Daréna straightened up in his chair and assumed a singular expression, as he exclaimed:
“Thirty thousand francs a year at fifteen! That deserves consideration.”
“Was the poor old marquis mad?” asked Monfréville.
“No, but he was very old when the child was born, and he wished him to be his own master early in life.”
“Pardi! that doesn’t strike me as so foolish, after all!” said Daréna. “In fact, why shouldn’t one be reasonable at fifteen, when one is so far from it at sixty? But how does the heir manage his fortune? He is consuming it doubtless in cakes and _marrons glacés?_”
“Thank heaven, so far as I know, he has given his time thus far only to his rhetoric and the humanities. But it was with a view to learning something about him that I sent for the faithful Jasmin. With your permission I will have him come in.”
“We beg that you will do so. For my part, I am very curious to know how this little Grandvilain behaves himself. Oh! what a devil of a name! But no matter, I would gladly change with him now, if he would throw in his father’s coin with the name.--What do you say, Monfréville? Oh! you are a philosopher; and besides, you are rich, which makes philosophy come very easy.”
Jasmin’s arrival put an end to this conversation. The old servant bowed low to all the company, then said to the notary:
“Yes, my dear Jasmin. I want first of all to hear about our young marquis.”
“He’s very well, monsieur; he is in excellent health, and he’s a very fine-looking boy.”
“Well! so far as I can learn, monsieur, he seems to be a great scholar.”
“Do you know, Jasmin, that your young master was sixteen more than six months ago?”
“Does he know the terms of his father’s will?”
“I fancy that he is too sensible to think of entering into possession of his property yet; but for all that, it is my duty to go to him and render an account of my administration of it, and to ask him if it is his intention that I should continue to handle it. Moreover, I have long desired to see the young marquis, and I do not propose to postpone that pleasure any longer. At what college is he?”
Jasmin opened his eyes in dismay and looked toward the door.
“Don’t you hear me?” continued the notary. “I ask you to what college I must go to find Monsieur Chérubin de Grandvilain?”