om I spoke to you." The apothecary, who was
a little old withered man, with a forehead about an inch high, a nose
turned up at the end, large cheek-bones that helped to form a pit for
his little gray eyes, a great bag of loose skin hanging down on each
side in wrinkles, like the alforjos of a baboon, and a mouth so much
accustomed to that contraction which produces grinning, that he could
not pronounce a syllable without discovering the remains of his teeth,
which consisted of four yellow fangs, not improperly, by anatomists,
called canine. This person, I say, after having eyed me some time,
said, "Oho, 'tis ver well, Monsieur Concordance; young man, you are
ver welcome, take one coup of bierre--and come to mine house to-morrow
morning; Monsieur Concordance vil show you de way." Upon this I made my
bow, and as I went out of the room could hear him say, "Ma foi! c'est un
beau garcon; c'est un gaillard."

As I had by my own application, while I served Crab, acquired the
French tongue well enough to read authors written in that language
and understand anything that occurred in conversation, I determined
to pretend ignorance to my new master, that he and his family, whom I
supposed to be of the same country, not being on the reserve before me,
I might possibly discover something in discourse, which would either
yield me amusement or advantage. Next morning Mr. Concordance carried me
to the apothecary's house, where the bargain was made, and orders given
to provide an apartment for me immediately. But before I entered upon
business the schoolmaster recommended me to his tailor, who gave me
credit for a suit of clothes, to be paid out of the first moiety of
my wages, and they were begun upon that very day; he afterwards
accommodated me with a new hat on the same term: so that in a few days
I hoped to make a very fashionable appearance. In the meantime, Strap
conveyed my baggage to the place allotted for me, which was a back room
up two pair of stairs, furnished with a pallet for me to lie upon, a
chair without a back, a bottle by way of candlestick, and a triangular
piece of glass instead of a mirror; the rest of its ornaments having
been lately removed to one of the garrets, for the convenience of the
servant of an Irish captain, who lodged in the first floor.

CHAPTER XIX

The character of Mr. Lavement, his wife and daughter--some anecdotes
of the family--the mother and daughter rivals--I am guilty of a mistake
tha