In the afternoon the German and Bonaparte sat before the door of the cabin.
Both smoked in complete silence--Bonaparte with a book in his hands and his
eyes half closed; the German puffing vigorously, and glancing up now and
again at the serene blue sky overhead.
"Supposing--you--you, in fact, made the remark to me," burst forth the
German suddenly, "that you were looking for a situation."
Bonaparte opened his mouth wide, and sent a stream of smoke through his
lips.
"Now supposing," said the German--"merely supposing, of course--that some
one, some one, in fact, should make an offer to you, say, to become
schoolmaster on their farm and teach two children, two little girls,
perhaps, and would give you forty pounds a year, would you accept it? Just
supposing, of course."
"Well, my dear friend," said Bonaparte, "that would depend on
circumstances. Money is no consideration with me. For my wife I have made
provision for the next year. My health is broken. Could I meet a place
where a gentleman would be treated as a gentleman I would accept it,
however small the remuneration. With me," said Bonaparte, "money is no
consideration."
"Well," said the German, when he had taken a whiff or two more from his
pipe, "I think I shall go up and see Tant Sannie a little. I go up often
on Sunday afternoon to have a general conversation, to see her, you know.
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