“Oh, you’ll have it. All I fear is that your father or mother may give it you on purpose to pay me, and not let you save it out of your usual pocket-money. But I will see them or write to them about that. Remember, my dear boy, that an action is only really noble when it requires self-sacrifice of some sort.”
My little readers may imagine with what eagerness Maurice accepted this proposition. Adrienne at first was very angry, and sulked and pouted for a few minutes; then seeing some young friends come into the gardens, she ran off to play with them, and seemed to forget the horse very soon.
The gentleman tore out a leaf from his pocket-book, and wrote on it in pencil a formal acknowledgment of his having received the wooden horse in pledge for a loan of one hundred francs; the horse to be restored within six months on repayment of the money. He signed his name to the paper, and handed it to Maurice.
HE WENT AWAY, LEADING CRESSIDA BY THE BRIDLE.
On reading it, Maurice was surprised to see the name of Duberger. He recognised it as the name of one of the most distinguished members of the Academy of sciences; a name of European celebrity. The little boy looked up at his new friend with an expression of curiosity and admiration, at which the latter seemed both amused and pleased.
Mr. Duberger at that time was not really old—at least not old for a philosopher and man of science. He looked old because his long hair was grey, his figure was stooping, and his dress neglected. But, for all that, his appearance was calculated to inspire respect and sympathy, while his face wore an expression at once of goodness and intelligence. He embraced Maurice, bidding him tell his father and mother all that had happened; he went away leading Cressida by the bridle, and leaving Maurice to give the two hundred francs to the poor woman himself.
Thus at last Maurice and his horse were parted, though after all he was not breaking his promise to Fritz. He had resisted the temptation of exchanging Cressida for Eusèbe’s pretty goat—the gentle, graceful Jeanne. He had resisted persuasions, entreaties, and the offer of many a beautiful toy. Even when his uncle, by way of trying him, pretended that he wished to have the little mechanical horse to amuse him on board ship, Maurice had remembered, and still kept, his promise. Now, he parted with Cressida for the sake of helping a poor family in distress; and Fritz had expressly said that for such an object only Maurice might sell the horse. Besides, was he not to have the horse again in six months?
When he presented the money to the poor woman, she showed some confusion at receiving so large a sum from the hands of a child. Maurice explained to the little girl, who acted as interpreter, that he was not their only benefactor.
“Duberger! Maurice de Roisel!” the poor little girl repeated several times; then continued, “I will teach my brothers to say those two names; we will never forget them; they will be as dear to us as the names of our own father and mother. Our name is Kirchner: our father is Leopold Kirchner, formerly of Nuremburg, where he was a blacksmith well known throughout the city for his skill. Now he is rich, and a proprietor of land in the United States of America, a country beyond the seas a long way from here.”