“Not till monsieur puts his signature,” said the smiling notary. “Look! it is a _livre à souches_. Here is the counterfoil on which monsieur marks the cipher. It is very ingenious; but in the country in France there is nothing we trust in like _des bons gros sous_. We like to hear the money tinkle, _n’est-ce pas_, Antoine? Not that I say anything against a bank-note, and an English bank-note, monsieur; that is well known to be unimpeachable all over the world.” “Do not be afraid,” said Mr Goulburn, putting back the cheque-book and the morocco case, and opening the pocket-book--“these are notes of the Bank of France.” Antoine looked at it, devouring it from under his heavy eyebrows. What countless sums might there not be in that drawer! First, the leather case, no doubt full of _valeurs_ of one kind or another; then the book of English money, half as thick as a _paroissien_; then the bursting pocket-book full of French notes. There is no end to the wealth of those other English; and to think that all should lie almost within reach of a man’s hand, in a drawer against Père Goudron’s outer wall! Mr Goulburn took out the notes one by one, three notes for five hundred francs each--a fortune! but nothing to the riches that remained. He took them out from a sheaf of others carelessly, closing the pocket-book again and laying it down quite at his ease, not at all excited by the possession of so much money, almost within reach of the dangerous eyes that were watching him. “Here is your money, my _brave homme_,” he said. “M. le Notaire tells me all the formalities have been gone through. Do not put it away in a drawer, as I have to do, but invest it, Antoine, invest it; put it somewhere where it will bring you in good interest. That is what we call a very pretty little nest-egg in England. If you manage it well, if you take care of it, there is no telling to what it may grow.” “Monsieur gives you very excellent advice,” said the notary. “I hope you will take it, Antoine. There are a few little things against you, as indeed there are against most young men, but I hope you will clear them all off, and come back to the village when your service is done with your _livret_ in the best possible order. You have helped to give peace and comfort to one house, and that should be a pleasant thing to think of.”