the marriage-contract, and waiting in expectation a whole hour for
the notary, who--never came!"

"Then the contract is not signed?" said Felix, eagerly.

"Not even read, my friend. Suddenly some one came in and told Brigitte
that the notary had started for Brussels."

"Ah! no doubt," said Phellion, naively; "some very important business."

"Most important," replied Minard; "a little bankruptcy of five hundred
thousand francs which the gentleman leaves behind him."

"But who is this public officer," demanded Phellion, "so recreant, in
this scandalous manner, to the sacred duties of his calling?"

"Parbleu! your neighbor in the rue Saint-Jacques, the notary Dupuis."

"What!" said Madame Phellion, "that pious man? Why, he is churchwarden
of the parish!"

"Eh! madame, those are the very ones," said Minard, "to run off--there
are many precedents for that."

"But," said Phellion, "such news cast suddenly among the company must
have fallen like a thunderbolt."

"Especially," said Minard, "as it was brought in the most unexpected and
singular manner."

"Tell us all about it," said Madame Phellion, with animation.

"Well, it seems," continued Minard, "that this canting swindler had
charge of the savings of a number of servants, and that Monsieur de
la Peyrade--because, you see, they are all of a clique, these pious
people--was in the habit of recruiting clients for him in that walk of
life--"

"I always said so!" interrupted Madame Phellion. "I knew that Provencal
was no good at all."

"It seems," continued the mayor, "that he had placed in Dupuis's hands
all the savings of an old housekeeper, pious herself, amounting to a
pretty little sum. Faith! I think myself it was worth some trouble. How
much do you suppose it was? Twenty-five thousand francs, if you please!
This housekeeper, whose name is Madame Lambert--"

"Madame Lambert!" cried Felix; "why, that's Monsieur Picot's
housekeeper; close cap, pale, thin face, speaks always with her eyes
lowered, shows no hair?"

"That's she," said Minard,--"a regular hypocrite!"

"Twenty-five thousand francs of savings!" said Felix. "I don't wonder
that poor pere Picot is always out of money."

"And that someone had to meddle with the sale of his book," said Minard,
slyly. "However that may be, you can imagine that the woman was in a
fine state of mind on hearing of the flight of the notary. Off she
went to la Peyrade's lodgings; there she was told he was dining at