"Misses Itchlin--Mistoo Itchlin,"--he shook his head and smiled skeptically,--"you think you kin admiah Doctah Seveeah mo' than me? 'Tis uzeless to attempt. 'With all 'is fault I love 'im still.'" Richling and his wife both spoke at once. "But John and I," exclaimed Mary, electrically, "love him, faults and all!" She looked from husband to visitor, and from visitor to husband, and laughed and laughed, pushing her small feet back and forth alternately and softly clapping her hands. Narcisse felt her in the centre of his heart. He laughed. John laughed. "What I mean, Mistoo Itchlin," resumed Narcisse, preferring to avoid Mary's aroused eye,--"what I mean--Doctah Seveeah don't un'stan' that kine of business co'ectly. Still, ad the same time, if I was you I know I would 'ate faw my money not to be makin' me some inte'es'. I tell you what I would do with you, Mistoo Itchlin, in fact: I kin baw' that fifty dollah f'om you myseff." Richling repressed a smile. "Thank you! But I don't care to invest it." "Pay you ten pe' cent. a month." "But we can't spare it," said Richling, smiling toward Mary. "We may need part of it ourselves." "I tell you, 'eally, Mistoo Itchlin, I nevveh baw' money; but it juz 'appen I kin use that juz at the pwesent." "Why, John," said Mary, "I think you might as well say plainly that the money is borrowed money." "That's what it is," responded Richling, and rose to spread the street-door wider open, for the daylight was fading. "Well, I 'ope you'll egscuse that libbetty," said Narcisse, rising a little more tardily, and slower. "I muz baw' fawty dollah--some place. Give you good secu'ty--give you my note, Mistoo Itchlin, in fact; muz baw fawty--aw thutty-five." "Why, I'm very sorry," responded Richling, really ashamed that he could not hold his face straight. "I hope you understand"-- "Mistoo Itchlin, 'tis baw'd money. If you had a necessity faw it you would use it. If a fwend 'ave a necessity--'tis anotheh thing--you don't feel that libbetty--you ah 'ight--I honoh you"-- "I _don't_ feel the same liberty." "Mistoo Itchlin," said Narcisse, with noble generosity, throwing himself a half step forward, "if it was yoze you'd baw' it to me in a minnit!" He smiled with benign delight. "Well, madame,--I bid you good evening, Misses Itchlin. The bes' of fwen's muz pawt, you know." He turned again to Richling with a face all beauty and a form all grace. "I was juz sitting--mistfully--all at once I says to myseff, 'Faw distwaction I'll go an' see Mistoo Itchlin.' I don't _know_ 'ow I juz 'appen'!-- Well, _au 'evo'_, Mistoo Itchlin." Richling followed him out upon the door-step. There Narcisse intimated that even twenty dollars for a few days would supply a stern want. And when Richling was compelled again to refuse, Narcisse solicited his company as far as the next corner. There the Creole covered him with shame by forcing him to refuse the loan of ten dollars, and then of five.