Volume VI Part 9 (2/2)
The other shrugged his shoulders with a dissatisfied air ”If you are not more exact than that you will spoil your future Daddy Walter was reckoning on your copy I will tell him it will be ready to- you are mistaken”
Then, after a short silence, he added: ”One must strike the iron while it is hot, or the deuce is in it”
Saint-Potin rose, saying: ”I a back in his chair, assuive his instructions, and turning to Duroy, said: ”This is what it is Within the last two days the Chinese General, Li Theng Fao, has arrived at the Hotel Continental, and the Rajah Taposahib Rao and interview theet the main points I told you of
Ask the General and the Rajah their opinion upon the action of England in the East, their ideas upon her syste the intervention of Europe, and especially of France” He was silent for a moment, and then added in a theatrical aside: ”It will beto our readers to learn at the saht in China and India upon these matters which so forcibly occupy public attention at this moment” He continued, for the benefit of Duroy: ”Watch how Saint-Potin sets to work; he is a capital reporter; and try to learn the trick of puravely resu their relative positions, and putting his old coue in his proper place
As soon as they had crossed the threshold Saint-Potin began to laugh, and said to Duroy: ”There's a fluffer for you He tried to fluff even us One would really think he took us for his readers”
They reached the boulevard, and the reporter observed: ”Will you have a drink?”
”Certainly It is awfully hot”
They turned into a _cafe_ and ordered cooling drinks Saint-Potin began to talk He talked about the paper and everyone connected with it with an abundance of astonishi+ng details
”The governor? A regular Jew? And you know, nothing can alter a Jew
What a breed!” And he instanced so traits of avariciousness peculiar to the children of Israel, econo, shameful reductions asked for and obtained, all the ways of a usurer and pawnbroker
”And yet with all this, a good felloho believes in nothing and does everyone His paper, which is Governmental, Catholic, Liberal, Republican, Orleanist, pay your money and take your choice, was only started to help him in his speculations on the Bourse, and bolster up his other scheh coenuine capital”
He went on, addressing Duroy as ”My dear fellow”
”And he says things worthy of Balzac, the old shark Fancy, the other day I was in his room with that old tub Norbert, and that Don Quixote Rival, when Montelin, our business er, came in with his morocco bill-case, that bill-case that everyone in Paris knows, under his arm
Walter raised his head and asked: 'What news?' Montelin answered simply: 'I have just paid the sixteen thousand francs ed the paperjump 'What do you mean?' said he 'I have just paid Monsieur Privas,' replied Montelin 'But you are mad' 'Why?' 'Why--hy--' he took off his spectacles and wiped them Then he smiled with that queer s to say so and derisive tone, 'Why? Because we could have obtained a reduction of from four to five thousand francs' Montelin replied, in astonishment: 'But, sir, all the accounts were correct, checked by overnor, quite serious again, observed: 'What a fool you are Don't you know, Monsieur Montelin, that one should always let one's debts mount up, in order to offer a co shake of his head, ”Eh! isn't that worthy of Balzac?”
Duroy had not read Balzac, but he replied, ”By Jove! yes”
Then the reporter spoke of Madaoose; of Norbert de Varenne, an old failure; of Rival, a copy of Fervacques Next he ca his wife, that is all”
Duroy asked: ”What is his wife, really?”
Saint-Potin rubbed his hands ”Oh! a deep one, a smart woman She was the mistress of an old rake naave her a dowry and married her off”
Duroy suddenly felt a cold shi+ver run through hiabbler on the face But he :
”And your name is Saint-Potin?”