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Updated: May 6, 2025
Brunner expired while the authors of her being were yet alive, Brunner senior was obliged to bear the loss of the sums of which his wife had drained his coffers, to say nothing of other ills, which had told upon a Herculean constitution, till at the age of sixty-seven the innkeeper had wizened and shrunk as if the famous Borgia's poison had undermined his system.
"In the first place," said Cecile's father, "as I shall make over my estate of Marville to my daughter, I should wish the contract to be drawn up on the dotal system. In that case, M. Brunner would invest a million francs in land to increase the estate, and by settling the land on his wife he would secure her and his children from any share in the liabilities of the bank."
Brunner, hearing of an annuity offered in this way, thought that it had very much the look of a commission paid to Pons; he made an Israelite's return upon himself, his attitude told of more than cool calculation. Meanwhile Pons was saying to his astonished relations, "My collection or its value will, in any case, go to your family, whether I come to terms with our friend Brunner or keep it."
"Then you see no obstacle?" said Pons. "Oh!" said Brunner, "she is an insignificant little thing, and the mother is a trifle prim. We shall see." "A handsome fortune one of these days.... More than a million " "Good-bye till Monday!" interrupted the millionaire. "If you should care to sell your collection of pictures, I would give you five or six hundred thousand francs "
Cecile thought herself the happiest of women when Brunner, looking round at the magnificent works of art so patiently collected during forty years, waxed enthusiastic, and Pons, to his no small satisfaction, found an appreciative admirer of his treasures for the first time in his life. "He is poetical," the young lady said to herself; "he sees millions in the things.
"I am very glad, sir, that the matter has gone no further on either side," Brunner answered gravely. "I had no idea that Mlle. Cecile was an only daughter. Anybody else would consider this an advantage; but to me, believe me, it is an insurmountable obstacle to " "What, sir!" cried Camusot, amazed beyond measure. "Do you find a positive drawback in an immense advantage?
Lebas. "M. Brunner is in such a hurry that he wants the marriage to take place with the least possible delay." "Is he a foreigner?" "Yes, madame; but I am very fortunate, I confess. No, I shall not have a son-in-law, but a son. M. Brunner's delicacy has quite won our hearts. No one would imagine how anxious he was to marry under the dotal system. It is a great security for families.
Yet the implication that he needed distraction or stimulation would have angered him. Youth and courage are twins, or should be, and a man of twenty-two takes it for granted. At forty, a man may confess to turning tail and yet save his self-respect. I had heard Brunner tell of "back downs" that would have shamed a young village constable, and it had never occurred to me to question his courage.
The Count and Countess Popinot likewise lent their presence to complete the splendor of the occasion, although they thought the invitation in questionable taste. There were eleven in all. Cecile's grandfather, old Camusot, came, of course, with his wife to a family reunion purposely arranged to elicit a proposal from M. Brunner.
One thing, however, they learned thoroughly they discovered the value of money, and vowed to clip the wings of riches if ever a second fortune should come to their door. This was the history which Wilhelm Schwab related in German, at much greater length, to his friend the pianist, ending with; "Well, Papa Schmucke, the rest is soon explained. Old Brunner is dead. He left four millions!
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