erned, and the landlord himself
felt annoyed, for the condor lay dead upon the grass.

TWO FRIENDS.

No one could understand where he got his money from. But the person who
marvelled most at the dashing and luxurious life led by Alphonse was his
quondam friend and partner.

After they dissolved partnership, most of the custom and the best
connection passed by degrees into Charles's hands. This was not because
he in any way sought to run counter to his former partner; on the
contrary, it arose simply from the fact that Charles was the more
capable man of the two. And as Alphonse had now to work on his own
account, it was soon clear to any one who observed him closely, that
in spite of his promptitude, his amiability and his prepossessing
appearance, he was not fitted to be at the head of an independent
business.

And there was one person who _did_ observe him closely. Charles followed
him step by step with his sharp eyes; every blunder, every extravagance,
every loss he knew all to a nicety, and he wondered that Alphonse could
keep going so long.--They had as good as grown up together. Their
mothers were cousins; the families had lived near each other in the
same street; and in a city like Paris proximity is as important as
relationship in promoting close intercourse. Moreover, the boys went to
the same school.

Thenceforth, as they grew up to manhood, they were inseparable. Mutual
adaptation overcame the great differences which originally marked their
characters, until at last their idiosyncrasies fitted into each
other like the artfully-carved pieces of wood which compose the
picture-puzzles of our childhood.

The relation between them was really a beautiful one, such as does
not often arise between two young men; for they did not understand
friendship as binding the one to bear everything at the hands of
the other, but seemed rather to vie with each other in mutual
considerateness.

If, however, Alphonse in his relation to Charles showed any high degree
of considerateness, he him self was ignorant of it; and if any one had
told him of it he would doubtless have laughed loudly at such a mistaken
compliment.

For as life on the whole appeared to him very simple and
straightforward, the idea that his friendship should in any way fetter
him was the last thing that could enter his head. That Charles was his
best friend seemed to him as entirely natural as that he himself danced
best, rode best, was the be