The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-27
The Spider aCeaUeS his l'eb.

Inc SPIDER 1ceGUeS hes fte6.
Like the ancient insect that shtred his Office,
the attorney though by nature willy enough,
had gained no inconsiderable amount Of addi-
tional craft from experience. Having once
caught sight of his fly, his habit was to set
about catching it, without delay. But he took
his measures none the less cautiously. Hence,
on the morning he had fixed upon to seek an
interview with Leonard Wrsy, he paid more
than ordinary attention to his toilet. Evident
" he had o due regard for appearances. az
least today. No doubt be hao in his tine
learnt their full value and had good reasons
for his determination to allow thfSl to DO their
best for him on the present decision. In his
prim suit of glossy black, and Fs highly-va--
nished boots, not to forget his i of brilliant
jet, he looked like a. sleek old raven, fresh
plumed.
So he set cut, jauntily picking, dis way, and
as he went along, composing hi features into
their most placid expression. I was wonder
full how many honest folks were eceived By it,
casually observing him as he pa ,ed, and SUM
ming him up. 1t might not, orhaps, have
much fattered his vanity to ma e this dsoov-
cry, for his own mind had long 70 been made
up to the delusion that be loci ed honest, ct
any rate to do which, be it sait by the way
is not unfrequently surer pass port to favor,
as the world ways, than to be so
And it would have proved fTi,ult task TO
persuade him that he was really not pattern
Of integrity for, Ike most folks, he had .
weakness for his own STANDARD of morality.
His was strictly legal one, iIpproximating
somewhat to that of the Spartan who, as ira
dition goes, attached the idea If criminality
less to the preparation of theft han to its dis
covery. So Gaetano, whose elattio conscience
readily accommodated itself to whatever the
law covered. It certainly left linn an extern
sive margin for operations, bu,. that WIS no
fault of his.
The porter and the waiter at tle hotel where
Leonard was staying, were highly hattered by
the condescending manner in which he lifted
his hat to them, as he inquired of the one, il
the blandest of tones, whether Monsieur
Wray was visiblea" and intimatod to the other
that abe would do himself the f;easure of fol-
lowing him to Monsieur Wray'a apartment
The creaking of his vanished eSelIingtons, as
he passed through the vestibule. at the door Of
which stood the boots laboring 10 raise pol.
ish on the surface of pair of CO amon English
Butchers, impressed this funct mary with
high sense of the visitors impo lance, and in
spired him with feeling of ooitempt for the
owner of the Butchers, and fof these articles
themselves, which obstinately refused to be
coaxed out of their dullness.
Leonard and Mildred were 10Th at table
and seated at the froside, with bis slippered
feet on the low hearth, was Zachariah Grit.
&c disturb youl Pardon Al thousand par
dons Mademoiselle, and of you, Monsieur
said Gaetano, on entering.
Leonard merely rose, expecting the stran-
gers explanation Of his visit
You have my card, presume added the
attorney, meekly, after pause, during which
Grit looked round, and considered him atten-
lively.
"Monsieur Pelligrini, attorney. at-law," OBJ
served Leonard, glancing at the card, as it lay
on the table. "Until now, has not the honor
of your acquaintance"
Leonard handed him q cbSir. Pelligrini
seated himself took off one gE We, put it into
his hat, and set his hat down on the floor.
His eyes, meanwhile, were fixed upon Mildred,