Now this Perrin was at that moment on the way to dine with a character
who plays a considerable part in the tale--Commandant Raynal. Perrin had
made himself useful to the commandant, and had become his legal adviser.
And, this very day after dinner, the commandant having done a good day's
work permitted himself a little sentiment over the bottle, and to a man
he thought his friend. He let out that he had a heap of money he did not
know what to do with, and almost hated it now his mother was gone and
could not share it.
The man of law consoled him with oleaginous phrases: told him he very
much underrated the power of money. His hoard, directed by a judicious
adviser, would make him a landed proprietor, and the husband of some
young lady, all beauty, virtue, and accomplishment, whose soothing
influence would soon heal the sorrow caused by an excess of filial
sentiment.
"Halt!" shouted Raynal: "say that again in half the words."
Perrin was nettled, for he prided himself on his colloquial style.
"You can buy a fine estate and a chaste wife with the money," snapped
this smooth personage, substituting curt brutality for honeyed
prolixity.
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