He is Caleb Balderstone and I am Ravenswood. Yes,
I am Edgard. Let us have coffee and a cigar, Balderstone."
"Plait-il, Monsieur le Vicomte?" says the French Caleb.
"Thou comprehendest not English. Thou readest not Valtare Scott, thou!"
cries the master. "I was recounting to Monsieur Newcome thy history and
my misfortunes. Go seek coffee for us, nigaud." And as the two gentlemen
partake of that exhilarating liquor, the elder confides gaily to his
guest the reason why he prefers taking coffee at the hotel to the coffee
at the great Cafe of the Redoute, with a duris urgens in rebus egestass!
pronounced in the true French manner.
Clive was greatly amused by the gaiety of the Viscount after his
misfortunes and his Moscow; and thought that one of Mr. Baines's circular
notes might not be ill laid out in succouring this hero. It may have been
to this end that Florac's confessions tended; though, to do him justice,
the incorrigible young fellow would confide his adventures to any one who
would listen; and the exact state of his wardrobe, and the story of his
pawned pelisse, dressing-case, rings and watches, were known to all
Baden.
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