“You have found it more difficult, I fear, than you imagined, to make the empty sack stand upright. Considering that at least one third of those born to work cannot find it, why should I?”
Pisistratus.—“I am hard-hearted enough to believe that work never fails to those who seek it in good earnest. It was said of some man, famous for keeping his word, that ‘if he had promised you an acorn, and all the oaks in England failed to produce one, he would have sent to Norway for an acorn.’ If I wanted work, and there was none to be had in the Old World, I would find my way to the New. But to the point: I have found something for you, which I do not think your taste will oppose, and which may open to you the means of an honorable independence. But I cannot well explain it in the streets: where shall we go?”
Stranger (after some hesitation).—“I have a lodging near here which I need not blush to take you to,—I mean, that it is not among rogues and castaways.”
Pisistratus (much pleased, and taking the stranger’s arm).—“Come, then.”
Pisistratus and the stranger pass over Waterloo Bridge and pause before a small house of respectable appearance. Stranger admits them both with a latch-key, leads the way to the third story, strikes a light, and does the honors to a small chamber, clean and orderly. Pisistratus explains the task to be done, and opens the manuscript. The stranger draws his chair deliberately towards the light and runs his eye rapidly over the pages. Pisistratus trembles to see him pause before a long array of figures and calculations. Certainly it does not look inviting; but, pshaw! it is scarcely a part of the task, which limits itself to the mere correction of words.
Stranger (briefly).—“There must be a mistake here—stay!—I see—” (He turns back a few pages and corrects with rapid precision an error in a somewhat complicated and abstruse calculation.)
Pisistratus (surprised).—“You seem a notable arithmetician.”
Stranger.—“Did I not tell you that I was skilful in all games of mingled skill and chance? It requires an arithmetical head for that: a first-rate card-player is a financier spoilt. I am certain that you never could find a man fortunate on the turf or at the gaining-table who had not an excellent head for figures. Well, this French is good enough, apparently; there are but a few idioms, here and there, that, strictly speaking, are more English than French. But the whole is a work scarce worth paying for!”
Pisistratus.—“The work of the head fetches a price not proportioned to the quantity, but the quality. When shall I call for this?”
Stranger.—“To-morrow.” (And he puts the manuscript away in a drawer.)