98 THE HANDSOME MODEL. 



seat myself." "Are you unwell?" " I fear I am give me something?" 

 " Will you have a glass of water?" " I should much prefer a glass of 

 brandy, if you have it." " I believe so and good too Mr. Dermilly 

 was well supplied with liquors ; we have at least fifteen sorts in a large chest 

 and the cellar ah ! there is such capital wine." " What a truly respect- 

 able man he was." " Stay, tell me what you think of that ?" " Old as time 

 itself and so you say he is dead ? Oh ! sacrilegious death, to meddle thus 

 with talents of the very first order. What a progress I should have made 

 under him had I been but less volatile. He looked on me as his son." 

 " He did not exactly speak of you in that way, though." " 1 tell you I have 

 acted wrong ; I confess my faults, and all is over ; what would you have 

 more? another drop if you please." " Do you feel better?" "Yes, I am 

 somewhat revived but Andrew, where is he ? call him, that I may throw 

 myself on his neck." "Alas, I might call in vain." " Heavens, you make 

 me shudder can he be dead also half a glass if you please stay, give me 

 the bottle, I prefer helping myself. Well, my poor Pierre, your brother ?" 

 " Has disappeared six weeks since, and we know not what has become of 

 him we have never heard from him." " Good God ! my dear Andrew ! 

 and I who came to ask him to take a family dinner without ceremony no 

 matter, I'll dine with you. But what vertigo seized on him ?" " No verti- 

 go at all- but a passion a most violent love -but I cannot tell you more, 

 because it is a secret.'' " Right, quite right, I ask no questions ! besides you 

 will tell me every thing at dinner." " The most distressing part of the bu- 

 siness is, that he has authorised me by a paper to dispose of all that belongs 

 to him ! and Mile. Manette says that is a sure proof he will never return." 

 " Mile. Manette reasons like a judge, and there is no doubt in the w T orld that 

 every thing which belonged to your brother is now your's." " Well, my 

 friend, would you believe it, notwithstanding my riches, I am as dull as a 

 hog." " I am not the least astonished at it." " At first my grief, my un- 

 easiness, respecting Andrew " " Very true and then the loneliness of 

 living by yourself, the having no one near you with whom you might laugh : 

 talk dries up your soul. Pierre, you know whether I am your friend or no 

 I will fill Andrew's place, I will be a brother to you and from this very 

 moment I establish myself here, and will quit you no more." " Ah ! my 

 dear Loiseau that is to say, Rossignol " " I have already told you to call 

 me whatever you please." " I often thought of you, and said to myself, if he 

 were here now I should not be yawning all day." " Egad, I will not give 

 you time for it we'll laugh, drink and sing from morning till night. ' Trim 

 the lamp and fill the bowl.' I'll teach you to spend your money." " With all 

 my heart and soul -but when I think of my poor Andrew. " " Oh ! we 

 will always have him in mind---pleasure and feeling go hand in hand---we 

 will weep for him every morning before we get up- but after that we will 

 divert ourselves. But do you know you are lodged here like the grand Turk 

 sofas and arm-chairs everywhere." " Oh, you have not seen half yet 

 come, I'll shew you the whole of my lodging." 



Rossignol followed Pierre, who already felt his heart lighter, since he had 

 met with him whom he looked upon as a sincere friend. The young Savoy- 

 ard was as inexperienced as ever : he took every man by his word, and judged 

 of every thing by its appearance. He now believed all that Rossignol said, 

 and was convinced that however much he might have erred, the frank manner 

 in whichhe confessed his faults would have exculpatedhim with M. Dermilly and 

 his brother. The handsome model exclaimed in admiration, as he entered each 

 room ; and in fact, he had never before seen them, being acquainted only with 

 the atdier and kitchen. He stopped before several pictures, saying : " Do you 

 see that Roman ? That is me ; and that handsome Greek, that's me again." " I 

 see no resemblance whatever." " I don't tell you it*s to my face, but to my 



