said he in his most insinuating tones, "it is true
I am neither a lawyer, a doctor, nor a priest. I am an old friend,
a very old friend of your excellent master; I have come to see good
Monsieur Bonelle in his present affliction."

Marguerite did not answer, but allowed him to enter, and closed the
door behind him. He was going to pass from the narrow and gloomy
ante-chamber into an inner room--whence now proceeded a sound of loud
coughing--when the old woman laid her hand on his arm, and raising
herself on tip-toe, to reach his ear, whispered:

"For Heaven's sake, sir, since you are his friend, do talk to him:
do tell him to make his will, and hint something about a soul to be
saved, and all that sort of thing: do, sir!"

Monsieur Ramin nodded and winked in a way that said "I will." He
proved however his prudence by not speaking aloud; for a voice from
within sharply exclaimed,

"Marguerite, you are talking to some one! Marguerite! I will see
neither doctor nor lawyer; and if any meddling priest dare--"

"It is only an old friend, sir;" interrupted Marguerite, opening the
inner door.

Her master, on looking up, perceived the red face of Monsieur Ramin
peeping over the old woman's shoulder, and irefully cried out:

"How dare you bring that fellow here? And you, sir, how dare you
come?"

"My good old friend, there are feelings," said Ramin, spreading his
fingers over the left pocket of his waistcoat--"there are feelings,"
he repeated, "that cannot be subdued. One such feeling brought me
here. The fact is, I am a good-natured easy fellow, and I never
bear malice. I never forget an old friend, but love to forget old
differences when I find one party in affliction."

He drew a chair forward as he spoke, and composedly seated himself
opposite to his late master.

Monsieur Bonelle was a thin old man, with a pale sharp face and keen
features. At first he eyed his visitor from the depths of his vast
arm-chair; but, as if not, satisfied with this distant view, he bent
forward, and laying both hands on his thin knees, he looked up into
Ramin's face with a fixed and piercing gaze. He had not, however, the
power of disconcerting his guest.

"What did you come here for?" he at length asked.

"Merely to have the extreme satisfaction of seeing how you are, my
good old friend. Nothing more."

"Well, look at me--and then go."

Nothing could be so discouraging: but this was an Excellent
Opportunity, and when Monsieur R