know；　my　poor　Dumay；　what　a　terrible　misfortune　overtook　us
  through　the　fatal　reputation　of　a　large　fortune；my　daughter's
  honor　was　lost。　I　have　therefore　resolved　that　the　amount　of　my
  present　fortune　shall　not　be　known。　I　shall　not　disembark　at
  Havre；　but　at　Marseilles。　I　shall　sell　my　indigo；　and　negotiate
  for　the　purchase　of　La　Bastie　through　the　house　of　Mongenod　in
  Paris。　I　shall　put　my　funds　in　the　Bank　of　France　and　return　to
  the　Chalet　giving　out　that　I　have　a　considerable　fortune　in
  merchandise。　My　daughters　will　be　supposed　to　have　two　or　three
  hundred　thousand　francs。　To　choose　which　of　my　sons…in…law　is
  worthy　to　succeed　to　my　title　and　estates　and　to　live　with　us；　is
  now　the　object　of　my　life；　but　both　of　them　must　be；　like　you　and
  me；　honest；　loyal；　and　firm　men；　and　absolutely　honorable。
  My　dear　old　fellow；　I　have　never　doubted　you　for　a　moment。　We　have
  gone　through　wars　and　commerce　together　and　now　we　will　undertake
  agriculture；　you　shall　be　my　bailiff。　You　will　like　that；　will　you
  not？　And　so；　old　friend；　I　leave　it　to　your　discretion　to　tell
  what　you　think　best　to　my　wife　and　daughters；　I　rely　upon　your
  prudence。　In　four　years　great　changes　may　have　taken　place　in
  their　characters。
  Adieu；　my　old　Dumay。　Say　to　my　daughters　and　to　my　wife　that　I
  have　never　failed　to　kiss　them　in　my　thoughts　morning　and　evening
  since　I　left　them。　The　second　check　for　forty　thousand　francs
  herewith　enclosed　is　for　my　wife　and　children。
  Till　we　meet。Your　colonel　and　friend；
  Charles　Mignon。
  〃Your　father　is　coming；〃　said　Madame　Mignon　to　her　daughter。
  〃What　makes　you　think　so；　mamma？〃　asked　Modeste。
  〃Nothing　else　could　make　Dumay　hurry　himself。〃
  〃Victory！　victory！〃　cried　the　lieutenant　as　soon　as　he　reached　the
  garden　gate。　〃Madame；　the　colonel　has　not　been　ill　a　moment；　he　is
  coming　backcoming　back　on　the　'Mignon；'　a　fine　ship　of　his　own；
  which　together　with　its　cargo　is　worth；　he　tells　me；　eight　or　nine
  hundred　thousand　francs。　But　he　requires　secrecy　from　all　of　us；　his
  heart　is　still　wrung　by　the　misfortunes　of　our　dear　departed　girl。〃
  〃He　has　still　to　learn　her　death；〃　said　Madame　Mignon。
  〃He　attributes　her　disaster；　and　I　think　he　is　right；　to　the　rapacity
  of　young　men　after　great　fortunes。　My　poor　colonel　expects　to　find　the
  lost　sheep　here。　Let　us　be　happy　among　ourselves　but　say　nothing　to
  any　one；　not　even　to　Latournelle；　if　that　is　possible。　Mademoiselle；〃
  he　whispered　in　Modeste's　ear；　〃write　to　your　father　and　tell　him　of
  his　loss　and　also　the　terrible　results　on　your　mother's　health　and
  eyesight；　prepare　him　for　the　shock　he　has　to　meet。　I　will　engage　to
  get　the　letter　into　his　hands　before　he　reaches　Havre；　for　he　will
  have　to　pass　through　Paris　on　his　way。　Write　him　a　long　letter；　you
  have　plenty　of　time。　I　will　take　the　letter　on　Monday；　Monday　I　shall
  probably　go　to　Paris。〃
  Modeste　was　so　afraid　that　Canalis　and　Dumay　would　meet　that　she
