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Thankful to have saved his wife and daughters from the general wreck；
Charles Mignon returned to Paris； where the Emperor made him
lieutenant…colonel in the cuirassiers of the Guard and commander of
the Legion of honor。 The colonel dreamed of being count and general
after the first victory。 Alas！ that hope was quenched in the blood of
Waterloo。 The colonel； slightly wounded； retired to the Loire； and
left Tours before the disbandment of the army。
In the spring of 1816 Charles sold his wife's property out of the
funds to the amount of nearly four hundred thousand francs； intending
to seek his fortune in America； and abandon his own country where
persecution was beginning to lay a heavy hand on the soldiers of
Napoleon。 He went to Havre accompanied by Dumay； whose life he had
saved at Waterloo by taking him on the crupper of his saddle in the
hurly…burly of the retreat。 Dumay shared the opinions and the
anxieties of his colonel； the poor fellow idolized the two little
girls and followed Charles like a spaniel。 The latter； confidence that
the habit of obedience； the discipline of subordination； and the
honesty and affection of the lieutenant would make him a useful as
well as a faithful retainer； proposed to take him with him in a civil
capacity。 Dumay was only too happy to be adopted into the family； to
which he resolved to cling like the mistletoe to an oak。
While waiting for an opportunity to embark； at the same time making
choice of a ship and reflecting on the chances offered by the various
ports for which they sailed； the colonel heard much talk about the
brilliant future which the peace seemed to promise to Havre。 As he
listened to these conversations among the merchants； he foresaw the
means of fortune； and without loss of time he set about making himself
the owner of landed property； a banker； and a shipping…merchant。 He
bought land and houses in the town； and despatched a vessel to New
York freighted with silks purchased in Lyons at reduced prices。 He
sent Dumay on the ship as his agent； and when the latter returned；
after making a double profit by the sale of the silks and the purchase
of cottons at a low valuation； he found the colonel installed with his
family in the handsomest house in the rue Royale； and studying the
principles of banking with the prodigious activity and intelligence of
a native of Provence。
This double operation of Dumay's was worth a fortune to the house of
Mignon。 The colonel purchased the villa at Ingouville and rewarded his
agent with the gift of a modest little house in the rue Royale。 The
poor toiler had brought back from New York； together with his cottons；
a pretty little wife； attracted it would seem by his French nature。
Miss Grummer was worth about four thousand dollars （twenty thousand
francs）； which sum Dumay placed with his colonel； to whom he now
became an alter ego。 In a short time he learned to keep his patron's
books； a science which； to use his own expression； pertains to the
sergeant…majors of commerce。 The simple…hearted soldier； whom fortune
had forgotten for twenty years； thought himself the happiest man in
the world as the owner of the little house （which his master's
liberality had furnished）； with twelve hundred francs a year from
money in the funds； and a salary of three thousand six hundred。 Never
in his dreams had Lieutenant Dumay hoped for a situation so good as
this； but greater still was the satisfaction he derived from the
knowledge that his lucky enterprise had been the pivot of good fortune
to the richest commercial house in Havre。
Madame Dumay； a rather pretty little American； had the misfortune to
lose all her children at their birth； and her last confinement was so
disastrous as to deprive her of the hope of any other。 She therefore
attached herself to the two little Mignons； whom Dumay himself loved；
or would have loved； even better than his own children had they lived。
Madame Dumay； whose parents were farmers accustomed to a life of
economy； was quite satisfied to receive only two thousand four hundred
francs of her own and her household expenses； so that every year Dumay
laid by two thousand and some extra hundreds with the house of Mignon。
When the yearly accounts were made up the colonel always added
something to this little store by way of acknowledging the cashier's
services； until in 1824 the latter had a credit of fifty…eight
thousand francs。 In was then that Charles Mignon； Comte de La Bastie；
a title he never used； crowned his cashier with the final happiness of
residing at the Chalet； where at the time when this story begins
Madame Mignon and her daughter were living in obscurity。
The deplorable state of Madame Mignon's health was caused in part by
the catastrophe to which the absence of her husband was due。 Grief had
taken three years to break down the docile German woman； but it was a
grief that gnawed at her heart like a worm at the core of a sound
fruit。 It is easy to reckon up its obvious causes。 Two children； dying
in infancy； had a double grave in a soul that could never forget。 The
exile of her husband to Siberia was to such a woman a daily death。 The
failure of the rich house of Wallenrod； and the death of her father；
leaving his coffers empty； was to Bettina； then uncertain about the
fate of her husband； a terrible blow。 The joy of Charles's return came
near killing the tender German flower。 After that the second fall of
the Empire and the proposed expatriation acted on her feelings like a
renewed attack of the same fever。 At last； however； after ten years of
continual prosperity； the comforts of her house； which was the finest
in Havre； the dinners； balls； and fetes of a prosperous merchant； the
splendors of the villa Mignon； the unbounded respect and consideration
enjoyed by her husband； his absolute affection； giving her an
unrivalled love in return for her single…minded love for him；all
these things brought the woman back to life。 At the moment when her
doubts and fears at last left her； when she could look forward to the
bright evening of her stormy life； a hidden catastrophe； buried in the
heart of the family； and of which we shall presently make mention；
came as the precursor of renewed trials。
In January； 1826； on the day when Havre had unanimously chosen Charles
Mignon as its deputy； three letters； arriving from New York； Paris；
and London； fell with the destruction of a hammer upon the crystal
palace of his prosperity。 In an instant ruin like a vulture swooped
down upon their happiness； just as the cold fell in 1812 upon the
grand army in Russia。 One night sufficed Charles Mignon to decide upon
his course； and he spent it in settling his accounts with Dumay。 All
he owned； not excepting his furniture； would just suffice to pay his
creditors。
〃Havre shall never see me doing nothing；〃 said the colonel to the
lieutenant。 〃Dumay； I take your sixty thousand francs at six per
cent。〃
〃Three； my