Mr. John,
with his innate niggardliness, at once seized this opportunity for
disembarrassing himself of an importunate beggar by saddling the county
with him. He exalted "the worthy, excellent man" to the skies, and
especially praised his rectitude, his sobriety, his diligence!
"But is he trustworthy?" inquired the magistrate. "You see there are
various little cash payments he will have to see to, is he clean
handed?"
"As good as gold, I assure you. I could trust him with thousands. Why
some of my own bills are in his keeping--" and with that he proceeded to
say as many pretty things of Margari as if he were a horse dealer trying
to palm off a blind nag on some ignorant bumpkin at a fair.
In his delight at having so successfully rid himself of such an incubus,
he made his _valet-de-chambre_ slip over to Margari to tell the worthy
man to wait upon him on the morrow at 11 o'clock precisely, as he had a
very pleasant piece of news to impart to him; for he meant to make
Margari believe that it was through his, Mr. John Lapussa's special
influence, that he had obtained the coveted appointment and so get him
to renounce all further claims upon his old patron.
On the very same day Mr. John was surprised to receive a visit from the
magistrate, Mr. Monori, and this certainly was a wonder, for the
magistrate never made any but official visits.
"To what do I owe this extraordinary pleasure?" asked Mr.
Pages:
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299