tgage of sixty thousand francs on a
house that I had never even seen. All that I knew was that every three
months my father's solicitor, an old friend of the family, handed over
to me seven hundred and fifty francs in return for my receipt.

The day when Marguerite and I came to Paris to look for a flat, I went
to this solicitor and asked him what had to be done in order to make
over this income to another person. The good man imagined I was ruined,
and questioned me as to the cause of my decision. As I knew that I
should be obliged, sooner or later, to say in whose favour I made this
transfer, I thought it best to tell him the truth at once. He made none
of the objections that his position as friend and solicitor authorized
him to make, and assured me that he would arrange the whole affair in
the best way possible. Naturally, I begged him to employ the greatest
discretion in regard to my father, and on leaving him I rejoined
Marguerite, who was waiting for me at Julie Duprat's, where she had gone
in preference to going to listen to the moralizings of Prudence.

We began to look out for flats. All those that we saw seemed to
Marguerite too dear, and to me too simple. However, we finally found,
in one of the quietest parts of Paris, a little house, isolated from
the main part of the building. Behind this little house was a
charming garden, surrounded by walls high enough to screen us from our
neighbours, and low enough not to shut off our own view. It was better
than our expectations.

While I went to give notice at my own flat, Marguerite went to see
a business agent, who, she told me, had already done for one of her
friends exactly what she wanted him to do for her. She came on to the
Rue de Provence in a state of great delight. The man had promised to pay
all her debts, to give her a receipt for the amount, and to hand over
to her twenty thousand francs, in return for the whole of her furniture.
You have seen by the amount taken at the sale that this honest man would
have gained thirty thousand francs out of his client.

We went back joyously to Bougival, talking over our projects for the
future, which, thanks to our heedlessness, and especially to our love,
we saw in the rosiest light.

A week later, as we were having lunch, Nanine came to tell us that my
servant was asking for me. "Let him come in," I said.

"Sir," said he, "your father has arrived in Paris, and begs you to
return at once to your rooms, where