[CHAPTER XXXII.]
WHAT PITOU DID WITH THE FIND.
It has not been forgotten that the Charny estate and the Gilbert and Billet farms were in the market at a price. On the sale day, Mayor Longpre bought for "Mr. Cash" the properties at the price of 1,350 gold louis, for the equivalent of assignats.
This happened on Sunday, the eve of the day when Catherine and Pitou were married.
At eleven on the following day, all the crowd were grieving that a fine fellow like Pitou should throw himself away upon a girl who was ruined utterly, with a child who was even more poverty-stricken than herself.
When Mayor Longpre had pronounced Citizen Pierre Ange Pitou and Citizeness Anne Catherine Billet united in wedlock, he beckoned little Isidore to him. The youngster had been sitting upon the desk, whence he slipped down and came to him.
"My boy," he said, "here are some papers which you will please give your Mamma Catherine when Papa Pitou takes her home."
"Yes, sir," said the little fellow, taking two papers in his little hand.
All was finished, only, to the great astonishment of the spectators, Pitou pulled out five gold pieces and handed them to the mayor, saying:
"For the poor of the parish."
"Are we rich?" asked Catherine, smiling.