Lazare was quite carried away by his
enthusiasm, and the works were built on much too large a scale, the cost
greatly exceeding the original estimates. More money was required, and a
marriage having already been arranged between Lazare and Pauline Quenu,
she at once lent him another ten thousand francs. Some slight success
was at first attained, but this only led to fresh extravagances in the
way of apparatus, and before long a hundred thousand francs of Pauline's
money had been expended. By this time it was evident that the process
could not be worked on a commercial scale, and Lazare, utterly
discouraged, handed over his share to Boutigny for a trifling sum. A
scheme for the protection of Bonneville against the inroads of the sea
was the next subject to attract him, and he entered into it with his
usual enthusiasm. More money was, of course, required, and, as before,
this was found by Pauline. Failure again met his efforts; the barricade
was washed away by the first high sea. All along Lazare had been subject
to fits of morbid depression, accompanied by a frenzied fear of death,
and after the death of his mother this mental disturbance became even
more acute.
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