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They are harpies, Ramin, harpies! such a day as I have had; first, the lawyer, who comes to write down 'my last testamentary dispositions, as he calls them; then the priest, who gently hints that I am a dying man. Oh, what a day!" "And did you make your will, my excellent friend?" softly asked Monsieur Ramin, with a keen look.
"Well, Catharine," observed Monsieur Ramin to his old servant on the following morning, "How is that good Monsieur Bonelle getting on?" "I dare say you feel very uneasy about him," she replied with a sneer. Monsieur Ramin looked up and frowned.
The once red-faced, jovial Ramin is now a pale haggard man, of sour temper and aspect. To add to his anguish he sees the old man thrive on that money which it breaks his heart to give. Old Marguerite takes a malicious pleasure in giving him an exact account of their good cheer, and in asking him if he does not think Monsieur looks better and better every day.
"Well then, are you a priest?" "I may almost say, quite the reverse." "Indeed, you must go away, Master sees no one." Once more she would have shut the door, but Ramin prevented her. "My good lady," said he in his most insinuating tones, "it is true I am neither a lawyer, a doctor, nor a priest.
"One, two, three!" commanded the little Ramin. "Attention! Forward!" Down they charged upon the enemy, who was standing motionless, with staring eyes, bleating loudly. The Austrian soldiers roared and screamed with delight, and confessed, with tears in their eyes, that it was the best joke in the world, and no end of fun to see these poor boys made desperate by hunger.
Her master was in the shop, when she returned in a few minutes, and delivered with evident satisfaction the following gracious message: "Monsieur Bonelle desires his compliments to you, and declines to state how he is; he will also thank you to attend to your own shop, and not to trouble yourself about his health." "How does he look?" asked Monsieur Ramin, with perfect composure.
Monsieur Ramin heard Catharine with great attention, forgot to finish his soup, and remained for five minutes in profound rumination, without so much as perceiving two customers who had entered the shop and were waiting to be served. When aroused, he was heard to exclaim: "What an excellent opportunity!" Monsieur Bonelle had been Ramin's predecessor.
Monsieur Ramin nodded and winked in a way that said "I will." He proved however his prudence by not speaking aloud; for a voice from within sharply exclaimed, "Marguerite, you are talking to some one! Marguerite! I will see neither doctor nor lawyer; and if any meddling priest dare " "It is only an old friend, sir;" interrupted Marguerite, opening the inner door.
We want to see what sort of practical soldiers you will make, and whether you are as good hands at cooking as at crying and blubbering." And the Austrians folded their arms, and looked on idly and with derisive satisfaction at these poor children who stood there with their heads bowed down with helplessness and grief. At length little Ramin arose.
"Merely to have the extreme satisfaction of seeing how you are, my good old friend. Nothing more." "Well, look at me and then go." Nothing could be so discouraging: but this was an Excellent Opportunity, and when Monsieur Ramin had an excellent opportunity in view, his pertinacity was invincible. Being now resolved to stay, it was not in Monsieur Bonelle's power to banish him.
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