_You cannot surely be aware of what happened immediately after your departure: otherwise you would not have kept still so long and brought such sorrow on us. Mr. Frasne entered against you, yes, you, Maurice, a complaint of abuse of confidence. That’s what it is called: I’ve heard it talked about so much. He accused you of having stolen one hundred thousand francs from his safe. He brought a civil suit to bring about your extradition, and since you did not appear you were adjudged guilty by default. I’m explaining it to you with the words I have heard used. The council did not want to condemn you. But the clerks in the office, especially Mr. Philippeaux, testified against you at the hearing. They declared that you were aware the safe contained all that money, and that you stayed the last of all of them in the office, and had the keys, and that you knew the combination that would open it. And so the verdict was against you, though with extenuating circumstances, and they sentenced you to a year in prison. It seems that is the minimum. They took account of the influences you had come under. But they sentenced you, you understand. That was last month. Mamma was no longer here. When father told the news to me his face was so white that I was afraid for him. He controlled himself, as always. I should have preferred to see him weep. But he isn’t one of the kind that weep. He suffers inside, and that’s worse._ _The judgment was posted on our door, published in the papers. It seems that is the law. All the old Roquevillards that have done so many services for their country could not shield us from this flaunting of our name._ _There are also the one hundred thousand francs which you must restore to Mr. Frasne. Father is of a mind to sell La Vigie to pay them back. He says the length of your absence proves, unfortunately, that you must have used the money, which, from the point of view of honour, is the same as theft. Charles, on the other hand, argues that to pay the money is to admit that you are guilty, and that no such admission ought to be made at such a price. But he has not the family honour in his charge, and I for my part am with father. At all events, the court has decreed a sequestration to divide our mother’s fortune and obtain your part. From my own, since I am of age, father gave me the sum I am sending you, when I asked him for it. He appeared very much surprised. I don’t know if he suspects. I offered to show him your letter, but he refused to read it, with these words, which I copy down for you:_ “_No, he is dead to me, unless he comes back to prove his innocence._”