Mercadet Part 17

De la Brive You took advantage of my inexperience!

Mercadet Of course I did! The inexperience of a man who raises a loan on his sand wastes fifty per cent above their value.

De la Brive Gla.s.s can be made out of sand!

Mercadet That's a good idea!

De la Brive Therefore, sir--

Mercadet Silence! Promise me that this broken marriage-contract shall be kept secret.

De la Brive I swear it shall-- Ah! excepting to Pierquin. I have just written to him to set his mind at rest.

Mercadet Is that the letter you sent by Justin?

De la Brive The very one.

Mercadet And what have you told him?

De la Brive The name of my father-in-law. Confound it!--I thought you were rich.

Mercadet (despairingly) And you have written that to Pierquin? It's all up! This fresh defeat will be known on the Exchange! But, any way, I am ruined! Suppose I write to him-- Suppose I ask him-- (He goes to the table to write.)

SCENE NINTH

The same persons, Mme. Mercadet, Julie and Verdelin.

Mme. Mercadet My friend, M. Verdelin.

Julie (to Verdelin) Here is my father, sir.

Mercadet Ah! It is you, is it, Verdelin--and you are come to dinner?

Verdelin No, I am not come to dinner.

Mercadet (aside) He knows all. He is furious!

Verdelin And this gentleman is your son-in-law? (Verdelin bows to De la Brive.) This is a fine marriage you are going to make!

Mercadet The marriage, my dear sir, is not going to take place.

Julie How happy I feel!

(De la Brive bows to Julie. She casts down her eyes.)

Mme. Mercadet (seizing her hand) My dear daughter!

Mercadet I have been deceived by Mericourt.

Verdelin And you have played on me one of your tricks this morning, for the purpose of getting a thousand crowns; but the whole incident has been made public on the Exchange, and they think it a huge joke!

Mercadet They have been informed, I suppose--

Verdelin That your pocket-book is full of the notes of hand signed by your son- in-law. And Pierquin tells me that your creditors are exasperated, and are to meet to-night at the house of Goulard to conclude measures for united action against you to-morrow!

Mercadet To-night! To-morrow! Ah! I hear the knell of bankruptcy sound!

Verdelin Yes, to-morrow they are going to send a prison cab for you.

Mme. Mercadet and Julie G.o.d help us!

Mercadet I see the carriage, the hea.r.s.e of the speculator, carrying me to Clichy!

Verdelin They wish, as far as possible, to rid the Exchange of all sharpers!

Mercadet They are fools, for in that case they will turn it into a desert! And so I am ruined! Expelled from the Exchange with all the sequelae of bankruptcy,--shame, beggary! I cannot believe it--it is impossible!

De la Brive Believe me, sir, that I regret having been in some degree--

Mercadet (looking him in the face) You! (in a low voice to him) Listen to me: you have hurried on my destruction, but you have it in your power to help me to escape.

De la Brive On what conditions?

Mercadet I will make you a good offer! (Aloud, as they start toward opposite doors) True, the idea is a bold one! But to-morrow, the 'Change will recognize in me one of its master spirits.

Verdelin What is he talking about?

Mercadet To-morrow, all my debts will be paid, and the house of Mercadet will be turning over millions! I shall be acknowledged as the Napoleon of finance.

Verdelin What a man he is!

Mercadet And a Napoleon who meets no Waterloo!

Verdelin But where are your troops?

Mercadet My army is cash in hand! What answer can be made to a business man who says, "Take your money!" Come let us dine now.

Verdelin Certainly. I shall be delighted to dine with you.

Mercadet (while they all move towards the dining-room, aside) They are all glad of it! To-morrow I will either command millions, or rest in the damp winding-sheet of the Seine!

Curtain to the Second Act.