This assiduity on the part of the Minards was brought about by a somewhat tardy meeting between Messieurs Metivier, Barbet, and Minard on an evening when the two former, being tenants of Mademoiselle Thuillier, remained rather longer than usual in discussing business with her.

From Barbet, Minard learned that the old maid had money transactions with himself and Metivier to the amount of sixty thousand francs, besides having a large deposit in the Bank.
"Has she an account at the Bank ?" asked Minard.
"I believe so," replied Barbet.

"I give her at least eighty thousand francs there." Being on intimate terms with a governor of the Bank, Minard ascertained that Mademoiselle Thuillier had, in point of fact, an account of over two hundred thousand francs, the result of her quarterly deposits for many years.

Besides this, she owned the house they lived in, which was not mortgaged, and was worth at least one hundred thousand francs, if not more.
"Why should Mademoiselle Thuillier work in this way ?" said Minard to Metivier.

"She'd be a good match for you," he added.
"I?
oh, no," replied Metivier.