aim to the world that his parents had sold hosiery in the
Rue St. Denis.

Nevertheless Savarin knew that Rameau had such parents still living,
and took the hint. Two hours afterwards Rameau was leaning his burning
forehead on his mother's breast.

The next morning the doctor said to the mother, "You are worth ten of
me. If you can stay here we shall pull him through."

"Stay here!--my own boy!" cried indignantly the poor mother.

CHAPTER VIII.

The day which had inflicted on Isaura so keen an anguish was marked by a
great trial in the life of Alain de Rochebriant.

In the morning he received the notice "of un commandement tendant a
saisie immobiliere," on the part of his creditor, M. Louvier; in plain
English, an announcement that his property at Rochebriant would be
put up to public sale on a certain day, in case all debts due to the
mortgagee were not paid before. An hour afterwards came a note from
Duplessis stating that "he had returned from Bretagne on the previous
evening, and would be very happy to see the Marquis de Rochebriant
before two o'clock, if not inconvenient to call."

Alain put the "commandement" into his pocket, and repaired to the Hotel
Duplessis.

The financier received him with very cordial civility. Then he began:
"I am happy to say I left your excellent aunt in very good health.
She honoured the letter of introduction to her which I owe to your
politeness with the most amiable hospitalities; she insisted on my
removing from the auberge at which I first put up and becoming a guest
under your venerable roof-tree--a most agreeable lady, and a most
interesting chateau."

"I fear your accommodation was in striking contrast to your comforts
at Paris; my chateau is only interesting to an antiquarian enamoured of
ruins."

"Pardon me, 'ruins' is an exaggerated expression. I do not say that the
chateau does not want some repairs, but they would not be costly; the
outer walls are strong enough to defy time for centuries to come, and
a few internal decorations and some modern additions of furniture would
make the old manoir a home fit for a prince. I have been over the whole
estate, too, with the worthy M. Hebert,--a superb property."

"Which M. Louvier appears to appreciate," said Alain, with a somewhat
melancholy smile, extending to Duplessis the menacing notice.

Duplessis glanced at it, and said drily: "M. Louvier knows what he is
about. But I think we had better put an immediate sto