My extreme justice seemed to them unjust. Well! if there is a Paradise my father is happy in it now. As for me, I am loved as no man was ever loved yet. Madame Firmiani gives me more than happiness; she has inspired me with a delicacy of feeling I think I lacked. So I call her MY DEAR CONSCIENCE,--a love-word which expresses certain secret harmonies within our hearts. I find honesty profitable; I shall get rich in time by myself. I've an industrial scheme in my head, and if it succeeds I shall earn millions."
"Ah! my boy, you have your mother's soul," said the old man, his eyes filling at the thought of his sister.
Just then, in spite of the distance between Octave's garret and the street, the young man heard the sound of a carriage.
"There she is!" he cried; "I know her horses by the way they are pulled up."
A few moments more, and Madame Firmiani entered the room.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, with a gesture of annoyance at seeing Monsieur de Bourbonne. "But our uncle is not in the way," she added quickly, smiling; "I came to humbly entreat my husband to accept my fortune. The Austrian Embassy has just sent me a document which proves the death of Monsieur Firmiani, also the will, which his valet was keeping safely to put into my own hands. Octave, you can accept it all; you are richer than I, for you have treasures here" (laying her hand upon his heart) "to which none but God can add." Then, unable to support her happiness, she laid her head upon her husband's breast.
"My dear niece," said the old man, "in my day we made love; in yours, you love. You women are all that is best in humanity; you are not even guilty of your faults, for they come through us."
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Blamont-Chauvry, Princesse de The Thirteen Madame Firmiani The Lily of the Valley
Bourbonne, De Madame Firmiani The Vicar of Tours
Camps, Octave de Madame Firmiani The Member for Arcis
Camps, Madame Octave de Madame Firmiani The Government Clerks A Woman of Thirty A Daughter of Eve The Member for Arcis