"I will say one thousand francs; that is, I will undertake it at a hundred, if you will get it put into a case of some sort."
The other officers now offered various objects, either for sale or transport--pictures, vases, clocks, and even pianos. Ralph haggled over the price of each article, in a way which would have done honor to his appearance. At last--having arranged all their matters--he said that he was going on to Bellevue; but would call and complete the purchases, and receive the goods entrusted to him, either that night or the next morning.
"If any of you gentleman would kindly give me your card, to give to the officer of the regiment at Bellevue, saying that you have found me fair in my dealing, I should feel very grateful," Ralph said, humbly.
The officer laughed, but one of them took out his card, and wrote upon it:
"Dear Von Koch, this man is--for a Hebrew--tolerably fair in his ideas."
"That is for the major of the regiment, at Bellevue," he said; and Ralph bowed, as if he had received a recommendation of the warmest kind.
"I was beginning to be alarmed, Ralph," Percy said, when his brother again took his place in the wagon.
"I have been haggling over prices," Ralph said. "Fortunately, we are not pressed for time."
They had another stop, of some duration, at Chaville; and it was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before they came down to the back of Bellevue. Here they were stopped and, upon Ralph producing his pass, an officer came up.
"You cannot go any farther," he said. "You are close to Bellevue, now; but if you were to take this wagon into the main road, you would draw Valerien's fire upon us, at once.