  started　hastily　for　the　house　to　write　to　her　poet　and　put　off　the
  rendezvous。
  〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Dumay；　in　a　very　humble　manner　and　barring
  Modeste's　way；　〃may　your　father　find　his　daughter　with　no　other
  feelings　in　her　heart　than　those　she　had　for　him　and　for　her　mother
  before　he　was　obliged　to　leave　her。〃
  〃I　have　sworn　to　myself；　to　my　sister；　and　to　my　mother　to　be　the　joy；
  the　consolation；　and　the　glory　of　my　father；　and　I　SHALL　KEEP　MY
  OATH！〃　replied　Modeste　with　a　haughty　and　disdainful　glance　at　Dumay。
  〃Do　not　trouble　my　delight　in　the　thought　of　my　father's　return　with
  insulting　suspicions。　You　cannot　prevent　a　girl's　heart　from　beating
  you　don't　want　me　to　be　a　mummy；　do　you？〃　she　said。　〃My　hand　belongs
  to　my　family；　but　my　heart　is　my　own。　If　I　love　any　one；　my　father　and
  my　mother　will　know　it。　Does　that　satisfy　you；　monsieur？〃
  〃Thank　you；　mademoiselle；　you　restore　me　to　life；〃　said　Dumay；　〃but
  you　might　still　call　me　Dumay；　even　when　you　box　my　ears！〃
  〃Swear　to　me；〃　said　her　mother；　〃that　you　have　not　engaged　a　word　or　a
  look　with　any　young　man。〃
  〃I　can　swear　that；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　Modeste；　laughing；　and
  looking　at　Dumay　who　was　watching　her　and　smiling　to　himself　like　a
  mischievous　girl。
  〃She　must　be　false　indeed　if　you　are　right；〃　cried　Dumay；　when　Modeste
  had　left　them　and　gone　into　the　house。
  〃My　daughter　Modeste　may　have　faults；〃　said　her　mother；　〃but　falsehood
  is　not　one　of　them；　she　is　incapable　of　saying　what　is　not　true。〃
  〃Well！　then　let　us　feel　easy；〃　continued　Dumay；　〃and　believe　that
  misfortune　has　closed　his　account　with　us。〃
  〃God　grant　it！〃　answered　Madame　Mignon。　〃You　will　see　HIM；　Dumay；　but
  I　shall　only　hear　him。　There　is　much　of　sadness　in　my　joy。〃
  CHAPTER　XII
  A　DECLARATION　OF　LOVE；SET　TO　MUSIC
  At　this　moment　Modeste；　happy　as　she　was　in　the　return　of　her　father；
  was；　nevertheless；　pacing　her　room　disconsolate　as　Perrette　on　seeing
  her　eggs　broken。　She　had　hoped　her　father　would　bring　back　a　much
  larger　fortune　than　Dumay　had　mentioned。　Nothing　could　satisfy　her
  new…found　ambition　on　behalf　of　her　poet　less　than　at　least　half　the
  six　millions　she　had　talked　of　in　her　second　letter。　Trebly　agitated
  by　her　two　joys　and　the　grief　caused　by　her　comparative　poverty；　she
  seated　herself　at　the　piano；　that　confidant　of　so　many　young　girls；
  who　tell　out　their　wishes　and　provocations　on　the　keys；　expressing
  them　by　the　notes　and　tones　of　their　music。　Dumay　was　talking　with　his
  wife　in　the　garden　under　the　windows；　telling　her　the　secret　of　their
  own　wealth；　and　questioning　her　as　to　her　desires　and　her　intentions。
  Madame　Dumay　had；　like　her　husband；　no　other　family　than　the　Mignons。
  Husband　and　wife　agreed；　therefore；　to　go　and　live　in　Provence；　if　the
  Comte　de　La　Bastie　really　meant　to　live　in　Provence；　and　to　leave
  their　money　to　whichever　of　Modeste's　children　might　need　it　most。
