"The provisions which follow regulate the share which shall fall to each child, and the share remaining to the parents until their death.
"In the event of my death before my niece has an heir, all my fortune is to remain in the hands of my notary, for the term of three years, for my wish above expressed to be complied with if a child is born during that time.
"But in the case of Coralie's not obtaining from Heaven a descendant during the three years following my death, my fortune is to be distributed, by the hands of my notary, among the poor and the benevolent institutions contained in the following list."
There followed an interminable series of names of communities, of societies, of orders, and of instructions.
Then Maître Belhomme politely placed the paper in the hands of Cachelin, who stood speechless with astonishment.
The notary thought he ought to add something by way of explanation to his visitors.
"Mlle Cachelin," said he, "when she did me the honour to speak to me for the first time of her project of making her will according to this plan, expressed to me the great desire which she had to see an heir of her race. She replied to all my reasoning by a more and more positive expression of her wishes, which were based, moreover, on a religious sentiment, she holding every sterile union to be the sign of divine malediction. I have not been able to modify her intentions in the least. Believe me, I regret this fact exceedingly." Then he added, smiling at Coralie: "But I do not doubt that the desideratum of the deceased will be quickly realized."
And the three relatives went away, too bewildered to think of anything.
Side by side they walked home, without speaking, ashamed and furious, as though they had robbed each other. All of Cora's grief, even, had suddenly disappeared, the ingratitude of her aunt driving away all disposition to weep.
At last Lesable, whose pale lips were drawn with rage, said to his father-in-law: