continued (page 5 of 5)
In the end we gave up the painting and went and cried on Miss Moffet's lap … well, we didn't really cry … but she held our hands and said we were foolish boys and shouldn't try to be businessmen.
A week later we found out that the men to whom the gypsy took the painting to have cleaned, tried to clean it, but the top layer of paint flaked off, revealing a beautiful picture of General Foch inspecting the great fortress of Verdun; it was later valued at twenty francs … with the frame.
“You see,” said Rif, breaking eggs for our breakfast, “Je m'en fous … never try to steal. Honesty is best. Dishonesty never pays. Can you reach the bottle of Asti spumante?”
“Yes.”
“Pour out two glasses for two honest men.”
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