Mercadet | Page 8

before going up to him. How did you get on, Therese, with the milliners and dressmakers?
Therese Sir, as soon as I gave them a promise of payment, every one greeted me with smiles.
Mercadet Very good. And shall we have a fine dinner, Virginie?
Virginie You will compliment it, sir, when you eat it.
Mercadet And the tradespeople?
Virginie They will wait your time.
Mercadet I shall settle with you all to-morrow. You can go now. (They go out.) A man who has his servants with him is like a minister who has the press on his side!
Mme. Mercadet And what of Pierquin?
Mercadet (showing the papers) All that I could extort from him is as follows.--He will give me time, and this negotiable paper in exchange for stock.--Also notes for forty-seven thousand francs, to be collected from a man named Michonnin, a gentleman broker, not considered very solvent, who may be a crook but has a very rich aunt at Bordeaux; M. de la Brive is from that district and I can learn from him if there is anything to be got out of it.
Mme. Mercadet But the tradesmen will soon arrive.
Mercadet I shall be here to receive them. Now leave me, leave me, my dears.
(Exeunt the two ladies.)

SCENE ELEVENTH
Mercadet, then Violette.
Mercadet (walking up and down) Yes, they will soon be here! And everything depends upon that somewhat slippery friendship of Verdelin--a man whose fortune I made! Ah! when a man has passed forty he learns that the world is peopled by the ungrateful--I do not know where all the benefactors have gone to. Verdelin and I have a high opinion of each other. He owes me gratitude, I owe him money, and neither of us pays the other. And now, in order to arrange the marriage of Julie, my business is to find a thousand crowns in a pocket which pretends to be empty--to find entrance into a heart in order to find entrance into a cash-box! What an undertaking! Only women can do such things, and with men who are in love with them.
Justin (without) Yes, he is in.
Mercadet It is he. (Violette appears.) Ah! my friend! It is dear old Violette!
Violette This is the eleventh call within a week, my dear M. Mercadet, and my actual necessity has driven me to wait for you three hours in the street; I thought the truth was told me when I was assured that you were in the country. But I came to-day--
Mercadet Ah! Violette, old fellow, we are both hard up!
Violette Humph! I don't think so. For my part, I've pledged everything I could put in the pawn-shop.
Mercadet So have we.
Violette I have never reproached you with my ruin, for I believe it is your intention to enrich me, as well as yourself; but still, fine words butter no parsnips, and I am come to implore you to give me a small sum on account, and by so doing you will save the lives of a whole family.
Mercadet My dear old Violette, you grieve me deeply! Be reasonable and I will share with you. (In a low voice) We have scarcely a hundred francs in the house, and even that is my daughter's money.
Violette Is it possible! You, Mercadet, whom I have known so rich?
Mercadet I conceal nothing from you.
Violette Unfortunate people owe it to each other to speak the truth.
Mercadet Ah! If that were the only thing they owed how prompt would be the payment! But keep this as a secret, for I am on the point of making a good match for my daughter.
Violette I have two daughters, sir, and they work without hope of being married! In your present circumstances I cannot press you, but my wife and my daughters await my return in the deepest anxiety.
Mercadet Stay a moment. I will give you sixty francs.
Violette Ah! my wife and my girls will bless you. (Aside, while Mercadet leaves the room for a moment.) The others who abuse him get nothing out of him, but by appealing to his pity, little by little I get back my money. (Chuckles and slaps his pocket.)
Mercadet (on the point of re-entering sees this action) The beggarly old miser! Sixty francs on account paid ten times makes six hundred francs. Come now, I have sown enough, it is time to reap the harvest. (Aloud) Take this.
Violette Sixty francs in gold! It is a long time since I have seen such a sum. Good-bye, we sha'n't forget to pray for the speedy marriage of Mlle. Mercadet.
Mercadet Good-bye, dear old Violette. (Holding him by the hand.) Poor old man, when I look at you, I think myself rich--your misfortunes touch me deeply. And yesterday I thought I would soon be on the point of paying back to you not only the interest but the principal of what