“No, sir, I don't think we do.”
“Well, business will be brisker by and by. I think you can find a little for this young man to do in the meantime. He can go to the post office, and I believe I have a little extra writing to be done. Pass him a pen, and let him give us a specimen of his handwriting.”
Fortunately, Herbert was a handsome writer, and this went a considerable way in his favor.
“Very neat,” said the merchant. “By the way, Herbert, I suppose, of course, you know nothing of French?”
“Yes, sir, I can read it pretty well.”
“Indeed!” said Mr. Godfrey, surprised. “Then you can be of service to me, that is, if you know it well enough. I received, this morning, a letter from a silk house at Lyons, a part of which I don't quite understand. The fact is, my French is rather poor. Do you think you could help me translate it?”
“If you will show me the letter, I will try, sir.”
The merchant took a letter from the table before him and handed it to Herbert.
Our hero ran his eye rapidly over it, and then rendered it into English in a clear and grammatical way.
“Bless me, you're quite a scholar,” said Mr. Godfrey. “I understand now. You've made it all plain. Where did you learn so much French?”