Several weeks passed, and Auguste finally met his friend, who said to him:
“I have spoken to my uncle; you can go to see him—I believe that he has a vacant place.”
The next morning Auguste called upon the gentleman referred to. He entered the office and in due time reached the sanctum of Eugene’s uncle, who was seated at his desk writing, and, without looking up, motioned to Auguste to wait.
Auguste, receiving no invitation to be seated, began by taking a chair and stretched out his legs, already looking with disfavor upon the gentleman who was not courteous enough to offer him a seat.
Five minutes passed and still the banker wrote on. Auguste, losing patience, said at last:
“Monsieur, I came here to apply for employment; Eugène must have told you——”
“One moment—I will be at your service directly, monsieur; I am very busy.”
Five minutes more passed, and Auguste said to himself:
“The devil! I chose my time very badly. Is the man going to write like this for an hour? His business must be very important!”
But, after five minutes more, another person entered the office and went up to the gentleman who was writing.