"Dear Roger!" said Monsieur Dalize. "And then your process, your discovery, succeeded entirely?"
"Yes, I have made a fortune,--a large fortune. I have told you that the enterprise was at my risk, but that the company would give me ten per cent. on all the ore that I would succeed in saving. Now, the mines of Texas used to produce four million dollars' worth a year. Thanks to my process, they produce nearly a million more. In ten years you can well see what was my portion."
"Splendid!" said Monsieur Dalize; "it represents a sum of----"
"Miette," said she, "cannot you do that little sum for us, my child?"
Miette wiped her eyes and ceased crying. Her mother's desire had been reached. The little girl took a pencil, and, after making her mother repeat the question to her, put down some figures upon a sheet of paper. After a moment she said, not without hesitation, for the sum appeared to her enormous,--
"Why! it is a million dollars that Monsieur Roger has made!"
"Exactly," said Monsieur Roger; "and, my dear child, you have, without knowing it, calculated pretty closely the fortune which you will receive from me as your wedding portion."
Monsieur and Madame Dalize looked up with astonishment. Miette gazed at Monsieur Roger without understanding.
"My dear friends," said Roger, turning to Monsieur and Madame Dalize, "you will not refuse me the pleasure of giving my fortune to Miss Miette. I have no one else in the world; and does not Mariette represent both of you? Where would my money be better placed?"
And turning towards Miss Miette, he said to her,--
"Yes, my child, that million will be yours on your marriage."
Miette looked from her mother to her father, not knowing whether she ought to accept, and seriously embarrassed. With a sweet smile, Monsieur Roger added,--
"And so, you see, you will be able to choose a husband that you like."
Then, quietly and without hesitation, Miss Miette said,--
Monsieur and Madame Dalize could not help smiling in listening to this frank declaration of their daughter: "It will be Paul Solange."
Monsieur Roger smiled in his turn, and said,--
"What! has Miss Miette already made her choice?"
"It is an amusing bit of childishness," answered Madame Dalize, "as you see. But, really, Miss Miette, although she teases him often, has a very kindly feeling for our friend Paul Solange."