nsent； and for more than two hours they spread before me parchments； genealogical trees； contracts； patents； documents of all kinds； from which it appeared that the family of Sallenauve is； after that of Cinq…Cygne； the most ancient family in the department of the Aube。 I ought to add that the exhibition of these archives was accompanied by an infinite number of spoken details which seemed to make the identity of the Marquis de Sallenauve indisputable。 On all other subjects my father is laconic； his mental capacity does not seem to me remarkable； and he willingly allowed his /mouthpiece/ to talk for him。 But here； in the matter of his parchments； he was loquaciously full of anecdotes； recollections； heraldic knowledge； in short； he was exactly the old noble； ignorant and superficial in all things； but possessed of Benedictine erudition where the genealogy of his family was concerned。
The /session/ would； I believe； be still going on； if Jacques Bricheteau had not intervened。 As the marquis was preparing to read a voluminous memorandum refuting a chapter in Tallemant des Reaux' 〃Historiettes〃 which did not redound to the credit of the great house of Sallenauve； the wise organist remarked that it was time we dined； if we intended to keep an appointment already made for seven o'clock at the office of Maitre Achille Pigoult the notary。
We dined； not at the table…d'hote； but in private； and the dinner seemed very long on account of the silent preoccupation of the marquis； and the slowness with which； owing to his loss of teeth； he swallowed his food。
At seven o'clock we went to the notary's office； but as it is now two o'clock in the morning； and I am heavy with sleep； I shall put off till to…morrow an account of what happened there。
May 4； 5 A。M。
I reckoned on peaceful slumbers； embellished by dreams。 On the contrary； I did not sleep an hour； and I have waked up stung to the heart by an odious thought。 But before I transmit that thought to you； I must tell you what happened at the notary's。
Maitre Achille Pigoult； a puny little man； horribly pitted with the small…pox； and afflicted with green spectacles； above which he darts glances of vivacious intelligence； asked us if we felt warm enough； the room having no fire。 Politeness required us to say yes； although he had already given signs of incendiarism by striking a match； when； from a distant and dark corner of the room； a broken； feeble voice； the owner of which we had not as yet perceived； interposed to prevent the prodigality。
〃No； Achille； no； don't make a fire；〃 said an old man。 〃There are five in the room； and the lamp gives out a good heat； before long the room would be too hot to bear。〃
Hearing these words； the marquis exclaimed：
〃Ah！ this is the good Monsieur Pigoult； formerly justice of the peace。〃
Thus recognized； the old man rose and went up to my father； into whose face he peered。
〃/Parbleu/！〃 he cried； 〃I recognize you for a Champagnard of the /vieille roche/。 Achille did not deceive me in declaring that I should see two of my former acquaintances。 You；〃 he said； addressing the organist； 〃you are little Bricheteau； the nephew of our good abbess； Mother Marie…des…Anges； but as for that tall skeleton； looking like a duke and peer； I can't recall his name。 However； I don't blame my memory； after eighty…six years' service it may well be rusty。〃
〃Come； grandfather；〃 said Achille Pigoult； 〃brush up your memory； and you； gentlemen； not a word； not a gesture。 I want to be clear in my own mind。 I have not the honor to know the client for whom I am asked to draw certain deeds； and I must； as a matter of legal regularity； have him identified。〃
While his son spoke； the old man was evidently straining his memory。 My father； fortunately； has a nervous twitching of the face； which increased under the fixed gaze his /certifier/ fastened upon him。
〃Hey！ /parbleu/！ I have it！〃 he cried。 〃Monsieur is the Marquise de Sallenauve； whom we used to call the 'Grimacer；' and who would now be the owner of the Chateau d'Arcis if； instead of wandering off； like the other fools； into emigration； he had stayed at home and married his pretty cousin。〃
〃You are still /sans…culotte/； it seems；〃 said the marquis； laughing。
〃Messieurs；〃 said the notary； gravely； 〃the proof I had arranged for myself is conclusive。 This proof； together with the title…deeds and documents Monsieur le marquis has shown to me； and which he deposits in my hands； together with the certificate of identity sent to me by Mother Marie…des…Anges； who cannot； under the rules of her Order； come to my office； are sufficient for the execution of the deeds which I have herealready prepared。 The presence of two witnesses is required for one of them。 Monsieur Bricheteau will； of course； be the witness on your side and on the other my father； if agreeable to you； it is an honor that； as I think； belongs to him of right； for； as one may say； this matter has revived his memory。〃
