| Transcript |
- 278 REMINISCENCES OF OLD VICTORIA
Barclay and I reached our quarters at the Hotel de France about midnight. We were a pair of thoroughly happy mortals, for had we not, after all, " dined out," and had we not had a royal good time on Christmas Day, 1860?
The morrow was Boxing Day and none of the offices were opened. I saw nothing of the Princess; but I observed Bertie, the sweet " child," as he paid frequent visits to the bar and filled himself to the throttle with brandy and water and rum and gin and bought and paid for and smoked the best cigars at two bits each. As I gazed upon him the desire to give him a kicking grew stronger.
By appointment Barclay and I met in a private room at the hotel, where he unfolded his plans.
" You must have seen," he began, " that Miss Forbes and I are warm friends. Our friendship began six months ago. I proposed to her and was accepted subject to the approval of the father. He refused to give his consent because, having lost his money, he could not give his daughter a dowry. It was in vain I urged that I had sufficient for both. He would listen to nothing that involved an acceptance of assistance from me, and he left for Vancouver Island to try his fortunes here. He fell ill and they have sold or pawned every-thing of value. The girl was not permitted to bid me good-bye when they left Grass Valley. After their departure the discovery of which I have informed you was made in the Maloney tunnel and as Mr. Forbes has held on to a control of the stock in spite of his adversities, he is now a rich man. I want to marry the girl. As I told you, I proposed when I believed them to be ruined. It is now my duty to acquaint the family with their good fortune and renew my suit. I
CHRISTMAS DINNER IN VICTORIA 279
think I ought to do it to-day. Surely he will not repel me now when I take that news to him, as he did on Christmas morning when I tendered him a loan."
I told him I thought he should impart the good news at once and stand the consequences. He left me for that purpose. As I walked into the dining-room, I saw the dear " child " Bertrand leaning over the bar quaffing a glass of absinthe. When he saw me he gulped down the drink and said :
" Mamma would like to speak to you?she thought you would have called."
I recalled the adventure with the eyes and hesitated. Then I decided to go to room 12 on the second flat and see the thing out. A knock on the door was responded to by a sweet " Come in." Mme. Fabre was seated in an easy chair before a cheerful coal fire.
She arose at once and extended a plump and white hand. As we seated ourselves she flashed those burning eyes upon me and said :
" I am so glad you have come ! I do want your advice about my mining venture. In the first place I may tell you that I have found the man who owns the shares. He is here in Victoria with his family. He is desperately poor. A hundred dollars if offered would be a great temptation. I would give more?five hundred if necessary."
" The property you told me of the other day is valuable, is it not?" I asked.
" Yes?that is to say, we think it is. You know that mining is the most uncertain of all ventures. You may imagine you are rich one day and the next you find yourself broke. It was so with my husband. He came home one day and said, ` We are rich'; and the next he said, ` We are poor.' This Maloney mine looks well, but
|
|---|
