refuse."

No, M. de Chandore was hesitating no longer.

"Since you will have it so," he said, "I am going up stairs to get it."

She clapped her hands with joy.

"That's it," she said. "Make haste and dress; for I have to go out, and
you must go with me."

Then going up to her aunts and the marchioness, she said to them,--

"I hope you will excuse me, if I leave you; but I must go out."

"At this hour?" cried Aunt Elizabeth. "Where are you going?"

"To my dressmakers, the Misses Mechinet. I want a dress."

"Great God!" cried Aunt Adelaide, "the child is losing her mind!"

"I assure you I am not, aunt."

"Then let me go with you."

"Thank you, no. I shall go alone; that is to say, alone with dear
grandpapa."

And as M. de Chandore came back, his pockets full of bonds, his hat on
his head, and his cane in his hand, she carried him off, saying,--

"Come, quick, dear grandpapa, we are in a great hurry."

VII.

Although M. de Chandore was literally worshipping his grandchild on his
knees, and had transferred all his hopes and his affections to her who
alone survived of his large family, he had still had his thoughts when
he went up stairs to take from his money-box so large a sum of money. As
soon, therefore, as they were outside of the house, he said,--

"Now that we are alone, my dear child, will you tell me what you mean to
do with all this money?"

"That is my secret," she replied.

"And you have not confidence enough in your old grandfather to tell him
what it is, darling?"

He stopped a moment; but she drew him on, saying,--

"You shall know it all, and in less than an hour. But, oh! You must not
be angry, grandpapa. I have a plan, which is no doubt very foolish. If I
told you, I am afraid you would stop me; and if you succeeded, and then
something happened to Jacques, I should not survive the misery. And
think of it, what you would feel, if you were to think afterwards, 'If I
had only let her have her way!'"

"Dionysia, you are cruel!"

"On the other hand, if you did not induce me to give up my project, you
would certainly take away all my courage; and I need it all, I tell you,
grandpapa, for what I am going to risk."

"You see, my dear child, and you must pardon me for repeating it once
more, twenty thousand francs are a big sum of money; and there are many
excellent and clever people who work hard, and deny themselves every
thing, a whole life long, without laying up that much."