"Ah! but now I think of it, my poor boy, you must have experienced a severe blow of grief!" This was said with such frank simplicity, and proceeded so evidently from a heart guiltless of any dissimulation, that I swear to you I was stirred to the bottom of my soul; my eyes filled with tears, and I threw myself on to his neck to thank him. "Well, well!" he said, patting me on the shoulder to calm me, while he held me in his arm; "never mind, old fellow, now that I'm back again!" When breakfast was finished and the table cleared, we remained together alone. "Come, uncle, as soon as you have explained to me what has happened to lead to this story of your death, the next thing will be to take early steps for your resuscitation." "Take steps!" he exclaimed, "and for why?" "Why, to re-establish your civil status and your rights of citizenship as a live person." "Oh, they'll find out soon enough, when they see me, that I don't belong to the other world!" said he, quite calmly. "Now that you are regarded as defunct, you will not be able to do anything, to sign, to contract----" "So, so! Never mind all that. Barbassou-Gratien-Claude-Anatole doesn't trouble himself about such trifles." "But your estates?" I said; "your property which I have inherited?" "Have you paid the registration fees?" he asked me, in a serious tone. "Certainly I have, uncle." "Well! Do you want to put me to double expense for the benefit of the government, which will make you pay it all over again at my real death?" "What is it you mean to do, then?" said I. "You shall keep them! Now's your turn," he added, in a chaffing tone; "all these forty years I have had the worry of them; it's your turn now, young man! You shall manage them, and make them your business; it will be for you now to pay my expenses and all that!" "I hope you don't dream of such a thing, my dear uncle!" I exclaimed. "Why even, supposing that I continue to manage your property----" "Excuse me," he said, "_your_ property! It is yours, the fees having been duly paid." "Well, _our_ property, if you like," I replied, with a laugh; "all the same, I repeat you cannot remain smitten with civil death." "Bah! Bah! Political notions! But first explain to me how I come to be dead--that puzzles me." I then related to him what I have told you of this strange story; the notary's letter informing me of the cruel news brought by my uncle's lieutenant Rabassu, confirmed by the most authentic documents, and accompanied by a portfolio containing all his papers and letters, securities in his name, and agreements signed by him; proving, in short, an identity which it was impossible to dispute. "My papers!" he exclaimed. "They were not lost then?" "I have them all," I replied. "I begin to understand! It's all the fault of that stupid Lefebure." "Who is this Lefebure?" I asked.