trude on these halcyon days.

The usually quiet Josephine came flying from the house, pale and
agitated, and clung despairingly to Rose, and then fell to sobbing and
lamenting piteously.

I shall take leave to relate in my own words what had just occurred
to agitate her so. When she entered her mother's room, she found the
baroness and Perrin the notary seated watching for her. She sat down
after the usual civilities, and Perrin entered upon the subject that had
brought him.

He began by confessing to them that he had not overcome the refractory
creditor without much trouble; and that he had since learned there was
another, a larger creditor, likely to press for payment or for sale of
the estate. The baroness was greatly troubled by this communication: the
notary remained cool as a cucumber, and keenly observant. After a pause
he went on to say all this had caused him grave reflections. "It seems,"
said he with cool candor, "a sad pity the estate should pass from a
family that has held it since the days of Charlemagne."

"Now God forbid!" cried the baroness, lifting her eyes and her quivering
hands to heaven.

The notary held the republican creed in all its branches. "Providence,
madame, does not interfere--in matters of business," said he. "Nothing
but money can save the estate. Let us then be practical. Has any means
occurred to you of raising money to pay off these incumbrances?"

"No. What means can there be? The estate is mortgaged to its full value:
so they say, at least."

"And they say true," put in the notary quickly. "But do not distress
yourself, madame: confide in me."

"Ah, my good friend, may Heaven reward you."

"Madame, up to the present time I have no complaint to make of Heaven.
I am on the rise: here, mademoiselle, is a gimcrack they have given me;"
and he unbuttoned his overcoat, and showed them a piece of tricolored
ribbon and a clasp. "As for me, I look to 'the solid;' I care little for
these things," said he, swelling visibly, "but the world is dazzled by
them. However, I can show you something better." He took out a letter.
"This is from the Minister of the Interior to a client of mine: a
promise I shall be the next prefect; and the present prefect--I am happy
to say--is on his death-bed. Thus, madame, your humble servant in a few
short months will be notary no longer, but prefect; I shall then sell my
office of notary: and I flatter myself when I am a prefect you will not
blush to own