THE LADY BOUNTIFUL
Valentine de Vermont was not yet twenty-two years old.
Her birth had cost the life of her mother, and, brought up by an active
and enterprising man, her education had been directed by plain common-
sense, rather masculine, perhaps, but without injury to her personal
attractions, nor to those of her delicate and lofty spirit.
Her father, who was endowed with a veritable genius for commercial
action, had monopolized more than the fur-trade of Alaska and of Hudson's
Bay. From year to year he had extended the field of his operations: in
Central America, dealing in grains and salt meats; in Europe in wines and
brandy; commodities always bought at the right time, in enormous
quantities, and, without pausing in transshipment from one country to
another, carried in vessels belonging to him and sailing under the
English flag.
Without giving her any unnecessary instruction as to the management of
his affairs, he wished his daughter to possess sufficient knowledge of
them to handle herself the wealth that she would receive as a dowry and
at his death; and he decided that she should not contract a marriage
except under the law of the separation of goods, according to the custom
generally adopted in the United States.
An attack of paralysis having condemned him to his armchair, he
consecrated the remainder of his days to settling all his enterprises,
and when he died, about two years before the arrival of Valentine in
Paris, that young lady found herself in the possession of more than one
hundred and twenty million francs, nearly all invested in English,
American, and French State bonds.
At the expiration of her period of mourning, the wealthy heiress could
then live in London, New York, or Paris, at her pleasure; but the French
blood that ran in her veins prevented her from hesitating a moment, and
she chose the last named of the three cities for her abode.
Being passionately fond of saddle and driving-horses, she did not stop in
England without taking the necessary time to acquire everything of the
best for the fitting-up of a stable, and after a time she established
herself temporarily in a sumptuous apartment in the Place de l'Etoile,
furnished with a taste worthy of the most thorough Parisian.
On the evening after her appearance at the Opera, just as she left her
breakfast-table, M. Durand presented himself at her dwelling with the
architect's plan for the building of the orphan asylum, and declared
himself ready to take her orders regarding the plan, as well as on the
subject of the gift of money to the Society.
"I have resolved," said Zibeline, "to transform into an asylum, following
a certain plan, the model farm belonging to the estate that I have
recently purchased through you. If I required carte blanche in choosing
the site, it was because I desire that Monsieur Desvanneaux shall have
nothing to do with the matter until the day when I shall put the
committee in possession of the building and its premises, which I have
engaged to furnish, free of all expense to the Society. I shall employ
my own architect to execute the work, and I shall ask you to indemnify,
for me, the architect who has drawn up this first plan, which will remain
as the minimum expense incurred on my part. But I wish to be the only
person to superintend the arrangements, and to be free to introduce,
without control, such improvements as I may judge suitable. Should the
committee demand a guaranty, I have on deposit with Monsieur de Samoreau
a million francs which I intend to use in carrying out these operations.
Half of that sum may be consigned to the hands of some one they may wish
to choose; the other half will serve to pay the laborers in proportion to
their work. In order to insure even greater regularity, have the
kindness to draw up, to cover the interval that will elapse before I make
my final definite donation, a provisionary document, setting forth the
engagement that I have undertaken to carry out."
"Here it is," said the notary; "I have already prepared it."
Having examined the document carefully, to assure herself that all
statements contained therein were according to her intentions, Zibeline
took her pen and wrote at the foot of the page: "Read and approved," and
signed the paper.
"Mademoiselle appears to be well accustomed to business habits," observed
M. Durand, with a smile.
"That is because I have been trained to them since childhood," she
replied. "My plan is to place this document myself in the hands of
Madame la Duchesse de Montgeron."
"You can do so this very afternoon, if you wish. Thursday is her
reception day," said the notary, rising with a bow, preparatory to taking
his leave.
"I shall take good care not to fail to call," earnestly replied the fair
Lady Bountiful.
She telephoned immediately to her head-groom, ordering ham to bring
around her brougham at three o'clock.