"Here is something that may serve to convince you that I am speaking seriously," added the man of affairs, spreading out the thousand franc notes on his desk. "Here are twenty-five thousand francs that I should be delighted to place at your disposal, together with twenty-five hundred francs a month for the next five years." Louis, unable to believe his own ears, gazed at M. de la Miraudière in speechless astonishment, but at last, partially recovering from his stupor, he said: "You make this offer to me, monsieur?" "Yes, and with very great pleasure." "To me, Louis Richard?" "To you, Louis Richard." "Richard is a very common name, monsieur. You probably mistake me for some other person." "No, no, my young friend, I know what I am talking about, and I also know who I am talking to. It is to Louis Désiré Richard, only son of M. Alexandre Timoléon Bénédict Pamphile Richard, aged sixty-seven, born in Brie Comte Robert, but now residing at No. 17, Rue de Grenelle St. Honoré, a scrivener by profession. There is no mistake, you see, my young friend." "Then as you know my family so well, you must also know that my poverty prevents me from contracting any such a loan." "Your poverty!" "Yes, monsieur." "It is shameful, it is outrageous, to rear a young man under such a misapprehension of the real state of affairs," exclaimed the commandant, indignantly, "to compel him to spend the best years of his life in the stock, as it were, and to compel him to wear shabby clothes and woollen stockings and brogans. Fortunately, there is such a thing as Providence, and you now behold a humble instrument of Providence in the shape of Commandant de la Miraudière." "I assure you that all this is extremely tiresome, monsieur. If you cannot explain more clearly, we had better bring this interview to an immediate conclusion." "Very well, then. You believe your father to be a very poor man, do you not?" "I am not ashamed of the fact." "Oh, credulous youth that you are! Listen and bless me ever afterward." As he spoke, M. de la Miraudière drew a large leather-bound book resembling a ledger toward him, and, after a moment's search, read aloud as follows: "'Inventory of Personal Property of M. Alexandre Timoléon Bénédict Pamphile Richard, from information secured by the Committee on Loans of the Bank of France, May 1, 18----. "'1st. Three thousand nine hundred and twenty shares of the Bank of France, market value, 924,300 fr. "'2d. Notes of the Mont de Piété, 875,250 "'3d. On Deposit in the Bank of France, 259,130 _____________ "'Total, 2,058,680 fr.'