If by any means he could secure a practice among the wealth and fashion of Havre, he could easily make a hundred thousand francs a year.
And he calculated with great exactitude what his certain profits must be.

He would go out in the morning to visit his patients; at the very moderate average of ten a day, at twenty francs each, that would mount up to seventy-two thousand francs a year at least, or even seventy-five thousand; for ten patients was certainly below the mark.

In the afternoon he would be at home to, say, another ten patients, at ten francs each--thirty-six thousand francs.

Here, then, in round numbers was an income of twenty thousand francs.

Old patients, or friends whom he would charge only ten francs for a visit, or see at home for five, would perhaps make a slight reduction on this sum total, but consultations with other physicians and various incidental fees would make up for that.
Nothing could be easier than to achieve this by skilful advertising remarks in the Figaro to the effect that the scientific faculty of Paris had their eye on him, and were interested in the cures effected by the modest young practitioner of Havre! And he would be richer than his brother, richer and more famous; and satisfied with himself, for he would owe his fortune solely to his own exertions; and liberal to his old parents, who would be justly proud of his fame.