Part 16 (2/2)
De la Brive They border on the sea--
Mercadet They are part of the ocean!
De la Brive The people of that country are evil-minded enough to say so. That is what hinders my loans!
Mercadet It would be very difficult to issue ocean shares! Sir, I may tell you, between ourselves, that your morality seems to me--
De la Brive Somewhat--
Mercadet Risky.
De la Brive (in anger) Sir! (calming himself) Let this be merely between ourselves!
Mercadet You gave a friend a bill of sale of your furniture, you sign your notes of hand with the name of Michonnin, and you call yourself merely De la Brive--
De la Brive Well, sir, what are you going to do about it?
Mercadet Do about it? I am going to lead you a pretty dance--
De la Brive Sir, I am your guest! Moreover, I may deny everything-- What proofs have you?
Mercadet What proofs! I have in my hands forty-seven thousand francs' worth of your notes.
De la Brive Are they signed to the order of Pierquin?
Mercadet Precisely so.
De la Brive And you have had them since this morning?
Mercadet Since this morning.
De la Brive I see. You have given worthless stock in exchange for valueless notes.
Mercadet Sir!
De la Brive And, in order to seal the bargain, Pierquin, one of the least important of your creditors, has given you a delay of three months.
Mercadet Who told you that?
De la Brive Who? Who? Pierquin himself, of course, as soon as he learned I was going to make an arrangement--
Mercadet The devil he did!
De la Brive Ah! You were going to give two hundred thousand francs as a dowry to your daughter, and you had debts to the amount of three hundred and fifty thousand! Between ourselves it looks like you who had been trying to swindle the son-in-law, sir--
Mercadet (angrily) Sir! (calming himself) This is merely between ourselves, sir.
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