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He thought that the Count was in Italy with the fair Duchesse de Maufrigneuse。
When every franc of a man's fortune has come to him； not by inheritance； but through his own earning and saving； it is one of his sweetest pleasures to look back upon the pains that have gone to the making of it； and then to plan out a future for his crowns。 This it is to conjugate the verb 〃to enjoy〃 in every tense。 And the old lawyer； whose affections were all bound up in a single attachment； was thinking that all the carefully…chosen； well…tilled land which he had pinched and scraped to buy would one day go to round the d'Esgrignon estates； and the thought doubled his pleasure。 His pride swelled as he sat at his ease in the old armchair； and the building of glowing coals； which he raised with the tongs； sometimes seemed to him to be the old noble house built up again； thanks to his care。 He pictured the young Count's prosperity； and told himself that he had done well to live for such an aim。 Chesnel was not lacking in intelligence； sheer goodness was not the sole source of his great devotion； he had a pride of his own； he was like the nobles who used to rebuild a pillar in a cathedral to inscribe their name upon it； he meant his name to be remembered by the great house which he had restored。 Future generations of d'Esgrignons should speak of old Chesnel。 Just at this point his old housekeeper came in with signs of alarm in her countenance。
〃Is the house on fire； Brigitte？〃
〃Something of the sort；〃 said she。 〃Here is M。 du Croisier wanting to speak to you〃
〃M。 du Croisier；〃 repeated the old lawyer。 A stab of cold misgiving gave him so sharp a pang at the heart that he dropped the tongs。 〃M。 du Croisier here！〃 thought he； 〃our chief enemy！〃
Du Croisier came in at that moment； like a cat that scents milk in a dairy。 He made a bow； seated himself quietly in the easy…chair which the lawyer brought forward； and produced a bill for two hundred and twenty…seven thousand francs； principal and interest； the total amount of sums advanced to M。 Victurnien in bills of exchange drawn upon du Croisier； and duly honored by him。 Of these； he now demanded immediate payment； with a threat of proceeding to extremities with the heir… presumptive of the house。 Chesnel turned the unlucky letters over one by one； and asked the enemy to keep the secret。 This he engaged to do if he were paid within forty…eight hours。 He was pressed for money he had obliged various manufacturers； and there followed a series of the financial fictions by which neither notaries nor borrowers are deceived。 Chesnel's eyes were dim； he could scarcely keep back the tears。 There was but one way of raising the money； he must mortgage his own lands up to their full value。 But when du Croisier learned the difficulty in the way of repayment； he forgot that he was hard pressed； he no longer wanted ready money； and suddenly came out with a proposal to buy the old lawyer's property。 The sale was completed within two days。 Poor Chesnel could not bear the thought of the son of the house undergoing a five years' imprisonment for debt。 So in a few days' time nothing remained to him but his practice； the sums that were due to him； and the house in which he lived。 Chesnel； stripped of all his lands； paced to and fro in his private office； paneled with dark oak； his eyes fixed on the beveled edges of the chestnut cross… beams of the ceiling； or on the trellised vines in the garden outside。 He was not thinking of his farms now； or of Le Jard； his dear house in the country； not he。
〃What will become of him？ He ought to come back； they must marry him to some rich heiress；〃 he said to himself； and his eyes were dim； his head heavy。
How to approach Mlle。 Armande； and in what words to break the news to her； he did not know。 The man who had just paid the debts of the family quaked at the thought of confessing these things。 He went from the Rue du Bercail to the Hotel d'Esgrignon with pulses throbbing like some girl's heart when she leaves her father's roof by stealth； not to return again till she is a mother and her heart is broken。
Mlle。 Armande had just received a charming letter； charming in its hypocrisy。 Her nephew was the happiest man under the sun。 He had been to the baths； he had been traveling in Italy with Mme。 de Maufrigneuse； and now sent his journal to his aunt。 Every sentence was instinct with love。 There were enchanting descriptions of Venice； and fascinating appreciations of the great works of Venetian art； there were most wonderful pages full of the Duomo at Milan； and again of Florence； he described the Apennines； and how they differed from the Alps； and how in some village like Chiavari happiness lay all around you； ready made。
The poor aunt was under the spell。 She saw the far…off country of love； she saw； hovering above the land； the angel whose tenderness gave to all that beauty a burning glow。 She was drinking in the letter at long draughts； how should it have been otherwise？ The girl who had put love from her was now a woman ripened by repressed and pent…up passion； by all the longings continually and gladly offered up as a sacrifice on the altar of the hearth。 Mlle。 Armande was not like the Duchess。 She did not look like an angel。 She was rather like the little； straight； slim and slender； ivory…tinted statues； which those wonderful sculptors； the builders of cathedrals； placed here and there about the buildings。 Wild plants sometimes find a hold in the damp niches； and weave a crown of beautiful bluebell flowers about the carved stone。 At this moment the blue buds were unfolding in the fair saint's eyes。 Mlle。 Armande loved the charming couple as if they stood apart from real life； she saw nothing wrong in a married woman's love for Victurnien； any other woman she would have judged harshly； but in this case； not to have loved her nephew would have been the unpardonable sin。 Aunts； mothers； and sisters have a code of their own for nephews and sons and brothers。
Mlle。 Armande was in Venice； she saw the lines of fairy palaces that stand on either side of the Grand Canal； she was sitting in Victurnien's gondola； he was telling her what happiness it had been to feel that the Duchess' beautiful hand lay in his own； to know that she loved him as they floated together on the breast of the amorous Queen of Italian seas。 But even in that moment of bliss； such as angels know； some one appeared in the garden walk。 It was Chesnel！ Alas！ the sound of his tread on the gravel might have been the sound of the sands running from Death's hour…glass to be trodden under his unshod feet。 The sound； the sight of a dreadful hopelessness in Chesnel's face； gave her that painful shock which follows a sudden recall of the senses when the soul has sent them forth into the world of dreams。
〃What is it？〃 she cried； as if some stab had pierced to her heart。
〃All is lost！〃 said Chesnel。 〃M。 le Comte will bring dishonor upon the house if we do not set it in order。〃 He held out the bills； and described the agony of the last few days in a few simple but vigorous and touching words。
〃He is deceiving us！ The miserable boy！〃 cried Mlle。 Armande； her heart swelling as the blood surged back to it