dear Lisa, to hear that you are prosperous, but I will not take your
money. The heritage belongs to you and my brother, who took care of my
uncle up to the last. I don't require anything, and I don't intend to
hamper you in carrying on your business."

Lisa insisted, and even showed some vexation, while Quenu gnawed his
thumbs in silence to restrain himself.

"Ah!" resumed Florent with a laugh, "if Uncle Gradelle could hear you,
I think he'd come back and take the money away again. I was never a
favourite of his, you know."

"Well, no," muttered Quenu, no longer able to keep still, "he certainly
wasn't over fond of you."

Lisa, however, still pressed the matter. She did not like to have money
in her secretaire that did not belong to her; it would worry her, said
she; the thought of it would disturb her peace. Thereupon Florent, still
in a joking way, proposed to invest his share in the business. Moreover,
said he, he did not intend to refuse their help; he would, no doubt, be
unable to find employment all at once; and then, too, he would need a
complete outfit, for he was scarcely presentable.

"Of course," cried Quenu, "you will board and lodge with us, and we will
buy you all that you want. That's understood. You know very well that we
are not likely to leave you in the streets, I hope!"

He was quite moved now, and even felt a trifle ashamed of the alarm he
had experienced at the thought of having to hand over a large amount of
money all at once. He began to joke, and told his brother that he would