who　removed　his　property　（well…　paid　to　keep　silence；　no　doubt）　where　they　were　ordered　to　carry　it。　These　men　being　strangers　in　the　quarter；　it　was　quite　impossible　to　discover　them　later。
  I　felt；　however；　that　I　still　had　a　clue　to　him；　through　the　organ　at　Saint…Louis；　and　the　following　Sunday　after　high　mass　I　posted　myself　as　before　at　the　door　of　the　organ　loft；　determined　not　to　let　go　of　the　sphinx　until　I　had　made　him　speak。　But　here　again；　disappointment！　Monsieur　Jacques　Bricheteau's　place　was　taken　by　a　pupil。　The　same　thing　happened　on　the　three　following　Sundays。　On　the　fourth；　I　accosted　the　pupil　and　asked　him　if　the　master　were　ill。
  〃No；　monsieur；〃　he　replied。　〃Monsieur　Bricheteau　has　asked　for　leave　of　absence。　He　will　be　absent　for　some　time；　I　believe　on　business。〃
  〃Where；　then；　can　I　write　to　him？〃
  〃I　don't　rightly　know；　but　I　think　you　had　better　address　your　letter　to　his　house；　not　far　from　here；　quai　de　Bethune。〃
  〃But　he　has　moved；　didn't　you　know　it？〃
  〃No；　indeed；　where　does　he　live　now？〃
  This　was　poor　luck；　to　ask　information　of　a　man　who　asked　it　of　me　when　I　questioned　him。　As　if　to　put　be　quite　beside　myself　while　I　was　making　these　inquiries；　I　saw　that　damned　dwarf　in　the　distance　evidently　laughing　at　me。
  Happily　for　my　patience　and　my　curiosity；　which；　under　the　pressure　of　all　this　opposition　was　growing　terrible；　a　certain　amount　of　light　was　given　me。　A　few　days　after　my　last　discomfiture；　a　letter　reached　me　bearing　the　post…mark　Stockholm；　Sweden；　which　address　did　not　surprise　me　because；　while　in　Rome；　I　had　been　honored　by　the　friendship　of　Thorwaldsen；　the　great　Swedish　sculptor；　and　I　had　often　met　in　his　studio　many　of　his　compatriots。　Probably；　therefore；　this　letter　conveyed　an　order　from　one　of　them；　sent　through　Thorwaldsen。　But；　on　opening　the　letter　what　was　my　amazement；　and　my　emotion；　in　presence　of　its　opening　words：
  Monsieur　my　Son；
  The　letter　was　long。　I　had　no　patience　to　read　it　until　I　knew　the　name　I　bore。　I　turned　to　the　signature；　again　my　disappointment　was　completethere　was　no　name！
  Monsieur　my　Son；
  said　my　anonymous　father；
  I　do　not　regret　that　by　your　passionate　insistence　on　knowing　the　　　secret　of　your　birth；　you　have　forced　the　person　who　has　watched　　　over　you　from　childhood　to　come　here　to　confer　with　me　as　to　the　　　course　your　vehement　and　dangerous　curiosity　requires　us　to　　　pursue。
  For　some　time　past；　I　have　entertained　a　thought　which　I　bring　to　　　maturity　to…day；　the　execution　of　which　could　have　been　more　　　satisfactorily　settled　by　word　of　mouth　than　it　can　now　be　by　　　correspondence。
  Immediately　after　your　birth；　which　cost　your　mother's　life；　being　　　forced　to　expatriate　myself；　I　made　in　a　foreign　country　a　noble　　　fortune；　and　I　occupy　in　the　ministry　of　that　country　an　eminent　　　position。　I　foresee　the　moment　when；　free　to　restore　to　you　my　　　name；　I　shall　also　be　able　to　secure　to　you　the　inheritance　of　my　　　titles　and　the　position　to　which　I　have　attained。
  But；　to　reach　that　height；　the　reputation　you　have；　I　am　told；　　　acquired　in　art　is　not　a　sufficient　recommendation。　It　is　my　wish　　　that　you　should　enter　political　life；　and　in　that　career；　under　　　the　present　institutions　of　France；　there　are　not　two　ways　of　　　becoming　a　man　of　distinction：　you　must　begin　by　being　made　a　　　deputy。　I　know　that　you　are　not　yet　of　the　legal　age；　and　also　　　that　you　do　not　possess　the　property　qualification。　But；　in　　　another　year　you　will　be　thirty　years　old；　and　that　is　just　the　　　necessary　time　required　by　law　to　be　a　land…owner　before　becoming　　　a　candidate　for　election。
  To…morrow；　therefore；　you　can　present　yourself　to　Mongenod　Bros。；　　　bankers；　rue　de　la　Victoire。　A　sum　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　　　thousand　francs　will　be　paid　to　you；　this　you　must　immediately　　　employ　in　the　purchase　of　real　estate；　applying　part　of　the　　　surplus　to　obtain　an　interest　in　some　newspaper　which；　when　the　　　right　time　comes；　will　support　your　candidacy；　and　the　rest　in　　　another　expense　I　shall　presently　explain　to　you。
  Your　political　aptitude　is　guaranteed　to　me　by　the　person　who；　　　with　a　disinterested　zeal　for　which　I　shall　ever　be　grateful；　has　　　watched　over　you　since　you　were　abandoned。　For　some　time　past　he　　　has　secretly　followed　you　and　listened　to　you；　and　he　is　certain　　　that　you　will　make　yourself　a　dignified　position　in　the　Chamber。　　　Your　opinions　of　ardent　yet　moderate　liberalism　please　me；　without　　　being　aware　of　it；　you　have　very　cleverly　played　into　my　game。　I　　　cannot　as　yet　tell　you　the　place　of　your　probable　election。　The　　　secret　power　which　is　preparing　for　that　event　is　all　the　more　　　certain　to　succeed　because　its　plans　are　pursued　quietly　and　for　　　the　present　in　the　shade。　But　success　will　be　greatly　assisted　by　　　the　execution　of　a　work　which　I　shall　now　propose　to　you；　　　requesting　you　to　accept　its　apparent　strangeness　without　surprise　　　or　comment。
