Page:Novels of Honoré de Balzac Volume 23.djvu/150

 This haughty declaration was seconded by Goupil, who said:

“Désiré, endowed with an income of twenty-four thousand francs, will become either president of the royal Courts or attorney-general, which leads to the peerage; and a foolish marriage would do for him.”

The heirs then all talked to one another; but held their peace at Minoret’s thump on the table to enable the notary to continue speaking.

“Your uncle is an honest, worthy man,” resumed Dionis. “He believes himself to be immortal; and like all intelligent people, he will allow death to overtake him without having made a will. My opinion is therefore, that at present he should be urged to invest his capital in such a way as to render your dispossession difficult, and the chance has occurred. Young Portenduère is imprisoned at Sainte-Pélagie for debts of a hundred and odd thousand francs. His aged mother knows he is in prison, she cries like a Magdalen and is expecting the Abbé Chaperon to dinner, doubtless in order to discuss this disaster with him. Well, to-night I will go and persuade your uncle to sell his stock of five per cent consols, which are at one hundred and eighteen, and lend Madame de Portenduère, on her Bordières farm and on her house, the sum necessary to clear the prodigal child. I shall be in my character as notary in speaking for this little fool of a Portenduère, and it is very natural that I should wish to make him re-invest his stock; I gain the deeds, the sale and commission on it. If I can become his