental； over and
above the taxes； of forty thousand francs a year。 It is built of
freestone； the corners and copings of cut granite； the facade is
covered with handsome carvings； on which they spent more than twenty
thousand francs； the windows are plate glass with a new style of
fastening called 'cremona。'〃
〃Well； where is the difficulty？〃
〃Just here： the notary wants to reserve to himself this bit of the
cake he is forced to surrender； he is； under the name of a friend； the
creditor who requests the sale of the property by the assignee of the
bankruptcy。 The case has not been brought into court； for legal
proceedings cost so much money。 The sale is to be made by voluntary
agreement。 Now； this notary has applied to one of my clients to lend
him his name for this purchase。 My client； a poor devil； says to me：
'There's a fortune to made out of that house by fooling the notary。'〃
〃And they do that sort of thing in business！〃 said Brigitte； quickly。
〃If that were the only difficulty；〃 continued Theodose； 〃it would be；
as a friend of mine said to his pupil； who was complaining of the
length of time it took to produce masterpieces in painting： 'My dear
young fellow； if it were not so； our valets would be painting
pictures。' But； mademoiselle； if we now get the better of this notary；
who certainly deserves it； for he has compromised a number of private
fortunes； yet； as he is a very shrewd man （though a notary）； it might
perhaps be very difficult to do it a second time； and here's the rub：
When a piece of landed property is bought at a forced sale； if those
who have lent money on that property see that is likely to be sold so
low as not to cover the sum loaned upon it； they have the right； until
the expiration of a certain time； to bid it in； that is； to offer more
and keep the property in their own hands。 If this trickster can't be
hoodwinked as to the sale being a bona fide one until the time when
his right to buy it expires； some other scheme must be resorted to。
Now； is this business strictly legal？ Am I justified in doing it for
the benefit of a family I seek to enter？ That is the question I have
been revolving in my mind for the last three days。〃
Brigitte； we must acknowledge； hesitated； and Theodose then brought
forward his last card：
〃Take the night to think of it；〃 he said； 〃to…morrow we will talk it
over。〃
〃My young friend；〃 said Brigitte； looking at the lawyer with an almost
loving air； 〃the first thing to be done is to see the house。 Where is
it？〃
〃Near the Madeleine。 That will be the heart of Paris in ten years。 All
that property has been desirable since 1819； the banker Du Tillet's
fortune was derived from property about there。 The famous failure of
Maitre Roquin； which carried terror to all Paris； and did such harm to
the confidence given to the notariat； was also caused by it； they went
into heavy speculations on that land too soon； they should have waited
until now。〃
〃I remember about that；〃 said Brigitte。
〃The house might be finished by the end of the year；〃 continued
Theodose； 〃and the rentals could begin next spring。〃
〃Could we go there to…morrow？〃
〃Dear aunt； I am at your orders。〃
〃Ah ca！〃 she cried； 〃don't call me that before people。 As to this
affair；〃 she continued； 〃I can't have any opinion until I have seen
the house。〃
〃It has six storeys； nine windows on the front； a fine courtyard； four
shops； and it stands on a corner。 Ah！ that notary knows what he is
about in wishing to hold on to such pieces of property！ But let
political events interfere； and down go the Funds！ If I were you； I
should sell out all that you and Madame Thuillier have on the Grand
Livre and buy this fine piece of real estate for Thuillier； and I'd
recover the fortune of that poor； pious creature by savings from its
proceeds。 Can the Funds go higher than they are to…day？ One hundred
and twenty…two！ it is fabulous； I should make haste to sell。〃
Brigitte licked her lips； she perceived the means of keeping her own
property intact； and of enriching her brother by this use of Madame
Thuillier's fortune。
〃My brother is right；〃 she said to Theodose； 〃you certainly are a rare
man； you'll get on in the world。〃
〃And he'll walk before me；〃 responded Theodose with a naivete that
touched the old maid。
〃You will live in the family；〃 she said。
〃There may be obstacles to that；〃 he remarked。 〃Madame Thuillier is
very queer at times； she doesn't like me。〃
〃Ha！ I'll settle that；〃 cried Brigitte。 〃Do you attend to that affair
and carry it through if it is feasible； and leave your interests in my
hands。〃
〃Thuillier； member of the municipal council； owner of an estate with a
rental of forty thousand francs a year； with the cross of the Legion
of honor and the author of a political work； grave； serious；
important； will be deputy at the forthcoming general election。 But；
between ourselves； little aunt； one couldn't devote one's self so
utterly except for a father…in…law。〃
〃You are right。〃
〃Though I have no fortune I shall have doubled yours； and if this
affair goes through discreetly； others will turn up。〃
〃Until I have seen the house；〃 said Mademoiselle Thuillier again； 〃I
can decide on nothing。〃
〃Well then； send for a carriage to…morrow and let us go there。 I will
get a ticket early in the morning to view the premises。〃
〃To…morrow； then； about mid…day；〃 responded Brigitte； holding out her
hand to Theodose that he might shake it； but instead of that he laid
upon it the most respectful and the most tender kiss that Brigitte had
ever in her life received。
〃Adieu； my child；〃 she said； as he reached the door。
She rang the bell hurriedly and when the servant came：
〃Josephine；〃 she cried； 〃go at once to Madame Colleville； and ask her
to come over and speak to me。〃
Fifteen minutes later Flavie entered the salon； where Brigitte was
walking up and down； in a state of extreme agitation。
〃My dear；〃 she cried on seeing Flavie； 〃you can do me a great service；
which concerns our dear Celeste。 You know Tullia； don't you？a
danseuse at the opera； my brother was always dinning her into my ears
at one time。〃
〃Yes； I know her； but she is no longer a danseuse； she is Madame la
Comtesse du Bruel。 Her husband is peer of France！〃
〃Does she still like you？〃
〃We never see each other now。〃
〃Well； I know that Chaffaroux； the rich contractor； is her uncle；〃
said Brigitte。 〃He is old and wealthy。 Go and see your former friend；
and get her to give you a line of introduction to him； saying he would
do her an eminent favor if he would give a piece of friendly advice to
the bearer of the note； and then you and I will take it to him
to…morrow about one o'clock。 But tell Tullia she must request her
uncle to keep secret about it。 Go； my dear。 Celeste； our dear child；
will be a millionaire！ I can't say more； but she'll have； from me； a
husband who will put h