 | WANT OF CONFIDENCE. The little Frenchman and his water lots, with other sketches of the times |  |
WANT OF CONFIDENCE.
A little Frenchman loaned a merchant five thousand
dollars when the times were good. He called
at the counting-house a few days since, in a state of
agitation not easily described.
“How do you do?” inquired the merchant.
“Sick—ver sick,” replied monsieur.
“What's the matter?”
“De times is de matter.”
“Detimes?—what disease is that?”
“De malaide vat break all de marchants, ver
much.”
“Ah—the times, eh?—well, they are bad, very
bad, sure enough; but how do they affect you?”
“Vy, monsieur, I lose de confidance.”
“In whom?”
“In everybody.”
“Not in me, I hope?”
“Pardonnez moi, monsieur; but I do not know
several times, all to pieces.”
“Then I presume you want your money?”
“Oui, monsieur, I starve for want of l'argent.”
“Can't you do without it?”
“No, monsieur, I must have him.”
“You must?”
“Oui, monsieur,” said little dimity breeches,
turning pale with apprehension for the safety of his
money.
“And you can't do without it?”
“No, monsieur, not von other leetle moment
longare.”
The merchant reached his bank book—drew a
check on the good old Chemical for the amount, and
handed it to his visiter.
“Vat is dis, monsieur?”
“A check for five thousand dollars, with the interest.”
“Is it bon?” said the Frenchman, with amazement.
“Certainly.”
“Have you de l'argent in de bank?”
“Yes.”
“And it is parfaitement convenient to pay de
sum?”
“Undoubtedly. What astonishes you?”
“Vy, dat you have got him in dees times.”
“Oh, yes, and I have plenty more. I owe nothing
that I cannot pay at a moment's notice.”
The Frenchman was perplexed.
“Monsieur, you shall do me one leetle favour, eh?”
“With all my heart.”
“Vell, monsieur, you shall keep de l'argent for me
some leetle year longer.”
“Why, I thought you wanted it.”
“Tout au contraire. I no vant de l'argent—I vant
de grand confidance. Suppose you no got de money,
den I vant him ver much—suppose you got him, den
I no vant him at all. Vous comprenez, eh?”
After some further conference, the little Frenchman
prevailed upon the merchant to retain the money,
and left the counting-house with a light heart
and a countenance very different from the one he
wore when he entered. His confidence was restored,
and although he did not stand in need of
the money, he wished to know that his property was
in safe hands.
This little sketch has a moral, if the reader has
sagacity enough to find it out.
| WANT OF CONFIDENCE. The little Frenchman and his water lots, with other sketches of the times | |