"All that is nothing to me. I am Baron Michel de la Logerie; the estate and château de la Logerie belong to me; my mother resigns them when I come of age; I shall be of age in eleven months, and your lease falls in eight weeks later." "But suppose I renounce my intention, Monsieur le baron?" "If you renounce your intention, your lease shall be renewed." "On the same conditions as before?" "On the same conditions as before." "Oh, Monsieur le baron, if I were not afraid of compromising you," said Courtin, fetching pen, ink, and paper from the drawer of a desk. "What does all this mean?" demanded Michel. "Oh, hang it! if Monsieur le baron would only have the kindness to write down what he has just said,--who knows which of us will die first? For my part, I am ready to swear,--here's a crucifix,--well, I swear by Christ--" "I don't want your oaths, Courtin, for I shall go from here to Souday and warn Jean Oullier to be on his guard, and Bonneville to get another resting-place." "So much the more reason," said Courtin, offering a pen to his young master. Michel took the pen and wrote as follows on the paper which the farmer laid before him:-- "I, the undersigned, Auguste-François Michel, Baron de la Logerie, agree to renew the lease of farmer Courtin on the same conditions as the present lease." Then, as he was about to date it, Courtin stopped him. "Don't put the date, if you please, my young master," he said. "We will date it the day after you come of age." "So be it," said Michel. He then merely signed it, and left, between the pledge and the signature, a line to receive the future date. "If Monsieur le baron would like to be more comfortable for the night than on that stool," said Courtin, "I will take the liberty to mention that there is, at his service upstairs, a bed that is not so bad." "No," replied Michel; "did you not hear me say I was going to Souday?" "What for? Monsieur le baron has my promise, I pledge him my word to say nothing. He has time enough." "What you saw, Courtin, another may have seen. You may keep silence because you have promised it; but the other, who did not promise, will speak. Good-bye to you." "Monsieur le baron will do as he likes," said Courtin; "but he makes a mistake, yes, a great mistake, in going back into that mouse-trap." "Pooh! I thank you for your advice; but I am not sorry to let you know I am of an age now to do as I choose." Rising as he said the words, with a firmness of which the farmer had supposed him incapable, he went to the door and left the house. Courtin followed him with his eyes till the door was closed; after which, snatching up the written promise, he read it over, folded it carefully in four, and put it away in his pocket-book. Then, fancying he heard voices at a little distance, he went to the window and, drawing back the curtain, saw the young baron face to face with his mother.