de Breulh-
Faverlay. This excellent speculation had put him in such good
humor that he had been unable to resist the temptation of
purchasing a beautiful saddle-horse, which they let him have for a
hundred louis. He had not been foolish, for he was sure that he
could sell the animal again at an advance of a thousand francs
whenever he wished to do so. "So," remarked his friend, "if you
bought such a horse every day, you would make three hundred and
sixty-five thousand francs a year."
Was this only a jest--one of those witticisms which people who
boast of wonderful bargains must expect to parry, or had the
remark a more serious meaning? Marguerite could not determine.
One thing is certain, the General did not lose his temper, but
gayly continued his account of the way in which he had spent his
time. Having purchased the horses, his next task was to find a
carriage, and he had heard of a barouche which a Russian prince
had ordered but didn't take, so that the builder was willing to
sell it at less than cost price; and to recoup this worthy man,
the General had purchased a brougham as well. He had, moreover,
hired stabling in the Rue Pigalle, only a few steps from the
house, and he expected a coachman and a groom the following
morning.
"And all this will cost us less than the miserable vehicle we have
been hiring by the year," observed Madame de Fondege, gravely.
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