The possibility of their approaching marriage brought to mind the object of the voyage which Desnoyers had just made.
There had not been time for them to write to each other during their brief separation.
"Did you succeed in getting the money?
The joy of seeing you made me forget all about such things.

.

.

." Adopting the air of a business expert, he replied that he had brought back less than he expected, for he had found the country in the throes of one of its periodical panics; but still he had managed to get together about four hundred thousand francs.

In his purse he had a check for that amount.