Alphonse's sister, by the conventional arrangements of the time, would have been provided
by her father with a dowry of some size that legally became the property of her husband
to do with as he willed. In this case the entire sum has been set aside as her personal
"fortune" and is now returned for the education and welfare of her daughter. This
is an exceedingly generous act on the part of Signore Lavenza, one beyond any legal
necessity on his part.