〃Very good； messieurs； let us proceed；〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； heartily。
The notary sat down at his desk； the rest of us sat in a circle around him； and the reading of the first document began。 Its purport was to establish； authentically； the recognition made by Francois…Henri… Pantaleon Dumirail； Marquis de Sallenauve； of me； his son。 But in the course of the reading a difficulty came up。 Notarial deeds must； under pain of being null and void； state the domicile of all contracting parties。 Now； where was my father's domicile？ This part had been left in blank by the notary； who now insisted on filling it before proceeding farther。
〃As for this domicile；〃 said Achille Pigoult； 〃Monsieur le marquis appears to have none in France； as he does not reside in this country； and has owned no property here for a long time。〃
〃It is true；〃 said the marquis； seeming to put more meaning into his words than they naturally carried； 〃I am a mere vagabond in France。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； 〃vagabonds like you； who can present their sons with the necessary sums to buy estates； are not to be pitied。 Still； the remark is a just one； not only as to France； but as to your residence in foreign countries。 With your eternal mania for roving； it is really very difficult to assign you a domicile。〃
〃Well；〃 said Achille Pigoult； 〃it does not seem worth while to let so small a matter stop us。 Monsieur；〃 he continued； motioning to me； 〃is now the owner of the Chateau d'Arcis； for an engagement to sell is as good as the sale itself。 What more natural； therefore； than that the father's domicile should be stated as being on his son's estate； especially as this is really the family property now returned into the hands of the family； being purchased by the father for the son； particularly as that father is known and recognized by some of the oldest and most important inhabitants of the place？〃
〃Yes； that is true；〃 said old Pigoult； adopting his son's opinion without hesitation。
〃In short；〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； 〃you think the matter can go on。〃
〃You see that my father； a man of great experience； did not hesitate to agree with me。 We say； therefore；〃 continued the notary； taking up his pen； 〃Francois…Henri…Pantaleon Dumirail； Marquis de Sallenauve； domiciled with Monsieur Charles de Sallenauve； his natural son； by him legally recognized； in the house known as the Chateau d'Arcis； arrondissement of Arcis…sur…Aube； department of the Aube。〃
The rest of the deed was read and executed without comment。
Then followed a rather ridiculous scene。
〃Now； Monsieur le comte；〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； 〃embrace your father。〃
The marquis opened his arms rather indifferently； and I coldly fell into them； vexed with myself for not being deeply moved and for not hearing in my heart the voice of kindred。 Was this barrenness of emotion the result of my sudden accession to wealth？ A moment later a second deed made me possessor； on payment of one hundred and eighty thousand francs in ready money； of the Chateau d'Arcis；a grand edifice which had caught my eye； on my first arrival in the town； by its lordly and feudal air。
〃You may congratulate yourselves；〃 said Achille Pigoult； 〃that you have got that estate for a song。〃
〃Come； come！〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； 〃how long have you had it on your hands to sell？ Your client would have let it go for one hundred and fifty thousand to others； but； as family property； you thought you could get more from us。 We shall have to spend twenty thousand to make the house habitable； the land doesn't return a rental of more than four thousand； so that our money； all expenses deducted； won't return us more than two and a half per cent。〃
〃What are you complaining about？〃 returned Achille Pigoult。 〃You have employment to give and money to pay in the neighborhood； and what can be better for a candidate？〃
〃Ah！ that electoral business；〃 said Jacques Bricheteau； 〃we will talk about that to…morrow when we bring you the purchase…money and your fees。〃
Thereupon we took leave； and returned to the Hotel de la Poste； where I bade good…night to my father and came to my room to write to you。
Now I must tell you the terrible idea that drove sleep from my brain and put the pen once more in my hand；although I