one’s own property by every means which the Lord may place within one’s reach.  Until, therefore, the complete restitution of this wealth, the family of Rennepont must be considered as reprobate and damnable, as the cursed seed of a Cain, and always to be watched with the utmost caution.  And it is to be recommended, that, every year from this present date, a sort of inquisition should be held as to the situation of the successive members of this family.’”

Rodin paused, and said to Father d’Aigrigny:  “Here follows the account, year by year, of the history of this family, from the year 1682, to our own day.  It will be useless to read this to your reverence.”

“Quite useless,” said Abbe d’Aigrigny.  “The note contains all the important facts.”  Then, after a moment’s silence, he exclaimed, with an expression of triumphant pride:  “How great is the power of the Association, when founded upon tradition and perpetuity!  Thanks to this note, inserted in our archives a century and a half ago, this family has been watched from generation to generation—­our Order has always had its eyes upon them, following them to all points of the globe, to which exile had distributed them—­and at last, to-morrow, we shall obtain possession of this property, at first inconsiderable, but which a hundred and fifty years have raised to a royal fortune.  Yes, we shall succeed, for we have foreseen every eventuality.  One thing only troubles me.”

“What is that?” asked Rodin.

“The information that we have in vain tried to obtain from the guardian of the house in the Rue Saint-Francois.  Has the attempt been once more made, as I directed?”

“It has been made.”

“Well?”

“This time, as always before, the old Jew has remained impenetrable.  Besides he is almost in his second childhood, and his wife not much better.”

“When I think,” resumed Father d’Aigrigny, “that for a century and a half, this house in the Rue Saint-Francois has remained walled up, and that the care of it has been transmitted from generation to generation in this family of the Samuels—­I cannot suppose that they have all been ignorant as to who were and are the successive holders of these funds, now become immense by accumulation.”

“You have seen,” said Rodin, “by the notes upon this affair, that the Order has always carefully followed it up ever since 1682.  At different periods attempts have been made to obtain information upon subjects not fully explained in the note of Father Bourdon.  But this race of Jew guardians has ever remained dumb, and we must therefore conclude that they know nothing about it.”

“That has always struck me as impossible; for the ancestor of these Samuels was present at the closing of the house, a hundred and fifty years ago.  He was according to the file, a servant or confidential clerk of De Rennepont.  It is impossible that he should not have known many things, the tradition of which must have been preserved in the family.”