Part 10 (2/2)

All payments are made in alphabetic order. I have not yet touched the letter A. (He replaces the papers.)

Minard You haven't yet paid anything?

Mercadet Scarcely anything. You know the condition of my expenses. You know, because you are a book-keeper. See, (picking up the papers again) the total debit is three hundred and eighty thousand.

Minard Yes, sir. The balance is entered here.

Mercadet You can understand then how you must make me shudder when you come before my daughter with your fine protestations! Since to marry a poor girl with nothing but an income of eighteen hundred francs, is like inviting in wedlock a protested note with a writ of execution.

Minard (lost in thought) Ruined, ruined! And without resources!

Mercadet (aside) I thought that would upset him. (Aloud) Come, now, young man, what are you going to do?

Minard First, I thank you, sir, for the frankness of your admissions.

Mercadet That is good! And what of the ideal, and your love for my daughter?

Minard You have opened my eyes, sir.

Mercadet (aside) I am glad to hear it.

Minard I thought that I already loved her with a love that was boundless, and now I love her a hundred times more.

Mercadet The deuce you do!

Minard Have you not led me to understand that she will have need of all my courage, of all my devotion! I will render her happy by other means than my tenderness; she shall feel grateful for all my efforts, she shall love me for my vigils, and for my toils.

Mercadet You mean to tell me that you still wish to marry her?

Minard Do I wis.h.!.+ When I believed that you were rich, I would not ask her of you without trembling, without feeling ashamed of my poverty; but now, sir, it is with a.s.surance and with tranquillity of mind that I ask for her.

Mercadet (to himself) I must admit that this is a love exceedingly true, sincere and n.o.ble!

And such as I had believed it impossible to find in the whole world!

(To Minard) Forgive me, young man, for the opinion I had of you-- forgive me, above all, for the disappointment I am about to cause you.

Minard What do you mean?

Mercadet M. Minard--Julie--cannot be your wife.

Minard What is this, sir? Not be my wife? In spite of our love, in spite of all you have confided to me?

Mercadet Yes, and just because of all I have confided to you. I have shown you Mercadet the rich man in his true colors. I am going to show you him as the skeptical man of business. I have frankly opened my books to you. I am now going to open my heart to you as frankly.

Minard Speak out, sir, but remember how great my devotion to Mlle. Julie is.

Remember that my self-sacrifice and unselfishness are equal to my love for her.

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