His father, who was very wealthy, and a great miser, sent for him one
morning, at the time he had just attained his eighteenth year, and
said to him: "I began life at your age with half a crown; there is one
for you--go, and be as fortunate as I have been;"--saying which, he
turned him out of the house, and shut the door in his face.
Undismayed at such unexpected and unnatural conduct on the part of his
parent, whom he had never offended, the youth sought the advice and
assistance of a friend, by whose opinion he applied himself to the
study of medicine. After an indefatigable study at the Hotel Dieu, he
became celebrated in his profession, and had the good fortune to
be employed by a lady of great wealth, whose life he saved. Out of
gratitude, she proposed to become his wife, and to settle upon him an
income of fifty thousand livres, that he might give up his medical
pursuits; which, having accepted, he rewarded her by an attention and
kindness suitable to the noble generosity of her conduct.
The revolution soon after occurred, and in the general wreck of
property she lost all her fortune, it having been invested, either
in the funds, or public securities. It then became the turn of Mons.
Ledru to support his wife, by renewing the practice of his profession,
which soon placed them again in affluent circumstances.
At the death of his father, who left an immense fortune to be divided
between Mons. Ledru and his two maiden sisters, he took possession
of the estate at Fontenay-aux-Roses, from whence he had been cruelly
banished when a boy, and which the unkindness of his parent had never
after permitted him to enter.
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