Mercadet | Page 2

six years, and have seen him since his troubles fighting with his creditors, can believe him capable of anything, even of growing rich; sometimes I say to myself he is utterly ruined! Yellow auction placards flame at his door. He receives reams of stamped creditor's notices, which I sell by the pound for waste paper without being noticed. But presto! Up he bobs again. He is triumphant. And what devices he has! There is a new one every day! First of all, it is a scheme for wooden pavements--then it is dukedoms, ponds, mills. I don't know where the leakage is in his cash box; he finds it so hard to fill; for it empties itself as easily as a drained wine-glass! And always crowds of creditors! How well he turns them away! Sometimes I have seen them come with the intention of carrying off everything and throwing him into prison. But when he talks to them they end by being the best of friends, and part with cordial handshakes! There are some men who can tame jackals and lions. That's not a circumstance; M. Mercadet can tame creditors!
Therese One of them is not quite so easily managed; and that is M. Pierquin.
Justin He is a tiger who feeds on bankrupts. And to think of poor old Violette!
Virginie He is both creditor and beggar--I always feel inclined to give him a plate of soup.
Justin And Goulard!
Therese A bill discounter who would like very much to--to discount me.
Virginie (amid a general laugh) I hear madame coming.
Justin Let us keep a civil tongue in our heads, and we shall learn something about the marriage.

SCENE SECOND
The same persons and Mme. Mercadet.
Mme. Mercadet Justin, have you executed the commissions I gave you?
Justin Yes, madame, but they refused to deliver the dresses, the hats, and indeed all the things you ordered until--
Virginie And I also have to inform madame that the tradesmen are no longer willing--
Mme. Mercadet I understand.
Justin The creditors are the cause of the whole trouble. I wish I knew how to get even with them.
Mme. Mercadet The best way to do so would be to pay them.
Justin They would be mightily surprised.
Mme. Mercadet It is useless to conceal from you the excessive anxiety which I suffer over the condition of my husband's affairs. We shall doubtless be in need of your discretion--for we can depend upon you, can we not?
All You need not mention it, madame.
Virginie We were just saying, what excellent employers we had.
Therese And that we would go through fire and water for you!
Justin We were saying--
(Mercadet appears unnoticed.)
Mme. Mercadet Thank you all, you are good creatures. (Mercadet shrugs his shoulders.) Your master needs only time, he has so many schemes in his head!--a rich suitor has offered himself for Mlle. Julie, and if--

SCENE THIRD
The same persons and Mercadet.
Mercadet (interrupting his wife) My dearest! (The servants draw back a little. In a low voice to madame) And so this is how you speak to the servants! To-morrow they laugh at us. (To Justin) Justin, go at once to M. Verdelin's house, and ask him to come here, as I want to speak to him about a piece of business that will not admit of delay. Assume an air of mystery, for I must have him come. You, Therese, go to the tradesmen of Madame de Mercadet, and tell them, sharply, that they must send the things that have been ordered.--They will be paid for--yes--and cash, too--go at once. (Justin and Therese start.) Ah!--(They stop.) If--these people come to the house again, ask them to enter. (Mme. Mercadet takes a seat.)
Justin These--these people?--
Therese and Virginie These people? Eh!
Mercadet Yes, these people--these creditors of mine!--
Mme. Mercadet How is this, my dear?
Mercadet (taking a seat opposite his wife) I am weary of solitude--I want their society. (To Justin and Therese) That will do.
(Justin and Therese leave the room.)

SCENE FOURTH
Mercadet, Mme. Mercadet and Virginie.
Mercadet (to Virginie) Has madame given you any orders?
Virginie No, sir, and besides the tradespeople--
Mercadet I hope you will do yourself credit to-day. We are going to have four people to dinner--Verdelin and his wife, M. de Mericourt and M. de la Brive--so there will be seven of us. Such dinners are the glory of great cooks! You must have a fine fish after the soup, then two entrees, very delicately cooked--
Virginie But, sir, the trades--
Mercadet For the second course--ah, the second course ought to be at once rich and brilliant, yet solid. The second course--
Virginie But the tradespeople--
Mercadet Nonsense! You annoy me--To talk about tradespeople on the day when my daughter and her intended are to meet!
Virginie They won't supply anything.
Mercadet What have we got to do with tradespeople that won't take our trade? We must get others. You must go to their competitors, you must give them my custom,