Happy in the thought that he was not Canalis, our young secretary engaged a place in the mail-coach for Havre, after writing a letter in which he announced that the promised answer would be sent a few days later,--excusing the delay on the ground of the importance of the confession and the pressure of his duties at the ministry.
He took care to get from the director-general of the post-office a note to the postmaster at Havre, requesting secrecy and attention to his wishes.

Ernest was thus enabled to see Francoise Cochet when she came for the letters, and to follow her without exciting observation.

Guided by her, he reached Ingouville and saw Modeste Mignon at the window of the Chalet.
"Well, Francoise ?" he heard the young girl say, to which the maid responded,-- "Yes, mademoiselle, I have one." Struck by the girl's great beauty, Ernest retraced his steps and asked a man on the street the name of the owner of that magnificent estate.
"That ?" said the man, nodding to the villa.
"Yes, my friend." "Oh, that belongs to Monsieur Vilquin, the richest shipping merchant in Havre, so rich he doesn't know what he is worth." "There is no Cardinal Vilquin that I know of in history," thought Ernest, as he walked back to Havre for the night mail to Paris.
Naturally he questioned the postmaster about the Vilquin family, and learned that it possessed an enormous fortune.

Monsieur Vilquin had a son and two daughters, one of whom was married to Monsieur Althor, junior.

Prudence kept La Briere from seeming anxious about the Vilquins; the postmaster was already looking at him slyly.
"Is there there any one staying with them at the present moment," he asked, "besides the family ?" "The d'Herouville family is there just now.