enforced rest almost killed old Sauviat. Happily, Graslin found a
means of occupying his father-in-law. In 1823 the banker was forced to
take possession of a porcelain manufactory, to the proprietors of which
he had advanced large sums, which they found themselves unable to repay
except by the sale of their factory, which they made to him. By the help
of his business connections and by investing a large amount of property
in the concern, Graslin made it one of the finest manufactories of
Limoges ware in the town. Afterwards he resold it at a fine profit;
meantime he placed it under the superintendence of his father-in-law,
who, in spite of his seventy-two years, counted for much in the return
of prosperity to the establishment, who himself renewed his youth in the
employment. Graslin was then able to attend to his legitimate business
of banking without anxiety as to the manufactory.

Sauviat died in 1827 from an accident. While taking account of stock he
fell into a _charasse_,--a sort of crate with an open grating in which
the china was packed; his leg was slightly injured, so slightly that
he paid no attention to it; gangrene set in; he would not consent to
amputation, and therefore died. The widow gave up about two hundred and
fifty thousand francs which came to her from Sauviat's estate, reserving
only a stipend of two hundred francs a month, which amply sufficed for
her wants. Graslin bound himself to pay her that sum duly. She kept her
little house in the country, and lived there alone without a servant and
against the remonstrances of her daughter, who could not induce her to
alter this determination, to which she clung with the obstinacy peculiar
to old persons. Madame Sauviat came nearly every day into Limoges to see
her daughter, and the latter still continued to make her mother's house,
from which was a charming view of the river, the object of her walks.
From the road leading to it could be seen that island long loved by
Veronique and called by her the Ile de France.

In order not to complicate our history of the Graslin household with the
foregoing incidents, we have thought it best to end that of the Sauviats
by anticipating events, which are moreover useful as explaining the
private and hidden life which Madame Graslin now led. The old mother,
noticing that Graslin's miserliness, which returned upon him, might
hamper her daughter, was for some time unwilling to resign the property
left to her by her husb