The forest is now worth about fourteen hundred thousand francs; but from one day to another you are not sure your father won't cut it down, and then your thirteen hundred acres are not worth three hundred thousand francs.

Isn't it better to avoid this almost certain danger by at once compelling the division of property on your marriage?
If the forest is sold now, while Chemistry has gone to sleep, your father will put the proceeds into the Grand-Livre.

The Funds are at 59; those dear children will get nearly five thousand francs a year for every fifty thousand francs: and, inasmuch as the property of minors cannot be sold out, your brothers and sister will find their fortunes doubled in value by the time they come of age.

Whereas, in the other case,--faith, no one knows what may happen: your father has already impaired your mother's property; we shall find out the deficit when we come to make the inventory.

If he is in debt to her estate, you will take a mortgage on his, and in that way something may be recovered--" "For shame!" said Marguerite.