eceased mother's property, and would
trust to me for the future, I should like it better. In that case I will
pay you monthly the good round sum of a hundred francs. See, now, you
could pay for as many masses as you want for anybody--Hein! a hundred
francs a month--in _livres_?"

"I will do all you wish, father."

"Mademoiselle," said the notary, "it is my duty to point out to you that
you are despoiling yourself without guarantee--"

"Good heavens! what is all that to me?"

"Hold your tongue, Cruchot! It's settled, all settled," cried Grandet,
taking his daughter's hand and striking it with his own. "Eugenie, you
won't go back on your word?--you are an honest girl, hein?"

"Oh! father!--"

He kissed her effusively, and pressed her in his arms till he almost
choked her.

"Go, my good child, you restore your father's life; but you only return
to him that which he gave you: we are quits. This is how business should
be done. Life is a business. I bless you! you are a virtuous girl,
and you love your father. Do just what you like in future. To-morrow,
Cruchot," he added, looking at the horrified notary, "you will see about
preparing the deed of relinquishment, and then enter it on the records
of the court."

The next morning Eugenie signed the papers by which she herself
completed her spoliation. At the end of the first year, however, in
spite of his bargain, the old man had not given his daughter one sou
of the hundred francs he had so solemnly pledged to her. When Eugenie
pleasantly reminded him of this, he could not help coloring, and went
hastily to his secret hiding-place, from whence he brought down about a
third of the jewels he had taken from his nephew, and gave them to her.

"There, little one," he said in a sarcastic tone, "do you want those for
your twelve hundred francs?"

"Oh! father, truly? will you really give them to me?"

"I'll give you as many more next year," he said, throwing them into her
apron. "So before long you'll get all his gewgaws," he added, rubbing
his hands, delighted to be able to speculate on his daughter's feelings.

Nevertheless, the old man, though still robust, felt the importance
of initiating his daughter into the secrets of his thrift and its
management. For two consecutive years he made her order the household
meals in his presence and receive the rents, and he taught her slowly
and successively the names and remunerative capacity of his vineyards
and his farms. About