The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-04
Cesar CarCi|IaC'S Banknote.



the small hours of the morning. The
old man was tired out nearly from
want of sleep, but also through worry
at the disappearance of his wine and
other precious accumulations. But by
the words fortune, treasures, millions,
which constantly occurred in Cesar's
conversation, the miser hoped.
Thus things went on for eight days.
ON the ninth Tourtain said: MY boy,
I can't hold out any longer. 1 am al
most dead 4"
IT have succeeded"
What att" queried Tourtain,
startled.
Cesar. taking the banknote from his
pocket, held 1t up at distance.
well and what about it?" answered
the other, puzzled.
II make these" whispered Cesar.
"You--you--ah!" and the old man
stopped short, unable to utter another
word.
Cesar unconsciously assented
"Really-and you think they'll go?"
Cesar again assented.
Let's have n look at it then" said
the old man, unsuccessfully trying to
hide his greed as he eagerly stretched
out his bony hand toward the note.
Cesar rose and steathily went to his
room; he pressed the note for a mo-
ment between damp sheets of paper
which gave it an appearance of having
been freshly taken from the press, and
returning below he handed the speci-
men to his uncle
Tourtain flattened it out on the table,
examined it for long time, switched
it between his thumb and index, and
tore one of the corners slightly to
finally test it.
Pom my soul, it seems good
enough" he said at last.
Cesar nodded, and when his uncle
rose with the note in his hand ready to
leave his room he said: "Eh, uncle,
and what about my half?"
Steady my boy steady. I must
think this over" was all the miser
said; then he left his room. and locking
himself into his own apartment he
compared Cesars note with the many
old and new ones which he had ac-
cumulated in true miser fashion. 1t
was long study. He could find no dis
tinction whatever between Cesars and
his own notes, and who would find
this out must he decided, be sharp
man. Soon after Tourtain walked out
through the garden gate, looking
quaint enough in his threadbare coat
and old-fashioned silk hat.
rs heN going to charge me with for
gerry, / wonder?" thought Cesar, as
he watched him going. This would
indeed be a farce"
But Cesar was mistaken. The old
man was now wondering how he could
best change the note. He wandered
about Neuilly from the grocer's shop to
the bakers door, and from the wine
merchants up the road, hesitating,
timorous, with occasional resolute ges-
lures, sometimes touching the knob of
a door, as if to enter, then releasing
IL again, ashamed not actuated by
remorse, but fearing lest he should be
unable to give satisfactory explana-
ton, If he were caught. He wandered
thus for some time when he suddenly
recollected that money for forged notes
was returned at his bank. A tram was
passing, he stopped it and drove part
OF the way. Arrived at the counter
he pulled himself together, and put
ting two notes before the clerk, he said |:
Il want these two notes changed,
please perhaps one of them
isn't quite right"
The clerk examined the note which
Cesar had pressed between the sheets
of paper; the dampness had not quite
disappeared.
Uncle Tourtain stood holding his
breath, watching every movement of
the ma. before him, until the latter
counted 10 louis on the counter.
At dinner time the uncle said to his
nephew: How do you manage that
your notes pass so well?"
That's because I make them good"
replied Cesar, undaunted.
I'm how many days?"
Eight"
This is too ~" said Tourtan,
land brings us Hly so francs each a
week. Suppose you tade thousand
franc bank notes! Fl lmy boy, that
would mean 500 franc 2ipiece!"
IF l make only hundred frame notes
it is because l have no models to make
thousand-franc ones"
The old man, whose voice had grown
very thick, mumbled that, if necessary,
he might lend one for the purpose.
Cesar kept perfectly cool, but he
could not, help being amazed at his
uilNiC = Cltiullly, anu resolving TO try
how far he could go, he added, But
to engrave my plate I need four models
one at the top, one at he bottom, and
one on each side. You see, uncle, this
is the only way to bring out good stuff;
you know yourself how easily they are
found out, and there would be an end
of us"
Then you want four thousand-franc
notes-four!"
ITO our unbounded wealth: Long live
the bank! Wen bust her, uncle-weI
bust her! But let us hurry up; where
are the notes?" retorter Cesar.
Tourtaln rose from the table, and
with unsteady moves made his way To
his room, and soon returned clutchng
to his breast four thousand franc notes.
One by one he handed them to his
nephew until only one remained.
Cant you do with three?" he said
mo; certainly not" answered Cesar
authoritatively.
"Well-here-they-are." And the old
man lifting his glass with trembling
hand, said, in almost inaudible ac-
cents, "To-our-our-milli He
dropped into the chair, and resting his
head on one arm across the table, he
| fell asleep.
"Parbleau!" thought Cesar, here are
1000 francs, which look very much like