Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 175: what you’re looking at

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146 ALFRED; OR ADVENTURES ‘¢ Patience, my dear friend—patience!” cried the banker. ‘¢ Have you reflected that this Count d’Elsigny may leave the country, sell the papers with the chance of procuring any thing through their agency to some Jew, or destroy them in a fit of disappointment and rage?” said our hero. ‘¢T have considered the matter much more maturely than you think,” returned Mr. Robson; ‘‘ and the result of my delibera- tions makes me perfectly easy on all those points; because it stands to reason, my young friend, that the Count will visit me again, and that he will prefer entrusting me with the papers to resigning all hope of recovering a farthing at my hands.” ‘+ That is true,’ said De Rosann: *‘ and he may have postponed. this visit for a few days in order to see how I shall act in the mean time; for he knows that I am in London.” ‘There is then a sufficient explanation of his conduct,” cried the banker, with a smile of satisfaction. ‘‘ Do not be alarmed, — we will bring the rogue to reason; and I again repeat, let us have a little patience for the moment. Should your funds run low, and should you not choose to draw upon Paris, you know where to come fora supply; I shall feel proud to be your banker as well as your friend.” Alfred returned his most sincere thanks for this generous offer, the full extent of which he duly appreciated ; and having paid his respects to Mrs. and the Misses Robson, he withdrew to his hotel. CHAPTER XXI. BELLE-ROSE. Mr. Rosson prophesied traly. In a few days Belle-Rose—for we shall still continue to call him by his proper name—paid another visit to the banker, and inquired if he had thought any further upon the important question connected with the papers. ‘¢T can only repeat my former words,” cried the man of busi- ness: ‘*do you possess any document authorising you to receive the property of the late Marquis de Denneville, which is deposited in my hands, either as his heir or in behalf of his heirs?” ‘‘ No, I cannot say that I do,” answered Belle-Rose. ‘‘ Then how can you expect me to surrender into your hands a fortune, which, if unclaimed, necessarily devolves te me, like any other deposit forgotten, or unasked for?’ ‘‘T merely sought information,” cried Belle-Rose, somewhat embarrassed how to act; simce he now saw very plainly that the papers in his hands would be productive of no extraordinary benefit to himself. ‘¢ Do you know the names of the real heirs, if you be not your self the rightful owner of the money ?” asked Mr. Robson, desirous of obtaining an insight into the views of the sot-dis7nt Count. EOMNIIE KOOKS (E(@) m