the model millionaire-第2章

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capital；　dines　off　gold　plate；　and　can　prevent　Russia　going　to　war

when　he　chooses。'



'What　on　earth　do　you　mean？'　exclaimed　Hughie。



'What　I　say；'　said　Trevor。　　'The　old　man　you　saw　to…day　in　the

studio　was　Baron　Hausberg。　　He　is　a　great　friend　of　mine；　buys　all

my　pictures　and　that　sort　of　thing；　and　gave　me　a　commission　a

month　ago　to　paint　him　as　a　beggar。　　QUE　VOULEZ…VOUS？　　LA　FANTAISIE

D'UN　MILLIONNAIRE！　　And　I　must　say　he　made　a　magnificent　figure　in

his　rags；　or　perhaps　I　should　say　in　my　rags；　they　are　an　old　suit

I　got　in　Spain。'



'Baron　Hausberg！'　cried　Hughie。　　'Good　heavens！　　I　gave　him　a

sovereign！'　and　he　sank　into　an　armchair　the　picture　of　dismay。



'Gave　him　a　sovereign！'　shouted　Trevor；　and　he　burst　into　a　roar　of

laughter。　　'My　dear　boy；　you'll　never　see　it　again。　　SON　AFFAIRE

C'EST　L'ARGENT　DES　AUTRES。'



'I　think　you　might　have　told　me；　Alan；'　said　Hughie　sulkily；　'and

not　have　let　me　make　such　a　fool　of　myself。'



'Well；　to　begin　with；　Hughie；'　said　Trevor；　'it　never　entered　my

mind　that　you　went　about　distributing　alms　in　that　reckless　way。　　I

can　understand　your　kissing　a　pretty　model；　but　your　giving　a

sovereign　to　an　ugly　one　…　by　Jove；　no！　　Besides；　the　fact　is　that

I　really　was　not　at　home　to…day　to　any　one；　and　when　you　came　in　I

didn't　know　whether　Hausberg　would　like　his　name　mentioned。　　You

know　he　wasn't　in　full　dress。'



'What　a　duffer　he　must　think　me！'　said　Hughie。



'Not　at　all。　　He　was　in　the　highest　spirits　after　you　left；　kept

chuckling　to　himself　and　rubbing　his　old　wrinkled　hands　together。

I　couldn't　make　out　why　he　was　so　interested　to　know　all　about　you；

but　I　see　it　all　now。　　He'll　invest　your　sovereign　for　you；　Hughie；

pay　you　the　interest　every　six　months；　and　have　a　capital　story　to

tell　after　dinner。'



'I　am　an　unlucky　devil；'　growled　Hughie。　　'The　best　thing　I　can　do

is　to　go　to　bed；　and；　my　dear　Alan；　you　mustn't　tell　any　one。　　I

shouldn't　dare　show　my　face　in　the　Row。'



'Nonsense！　　It　reflects　the　highest　credit　on　your　philanthropic

spirit；　Hughie。　　And　don't　run　away。　　Have　another　cigarette；　and

you　can　talk　about　Laura　as　much　as　you　like。'



However；　Hughie　wouldn't　stop；　but　walked　home；　feeling　very

unhappy；　and　leaving　Alan　Trevor　in　fits　of　laughter。



The　next　morning；　as　he　was　at　breakfast；　the　servant　brought　him

up　a　card　on　which　was　written；　'Monsieur　Gustave　Naudin；　DE　LA

PART　DE　M。　le　Baron　Hausberg。'　　'I　suppose　he　has　come　for　an

apology；'　said　Hughie　to　himself；　and　he　told　the　servant　to　show

the　visitor　up。



An　old　gentleman　with　gold　spectacles　and　grey　hair　came　into　the

room；　and　said；　in　a　slight　French　accent；　'Have　I　the　honour　of

addressing　Monsieur　Erskine？'



Hughie　bowed。



'I　have　come　from　Baron　Hausberg；'　he　continued。　　'The　Baron　…　'



'I　beg；　sir；　that　you　will　offer　him　my　sincerest　apologies；'

stammered　Hughie。



'The　Baron；'　said　the　old　gentleman　with　a　smile；　'has　commissioned

me　to　bring　you　this　letter'；　and　he　extended　a　sealed　envelope。



On　the　outside　was　written；　'A　wedding　present　to　Hugh　Erskine　and

Laura　Merton；　from　an　old　beggar；'　and　inside　was　a　cheque　for

10；000　pounds。



When　they　were　married　Alan　Trevor　was　the　best　man；　and　the　Baron

made　a　speech　at　the　wedding　breakfast。



'Millionaire　models；'　remarked　Alan；　'are　rare　enough；　but；　by

Jove；　model　millionaires　are　rarer　still！'