grandfather, my father, and myself, have all been exact and faithful in
the management of these funds; doubtless, we have required some sagacity
in the choice of investments, in times of revolution and commercial
panics; but all this was easy to us, thanks to our relations with our
brethren in all countries--and never have I, or any of mine, made an
usurious investment, or even taken the full advantage of the legal rate
of interest. Such were the positive demands of M. de Rennepont, given to
my grandfather; nor is there in the world a fortune that has been
obtained by purer means. Had it not been for this disinterestedness, we
might have much augmented this two hundred and twelve millions, only by
taking advantage of a few favorable circumstances."

"Dear me! is it possible?"

"Nothing is more simple, Bathsheba. Every one knows, that in fourteen
years a capital will be doubled, by the mere accumulation of interest and
compound interest at five per cent. Now reflect, that in a century and a
half there are ten times fourteen years, and that these one hundred and
fifty thousands francs have thus been doubled and redoubled, over and
over again. All that astonishes you will then appear plain enough. In
1682, M. de Rennepont entrusted my grandfather with a hundred and fifty
thousand francs; this sum, invested as I have told you, would have
produced in 1696, fourteen years after, three hundred thousand francs.
These last, doubled in 1710, would produce six hundred thousand. On the
death of my grandfather in 1719, the amount was already near a million;
in 1724, it would be twelve hundred thousand francs; in 1738, two
millions four hundred thousand; in 1752, about two years after my birth,
four millions eight hundred thousand; in 1766, nine millions six hundred
thousand; in 1780, nineteen millions two hundred thousand; in 1794,
twelve years after the death of my father, thirty-eight millions four