immediately converted them into an available asset. Then, after dinner,
on the pretext of business, he questioned the father and son upon their
mode of living; and the father and son, previously informed that it was
through Danglars the one was to receive his 48,000 francs and the other
50,000 livres annually, were so full of affability that they would
have shaken hands even with the banker's servants, so much did their
gratitude need an object to expend itself upon. One thing above all the
rest heightened the respect, nay almost the veneration, of Danglars
for Cavalcanti. The latter, faithful to the principle of Horace, nil
admirari, had contented himself with showing his knowledge by declaring
in what lake the best lampreys were caught. Then he had eaten some
without saying a word more; Danglars, therefore, concluded that such
luxuries were common at the table of the illustrious descendant of
the Cavalcanti, who most likely in Lucca fed upon trout brought from
Switzerland, and lobsters sent from England, by the same means used by
the count to bring the lampreys from Lake Fusaro, and the sterlet from
the Volga. Thus it was with much politeness of manner that he heard
Cavalcanti pronounce these words, "To-morrow, sir, I shall have the
honor of waiting upon you on business."

"And I, sir," said Danglars, "shall be most happy to receive you." Upon
which he offered to take Cavalcanti in his carriage to the Hotel des
Princes, if it would not be depriving him of the company of his son. To
this Cavalcanti replied by saying that for some time past his son had
lived independently of him, that he had his own horses and carriages,
and that not having come together, it would not be difficult for them
to leave separately. The major seated himself, therefore, by the side
of Danglars, who was more and more charmed with the ideas of order and
economy which ruled this man, and yet who, being able to allow his son
60,000 francs a year, might be supposed to possess a fortune of 500,000
or 600,000 livres.

As for Andrea, he began, by way of showing off, to scold his groom, who,
instead of bringing the tilbury to the steps of the house, had taken it
to the outer door, thus giving him the trouble of walking thirty steps
to reach it. The groom heard him with humility, took the bit of the
impatient animal with his left hand, and with the right held out the
reins to Andrea, who, taking them from him, rested his polished boot
lightly on the