Part 13 (1/2)
Mercadet Before the ladies come in, gentlemen, we must talk a little serious business.
De la Brive (to Mericourt) Now comes the tug of war!
(They all sit down.)
Mercadet (on the sofa) Are you seriously in love with my daughter?
De la Brive I love her pa.s.sionately!
Mercadet Pa.s.sionately?
Mericourt (to his friend) You are over-doing it.
De la Brive (to Mericourt) Wait a moment. (Aloud) Sir, I am ambitious--and I saw in Mlle. Julie a lady at once distinguished, full of intellect, possessed of charming manners, who would never be out of place in the position in which my fortune puts me; and such a wife is essential to the success of a politician.
Mercadet I understand! It is easy to find a woman, but it is very rare that a man who wishes to be a minister or amba.s.sador finds a wife. You are a man of wit, sir. May I ask your political leaning?
De la Brive Sir, I am a socialist.
Mercadet That is a new move! But now let us talk of money matters.
Mericourt It seems to me that the notary might attend to that.
De la Brive No! M. Mercadet is right; it is best that we should attend to these things ourselves.
Mercadet True, sir.
De la Brive Sir, my whole fortune consists in the estate which bears my name; it has been in my family for a hundred and fifty years, and I hope will never pa.s.s from us.
Mercadet The possession of capital is perhaps more valuable in these days.
Capital is in your own hand. If a revolution breaks out, and we have had many revolutions lately, capital follows us everywhere. Landed property, on the contrary, must furnish funds for every one. There it stands stock still like a fool to pay the taxes, while capital dodges out of the way. But this is not real obstacle. What is the amount of your land?
De la Brive Three thousand acres, without a break.
Mercadet Without a break?
Mericourt Did I not tell you as much?
Mercadet I never doubted it.
De la Brive A chateau--
Mercadet Good--
De la Brive And salt marshes, which can be worked as soon as the administration gives permission. They would yield enormous returns!
Mercadet Ah, sir, why have we been so late in becoming acquainted! Your land, then, must be on the seash.o.r.e.
De la Brive Without half a league of it.