The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-07-19

Are you lawyer?s
Nothing of the sort, my good lady"
"Well, then, are you priestp"
may almost say, quite the reverse"
Indeed, you must g away; master sees
no one" Gin
Once more she would have shut the door,
but Ramin prevented her.
"My good lady,"said he, in his most in
sinuating tones, sit is true am neither a
lawyer, doctor, NOT priest. am an old
friend, very old friend Of your excellent
master; have coms To see good Monsieur
Bonelle in his present afiliction."
Marguerite did hot answer, but allowed
him 10 enter and closed fhe door behind him.
He was going to pass from the narrow and
gloomy ante-chamber into an inner room
whence now proceeded sonnd of loud
coughing-when the old woman laid her
hand on his arm, aud, raising herself on tip
toe to reach his ear, whispered:
For Heavens sake, sir, since you are his
friend, do talk to him do tell him to make
his wiz, and hint something about soul to
be saved, and all that sort of thing; do, sir!"
Monsieur Ramn nodded and winked in a
way that said 81 willn He proved, how
ever, his prudence by not speaking aloud,
for voice from within sharply exclaimed:
Marguerite, you are talking to some one.
lawyer, and if any meddling priest dare"---
1T is only an old friend, sir" interrupted
| Marguerite, opening the inner door.
| Her master, on looking up, perceived the
red face of Monsieur Ramin peeping over the
old woman's shoulder, and irefully cried out:
How dare you bring that fellow here
| And you, sir, how dare you Gomez"
| My good old friend there are feelings"
said Ramin, spreading his fingers over the
| left pocket of his waistcoat,-" there are
| feelings" he repeated, that cannot be sub
dued. One such feeling brought me here.
Tie fact is, l am good-natured, easy fellow,
and / never bear malice. / never forget an
! old friend, but love to forget old differences
| when find one party in afliction."
He drew chair forward as he spoke, and
composedly seated himself opposite to his
late master.
Monsieur Bonelle was thin old man, with
a pale, sharp face and keen features. At first
he eyed his visitor from the depth of his vast
armchair; but, as if not satisfied with this
distant view, he bent forward and, laying
both hands on his thin knees, he looked
up into Ramin's face with a fixed and pierre
ing gaze. He had not, however, the power
of disconcerting his guest.
What did you come here for?" be at
length asked.
Merely to have the extreme satisfaction
of seeing how you are, my good old friend.
Nothing more"
"WeIl, look at me--and then CO."
Ramin threw himself back in his chair and
laughed blandly, as much as to say, C. Can
you suspect me?"
Il have no shop now out of which you can
wheedIe me-" continued the old man, "and
surely you are not such a fool as to cone to
me tor money"
Money!" repeated, the draper, as if his
host had mentioned Usbmething he never
dreamt of. "Oh, mol"
Ramin saw it would not do 10 broach the
subj ct he had really come about too alb
ruptIy, Row that suspicion seemed so wide
awaks-ths opportunity had not arrived.
There is somethingnp, Ramin, know
/ see it in the twinkle OF your eye; but You
can't deceive ME again.
Deceive y0u?", said the jolly schemer,
shaking his head reverentially. Deceive
man of your penetration and depth? Inn
possible! The bare supposition is flattery.
My dear friend" be continued, soothingly,
did not dream Of such thing. The fact
is, Bonelle, though they call me jovial,
careless, rattling dog, l have conscience
and, somehow, / have never felt quite easy
about the way in which I became your sue
cessor downstairs. 1t ,ras rather sharp prac-
tice, admit"
Bonelle seemed 10 reient. a.
Now for it," said The opportunity hunter
to himself" By the bye" (speaking aloud),
=" this house must be great trouble to you
in your present weak state? Two of your
dodgers have lately gone away without pay
ing-a great nuisance, especially to an in
valid"
" / tell you Pm as sound as colt"
AT all events, the whole concern must be
a great bother to you. If were you l would
sell the house."
And if were goa" returned the land
lord, dryly, 81 would buy it y
Precisely" interrupted the tenant,
eagerly.
= That is, if you could get it. Phoo! /
knew you were after something. Will you
give $4,000 francs for it?n abruptly asked
Monsieur Bonelle.
Eighty thousand francs!n echoed Ramin.
DO you take me ior Louis Philippe or the
Bank OF France?"
Then we'll say no more about it, Are
you not afraid ofleaving your shop so long?D
Ramin returned to the charge, needless of
the hint to depart. The fact is, my good
old friend, ready money is not my strong
point ust now. But if you wish very much
to be relieved OF the concern, what say you
to life annuity? / could manage that"
Monsieur Bunelle gave Short dry, church.
yard cough and looked as if his life were
not worth an hours purchase. You think
yourself immensely clever, L dare say" he
said. They have persuaded You that am
dying. Stuff. l shall bury you yet"
The mercer glanced at the thin, fragile
frame and exclaimed to himself, "Deluded
old gentleman! My dear Bonelle," he con-
tinued aloud, know we'll the strength of
your admirable constitution; but allow me
TO observe that You neglect yourself too
much. Now, suppose a good, sensible 1
will you pay him." interrogated Bon
ellie, sharply.
Most willingly" replied Ramin, with an
eagerness that made the old man smile
AS to the annuity, since the subject annoys
you, we will talk oft some other timen
After you have heard the DOCTORS re-
port" sneered Bonelle.
The mercer gave him stealthy glance,
which the old mans keen look immediately
detected. Neither could repress a smile
these good souls understood one another per-
fectly, and Ramin saw that this was not the
excellent opportunity he desired, and de-
parted. -
The next day Ramin sent neighboring
medical man, and heard it was his opinion
that if Bonelie held on for three months
longer it would be a miracle. Delightful