"Here it is, then,"
thought I. I wiped the dust from my shoes with my pocket-handkerchief,
put my neckcloth in order, and in God's name rung the bell. The door
flew open. In the hall I had an examination to undergo; the porter,
however, permitted me to be announced, and I had the honor to be
called into the park, where Mr. John was walking with a select
party. I recognized the man at once by the lustre of his corpulent
self-complacency. He received me very well--as a rich man receives a
poor devil--even turned toward me, without turning from the rest of
the company, and took the offered letter from my hand. "So, so, from
my brother! I have heard nothing from him for a long time. But he is
well? There," continued he, addressing the company, without waiting
for an answer, and pointing with the letter to a hill, "there I am
going to erect the new building." He broke the seal without breaking
off the conversation, which turned upon riches.
"He that is not master of a million, at least," he observed,
"is--pardon me the word--a wretch!"
"O! how true!" I exclaimed with a rush of overflowing feeling.
That pleased him. He smiled at me, and said--"Stay here, my good
friend; in a while I shall perhaps have time to tell you what I think
about this." He pointed to the letter, which he then thrust into his
pocket, and turned again to the company. He offered his arm to a young
lady; the other gentlemen addressed themselves to other fair
ones; each found what suited him; and all proceeded toward the
rose-blossomed mound.
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