IN WHICH BUTTONS WRITES A LETTER; AND IN WHICH THE CLUB LOSES AN
IMPORTANT MEMBER.--SMALL BY DEGREES AND BEAUTIFULLY LESS.
But all things, however pleasant, must have an end, so their
stay in Milan soon approached its termination.
Buttons and the Senator were both quite willing to leave. The
departure of the Spaniards had taken away the charm of Milan. They
had already returned to Spain, and had urged Buttons very strongly
to accompany them. It cost him a great struggle to decline, but he
did so from certain conscientious motives, and promised to do so
after going to Paris. So there was an agonizing separation, and all
that. At his room Buttons unbosomed himself to his friends.
"I'll begin at the beginning," said he, directing his remarks more
particularly to the Senator.
"My father is a rich man, though you may not think I live very much
like a rich man's son. The fact is, he is dreadfully afraid that I
will turn out a spendthrift. So he gave me only a moderate sum on
which to travel on through Europe. So far I have succeeded very
well. Excuse my blushes while I make the sweet confession. The
Señorita whom we all admire will, some of these days, I trust,
exchange the musical name of Francia for the plainer one of
Buttons."
The Senator smiled with mild and paternal approbation, and shook
Buttons by the hand.
"It's all arranged," continued Buttons, with sweet confusion. "Now,
under the circumstances, you might think it natural that I should go
back with them to Spain."
"I should certainly. Why don't you?"
"For two reasons. The first is, I have barely enough tin left to
take me to Paris."
At once both the Senator and Dick offered to make unlimited advances.
Buttons made a deprecatory gesture.
"I know well that I could look to you for any help in any way. But
that is not the reason why I don't go to Spain. I have money enough
for my wants if I don't go there."
"What is the real reason, then?"
"Well, I thought that in an affair of this kind it would be just as
well to get the Governor's concurrence, and so I thought I'd drop a
line to him. I've just got the letter written, and I'll put it in
the mail this evening."
"You have done right, my boy," said the Senator, paternally. "There
are many excellent reasons for getting your father's consent in an
affair like this."
"I don't mind reading you what I have written," said Buttons, "if
you care about hearing it."
"Oh, if you have no objection, we should like to hear very much,"
said Dick.
Whereupon Buttons, taking a letter from his pocket, read as follows:
"DEAR FATHER,--I have endeavored to follow out your instructions and
be as economical as possible.
"During my tour through Italy, have made the acquaintance of the
senior member of the house of Francia, in Cadiz, a gentleman with
whom you are acquainted. He was travelling with his two sisters.
The younger one is very amiable. As I know you would like to see me
settled I have requested her hand in marriage.
"As I wish to be married before my return I thought I would let you
know. Of course in allying myself to a member of so wealthy a family
I will need to do it in good style. Whatever you can send me will
therefore be quite acceptable.
"Please reply immediately on receipt of this, addressing me at Paris
as before.
"And very much oblige E. BUTTONS."
"Well," said the Senator, "that's a sensible letter. It's to the
point. I'm glad to see that you are not so foolish as most lads in
your situation. Why should not a man talk as wisely about a
partnership of this kind as of any other? I do declare that these
rhapsodies, this highblown, high-flown, sentimental twaddle is
nauseating."
"You see, Dick," said Buttons, "I must write a letter which will
have weight with the old gentleman. He likes the terse business
style. I think that little hint about her fortune is well managed
too. That's a great deal better than boring him with the state of
my affections. Isn't it?"
"There's nothing like adapting your style to the disposition of
the person you address," said Dick.
"Well," said the Senator, "you propose to start to-morrow, do you?"
"Yes," said Buttons.
"I'm agreed then I was just beginning to get used up myself. I'm an
active man, and when I've squeezed all the juice out of a place I
want to throw it away and go to another. What do you say, Dick? You
are silent."
"Well, to tell the truth," said Dick, "I don't care about leaving
just yet. Gonfaloniere expects me to stay longer, and he would feel
hurt if I hurried off, I am very sorry that you are both going. It
would be capital if you could only wait here a month or so."
"A month!" cried Buttons. "I couldn't stand it another day. Will
nothing induce you to come? What can we do without you?"
"What can I do without you?" said Dick, with some emotion.
"Well, Dick," said the Senator, "I'm really pained. I feel something
like a sense of bereavement at the very idea. I thought, of course,
we would keep together till our feet touched the sacred soil once
more. But Heaven seems to have ordained it otherwise. I felt bad
when Figgs and the Doctor left us at Florence, but now I feel worse
by a long chalk. Can't you manage to come along nohow?"
"No," said Dick. "I really can not. I really must stay."
"What! must!"
"Yes, must!"
The Senator sighed.