afford to lend you that money until you are able to
return it."

"Ah, my daughter! never forsake me; continue to be thy father's
providence."

When they entered the reception-rooms Balthazar found them restored and
furnished as elegantly as in former days. The guests presently descended
to the dining-room on the ground-floor by the grand staircase, on every
step of which were rare plants and flowering shrubs. A silver service of
exquisite workmanship, the gift of Gabriel to his father, attracted all
eyes to a luxury which was surprising to the inhabitants of a town where
such luxury is traditional. The servants of Monsieur Conyncks and of
Pierquin, as well as those of the Claes household, were assembled to
serve the repast. Seeing himself once more at the head of that table,
surrounded by friends and relatives and happy faces beaming with
heartfelt joy, Balthazar, behind whose chair stood Lemulquinier, was
overcome by emotions so deep and so imposing that all present kept
silence, as men are silent before great sorrows or great joys.

"Dear children," he cried, "you have killed the fatted calf to welcome
home the prodigal father."

These words, in which the father judged himself (and perhaps prevented
others from judging him more severely), were spoken so nobly that all
present shed tears; they were the last expression of sadness, however,
and the general happiness soon took on the merry, animated character of
a family fete.

Immediately after dinner the principal people of the city began to
arrive for the ball, which proved worthy of the almost classic splendor
of the restored House of Claes. The three marriages followed this happy
day, and gave occasion to many fetes, and balls, and dinners, which
involved Balthazar for some months in the vortex of social life. His
eldest son and his wife removed to an estate near Cambrai belonging
to Monsieur Conyncks, who was unwilling to separate from his daughter.
Madame Pierquin also left her father's house to do the honors of a fine
mansion which Pierquin had built, and where he desired to live in
all the dignity of rank; for his practise was sold, and his uncle des
Racquets had died and left him a large property scraped together by slow
economy. Jean went to Paris to finish his education, and Monsieur and
Madame de Solis alone remained with their father in the House de Claes.
Balthazar made over to them the family home in the rear house, and took
up his own abode on the s