Eugene also mentioned the mayoralty to me.

I replied: 'I'll accept, if you give me an income of fifteen thousand francs.'" This conversation, in which high figures flew about like rockets, quite excited Felicite.

She felt delightfully buoyant.

But at last she put on a devout air, and gravely said: "Come, let us reckon it out.

How much will you earn ?" "Well," said Pierre, "the fixed salary, I believe, is three thousand francs." "Three thousand," Felicite counted.
"Then there is so much per cent on the receipts, which at Plassans, may produce the sum of twelve thousand francs." "That makes fifteen thousand." "Yes, about fifteen thousand francs.