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Article THE LUCKY INHERITANCE. ← Page 2 of 19 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lucky Inheritance.
appetite aAVokc within me , and relinquishing my seat , I descended in search of breakfast . I shall not enumerate the dishes that were set before me , lest it excite present hunger ; but I am bound to mention one , —the last that Aras brought ; it Avas a dish of quails , delicately AATapped up in vine-leaves , in which envelope they had been roasted , the crispness of each
leaf attesting the service it had rendered in preserving all tlie juices of the delicious little birds , Avhich one could never have the heart to kill if one did not ahvays long to eat them . I Avas not breakfasting alone in the cabin . At a small table exactly opposite to me sat another traveller similarly occupied , —that is to sayeating his breakfastbut more frugally ; for he
, , had simply ordered coffee and a pistolet , Avhereas I had given the Avaiter carte blanche . He was an odd-looking little man , Avith a Avizened face and small , black , sparkling eyes ; and he wore ' a very large fur cap Avith an immense peak that projected horizontally , and threAv half his face into shadoAv . Pleasantly , and I may say steadilyas I Avas occupied with my mealI
, , could not help noticing that the eyes beneath the large peak Avere constantly directed towards me , as if their OAvner took more interest in my proceedings than in his OAvn . This might Avell be , for it seemed to me very poor work , moistening a dry chip of a roll , nearly as long as a flute , in order to make it eatable . HoAvever , the gentleman in the hairy cap AA ent on
munching his pistolet Avith infinite content until my quails Avere brought in . Then he paused , his little black eyes twinkled more brightly than ever , aud addressing the -waiter , he said , " Ah ! so the quails are in !" " Yes , sir , " Avas the reply , "but they are scarce ; these tAvo , " pointing to the dish as he set it on the table , " are all Ave had . "
" Triable ! " exclaimed the little wizen-faced man , Avith an air of vexation . I hope I shall obtain some credit for self-denial Avhen I say that , on hearing this exclamation , I at once made up my mind to a great sacrifice . '' You are very fond of quails , sir , " I inquired of my fellow traveller .
" At this season of the year , " said he , " they are to me everything !" " In that case , " I observed , " permit me to offer you one of these ; they are very fine . " " You are too good , " he said ; " I thank you infinitely , —but , " he smiled , after a melancholy sort of fashion , " Avhat could I do with it noAV ?" " Eat it , " I returned , rather surprised at the question .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Lucky Inheritance.
appetite aAVokc within me , and relinquishing my seat , I descended in search of breakfast . I shall not enumerate the dishes that were set before me , lest it excite present hunger ; but I am bound to mention one , —the last that Aras brought ; it Avas a dish of quails , delicately AATapped up in vine-leaves , in which envelope they had been roasted , the crispness of each
leaf attesting the service it had rendered in preserving all tlie juices of the delicious little birds , Avhich one could never have the heart to kill if one did not ahvays long to eat them . I Avas not breakfasting alone in the cabin . At a small table exactly opposite to me sat another traveller similarly occupied , —that is to sayeating his breakfastbut more frugally ; for he
, , had simply ordered coffee and a pistolet , Avhereas I had given the Avaiter carte blanche . He was an odd-looking little man , Avith a Avizened face and small , black , sparkling eyes ; and he wore ' a very large fur cap Avith an immense peak that projected horizontally , and threAv half his face into shadoAv . Pleasantly , and I may say steadilyas I Avas occupied with my mealI
, , could not help noticing that the eyes beneath the large peak Avere constantly directed towards me , as if their OAvner took more interest in my proceedings than in his OAvn . This might Avell be , for it seemed to me very poor work , moistening a dry chip of a roll , nearly as long as a flute , in order to make it eatable . HoAvever , the gentleman in the hairy cap AA ent on
munching his pistolet Avith infinite content until my quails Avere brought in . Then he paused , his little black eyes twinkled more brightly than ever , aud addressing the -waiter , he said , " Ah ! so the quails are in !" " Yes , sir , " Avas the reply , "but they are scarce ; these tAvo , " pointing to the dish as he set it on the table , " are all Ave had . "
" Triable ! " exclaimed the little wizen-faced man , Avith an air of vexation . I hope I shall obtain some credit for self-denial Avhen I say that , on hearing this exclamation , I at once made up my mind to a great sacrifice . '' You are very fond of quails , sir , " I inquired of my fellow traveller .
" At this season of the year , " said he , " they are to me everything !" " In that case , " I observed , " permit me to offer you one of these ; they are very fine . " " You are too good , " he said ; " I thank you infinitely , —but , " he smiled , after a melancholy sort of fashion , " Avhat could I do with it noAV ?" " Eat it , " I returned , rather surprised at the question .