SCENE EIGHTH

The same persons and Pierquin.

Pierquin My congratulations to you all. I hear that you are making a grand marriage for your daughter. Mademoiselle is to marry a millionaire; the report has already gone abroad.

Mercadet A millionaire?--No, he has only nine hundred thousand francs, at the most.

Pierquin This magnificent prospect will induce a lot of people to give you time. They are becoming devilishly tired of your talk about G.o.deau's return. And I myself--

Mercadet Were you thinking about having me arrested?

Julie Arrested!

Mme. Mercadet (to Pierquin) Ah! sir.

Pierquin Now listen to me, you have had two years, and I never before let a bond go over so long; but this marriage is a glorious invention and--

Mme. Mercadet An invention!

Mercadet Sir, my future son-in-law, M. de la Brive, is a young man--

Pierquin So that there is a real young man in the case? How much are you going to pay the young man?

Mme. Mercadet Oh!

Mercadet (checking his wife by a sign) No more of this insolence! Otherwise, my dear sir, I shall be forced to demand a settlement of our accounts--and, my dear M. Pierquin, you will lose a good deal of the price at which you sold your money to me.

And at the rate of interest you charge, I shall cost you more than the value of a farm in Bauce.

Pierquin Sir--

Mercadet (haughtily) Sir, I shall soon be so rich that I will not endure to be twitted by any one--not even by a creditor.

Pierquin But--

Mercadet Not a word--or I will pay you! Come into my private room and we will settle the business about which I asked you to come.

Pierquin I am at your service, sir. (Aside) What a devil of a man!

(Pierquin and Mercadet bow to the ladies and enter Mercadet's room.)

Mercadet (following Pierquin; aside to his wife) The wild beast is tamed. I'll get this one, too.

SCENE NINTH

Mme. Mercadet, Julie, and later, Servants.

Julie O mamma! I cannot marry this M. de la Brive!

Mme. Mercadet But he is rich, you know.

Julie But I prefer happiness and poverty, to unhappiness and wealth.

Mme. Mercadet My child, happiness is impossible in poverty, while there is no misfortune that wealth cannot alleviate.

Julie How can you say such sad words to me?

Mme. Mercadet Children should learn a lesson from the experience of parents. We are at present having a very bitter taste of life's vicissitudes. Take my advice, daughter, and marry wealth.

Justin (entering, followed by Therese and Virginie) Madame, we have carried out the master's orders.

Virginie My dinner will be ready.

Therese And the tradesmen have consented.

Justin As far as concerns M. Verdelin--

SCENE TENTH

The same persons and Mercadet (carrying a bundle of papers).

Mercadet What did my friend Verdelin say?

Justin He will be here in a moment. He was just on his way here to bring some money to M. Bredif, the owner of this house.

Mercadet Bredif is a millionaire. Take care that Verdelin speaks to me 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.