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live comfortably on your bit of property。〃
Two hours later； as Petit…Claud had prophesied； Maitre Segaud came
back with an agreement duly drawn up and signed by the Cointets； and
fifteen notes each for a thousand francs。
〃We are much indebted to you；〃 said Sechard； turning to Petit…Claud。
〃Why； I have just this moment ruined you；〃 said Petit…Claud； looking
at his astonished former clients。 〃I tell you again； I have ruined
you； as you will see as time goes on； but I know you； you would rather
be ruined than wait for a fortune which perhaps might come too late。〃
〃We are not mercenary； monsieur；〃 said Madame Eve。 〃We thank you for
giving us the means of happiness； we shall always feel grateful to
you。〃
〃Great heavens！ don't call down blessings on ME！〃 cried Petit…Claud。
〃It fills me with remorse； but to…day； I think； I have made full
reparation。 If I am a magistrate； it is entirely owing to you； and if
anybody is to feel grateful； it is I。 Good…bye。〃
As time went on； Kolb changed his opinion of Sechard senior； and as
for the old man； he took a liking to Kolb when he found that； like
himself； the Alsacien could neither write nor read a word； and that it
was easy to make him tipsy。 The old 〃bear〃 imparted his ideas on vine
culture and the sale of a vintage to the ex…cuirassier； and trained
him with a view to leaving a man with a head on his shoulders to look
after his children when he should be gone； for he grew childish at the
last； and great were his fears as to the fate of his property。 He had
chosen Courtois the miller as his confidant。 〃You will see how things
will go with my children when I am under ground。 Lord！ it makes me
shudder to think of it。〃
Old Sechard died in the month of March； 1929； leaving about two
hundred thousand francs in land。 His acres added to the Verberie made
a fine property； which Kolb had managed to admiration for some two
years。
David and his wife found nearly a hundred thousand crowns in gold in
the house。 The department of the Charente had valued old Sechard's
money at a million； rumor； as usual； exaggerating the amount of a
hoard。 Eve and David had barely thirty thousand francs of income when
they added their little fortune to the inheritance； they waited
awhile； and so it fell out that they invested their capital in
Government securities at the time of the Revolution of July。
Then； and not until then； could the department of the Charente and
David Sechard form some idea of the wealth of the tall Cointet。 Rich
to the extent of several millions of francs； the elder Cointet became
a deputy； and is at this day a peer of France。 It is said that he will
be Minister of Commerce in the next Government； for in 1842 he married
Mlle。 Popinot； daughter of M。 Anselme Popinot； one of the most
influential statesmen of the dynasty； deputy and mayor of an
arrondissement in Paris。
David Sechard's discovery has been assimilated by the French
manufacturing world； as food is assimilated by a living body。 Thanks
to the introduction of materials other than rags； France can produce
paper more cheaply than any other European country。 Dutch paper； as
David foresaw； no longer exists。 Sooner or later it will be necessary；
no doubt； to establish a Royal Paper Manufactory； like the Gobelins；
the Sevres porcelain works； the Savonnerie； and the Imprimerie royale；
which so far have escaped the destruction threatened by bourgeois
vandalism。
David Sechard； beloved by his wife； father of two boys and a girl； has
the good taste to make no allusion to his past efforts。 Eve had the
sense to dissuade him from following his terrible vocation； for the
inventor like Moses on Mount Horeb； is consumed by the burning bush。
He cultivates literature by way of recreation； and leads a comfortable
life of leisure； befitting the landowner who lives on his own estate。
He has bidden farewell for ever to glory； and bravely taken his place
in the class of dreamers and collectors； for he dabbles in entomology；
and is at present investigating the transformations of insects which
science only knows in the final stage。
Everybody has heard of Petit…Claud's success as attorney…general； he
is the rival of the great Vinet of Provins； and it is his ambition to
be President of the Court…Royal of Poitiers。
Cerizet has been in trouble so frequently for political offences that
he has been a good deal talked about； and as one of the boldest
enfants perdus of the Liberal party he was nicknamed the 〃Brave
Cerizet。〃 When Petit…Claud's successor compelled him to sell his
business in Angouleme； he found a fresh career on the provincial
stage； where his talents as an actor were like to be turned to
brilliant account。 The chief stage heroine； however； obliged him to go
to Paris to find a cure for love among the resources of science； and
there he tried to curry favor with the Liberal party。
As for Lucien； the story of his return to Paris belongs to the Scenes
of Parisian life。
End