1I will not exaggerate my grief; I will simply say that I loved my uncle as a father, and my sorrow for his loss was full and sincere.

2In my absence, the two keepers—the one named Flobert, and the other, Lafeuille—had taken it in turns to minister to his little wants.

3When he died, Flobert was in the house. I called, and he came to me.

4The name of Drouet filled my heart, and rested on my lips.

5At that moment a post-chaise passed, going in the direction of St. Menehould. I ran after the postilion, my eyes filled with tears.

6“Tell M. Jean Baptiste,” cried I to him, “that my uncle died at the moment of my arrival.”

7“Is it possible? Poor Descharmes! I spoke to him yesterday! He was seated in his easy-chair, in the doorway, and he told me that he expected you this evening.”

8He then drove on.

9“You will not forget to tell M. Drouet, will you?” I repeated.

10“Certainly not. Do not be afraid, M. Réné; I shall not forget it.”

11I had such confidence in M. Drouet, that I did not think it necessary to ask him to come. I had only to tell him my sorrow, and I knew that he would come.

12As I expected, two hours after, I heard the gallop of a horse. I rushed to the door, and M. Drouet was there.

13He had met M. Fortin as he was coming in the same carriage which had taken him to the Federation. He had pressed on his steed; he had seen Marguerite in passing; and in all probability the good priest would be there in an hour, with his housekeeper, to say the prayers for the dead by the bedside of Father Descharmes.

14M. Drouet wished to lead me away; but, smiling, in the midst of my tears, “What would my poor uncle say of me on high,” I said, “if any other hand than mine performed the last sad offices for the dead?”

15“Do you feel yourself strong enough for it?” asked M. Drouet.

16“Is it not my duty?”

17“Without doubt. But one cannot always do one’s duty.”

18“I hope that heaven will always give me strength enough to perform mine.”

19“Breathe that prayer night and morning, and it will be of more benefit than all the prayers printed in the Church Service.”

20The burial was to take place at four o’clock in the Cemetery of Islettes. After it was over, he proposed that I should go with him to St. Menehould, to pass the night, and in the following morning with a notary, who would arrange the deceased man’s papers &c. , &c.

21In the afternoon, at four o’clock, my uncle’s corpse, accompanied by the whole village of Islettes, followed by me, his sole relative, and by Drouet, Billard, Guillaume, Mathieu, and Bertrand, his friends, was placed in its last resting-place, accompanied by the blessings of the Abbé Fortin, and all those who knew his upright and irreproachable life.

22The funeral over, M. Drouet put the key of the cottage in his own pocket. Then we mounted into M. Drouet’s cabriolet, and drove off to St. Menehould.

23In the evening, M. Drouet went to seek the notary, who promised to run over the following day, after breakfast, to open the will, and make an inventory. On the morrow, at mid-day, in the presence of MM. Fortin, Drouet, Bertrand, and Mathieu, the will was opened.

24It appointed me his sole heir, and at the same time indicated a cupboard in which would be found, in a bag, two hundred and sixty louis d’or, which comprised his whole fortune.

25It also charged me to give all the little things he had collected, and which were of no use to me, to the poor of the village of Islettes; also to give all the implements of the chase, with the exception of those which pleased me, to his old friends, Flobert and Lafeuille.

26On no account was anything to be sold.

27As I was under age, M. Drouet, by my uncle’s wish, became my guardian.

28As a matter of course, I immediately handed over to him the two hundred and sixty louis which my uncle had left me, telling him to keep them till I came of age.

29All being thus arranged, I placed on a wheelbarrow, which Bertrand lent me, all my carpentry tools, my compasses, my plane, and so on.

30Two hours after, I arrived at M. Gerbaut’s. On my entrance, I found the whole family at supper.

31“M. Gerbaut,” said I, “you offered me, if at any time I desired to work under a master, an apprenticeship—are you inclined to stand by your agreement?”

32“Thanks, my boy, for having thought first of me. But sit down and eat; it will be time enough to think of work to-morrow.”

33“Sit down by my side, my friend,” said Sophie, with a sweet smile, holding out her hand.

34She drew her chair a little nearer to her father’s, and I accepted the place thus offered.