s
afflicted with that genteel defect, an imperfect vision. These extremes
of extravagance and meanness were not unusual in his practice. The one,
in truth, being a consequence of the other.

{management = in Cooper's time, a word suggesting conniving or
unscrupulous manipulation; Havre = le Havre, an important French port}

"You forget the duty, Desiree," observed the military trader; "this
compromise law is a thousand times worse than any law we have ever had
in America."

{compromise law = the American Tariff Act of 1832, which reduced
tariffs on some items, but retained the high customs duties on the
import of textile products}

"The duty!" repeated the woman, with an incredulous smile; "monsieur,
you are not so young as to pay any duty on a pocket-handkerchief! Ma
foi, I will bring twenty--oui, a thousand from England itself, and the
douaniers shall not stop one."

{douaniers = customs officials}

"Ay, but we don't smuggle in America," returned the colonel, with an
aplomb that might have done credit to Vidocq himself; "in our
republican country the laws are all in all."

{Vidocq = Francois Vidocq (1775-1857), a senior French police official
who was secretly a burglar, and who "investigated" his own crimes for a
long time before being exposed}

"Why do so many of your good republicans dress so that the rue de Clery
don't know them, and then go to the chateau?" demanded the
commissionaire, very innocently, as to appearance at least.

{chateau = palace}

"Bah! there are the five napoleons--if you want them, take them--if
not, I care little about it, my invoice being all closed."

Desiree never accepted money more reluctantly. Instead of making one
hundred and fifty-five francs out of the toil and privations, and
self-denial of poor Adrienne, she found her own advantages unexpectedly
lessened to fifty-five; or, only a trifle more than one hundred per
cent. But the colonel was firm, and, for once, her cupidity was
compelled to succumb. The money was paid, and I became the vassal of
Colonel Silky; a titular soldier, but a traveling trader, who never
lost sight of the main chance either in his campaigns, his journeys, or
his pleasures.

To own the truth, Colonel Silky was delighted with me. No girl could be
a better judge of the ARTICLE, and all his cultivated taste ran into
the admiration of GOODS. I was examined with the closest scrutiny; my
merits were inwardly applauded, and my demerits pronounced to be