  For　the　time　being　you　must　continue　to　be　a　sculptor；　and　with　　　the　talents　of　which　you　have　already　given　proofs；　I　wish　you　to　　　make　a　statue　of　Saint…Ursula。　That　is　a　subject　which　does　not　　　lack　either　interest　or　poesy。　Saint…Ursula；　virgin　and　martyr；　　　was；　as　is　generally　believed；　a　daughter　of　prince　of　Great　　　Britain。　Becoming　the　abbess　of　a　convent　of　unmarried　women；　who　　　were　called　with　popular　naivete　the　Eleven　Thousand　Virgins；　she　　　was　martyred　by　the　Huns　in　the　fifth　century；　later；　she　was　　　patroness　of　the　order　of　the　Ursulines；　to　which　she　gave　its　　　name；　and　she　was　also　patroness　of　the　famous　house　of　Sorbonne。　　　An　able　artist　like　yourself　could；　it　seems　to　me；　make　much　of　　　these　details。
  Without　knowing　the　locality　of　which　you　will　be　made　the　　　representative；　it　is　expedient　that　you　should　from　the　present　　　moment；　make　known　your　political　opinions　and　your　intention　of　　　becoming　a　candidate　for　election。　But　I　cannot　too　strongly　　　insist　on　your　keeping　secret　the　communication　now　made　to　you；　　　at　any　rate　as　much　as　your　patience　will　allow。　Leave　my　agent　in　　　peace；　and　await　the　slow　and　quiet　development　of　the　brilliant　　　future　to　which　you　are　destined；　without　yielding　to　a　curiosity　　　which　might；　I　warn　you；　lead　to　great　disasters。
  If　you　refuse　to　enter　my　plans；　you　will　take　from　yourself　all　　　chance　of　ever　penetrating　a　mystery　which　you　have　shown　yourself　　　so　eager　to　understand。　But　I　do　not　admit　even　the　supposition　of　　　your　resistance；　and　I　prefer　to　believe　in　your　deference　to　the　　　wishes　of　a　father　who　will　regard　it　as　the　finest　day　of　his　　　life　when　at　last　it　be　granted　to　him　to　reveal　himself　to　his　　　son。
  P。S。　Your　statue；　which　is　intended　for　a　convent　of　Ursuline　　　nuns；　must　be　in　white　marble。　Height：　one　metre　seven　hundred　and　　　six　millimetres；　in　other　words；　five　feet　three　inches。　As　it　　　will　not　be　placed　in　a　niche；　you　must　carefully　finish　all　sides　　　of　it。　The　costs　of　the　work　are　to　be　taken　out　of　the　two　　　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　mentioned　above。
  This　letter　chilled　and　pained　me。　In　the　first　place；　it　took　from　me　a　hope　long　cherished；that　of　recovering　a　mother　as　loving　as　yours；　of　whose　adorable　tenderness；　dear　friend；　you　have　so　often　told　me。　After　all；　it　was　a　half…light　thrown　upon　the　fogs　of　my　life　without　even　allowing　me　to　know　whether　I　was　or　was　not　the　child　of　a　legitimate　marriage。　It　also　seemed　to　me　that　such　paternal　intimations　addressed　to　a　man　of　my　age　were　much　too　despotic　and　imperious。　Was　it　not　a　strange　proceeding　to　change　my　whole　life　as　if　I　were　a　boy　just　leaving　school！　At　first　I　employed　to　myself　all　the　arguments　against　this　political　vocation　which　you　and　my　other　friends　have　since　addressed　to　me。　Nevertheless　curiosity　impelled　me　to　go　the　Mongenods'；　and　finding　there；　sure　enough；　in　actual；　living　money；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　announced　to　me；　I　was　led　to　reason　in　another　way。
  I　reflected　that　a　will　which　began　by　making　such　an　outlay　must　have　something　serious　in　it。　And　inasmuch　as　this　mysterious　father　knew　all　and　I　nothing；　it　seemed　to　me　that　to　enter　on　a　struggle　with　him　was　neither　reasonable　nor　opportune。　In　fact；　had　I　any　real　repugnance　to　the　career　suggested　to　me？　No。　Political　interests　have　always　roused　me　to　a　certain　degree；　and　if　my　electoral　attempt　should　come　to　nothing；　I　could　always　return　to　my　art　without　being　more　ridiculous　than　the　other　still…born　ambitions　which　each　new　legislature　produces。
  Accordingly；　I　have　bought　the　necessary　piece　of　property；　and　made　myself　a　shareholder　in　the　〃National。〃　I　have　also　made　the　Saint…　Ursula；　and　am　now　awaiting　instructions；　which　seem　to　me　rather　long　in　coming；　as　to　her　actual　destination。　Moreover；　I　have　made　known　my　parliamentary　ambition；　and　the　fact　that　I　intend　to　stand　in　the　coming　elections。
  I　need　not　ask　you　to　preserve　the　utmost　secrecy　about　my　present　confidence。　Discretion　is　a　virtue　which　you　practise；　to　my　knowledge；　in　too　signal　a　manner　to　need　any　exhorting　thereto　from　me。　But　I　am　wrong；　dear　friend；　in　making　these　unkind　allusions　to　the　past；　for　at　this　moment　I　am；　more　perha