Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-08-02

woman of fashion whose money came
from estates in the West India Islands.
Nine. d'Aubrion's reckless extravaganza
had obliged him to go out to the Indies
to sell her property NJ and Nine.
d Aubrion We're now in straitened cir
cumstanees. They had bare twenty
thousand francs of income and a daugh-
ter, very plain girl, whom her mother
made up her mind to marry without
dOwry. 1t was an enterprise the sue
cess of which might have seemed some
what problematical to man of the
world, in spite of the cleverness with
which n woman of fashion is generally
credited. Perhaps even Nine. d Aubrion
herself, when she looked at her daugh-
ter, was almost ready to despair of get
ting rid of her to any one, even to the
most besotted worshiDer of rank and
titles
Mile. d'Aubrion was a tall, spare
de:noiselle; she had a disdainful mouth.
CFershadOwed by a long nose, thick at
the tip, sallow in its normal condition,
but very red after a meal. From some
points of view she was all that a world
ly mother, who was 80 years of age, and
had still some pretentions TO beauty,
could desire. But by way of compen-
sating advantages. the Marquis dAu-
brion's distinguished air had been in
herited by her daughter. Her mother
had taught her how to dress herself I'm
der the same instructor she had acquired
a charming manner and had learned to
assume That pensive expression which
interests a man and leads him to inn
sgine that here, surely, is the angel
whom he has hitherto sought in vain.
Charles became very intimate with
Nine. d'Aubrion; the lady had her own
reasons for encouraging him. People
said that during the time on board she
left no stone unturned to secure such a
prize for a son-in-law. 1t is at any rate
certain that when they landed at Bor-
| deaux Charles stayed in the same hotel
with NJ, Nine. and Mile. d'Aubrion, and
they all travelled together to Paris. The
hotel d'Aubrion was hampered with
mortgages, and Charles was intended to
come to the rescue. The mother had
gone so far as to say that it would give
her great pleasure TO establish a son-in-
law on the ground floor. She did not
share M. dAubrion's arstocratic preiu-
dices and promised Charles Grandet to
obtain letters patent which should au-
thorize him. Grandet, to bear the name
and assume the arms of the d'Aubrions,
and to succeed TO the property of Au-
brion, which was worth about thirty six
| thousand livres year, to say nothing of
the titles of Capal de Buch and Mar
quis d'Aubrion. They could be very
useful to each other, in short; and what
with this arrangement of a joint estab-
lishment, and one or Two posts about
the court, the hotel d'Aubrion might
! count upon an income of hundred thou
SAID francs and more.
And when man has hundred thou
sand francs year, a name, family and
position at court, the rest is easy. You
can be secretary to an embassy"
She fairly turned his head with these
ambitious schemes. He never doubted
but that his uncle had paid his fathers
creditors. He resolved to strain every
nerve to reach those pinnacles of glory
which his egotistical would-be mother-in-
law had pointed out TO him. His cousin
was only a dim speck in the remote past;
she had no place in this brilliant future,
no part in his dreams. but he went to
/ see Annette. That experienced woman
of the world gave counsel to her old
| friend; he must by no means let slip
such an opportunity for an alliance: she
promised to aid him in all his schemes of
Advancement He had grown very at
tractive during his stay in the Indies
his complexion had grown darker, he
| had gained in manliness and self-posses-
| sion: he spoke in the firm, decided tones
of a man who is used to command and
to success. Ever since Charles Grandet
had discovered that there was a definite
| part for him to play in Paris, he was
| himself at once.
Des Grassins, hearing of his return,
his approaching marriage, and his large
fortune, came to see him, and spoke of
the three hundred thousand francs still
owing TO his fathers creditors. He found
Charles closeted with a goldsmith, from
whom he had ordered jewels for Mile.
d'Aubrion's corbeille. and who was sub
hitting designs. Charles himself had
brought magnificent diamonds from the
| Indies. but the cost of setting them,
together with the silver plate and jewel
| ~ of the new establishment. amounted
to more than two hundred thousand
| francs. He did not recognize des Gras-
sins at first. and treated him with the
cool insolence of a young man of fashion
/ who is conscious IhaC he mas killed ICur
men in as many duels in the Indies. As
| NJ des Grassins had already called thee
or four times, Charles vouchsafed to hear
him, but it was with bare politeness, and
he did not pay the slightest attention
to what the banker said.
my fathers debts are not NINE" he
said coolly. Il am obliged to you, sir,
for the trouble you have been good
enough to take. but l am none the better
! for it that l can see. | have not scraped
| together a couple of millions. earned with
the sweat of my brow. to fling it to my
fathers creditors
But suppose that your father were
to be declared a bankrupt in few days
timer
IN a few days time 1 shall be the
Compile dAubrion. sir; so you can see
that it is matter of entire indifference
| TO me. Besides. you know even better
than l do that when man has hun
dred thousand livres a year, his father
never has been bankrupt" and he POI
litely edged the deputy des Grassins TO
the door.