"My dear notary, this is enchanting. Furnished in antique style! Why, it is all the more n.o.ble for that!"

"However, you will obtain with the deeds an exact inventory of everything that the chateau contains."

"This is all very fine; I am simply afraid that this charming property is too dear."

"Eighty thousand francs."

"Eighty thousand francs! that is a mere nothing. I will buy it."

"It is my duty to warn you that the property does not produce much revenue; the appurtenant estates are not well kept up."

"I don't care for that."

"There will be some repairs to be made on the buildings."

"I will do whatever is necessary."

"And then, it's some distance from here."

"What difference does that make to me? I shan't go there on foot. But where is it?"

"In Auvergne, near Saint-Amand-Talende and Clermont--nearly ninety leagues from Paris."

Robineau reflected for some moments.

"In Auvergne!" he said; "ninety leagues from Paris! The devil! I shan't be able to breakfast at the Cafe Anglais and return to my chateau at night."

"But consider too, monsieur, that an estate near Paris soon becomes ruinous by the number of visitors you receive; one person comes to pa.s.s a week with you, another a fortnight; you are never free; you need a large fortune to meet the expense that that occasions."

"That is true; and in Auvergne people won't drive out to breakfast with me.--I am not familiar with Auvergne; is it a pleasant country?"

"Oh! it's a most interesting, most picturesque region, monsieur. The little town of Saint-Amand and its neighborhood form one of the most remarkable districts of the Limagne d'Auvergne. You will see mountains in all directions and green fields. Nature abounds in accidents of rare beauty."

"There are accidents, you say?"

"I am speaking as an artist; I mean that you will be surprised, on emerging from a rugged mountain chain, to see before you vine-covered hillsides, and valleys where the most luscious fruits and the most nutritious vegetables grow in abundance."

"That's what comes of not travelling! I imagined that there was nothing to see in Auvergne but mountain-rats."

"The little village of Talende is supplied with water by one of the most noteworthy and most abundant springs of living water known. Julius Caesar called Talende the bed of the G.o.ds!"

"In that case the people ought to sleep very comfortably."

"Lastly, Auvergne has given birth to more than one famous man: at Aigueperse the Chancellor de l'Hopital was born; Riom was the birthplace of Anne Dubourg, Issoire of Cardinal Duprat; and the little hamlet of Chanonat witnessed the birth of the amiable Delille, and has been celebrated in song by that poet."

"This is all very fine; but what is the name of the chateau? I care a great deal about the name."

"The estate is known as La Roche-Noire."

"La Roche-Noire! superb! And when it is mine, can I a.s.sume that name?"

"There is nothing to prevent."

"Monsieur de la Roche-Noire! Jules de la Roche-Noire!--Magnificent!--It is settled, monsieur le notaire; I will buy the chateau."

"You might go to see the place before coming to a decision, and----"

"No! no! It would surely be sold to someone else meanwhile, and the name of La Roche-Noire would escape me! It is decided, it's a bargain, I will buy the chateau.--When can I have my papers? When will you have the deed ready? I am in a great hurry to take possession of my chateau!"

"I must write to my brother notary at Saint-Amand; and then the deeds--oh! it will be a matter of a week at most."

"A week! dear me! that's a long while!--But no matter; do whatever is necessary, so that no one can dispute my t.i.tle. By the way, if you are writing to Auvergne, I should be glad to have the people at my chateau know that I shall be there soon, and to have them prepare a little reception for me. There are servants at La Roche-Noire, no doubt?"

"A concierge and a gardener at most."

"Very good; there'll be no harm in letting them know that their new master proposes to visit his chateau very soon; that will give them time to prepare a little complimentary greeting, eh, monsieur le notaire?"

"To be sure, if they wish to offer you one."

"A new lord! Why, I should say that that was the regular thing."

"At the Opera-Comique, yes."

"And even more in Auvergne, for those people must still retain the patriarchal customs.--Well, I will leave you. Hasten my business, I beg you; remember that my life, my happiness, all my hopes are already centred on my chateau."

Robineau left the notary's office, beside himself with joy; and inasmuch as joy, like grief, longs to find a vent, he returned to Alfred, who was no longer in bed, and to whom he shouted from the reception-room:

"It's all settled! I am a landed proprietor, I own a chateau, the Chateau de la Roche-Noire, nothing less,--with towers, battlements, moats,--and cannon perhaps. Nothing is lacking! My dear De Marcey, I am the happiest of men!"

Alfred smiled at the intense excitement produced in the parvenu by the possession of a chateau; he bade him sit beside him, urged him to be calm, and asked him where his estate was situated.

"In Auvergne," replied Robineau; "a magnificent country! the land of mountains, of great men, of the most picturesque accidents--the bed of the G.o.ds according to Julius Caesar; and that fellow should have known what he was talking about, for the Romans were great voluptuaries when they chose to take the trouble."

"In that case how does it happen that the natives of such a beautiful region come in crowds to Paris to mend kettles or carry water?"

"What does that prove? Haven't men always loved to travel? The most ancient peoples, the Jews, Chaldaeans, the Phnicians, set us the example; and when a patriarch like Abraham journeys with his family, his household and his flocks, from the Euphrates to Palestine, and then to Egypt, it seems to me that an Auvergnat may well take the trouble to travel to Paris."

"That is true; however, I don't know Auvergne, but I have heard that it is a very interesting country. Of course you will go down and inspect the chateau before purchasing?"

"No, I shall purchase it at once and inspect it afterward; I propose to make my entry as lord, as proprietor. The domain of La Roche-Noire! and only eighty thousand francs! You must agree, my dear De Marcey, that it's a great find."

"More probably some old Gothic structure, in a ruinous, dilapidated condition, where you will have to lay out a lot of money just in repairs."

"I shall repair nothing; I love ruins myself! And a park! a forest!

hunting and fishing!"

"Do you hunt as well as you ride?"