Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Alfred de Rosann. 31 desirous it should not be possessed by a stranger. The farmer was delighted at thus being enabled to dispose of that which to him was entirely useless, and a bargain was speedily concluded. The sum of five hundred francs was the price offered—and that of a thousand was immediately tendered; whereupon the overjoyed farmer hastened with the gentleman to Lyons, where they sought for a notary to draw up the necessary deed.—‘ You will probably do me the favour—for the sake of the honour of our family’—said the gentleman to the notary—‘ to represent in the deed that I have paid fifty thousand francs for the land, instead of a thousand; and your fees shall be reckoned in proportion ?’—‘ Certainly,’ replied the notary: and the document was drawn up accordingly. No sooner had the gentleman thus obtained possession of the ruins, than he hastened to Paris, called upon a money- lender, exhibited his title-deed, and demanded a loan on mortgage of thirty thousand francs. The money-lender wrote to the mortgage- office at Lyons to ascertain if any other sums had been raised upon the property 3 and receiving a satisfactory reply, he advanced the money forthwith. The time of payment arrived—no cash was of course forthcoming—and the money-lender hastened to Lyons to make good his title to the estate in the place of the late proprietor. His as- tonishment and wrath may be readily conceived when he found that he had given thirty thousand francs for a few old bricks standing on scarcely half an acre of Jand. He, however, succeeded in capturing the gentleman, who was foolish enough to return to Lyons for some purpose or another so soon as he had raised his money, and the Procureur du Roi was put in possession of the particulars of the case. The Gendarmes were then set to work—the gentleman was caught— and shortly afterwards a judge and jury politely requested him to accompany me and some fifty or sixty others in a little excursion to Toulon—an invitation which he could not possibly refuse.” ‘* Admirable!’’ exclaimed the convict, for whose benefit this anec- dote had been especially narrated; ‘‘ I think I have heard the story before; but it bears telling a second time. Vidocq—who, by the bye, is only innocent in his own book—relates nothing equal to it.”’ ‘“* Nothing,” coincided Belle-Rose; ‘‘it is the most ingenious and brilliant achievement recorded in the annals of French mistakes. I would sacrifice all my reputation, even if I were Vidocq himself, of whom you have just spoken, to be the author of so splendid a feat. An epic poem cannot ensure # more lasting renown than this exploit.” ‘‘T don’t know any thing about epic poems,” observed the convict with whom Belle-Rose was conversing; ‘‘ but this I do know, that I should have very much liked to have had the thirty thousand francs.” ‘You are not exceedingly difficult to please, my worthy friend,” exclaimed Belle-Rose.—‘ Poor fellow! I suppose he is still at Toulon, and I shouldn’t be at all surprised if he endeavoured to raise a mort- gage on his chains. He’s ingenious enough for any thing. Do you not think it was a most glorious trick, De Rosann?”’ demanded Belle- Rose, after a momentary pause, and turning abruptly round towards the unhappy Alfred, who was too much absorbed in his own woes, and too deeply disgusted at all that was passing around him, to wear a — countenance which invited conversation. COnicbooolks (GO)