Mercadet Part 23

SCENE SEVENTH

The same persons and Mme. Mercadet.

Mme. Mercadet (entering from the left) Mercadet! My dear!

Mercadet (aside) It is my wife. I thought that she had gone out. She is going to ruin everything!

Mme. Mercadet My dear! I see that you don't know what has happened?

Mercadet I? No, I don't--if I--

Mme. Mercadet G.o.deau is returned.

Mercadet Ah! You say? (Aside) I wonder if she suspects--

Mme. Mercadet I have seen him--I have spoken to him. It was I who saw him first.

Mercadet (aside) De la Brive has won her over! What a man he is! (To Mme. Mercadet, low) Good, my dear wife, good! You will be our salvation.

Mme. Mercadet But you don't understand me, it is really he, it is--

Mercadet (in a low voice) Hush! (Aloud) I must--gentlemen--I must go and welcome him.

Mme. Mercadet No--wait, wait a little, my dear; poor G.o.deau has overtaxed his strength--scarcely had he reached my apartment when fatigue, excitement and a nervous attack overcame him--

Mercadet Really! (Aside) How well she does it!

Violette Poor G.o.deau!

Mme. Mercadet "Madame," he said to me, "go and see your husband. Bring me back his pardon; I do not wish to see him face to face, until I have repaired the past."

Goulard That was fine.

Pierquin It was sublime.

Violette It melts me to tears, gentlemen, it melts me to tears.

Mercadet (aside) Look at that! Well! There's a woman worth calling a wife! (Taking her by the hand) My darling-- Excuse me, gentlemen. (He kisses her on both cheeks. In a low voice) Things are going on finely.

Mme. Mercadet (in a low voice) How lucky this is, my dear! Better than anything you could have fancied.

Mercadet I should think so. (Aside) It is very much better. (Aloud) Go and look after him, my dear. And you, gentlemen, be good enough to pa.s.s into my office. (He points to the left.) Wait there till we settle our accounts.

(Mme. Mercadet goes out.)

Goulard I am at your service, my friend--

Pierquin Our excellent friend.

Violette Friend, we are at your service.

Mercadet (supporting himself half-dazed against the table) What do you think? And people said that I was nothing but a sharper!

Goulard You! You are one of the most capable men in Paris.

Pierquin Who is bound to make a million--as soon as he has a--

Violette Dear M. Mercadet, we will give you as much time as you want.

All Certainly.

Mercadet This is a little late--but gentlemen, I thank you as heartily as if you had said it yesterday morning. Good-day. (In a low voice to Goulard) Within an hour your stock shall be sold--

Goulard Good!

Mercadet (in a low voice to Pierquin) Stay where you are.

(All the others enter the office.)

Pierquin What can I do for you?

SCENE EIGHTH

Mercadet and Pierquin.

Mercadet We are now alone. There is no time to lose. The stock of Ba.s.se-Indre went down yesterday. Go to the Exchange, buy up two hundred, three hundred, four hundred--Goulard will deliver them to you--

Pierquin And for what date, and on what collateral?

Mercadet Collateral? Nonsense! This is a cash deal; bring them to me to-day, and I will pay to-morrow.

Pierquin To-morrow?

Mercadet To-morrow the stock will have risen.

Pierquin I suppose, considering your situation, that you are buying for G.o.deau.

Mercadet Do you think so?

Pierquin I presume he gave his orders in the letter which announced his return.

Mercadet Possibly so. Ah! Master Pierquin, we are going to take a hand in business again, and I guess that you will gain from this to the end of the year something like a hundred thousand francs in brokerage from us.