o declare himself at first until he had assured himself that his
reception would be cordial after his eighteen years of absence. He had
no reason to doubt the maternal love and forgiveness. From the first
moment of his discovery he was acknowledged as the heir, and the happy
mother celebrated his return by great rejoicings, to which all her
friends and relatives were invited. He was presented to the members of
the family, and they recognised him readily; although they did not
fail to notice certain distinctions of feature and manner between him
and the Claude de Verre who had gone to join the regiment of Clanleu.
Still, as he answered all the questions which were put to him promptly
and correctly, and as he sustained the character of the lost son
perfectly, it was easy to suppose that absence and increasing age had
effected a slight change in him, and he was received everywhere with
marked demonstrations of friendship. M. de Piedselon, a brother of
Madame de Verre, alone denounced him as an impostor; but his words
were unheeded, and the new comer continued to possess the confidence
of the other relatives, and of the widow and her second son, with whom
he continued to reside for some time.

At last the day came when he must rejoin his regiment, and his brother
Jacques accompanied him into Normandy, where it was stationed, and
where they made the acquaintance of an M. de Dauple, a gentleman who
had a very pretty daughter. Claude de Verre soon fell over head and
ears in love with this girl, who reciprocated his passion and married
him. Before the ceremony a marriage-contract was signed, and this
document, by a very peculiar clause, stipulated that, in the event of
a separation, the bridegroom should pay a reasonable sum to Madlle de
Dauple. Jacques de Verre signed this contract as the brother of the
bridegroom, and it was duly registered by a notary. After their
marriage the happy couple lived together until the drum and trumpet
gave the signal for their separation, and Claude de Verre marched to
the wars with his regiment.

But when released from service, instead of returning to pass the
winter with his wife, he resorted once more to Chauvigny, to the house
of Madame de Verre, and took his brother back. She was delighted to
see him again, and on his part it was evident that he was resolved to
make amends for his past neglect and his prolonged absence.
Nevertheless, during his stay at the family mansion, he found time to