"But," I said, returning to the subject of the advertisement, "what do
you intend doing about this? You see, it speaks of _something to your
advantage_?"
"_Not_ much, I fancy. I think I know all about it. It is a question of
a thousand pounds, which my father promised to leave me at his death.
It was so stated in his will--that will--" Here a bitter expression came
quickly over his features. "Well," he continued, his countenance as
suddenly clearing again, "I ought rather to rejoice at it, though it did
disinherit me. But for that, signore," he said, forgetting that he was
talking to a countryman, "I might never have seen my dear Lucetta; and I
think you will say, that never to have seen her would be the greatest
misfortune a man could have."
It was an odd appeal to me--a stranger; but I could not help responding
to it.
He would have gone on conversing upon this pleasant theme; but the time
was drawing nigh for us to join the ladies--Lucetta herself being one;
and I re-directed his attention to the subject that had taken us apart.
"Even a thousand pounds," I said, "it is worth looking after."
"Quite true," he replied, "and I had several times thoughts of doing
so--that is, lately. At first, I was too angry with all that had
happened at home; and had made up my mind to refuse even the paltry
pittance that had been left for me. But to tell the truth, I have not
made much money here; and I begin to feel myself rather a pensioner upon
my worthy father-in-law. With a thousand pounds of my own money, I
should stand a little higher in my own estimation."
"What will you do then? Come with me to England and get it?"
"Not for ten thousand! No; I wouldn't leave this happy home, and
forsake my free South American life, for ten times the amount! It will
not be necessary to go to England. If there be a thousand pounds lying
for me in the hands of Messrs. Lawson and Son, which I suppose there is,
I must extract it from them by a lawyer's letter or something of the
sort. By the way, you are soon going home, are you not?"
"I intend taking this next steamer for England."
"Well then, why--But I am asking too much. You have your own affairs to
attend to."
"My affairs are not so very onerous. I can find time to attend to any
business you may choose to entrust me with; if you will only allow me to
consider as my commission the hospitality, for which I feel myself your
debtor."
"Oh, don't talk of hospitality! Besides, it is not mine. It was
Lucetta who first received you. If I'd been at home myself, seeing you
were an Englishman, I should, perhaps, have lent you a horse and let you
ride on. And, being myself an Englishman, in all likelihood I should
have jockeyed you out of that fine steed of yours, and given you a screw
in exchange! Ha! ha! ha!"
I joined him in the laugh, well knowing that his sardonism was but
slightly felt.
"But to be serious," he continued; "you can do me this service, better
than any scamp of a lawyer! Go to Mr Lawson, of Lincoln's Inn Fields--
I know something of the old fellow, and his son, too. They are not a
bad sort--that is, for solicitors. If there be money left for me, in
their hands, I shall likely get it. Let me give you a letter to receive
it, and you can send it to some bank in Buenos Ayres. Then it may reach
me through the bank agency at Rosario. You can do this for me, and
will?"
"With pleasure."
"Enough! The ladies are longing for us to rejoin them. You are fond of
the guitar, I believe. I hear Lucetta tuning the strings. Luigi can
sing like a second Mario; and the _senorita_, as he calls his South
American wife, is a perfect nightingale. Hear! They are calling for
us! Come!"
It needed no pressing on his part. I was but too eager to respond to
the silvery voices commanding our presence in the adjoining apartment.