If you should want twenty thousand francs or so, I'll lend them to you--But Francois, the conductor of Touchard's six o'clock coach, told me that Monsieur Margueron was invited by the Comte de Serizy to dine with him to-day at Presles." "That was the plan of his Excellency, but we had our own little ways of thwarting it," said the farmer, laughing.
"The count could appoint Monsieur Margueron's son, and you haven't any place to give,--remember that," said the inn-keeper.
"Of course I do; but if the count has the ministry on his side, I have King Louis XVIII.," said Pere Leger, in a low voice.

"Forty thousand of his pictures on coin of the realm given to Moreau will enable me to buy Les Moulineaux for two hundred and sixty thousand, money down, before Monsieur de Serizy can do so.

When he finds the sale is made, he'll be glad enough to buy the farm for three hundred and sixty thousand, instead of letting me cut it up in small lots right in the heart of his property." "Well done, bourgeois!" cried the inn-keeper.
"Don't you think that's good play ?" said Leger.
"Besides," said the inn-keeper, "the farm is really worth that to him." "Yes; Les Moulineaux brings in to-day six thousand francs in rental.
I'll take another lease of it at seven thousand five hundred for eighteen years.

Therefore it is really an investment at more than two and a half per cent.

The count can't complain of that.