"Here is a very important letter for a Madame Barbancon, who, I am told, lives here." "Yes, she does live here," replied the veteran, more and more surprised. Then, seeing the housekeeper at the other end of the garden, he called out to her: "Mother Barbancon, the door-bell has rung three times, unanswered, while you've been trespassing upon my preserves. Come quick! Here is a letter for you." CHAPTER IV. THE DUCHESS. Madame Barbancon promptly responded to this peremptory summons, and, after a hasty apology to her employer, said to the waiting servant: "You have a letter for me? From whom?" "From the Comtesse de Beaumesnil, madame," replied the man, handing Madame Barbancon the letter through the lattice. "Madame la Comtesse de Beaumesnil?" exclaimed the astonished housekeeper; "I do not know her. I not only don't know her, but I haven't the slightest idea who she is--not the slightest," the worthy woman repeated, as she opened the letter. "The Comtesse de Beaumesnil?" inquired Gerald, evidently much interested. "Do you know her?" asked Olivier. "I met her two or three years ago," replied Gerald. "She was wonderfully beautiful, then, but the poor woman has not left her bed for a year. I understand that hers is a hopeless case. Worse still, M. de Beaumesnil, who had gone to Italy with their only child, a daughter, who was ordered south by the physicians,--M. de Beaumesnil died quite recently in Naples, in consequence of having been thrown from his horse, so if Madame de Beaumesnil dies, as they apprehend, her daughter will be left an orphan at the age of fifteen or sixteen years." "Poor child! This is really very sad," said the commander, sympathisingly. "Nevertheless, Mlle. de Beaumesnil has a brilliant future before her," continued Gerald, "for she will be the richest heiress in France. The Beaumesnil property yields an income of over three million francs!" "Three million francs!" exclaimed Olivier, laughing. "Can it be that there are people who really have an income of three million francs? Do such people come and go, and move about and talk, just like other people? I should certainly like to be brought face to face with one of these wonderful creatures, Gerald." "I'll do my best to gratify you, but I warn you that as a general thing they are not pleasant to contemplate. I am not referring to Mlle. de Beaumesnil, however; she may be as beautiful as her mother." "I should like very much to know how one can spend such an income as that," said the commander, in all sincerity, emptying the ashes from his pipe. "Great Heavens! is it possible?" exclaimed Madame Barbancon, who, in the meantime, had read the letter handed to her. "I am to go in a carriage--in a carriage like that?" "What is the matter, Mother Barbancon?" inquired the veteran. "I must ask you to let me go away for a little while." "Certainly, but where are you going, may I ask?"