Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-12-20
CHAPTER III

The next forenoon saw me on my way to
the house of Levi Jacob, the usIrer, with the
Odeon letter safe in my pocket. Raoul had
passed a somewhat restless night, but in the
morning professed himself quite well. There
could be no breakfast for either him or me
until money was got. and hence lost no
time in paving NV visit t. the little jew.
Between the Rue st. Adre dtS Arts and the
new Boulevard 81. German there lies quite
labyrinth of narrow. dirty. crooked streets.
alleys and courts. surrounded hv lofty, de
rayIng houses. \ stranger would certainly
have lost his way amid the iutricacIee Of thi>
quarter. bat |. to nv sorrow, was 10 stranger
there.
In one of the narrowest drtieSt streets on
the left hank, YOU viii find an srrhwav with
broken lamp over II and the words. half
obliterated. ''Cour de Ruhan" II YOU pass
through It into the squaLd, no!~o:ne court.
You Will find door in the right hand corner
with a much battered zinc plate on II. bear
ing the hunored name of Levi Jacob, broker
money-changer and lender on pledge" II
You go any farther than this, You viii b.
sorry for il.
From Levi Jacobs window on the sixth
story, the highest but one, cord with d
weight at the end of it hung down 10 the
level Of your hand You hid 10 pull TIN,
cord before 1t was possible 10 hold any com
municatIon with Lew Jacob
pulled the cord; after some minutes de
lay the window was cautiously opened. and
the little usurers wrinkled. bearded face, with
Its curved nose AMI glItterlng eyes. appcareu
over the sill. He re,ognizei me at once
''Ah, it Is Monsieur! | have the honor to
salute Monsieur VIII Monsieur give hinls.l.
the trouble Of coming upstairs" THIS was
said in q shrill. cracked voice and the word,
had no sooner been uttered than the head was
withdrawn and the window shut
l lost no time IN running upstairs. and was
at once admitted | need not enter into tn.
details OF my somewhat lengthy negutiat!n !nE
with Levi Jacob. Ii ended by my putting
my name 10 a pie"e Of stamped papar, and IL
ceiving. in exchange, ten notes of twenty
francs each.
Il hope that Monsieur is satisfied" said
Levi Jacob. Il am always charmed to obige
Monsieur; there Is none of my clients whom
esteem 50 highly. 1t is culi to-day. and the
snow un'"r foot is very dIsaSrceable All
Yes, it Is severe winter: one has to spend q
fortune on iircwuod, Monsieur has perhaps
not seen the journals this morning.
NO, have not seen them. Is there anv
news"
'Ah, that IS a dreadful murder which has
been c"nrlEIttei-Iu>cph Meissner, of the Pas
sage de MazarIn one OF nv cu-religionists
have met him at the BOur~e. this Joseph
Melssner: lie WAS very rich man; indeed
all the world sp"k" Of his riches Doubles,
some one has murdered him for his munel
A terrible crime"
Its warning 10 yUl. Jacob, They v II
play you the same trick some tine day, if YOU
go on lending money on such terms as YOU
have given me-
''Ha, ha :" laughed the jew: Monsieur jests :.
That Is excellent. No, no; they viii not muv-
der the old Jacob the benevolent Jacob! He
/, not rich enough for that ali the world doe
not speak Of him as il did of Meissner And
besides, if Monsieur Will but look as the lock
OF that door, and consider that | admit nc
one who has not first pulled the cord and been
exaInlned from the window. Monsieur VIII
perceive that | an JOirTaDly safe
IoOKeI At me ipcK. WnlCn was certainty Of
portentnus 81" and strength 1t : true
said 10 him; YOU are SAFE here"
BE YOUR own servant" went on the Old
money-lenler; that j. nIv notion f =, .uI.-tv
Had NeissI r done a. | do. douJ-l.Ss h.
would lie alive at this hour A2i a. TO TIA,
terms Of which Monsieur complain. Let h.,u in
common fairness consider all things Thart
is the letter, no doubt; but let Monsieur IT,
fleet on the risk | Tul-Du tn. many acci-
dents that may come between the friend ui
Monsieur and the money he expects from hi,
comedy! To no other than Monsieur would