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Mydarling，——Whenyouholdthisletterinyourhands，Ishallbealreadynear，forIamstartingafewminutesafterit。Weshallbealonetogether。LouisisobligedtoremaininProvencebecauseoftheapproachingelections。Hewantstobeelectedagain，andtheLiberalsarealreadyplottingagainsthisreturn。
Idon’tcometocomfortyou；Ionlybringyoumyhearttobeatinsympathywithyours，andhelpyoutobearwithlife。Icometobidyouweep，foronlywithtearscanyoupurchasethejoyofmeetinghimagain。Remember，heistravelingtowardsHeaven，andeverystepforwardwhichyoutakebringsyounearertohim。Everydutydonebreaksalinkinthechainthatkeepsyouapart。
Louise，inmyarmsyouwilloncemoreraiseyourheadandgoonyourwaytohim，pure，noble，washedofallthoseerrors，whichhadnorootinyourheart，andbearingwithyoutheharvestofgooddeedswhich，inhisname，youwillaccomplishhere。
Iscribblethesehastylinesinallthebustleofpreparation，andinterruptedbythebabiesandbyArmand，whokeepssaying，“Godmother，godmother!Iwanttoseeher，“tillIamalmostjealous。Hemightbeyourchild!
SECONDPART
THEBARONNEDEMACUMERTOTHECOMTESSEDEL’ESTORADE
Yes，Renee，itisquitetrue；youhavebeencorrectlyinformed。Ihavesoldmyhouse，IhavesoldChantepleurs，andthefarmsinSeine-et-
Marne，butnomore，please!Iamneithermadnorruined，Iassureyou。
Letusgointothematter。Wheneverythingwaswoundup，thereremainedtomeofmypoorMacumer’sfortuneabouttwelvehundredthousandfrancs。Iwillaccount，astoapracticalsister，foreverypennyofthis。
IputamillionintheThreeperCentswhentheywereatfifty，andsoIhavegotanincomeformyselfofsixtythousandfrancs，insteadofthethirtythousandwhichthepropertyyielded。Then，onlythinkwhatmylifewas。Sixmonthsoftheyearinthecountry，renewingleases，listeningtothegrumblesofthefarmers，whopaywhenitpleasesthem，andgettingasboredasasportsmaninwetweather。Therewasproducetosell，andIalwayssolditataloss。Then，inParis，myhouserepresentedarentaloftenthousandfrancs；Ihadtoinvestmymoneyatthenotaries；Iwaskeptwaitingfortheinterest，andcouldonlygetthemoneybackbyprosecuting；inadditionIhadtostudythelawofmortgage。Inshort，therewasbusinessinNivernais，inSeine-
et-Marne，inParis——andwhataburden，whatanuisance，whatavexingandlosinggameforawidowoftwenty-seven!
WhereasnowmyfortuneissecuredontheBudget。InplaceofpayingtaxestotheState，Ireceivefromit，everyhalf-year，inmyownperson，andfreefromcost，thirtythousandfrancsinthirtynotes，handedoverthecountertomebyadapperlittleclerkattheTreasury，whosmileswhenheseesmecoming!
Supposingthenationwentbankrupt？Well，tobeginwith：
’Tisnotminetoseetroublesofarfrommydoor。
Attheworst，too，thenationwouldnotdockmeofmorethanhalfmyincome，soIshouldstillbeaswelloffasbeforemyinvestment，andinthemeantimeIshallbedrawingadoubleincomeuntilthecatastrophearrives。Anationdoesn’tbecomebankruptmorethanonceinacentury，soIshallhaveplentyoftimetoamassalittlecapitaloutofmysavings。
Andfinally，isnottheComtedel’EstoradeapeerofthisJulysemi-
republic？Ishenotoneofthosepillarsofroyaltyofferedbythe“people“totheKingoftheFrench？HowcanIhavequalmswithafriendatCourt，agreatfinancier，headoftheAuditDepartment？I
defyyoutoarraignmysanity!Iamalmostasgoodatsumsasyourcitizenking。
Doyouknowwhatinspiresawomanwithallthisarithmetic？Love，mydear!
Alas!themomenthascomeforunfoldingtoyouthemysteriesofmyconduct，themotivesofwhichhavebaffledevenyourkeensight，yourpryingaffection，andyoursubtlety。IamtobemarriedinacountryvillagenearParis。Iloveandamloved。Iloveasmuchasawomancanwhoknowslovewell。Iamlovedasmuchasawomanoughttobebythemansheadores。
Forgiveme，Renee，forkeepingthisasecretfromyouandfromeveryone。Ifyourfriendevadesallspiesandputscuriosityonafalsetrack，youmustadmitthatmyfeelingforpoorMacumerjustifiedsomedissimulation。Besides，del’Estoradeandyouwouldhavedeafenedmewithremonstrances，andplaguedmetodeathwithyourmisgivings，towhichthefactsmighthavelentsomecolor。Youknow，ifnooneelsedoes，towhatpitchmyjealousycango，andallthiswouldonlyhavebeenuselesstorturetome。Iwasdeterminedtocarryout，onmyownresponsibility，whatyou，Renee，willcallmyinsaneproject，andI
wouldtakecounselonlywithmyownheadandheart，foralltheworldlikeaschoolgirlgivingthesliptoherwatchfulparents。
ThemanIlovepossessesnothingbutthirtythousandfrancs’worthofdebts，whichIhavepaid。Whatathemeforcommenthere!YouwouldhavetriedtomakeGastonoutanadventurer；yourhusbandwouldhavesetdetectivesont
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