heirs; if not, donation of one-fourth as life interest, and one-fourth
in fee; the sum placed in community of interests to be one-fourth of the
respective property of each party; the survivor to possess the furniture
without appraisal. It's all as simple as how d'ye do."

"Ta, ta, ta, ta," said Mathias, "I don't do business as one sings a
tune. What are your claims?"

"What are yours?" said Solonet.

"Our property," replied Mathias, "is: the estate of Lanstrac, which
brings in a rental of twenty-three thousand francs a year, not counting
the natural products. Item: the farms of Grassol and Guadet, each
worth three thousand six hundred francs a year. Item: the vineyard of
Belle-Rose, yielding in ordinary years sixteen thousand francs; total,
forty-six thousand two hundred francs a year. Item: the patrimonial
mansion at Bordeaux taxed for nine hundred francs. Item: a handsome
house, between court and garden in Paris, rue de la Pepiniere, taxed
for fifteen hundred francs. These pieces of property, the title-deeds of
which I hold, are derived from our father and mother, except the
house in Paris, which we bought ourselves. We must also reckon in
the furniture of the two houses, and that of the chateau of Lanstrac,
estimated at four hundred and fifty thousand francs. There's the table,
the cloth, and the first course. What do you bring for the second course
and the dessert?"

"Our rights," replied Solonet.

"Specify them, my friend," said Mathias. "What do you bring us? Where is
the inventory of the property left by Monsieur Evangelista? Show me the
liquidation, the investment of the amount. Where is your capital?--if
there is any capital. Where is your landed property?--if you have any.
In short, let us see your guardianship account, and tell us what you
bring and what your mother will secure to us."

"Does Monsieur le Comte de Manerville love Mademoiselle Evangelista?"

"He wishes to make her his wife if the marriage can be suitably
arranged," said the old notary. "I am not a child; this matter concerns
our business, and not our feelings."

"The marriage will be off unless you show generous feeling; and for this
reason," continued Solonet. "No inventory was made at the death of our
husband; we are Spaniards, Creoles, and know nothing of French laws.
Besides, we were too deeply grieved at our loss to think at such a time
of the miserable formalities which occupy cold hearts. It is publicly
well known that our lat