“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 End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Madame Firmiani, by Honore de Balzac