Page:Tales of Today.djvu/56

40 mistaken: my banker is authorized to pay me a hundred francs."

"A hundred francs!" exclaimed the other, laying down his brush.

"A hundred francs," replied the smoker.

"Well, well, fathers are not so black as they are painted; as for me, I shall never have my daily bread until I can say: Our Father who art in Heaven."

"In the mean time he gives me a very important bit of advice. My uncle at the Arsenal is ill, and he urges me to go and see him. It is an uncle with an inheritance to dispose of, and I have only been there once in the last three years."

"That was not doing right."

"It is an easy matter to be wise when other people are concerned. I will try to go to-morrow. I don't know the way very well, though."

"I will make a map for you."

"That will be nice."

The morrow comes.

"I am not going without my breakfast."

"I would not advise you to."

"Who is going out to get the breakfast?"

"Not I; I am in slippers."

"Nor I; I don't want to soil my boots before I start. Eugène, you are not a bit accommodating."

"And you are not a bit just; I did all the chores yesterday. To-day it is your turn."

"See here, let us take the foils; the first one touched shall go out for the breakfast."

They take down the foils, they fence; Arthur is touched. It is settled that it is he who is to go for