“No. She turned all her attention to her money affairs. One of her great troubles had been Achille’s refusal to interfere in the management of her fortune; or even to permit her to make any change in its disposition, however profitable such change would be. ‘Your most sensible grandfather De Vries invested your money, and neither you nor I can improve upon his financial foresight,’ was the usual answer. But times had changed, and Annette knew well that her investments needed change of the most radical kind. She made them without a day’s delay. She called to her assistance the son of the man who had been her grandfather’s lawyer, and with his advice speedily nearly doubled her income. All that Achille had left her was closely secured in real estate, and she found in this business such pleasant satisfaction, that she regained much of her beauty and old-time spirit.” “She had thrown off the incubus, mother.” “Yes, and regained her self-appreciation. Her lawyer praised her financial insight, her friends praised her appearance, she took the reins of household management again, and held them with such strict method and discipline that her servants, from being the most idle and insolent in the city, became the most respectful and obedient.” “Did she ever talk of her husband?” “She never spoke of him until the year which Mr. St. Ange had named as the period of his absence was more than over. No word of any kind had come to her, and she said to my father, that she expected none. Achille had told her he would be too busy to write letters, and that she must accept ‘no news’ to be ‘good news.’ But he had given her the address in Paris where she might write to him, if there occurred anything worth writing about. My father advised her to write and inquire as to the health and welfare of Mr. St. Ange, and the date of his probable return. Annette did so, and after the lapse of four months received a short note from the lawyer she had addressed, saying: ‘The ship in which Monsieur St. Ange sailed from New York was lost in the Bay of Biscay, and all on board perished. It is possible, but not likely, that Monsieur St. Ange was picked up by some vessel, whose course would take her round the Cape to India or China, and thus prevent all intelligence reaching us for a year or two. Madame is advised to consider this probability, but not to place much hope upon it.’”