“I am your debtor, sir, but a gentleman descended from the last Dukes of Lorraine cannot accept the offers of a stranger.”
“And from whom can you expect them here, if not from a stranger.”
“Permit me to inform you, sir, that no gentleman is reduced to humiliation who retains his sword.”
“To chastise the scoundrel who would insult me with his importunate pity, and then, rather than expose myself to repeated injury, thrust it through my own body.”
“You speak proudly; but acknowledge that you can do better than thus to insult God by disposing of the life of your fellow being and yourself. Are you sure there is no resource left you but suicide?”
“Better than that, Major Anspach; there is a treasure in your reach.”
“I am but an humble creature of God, major, whose consciousness of his fallibility has led him to pursue the useful conjoined to the good. But I have only discovered one resource that is alike beneficial to mind and body, to the one in this world, to the other in eternity.”
“And this thing,” said M. Anspach thoughtfully, “is labor?”
“Yes, sir, labor—man’s destiny since his creation.”
“Man—well, _you_ are right, for being no longer a baron I am but a man. But what is your motive in this conversation? You have catechised me for an hour, as if I recognized your right to annoy me. Remember, sir, I do not even know your name.”
“Oh, the devil! take care; you shall not give me the lie twice.”
“Well,” said the unknown, smiling, “I am going to commit the offence for the third time, in repeating that you cannot be ignorant of my name.”
“Faith, sir, if you think your name of any importance, I do not prevent your telling it to me.”
“It was my intention to have done so just now, when I offered you my hand and my services. My name is Franklin.”
“Franklin! Ah, sir, what have I done! Can you ever pardon me? I throw myself at your feet.”
Mr. Franklin raised the major, laughing till the tears came into his eyes, and telling him that it was not the great man he imagined, as that luminary had ceased to enlighten the world two years before, but for want of a better he, George Steward Zachariah Franklin, of the firm of Franklin & Son, of New York, was at his service, and ready to give proofs of his identity to his worthy friend M. Anspach. He further explained, that it was on the recommendation of Lafayette himself, that he had sought him out; the latter on leaving America having related the major’s situation and adventures to him, and commended him to his attention. He added that if the major would do him the honor to dine with him, he would have the pleasure of submitting some propositions to him worthy of consideration.