"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, Monfreville? 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:

"Has monsieur any questions to ask me?"

"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."

"That is well; and his studies?"

"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?"

"Oh yes, monsieur, I know it very well."

"Does he know the terms of his father's will?"

"Why, yes, monsieur."

"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 Cherubin de Grandvilain?"

"The model valet seems to me as if he were deaf," said Darena, laughing at Jasmin's expression; while Monsieur de Monfreville, who had been scrutinizing the old servant closely, walked toward him and fastening his eyes upon him, said in a half-serious, half-mocking tone:

"Do you mean that you don't know what you have done with your young master?"

"Yes, yes!" replied Jasmin; "monsieur le marquis is at Gagny."

"At Gagny! Is there a college there?" demanded the notary.

"Gagny, near Villemonble. Oh! I know that place," said Darena; "it's a small village; there are some fine estates in the neighborhood, but not a restaurant in the whole region. I went there with two dancers from the Opera, and we could not even obtain a rabbit stew, the inevitable dish in the country. But there never was a college at Gagny; I don't even know of a boarding-school there."

"Tell us, Monsieur Jasmin," said the notary in a stern tone, "where is young Grandvilain staying at Gagny?"

The old servant made up his mind and replied with an almost proud air:

"At his nurse's, monsieur."

At those words the notary was speechless, Monfreville began to laugh, and Darena rolled about in his chair.

"At his nurse's!" repeated the notary at last. "Is it possible, Jasmin, that the young marquis is still at his nurse's, at sixteen years and a half?"

"Yes, monsieur; but never fear, he is none the less well educated; I found a teacher for him, the village schoolmaster, Monsieur Gerondif, who teaches him all that it is possible to teach."

Darena roared with laughter anew, when he heard the name of the tutor.

"Educated at his nurse's!" he cried; "that is delicious; it's a new method, and perhaps it will become fashionable. I am tempted to return to my nurse myself."

"Monsieur Jasmin," said the notary, "I cannot understand how you can have left your master's son with peasants up to this time. I consider you very reprehensible; you should at least have consulted me."

The old servant, who was sorely vexed, began to shout at the top of his lungs:

"Monsieur, I am my master's servant! I am not the man to thwart him and to use force upon him, and it is not my fault if Monsieur Cherubin does not want to leave Nicole, his nurse, and his little foster-sister."

"Aha! so there's a little foster-sister, is there? I begin to understand the young man's obstinacy," said Darena; "and how old might the foster-sister be?"

"Two years younger than my young master,--about fourteen and a half."

"And is she pretty?"

"Why, yes, monsieur, she's a fine slip of a girl."

"Monsieur Jasmin," continued the notary, "things cannot go on like this; it is my duty to straighten out this affair; my friendship for the late Monsieur de Grandvilain imposes that duty upon me, and you too must understand that a child of a good family, the son of your former master, ought not to pa.s.s his best years in a village."

"I a.s.sure you, monsieur le notaire, that I tell my master so very often.

I say to him: 'You have a house at Paris, a beautiful apartment with crimson hangings, solid mahogany furniture, a night table with carved corners, and the inside of gilded porcelain.' But all that doesn't tempt him. He turns his back on me and won't listen."

"I should think not!" cried Darena; "the idea of the old fool expecting to tempt his master with a night table and all its accessories! If you wish, Monsieur d'Hurbain, I will undertake to persuade the young marquis to return to Paris."

"You, Monsieur Darena; by what means, pray?"

"That's my business. Will you trust me?"

"I shall be very much obliged to you if you will a.s.sist me, but I propose to act for myself also. Monsieur de Monfreville, will not you lend us your a.s.sistance too? Won't you go to Gagny with me, as your father was a friend of the old marquis?"

"I am very much inclined to join you. Indeed, I am already trying to think how we can induce the young man to come back with us; for after all, this is not a case for resorting to violence. The young man is his own master, by his father's express desire; and if he should persist in remaining at his nurse's, we should be obliged to leave him there."

"But it is impossible that the marquis should not give way to our arguments, to our entreaties."

"Arguments! ah! my dear Monsieur d'Hurbain, I fancy that we shall need something stronger than arguments to captivate a boy."

"Messieurs," cried Darena, "I suggest a wager. A magnificent dinner at the Rocher de Cancale, to be given by two of us to the one who triumphs and who brings young Cherubin to Paris. Is it a bargain?"

"With all our hearts."

"When do we start for Gagny?"

"I will arrange to leave my office at noon to-morrow, messieurs. Will you call for me? Shall I expect you?"

"No," said Monfreville, "let us go each on his own account; we shall be able to find this nurse's house."

"Nicole Frimousset," said Jasmin; "a narrow street leading into the square. Anyone will point out her house."

"Very well," said Darena; "Nicole Frimousset; the names are engraved on my memory. Monfreville is right, it is better for us to go each on his own hook."