The Clique of Gold, Emile Gaboriau [if you liked this book .txt] 📗

soil which he has not moistened with the sweat of his brow. They are sacred to me; but the rest—I have already given orders.”

“And you expect to sell every thing in the three days before your departure?”

“Oh, no! But you are here.”

“What can I do?”

“Take my place, I should think. I will leave you a power-of-attorney. Perhaps, if you make haste, you can get fifty thousand dollars for the property. You will invest that so as to be able to use it any moment. And, if ever Miss Henrietta should be compelled to leave her father’s house, you will hand the money over to her.”

M. de Brevan had turned very pale.

“Excuse me,” he said, “excuse me.”

“What?”

“Well, it seems to me it would be more suitable to leave some one else in charge of that.”

“Whom?”

“Oh! I do not know,—a more experienced man! It may be that the property will not bring as much as you expect. Or I might invest the money in the wrong funds. Money questions are so delicate!”

But Daniel said, shrugging his shoulders,—

“I do not understand why you should hesitate to undertake so simple a thing, when you have already consented to render me so signal and so difficult a service.”

So simple! M. de Brevan did not look upon it in that light.

A nervous shiver, which he could hardly conceal, ran down his backbone; drops of perspiration broke out on his temples; and he turned deadly pale.

“Fifty thousand dollars! That is an enormous sum.”

“Oh, yes!” replied Daniel in the most careless manner.

And, looking at the clock, he added,—

“Half-past three. Come, Maxime, be quick. My carriage is waiting. The notary expects us between three and four o’clock.”

This notary was an exceptional man. He took an interest in the affairs of his clients, and sometimes even listened to hear their explanations. When Daniel had told him what he intended doing, he replied,—

“You have nothing to do, M. Champcey, but to give M. de Brevan a power-of-attorney in proper form.”

“Would it be possible,” asked Daniel, “to have it drawn up at once?”

“Why not? It can be recorded this evening; and to-morrow”—

“Well, then, lose no time.”

The notary called his chief clerk, gave him briefly his instructions, then, making a sign to Daniel, he drew him into a kind of recess resembling an enormous cupboard, adjoining his office, in which he “confessed” his clients, as he called it. When they were there, he said,—

“How is it, M. Champcey, do you really owe this M. de Brevan so much money?”

“Not a cent.”

“And you leave your entire fortune thus in his hands! You must have marvellous confidence in the man.”

“As much as in myself.”

“That is a good deal. And if he should, during your absence, run away with the fifty thousand dollars?”

Daniel was a little shaken; but he remained firm.

“Oh!” he said, “there are still some honest people in the world.”

“Ah?” laughed the notary.

And, from the manner in which he shook his head, it was clearly seen that experience had made him very sceptical on that subject.

“If you would only listen to me,” he resumed, “I could prove to you”—

But Daniel interrupted him, and said,—

“I have no desire, sir, to change my mind; but, even if I should wish to do so, I cannot retract my word. There are particular circumstances in this case which I cannot explain to you in so short a time.”

The notary raised his eyes to the ceiling, and said in a tone of great pity,—

“At least, let me make him give you a deed of defeasance.”

“Very well, sir.”

This was done, but in such carefully guarded terms, that even the most exquisite susceptibility on the part of Maxime could not have been hurt. It was five o’clock, when the power-of-attorney and the deed were signed, and the two friends left the worthy notary’s office. It was too late now for Daniel to write to Henrietta to send him for that same evening the key to the little garden-gate; but he wrote to get it for the next evening.

After that, having dined with M. de Brevan, he went all over Paris in search of the thousand little things which are necessary for such a long and perilous voyage. He came home late, and was fortunate enough to fall asleep as soon as he had lain down. The next morning he breakfasted in his rooms, for fear of being out of the house when they should bring him the key.

It came towards one o’clock. It was brought by a large girl, nearly thirty years old, with a cross expression of face, and eyes more than modestly seeking the ground, and with narrow lips which seemed to be perpetually engaged in reciting prayers. This was Clarissa, whom Henrietta considered the safest of her waiting-women, and whom she had taken into her confidence.

“Miss Henrietta,” she said to Daniel, “has given me this key and this letter for you, sir. She expects an answer.”

Daniel tore the envelope, and read,—

“Take care, O my darling friend! to resort to this dangerous expedient which we ought to reserve for the last extremity. Is what you have to tell me really so important as you say? I can hardly believe it; and yet I send you the key. Tell Clarissa the precise hour at which you will be here.”

Alas! the poor girl had no idea of the terrible news that was in store for her.

“Request Miss Henrietta,” said Daniel to the maid, “to expect me at seven o’clock.”

Sure now of seeing Henrietta, Daniel slipped the key in his pocket, and hurried away. He had only a short afternoon to himself, and there were still a thousand things to get, and countless preparations to make.

At his notary’s, where he went first, he found the papers ready; all the formalities had been fulfilled. But, at the moment when the deed was placed before him, the worthy lawyer said in a prophetic voice,—

“M. Champcey, take care, reflect! I call that tempting a man pretty strongly when you hand over to him fifty thousand dollars the day before