And
the woman of this house has more than once befriended me, and he
is for turning her out for a debt she does not owe; and that is
my affair. However, your lordship's arrival has saved him for
this time."
"You expected him here this evening, then?"
"He is coming," he answered, with more than his usual gloom. "He
passed this way this morning, and announced that on his return he
should spend the night here. We found the goodwife all of a
tremble when we arrived. He is a hard man, monsieur," the
mountebank continued bitterly. "She cried after him that she
hoped that God would change his heart, but he only answered that
even if St. Brieuc changed his body--you know the legend,
monseigneur, doubtless--he should be here."
"And here he is," the other, who had been looking out of one of
the windows, cried. "I see his lanthorn coming down the hill.
And by St. Brieuc, I have it! I have it," the droll continued,
suddenly spinning round in a wild dance of triumph on the floor,
and then as suddenly stopping and falling into an attitude before
us.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95