Sons of the Soil by Honoré de Balzac
page 64 of 428 (14%)
page 64 of 428 (14%)
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a raised round spot which clearly defined a second five-franc piece.
"Having become a capitalist I drink your health," said Pere Fourchon. "If you choose to be a capitalist you can be," said Tonsard; "you have the means, you have! But the devil has bored a hole in the back of your head through which everything runs out." "Hey! I only played the otter trick on that young fellow they have got at Les Aigues. He's from Paris. That's all there is to it." "If crowds of people would come to see the sources of the Avonne, you'd be rich, Grandpa Fourchon," said Marie. "Yes," he said, drinking the last glassful the bottle contained, "and I've played the sham otter so long, the live otters have got angry, and one of them came right between my legs to-day; Mouche caught it, and I am to get twenty francs for it." "I'll bet your otter is made of tow," said Tonsard, looking slyly at his father-in-law. "If you will give me a pair of trousers, a waistcoat, and some list braces, so as not to disgrace Vermichel on the music stand at Tivoli (for old Socquard is always scolding about my clothes), I'll let you keep that money, my daughter; your idea is a good one. I can squeeze that rich young fellow at Les Aigues; may be he'll take to otters." "Go and get another bottle," said Tonsard to his daughter. "If your father really had an otter, he would show it to us," he added, |
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