The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-13

=, -,,.tor If The Chronicles of the Bastile,"
" H. w. Embassv," h" The YuLe Log" Philip Of
LntIa," 4e.
The Spiders Den.
LARGE, bony man is Gaetano Pelligrini the
...a-rsy; with hooked nose, and round gray
80. ike o hawks, and as sharp. He is seat
- a table in small, dingy room, up one
s,St Of stairs, in a dirty looking house situ-
"a !, the Rue st. Anne. He is reading a
Sas5 the folios of which he turns over and
.,sr with long, hairy fingers, that now and
nan ueryously twitch the parchment He is
ysnetian; an exile from his native land
nm he has forsworp since he adopted France
:. 4. country, and Paris for his residence He
l.. not however, abandoned the money-get-
IN, prcpensities of his compatriots, and is in
tbriynr way of business-of its kind. His
.,anIexion is of the tint of the sheep skin he
. ! 90 sttsntvely perusing; and when he looks
m IN the act Of answering the tall, lean man
Tbo Is fdgoting to and fro from an inner
roon, his cOuntenance is not pleasant to con-
emulate it is so decidedly evil His replies to
he Queries Of the tall, lean man, are sharp
and curt and thrown out as though he were
fogng stones at him. One of these is flung
v.b so much force, that the party it has struck
retreats precipitately into the inner den, and
r-esentlv perching himself upon a three-legged
TOOL puts his head in his deck, the lid of which
I be props up with his forehead.
The principal chamber-the one in which
.stca0 siss-is about twelve feet square, with
ysry rttle standing room, so completely is il
bo5kaded with piles of books, papers, and
b1zes. There is Just space left for two chairs !;
che. tolerably comfortable and easy, is occu-
md BY Gaetano himself; the other stands by
h, low hearth, where there ia smouldering
Ere Of wood. On going in, the impression at
frs. produced is that any attempt to reach the
table will be fruitless. 1t can only be done by
stepDCg over the boxes and other bulky arti-
cles that obstruct the way to it and to the
empty chair This is evidently the effect which
has been produced upon the handsome-lo looking
man who has Just entered, and who seems
,Jneghat embarrassed, as he stands irresolute
10 re doorway.
Come in, como in,n exclaimed Gaetano,
boxing up, and addressing the stranger in
French.
% It's all very we'll, but don't quite see how
IL TO be done" replies the new conner.
/" | beg pardon, thousand times" observes
Gletano, rising, as he recognises the voice
Monsieur Aveling does me great honor"
And, with the assistance and under the pilot
ere of Gaetano, Mark accomplishes the pas
sase Of the books and boxes without damage
to his shiHs, and is inducted into the vacant
chair.
81 | have had some trouble to find you, Mon.
sieur Pelligrini," observes Mark " this is a
c2nfoundedly queer place for such man as
ylu to carry on bis business in"
1T suits my clients, Monsieur Aveling" re-
Irts the attorney, who is manifestly indisposed
to hear his office spoken unexpectedly Of
On the whole, it certainly is not an agreea-
lie Place to come into. An almost overpower.
rg Odor of must and dust pervades its atmos-
pierre, which is not improved by the pungent
snoke issuing from the green block Of wood
On the hearth, now trying its best TO burn
The apartment is dark, too, for the window
looks out into the courtyard, and is obscured
b. the dirt that has accumulated on the panes
lhe ceiling and the walls are dyed q deep vel.
low ffon the effect Of smoke and dust and the
SPIDERS webs hang in profusion from the for.
mer in long festoons, and unpleasantly assail the
face Of the yisiter. Gaetano himself is not I'm.
Ike the ancient insect of this genus which has
taken lease of the corner Immediately over
the attorneys head. They are both large Of
their kind, and long limbed, with q decided
tendency Of the body to development in the
region o. the abdomen. An acute observer
will also remark that the spider has propen.
sity to prey upon his kind, for the skeleton Of
an intreder bangles from one corner Of the
web, perfectly dry, the skin being quite trans
parent. He had clearly been exhausted of his
,hofop haco n Or1t
h0ary occupant Of the web is just now atten
lively watching the gapbols of large house
fly, and possibly calculating the chances of his
getting presently entangied in that fine new
liza which has been quite recently woven across
Lis very path. He touches it now, bat breaks
away before our friend in the corner can reach
hin, who rushes back, desperately disappointed
TO resume his lying in-wait with increased Wig
lance
u am not often honored by their presence
is true" added Gaetsno, referring to hi
c4tnts, and now beginning to blow the fire
With broken-winded pair of bellows; bu
one thing Is suTe-they want me when they az
come, and must take me as they find me-"
well, may perhaps have taken a liber
ty, remarks Aveling, modifying his tone, "fol
J5u certainly intimated that you seldom re
ctiTed your clients but at your house, which,
must say, offors remarkable contrast to THU
place, M0nsieur Pelligrini"
Inc one is for the world, Monsieur Ave
Ans retorts the attorney; "this is for bust
ness, and IN such matters as those | am engag
ca 10, one cannot be too private"
wei, WELL" responds the other, there
Eisdcm IN that. was anxious to learn you
cplnlon of my affair, and therefore ferretet
ycu out. beg to apologizs"-
Not at al, not at all, my good friend say
eaetano, laying his long, claw like hand famil
iariy upon Ayeling's knee. III am enchante,
you have done me the honor / am very mucl
Interested in your case, | assure you"
Aveling, at this moment catches sight of th
Ice of lank figure, peeping over the pane
Of the wainscoted partition which divides tn
principal Office from the interior closet occu
ped by the owner of the said face and figure
His uneasy look ia at once noticed by the al
iorney, who purses up his bushy black eye
brovs, giving at the same moment an almos
lmperceptible twitch sideways, with his heat
in the direction of the closet, as he says:
Every WE'LL YES. of course.n He called on
Martin ~
The lean man comes to the door of the close
IN moment.
Haven't you anything to do?" says Gao
tanc, throwing stones again.
No,' replied the man.
Find something, then. Go out !" says ia
attorney.
Where ?n asked Martin.
Anywhere; only go!o Two stones tn
Brcakfast?n suggested the other.
Be off," exclaimed Gaetano "Be BAG
IN en- hour.D
Martin disappeared presently, with q boo
under one arm. AS he closed the door, b
SSops moment on the threshold, to examin
Asrk. The result does not appear altogethe
satisfactory, however, for he goes away, shs
klng his head.
Mark seemed relieved by his absence, an