  〃Listen　to　Modeste；〃　said　Madame　Mignon；　addressing　them。　〃None　but　a
  girl　in　love　can　compose　such　airs　without　having　studied　music。〃
  Houses　may　burn；　fortunes　be　engulfed；　fathers　return　from　distant
  lands；　empires　may　crumble　away；　the　cholera　may　ravage　cities；　but　a
  maiden's　love　wings　its　way　as　nature　pursues　hers；　or　that　alarming
  acid　which　chemistry　has　lately　discovered；　and　which　will　presently
  eat　through　the　globe；　if　nothing　stops　it。
  Modeste；　under　the　inspiration　of　her　present　situation；　was　putting
  to　music　certain　stanzas　which　we　are　compelled　to　quote　herealbeit
  they　are　printed　in　the　second　volume　of　the　edition　Dauriat　had
  mentionedbecause；　in　order　to　adapt　them　to　her　music；　which　had　the
  inexpressible　charm　of　sentiment　so　admired　in　great　singers；　Modeste
  had　taken　liberties　with　the　lines　in　a　manner　that　may　astonish　the
  admirers　of　a　poet　so　famous　for　the　correctness；　sometimes　too
  precise；　of　his　measures。
  THE　MAIDEN'S　SONG
  Hear；　arise！　the　lark　is　shaking
  Sunlit　wings　that　heavenward　rise；
  Sleep　no　more；　the　violet；　waking；
  Wafts　her　incense　to　the　skies。
  Flowers　revived；　their　eyes　unclosing；
  See　themselves　in　drops　of　dew
  In　each　calyx…cup　reposing；
  Pearls　of　a　day　their　mirror　true。
  Breeze　divine；　the　god　of　roses；
  Passed　by　night　to　bless　their　bloom；
  See！　for　him　each　bud　uncloses；
  Glows；　and　yields　its　rich　perfume。
  Then　arise！　the　lark　is　shaking
  Sunlit　wings　that　heavenward　rise；
  Nought　is　sleepingHeart；　awaking；
  Lift　thine　incense　to　the　skies。
  〃It　is　very　pretty；〃　said　Madame　Dumay。　〃Modeste　is　a　musician；　and
  that's　the　whole　of　it。〃
  〃The　devil　is　in　her！〃　cried　the　cashier；　into　whose　heart　the
  suspicion　of　the　mother　forced　its　way　and　made　him　shiver。
  〃She　loves；〃　persisted　Madame　Mignon。
  By　succeeding；　through　the　undeniable　testimony　of　the　song；　in　making
  the　cashier　a　sharer　in　her　belief　as　to　the　state　of　Modeste's　heart；
  Madame　Mignon　destroyed　the　happiness　the　return　and　the　prosperity　of
  his　master　had　brought　him。　The　poor　Breton　went　down　the　hill　to
  Havre　and　to　his　desk　in　Gobenheim's　counting…room　with　a　heavy　heart；
  then；　before　returning　to　dinner；　he　went　to　see　Latournelle；　to　tell
  his　fears；　and　beg　once　more　for　the　notary's　advice　and　assistance。
  〃Yes；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Dumay；　when　they　parted　on　the　steps　of
  the　notary's　door；　〃I　now　agree　with　madame；　she　loves；yes；　I　am
  sure　of　it；　and　the　devil　knows　the　rest。　I　am　dishonored。〃
  〃Don't　make　yourself　unhappy；　Dumay；〃　answered　the　little　notary。
  〃Among　us　all　we　can　surely　get　the　better　of　the　little　puss；　sooner
  or　later；　every　girl　in　love　betrays　herself；you　may　be　sure　of
  that。　But　we　will　talk　about　it　this　evening。〃
  Thus　it　happened　that　all　those　devoted　to　the　Mignon　family　were
  fully　as　disquieted　and　uncertain　as　they　were　before　the　old　soldier
  tried　t