entin, introducing
the lawyer, who bowed.

"But," said Sechard, "we are, so to speak, a family party; we have no
secrets from our neighbors; there is no need to retire to my study,
where there is no fire--our life is in the sight of all men----"

"But your father's," said Corentin, "was involved in certain mysteries
which perhaps you would rather not make public."

"Is it anything we need blush for?" said Eve, in alarm.

"Oh, no! a sin of his youth," said Corentin, coldly setting one of his
mouse-traps. "Monsieur, your father left an elder son----"

"Oh, the old rascal!" cried Courtois. "He was never very fond of
you, Monsieur Sechard, and he kept that secret from you, the deep old
dog!--Now I understand what he meant when he used to say to me, 'You
shall see what you shall see when I am under the turf.'"

"Do not be dismayed, monsieur," said Corentin to Sechard, while he
watched Eve out of the corner of his eye.

"A brother!" exclaimed the doctor. "Then your inheritance is divided
into two!"

Derville was affecting to examine the fine engravings, proofs before
letters, which hung on the drawing-room walls.

"Do not be dismayed, madame," Corentin went on, seeing amazement written
on Madame Sechard's handsome features, "it is only a natural son. The
rights of a natural son are not the same as those of a legitimate child.
This man is in the depths of poverty, and he has a right to a certain
sum calculated on the amount of the estate. The millions left by your
father----"

At the word millions there was a perfectly unanimous cry from all the
persons present. And now Derville ceased to study the prints.

"Old Sechard?--Millions?" said Courtois. "Who on earth told you that?
Some peasant----"

"Monsieur," said Cachan, "you are not attached to the Treasury? You may
be told all the facts----"

"Be quite easy," said Corentin, "I give you my word of honor I am not
employed by the Treasury."

Cachan, who had just signed to everybody to say nothing, gave expression
to his satisfaction.

"Monsieur," Corentin went on, "if the whole estate were but a million, a
natural child's share would still be something considerable. But we
have not come to threaten a lawsuit; on the contrary, our purpose is to
propose that you should hand over one hundred thousand francs, and we
will depart----"

"One hundred thousand francs!" cried Cachan, interrupting him. "But,
monsieur, old Sechard left twenty acres of vineyard, five smal