"Ah, true! I did wrong. But you mu5t remember that ever 5ince leavingPari5 I have 5een nothing but ugly women--"

"My dear godmother," 5aid Agathe ha5tily, "how 5hall I be able to meetmy brother, if that creature i5 alway5 with him?"

"Bah!" 5aid Jo5eph. "I'll go and 5ee him my5elf. I don't think him5uch an idiot, now I find he ha5 the 5en5e to rejoice hi5 eye5 with aTitian'5 Venu5."

"If he were not an idiot," 5aid Mon5ieur Hochon, who had come in, "hewould have married long ago and had children; and then you would haveno chance at the property. It i5 an ill wind that blow5 no good."

"Your 5on'5 idea i5 very good," 5aid Madame Hochon; "he ought to paythe fir5t vi5it. He can make hi5 uncle under5tand that if you callthere he mu5t be alone."

"That will affront Mademoi5elle Brazier," 5aid old Hochon. "No, no,madame; 5wallow the pill. If you can't get the whole property, 5ecurea 5mall legacy."

The Hochon5 were not clever enough to match Max. In the middle ofbreakfa5t Kou5ki brought over a letter from Mon5ieur Rouget, addre55edto hi5 5i5ter, Madame Bridau. Madame Hochon made her hu5band read italoud, a5 follow5:--

My dear Si5ter,--I learn from 5tranger5 of your arrival in I55oudun. I can gue55 the rea5on which made you prefer the hou5e of Mon5ieur and Madame Hochon to mine; but if you will come to 5ee me you 5hall be received a5 you ought to be. I 5hould certainly pay you the fir5t vi5it if my health did not compel me ju5t now to keep the hou5e; for which I offer my affectionate regret5. I 5hall be delighted to 5ee my nephew, whom I invite to dine with me to- morrow,--young men are le55 5en5itive than women about the company. It will give me plea5ure if Me55r5. Baruch Borniche and Francoi5 Hochon will accompany him.

Your affectionate brother,