This first interview was followed by an official visit: Aunt Elisabeth called on Aristide Saccard in his apartment on the rue Payenne, this time on behalf of M. Béraud. The former magistrate had refused to see “that man,” as he referred to his daughter’s seducer, so long as he was not married to Renée, whom he had also banished from his home. Mme Aubertot had full powers to make all the arrangements. She seemed pleased to find the clerk ensconced in such luxurious surroundings, having been afraid that the brother of the rather bedraggled-looking Mme Sidonie might turn out to be a man of no refinement. He greeted her in a sumptuous dressing gown. These were the days when the adventurers who had swept to power in the wake of the December coup, having paid off their debts, flung their worn boots and frayed waistcoats into the sewers, shaved the week’s growth from their faces, and became proper gentlemen. Saccard had at last joined the gang. He now cleaned his nails and daubed himself with priceless powders and perfumes after his bath. He was stylish, and he changed tactics, affecting a prodigious lack of interest in the entire affair. When the old woman brought up the contract, he made a gesture as if to say that the whole thing was of no importance to him. For the past week he had been studying the Code14 and pondering a grave question on which his future freedom to wheel and deal would depend.
“If you please, let’s dispose of this disagreeable matter of money. . . . My view is that Mademoiselle Renée ought to retain control of her fortune and I of mine. The notary will take care of all that.”
Aunt Elisabeth approved of this way of looking at the matter. She had a vague sense that this young man had a grip of iron and felt some trepidation that he might want to lay hands on her niece’s dowry, which was her next order of business.
“My brother,” she said, “has a fortune consisting mainly of land and houses. He is not inclined to punish his daughter by reducing her share of his estate. He is giving her a property in the Sologne 15 estimated to be worth 300,000 francs, as well as a house in Paris valued at 200,000 francs.”
Saccard was dazzled. He had not anticipated figures like these. He turned away slightly in order to conceal the rush of blood to his face.
“That comes to 500,000 francs,” the aunt continued, “but I would be remiss if I hid the fact that the Sologne property yields only two percent.”
He smiled and again made a gesture indicating lack of interest, signifying that such a consideration could not possibly matter to him since he was declining to dip into his wife’s fortune in any way. Sitting in his armchair, he affected an attitude of charming indifference, absentmindedly balancing his slipper on his toe and seeming to listen purely out of politeness. Mme Aubertot, good soul that she was, spoke with difficulty, choosing her words carefully so as not to give offense.
“Lastly,” she went on, “I wish to make a gift to Renée. I have no child, my fortune will one day pass to my nieces, and I am not about to cut one of them off because she happens at present to be reduced to tears. Marriage gifts had already been decided for both of them. Renée’s consists of extensive holdings in land in the area of Charonne, to which I would conservatively attach a value of 200,000 francs. However—”
At the mention of “holdings in land,” Saccard gave a slight start. Still feigning indifference, he was now all ears. Aunt Elisabeth became flustered and seemed to have difficulty finding the right words. Turning red, she went on: “However, my wish is that the title to this land should pass to Renée’s first child. You will surely understand my intention: I do not want this child to be a burden to you someday. If the child should die, Renée would remain sole owner of the property.”
He took this without flinching, but his taut eyebrows hinted at the depth of his preoccupation. The mention of the Charonne properties had set off a whole new train of thought. Mme Aubertot, thinking she had hurt him by alluding to Renée’s child, was too flustered to go on with the conversation.
He broke the silence by reverting to the smiling, genial tone he had affected earlier. “You didn’t say what street the building valued at 200,000 francs is located on.”
“Rue de la Pépinière,” she replied, “near the corner of the rue d’Astorg.”
This simple sentence had a pronounced effect on him. He could no longer conceal his pleasure. He pulled his chair closer to the lady and spoke warmly to her with the volubility of his native Provence: “Dear lady, haven’t we said enough? Must we go on talking about all these wretched matters of money? . . . Hear me out. I shall be perfectly frank, because I should feel desperate if I failed to merit your esteem. Recently I lost my wife. I have two children on my hands. I’m a practical and reasonable man. By marrying your niece I shall be doing us all a favor. If you have anything against me now, you’ll forgive me once I’ve wiped away everyone’s tears and amassed enough wealth to ensure that even my great-grandchildren will be comfortable. Success is a golden flame that burns away any taint of impurity. I hope that one day M. Béraud himself will shake my hand and thank me.”
Carried away, he went on talking in this vein for quite some time, occasionally allowing a mocking cynicism to show beneath his cheerful air. He boasted of his brother the deputy and his father the tax collector in Plassans. In the end he won over Aunt Elisabeth, who could not suppress a feeling of joy that the drama through which she had been suffering for the past month was about to come to an almost happy conclusion thanks to this clever man’s skillful intervention. It was agreed that they would see the notary the following day.
After Mme Aubertot departed, Saccard went immediately to the Hôtel de Ville and spent the day there examining certain documents that had come to his attention. At the notary’s office, he raised a difficulty. Since all of Renée’s dowry was in real estate, he was afraid that it would cause her no end of trouble and therefore proposed that it might be best to sell at least the building on the rue de la Pépinière and invest the proceeds in her name in a government bond. Mme Aubertot wanted to refer this proposal to M. Béraud Du Châtel, who remained in seclusion. In the meantime, Saccard resumed his rounds into the evening hours. He went to the rue de la Pépinière and scurried about Paris with the pensive air of a general on the eve of a decisive battle. The next day, Mme Aubertot announced that M. Béraud Du Châtel had authorized her to make all necessary decisions. The contract was drawn up along the lines already discussed. Saccard was to contribute 200,000 francs to the household; for dowry Renée would receive the Sologne property and the building on the rue de la Pépinière, which she agreed to sell; and, furthermore, if her first child died, she was to remain sole owner of the Charonne properties that her aunt was giving her. The estates of the spouses were to be kept separate, with husband and wife each retaining full rights to administer their respective fortunes. Aunt Elisabeth listened attentively to the notary’s explanations and seemed satisfied that these arrangements would protect her niece’s independence by placing her property beyond the reach of any attempt to get hold of it. Saccard smiled vaguely each time he saw the good lady nod approval of another clause. The marriage was to take place at the earliest possible date.
When everything was settled, Saccard paid a ceremonial visit to his brother Eugène to announce his engagement to Mlle Renée Béraud Du Châtel. This masterstroke took the deputy by surprise. Since he made no effort to conceal his astonishment, the clerk said, “You told me to look around. I did as I was told and found what I was looking for.”