Pierquin
Really!

Mercadet
Let us end this discussion.  M. Pierquin—­those bonds—­

Pierquin
Pardon me, but as you have offered no collateral, I would wish—­I do
wish to speak with Godeau.

Mercadet
You shall not speak with him, sir.  I cannot permit you to doubt my
word.

Verdelin
This is superb.

Mercadet M. Minard, go to Godeau—­ Tell him that I have obtained an option on three hundred thousand francs’ worth of stock, and ask him to send me —­(with emphasis)—­thirty thousand francs for use as a margin.  A man in his position always has such a sum about him. (In a low voice) Do not fail to bring me the thirty thousand.

Minard
Yes, sir. (Goes out, through the right.)

Mercadet (haughtily)
Will that satisfy you, M. Pierquin?

Pierquin
Certainly, certainly. (To Verdelin) It will be all right when he comes
back.

Verdelin (rising from his seat)
And you expect that he will bring thirty thousand francs?

Mercadet
I have a perfect right to be offended by your insulting doubt; but I
am still your debtor—­

Verdelin Bosh!  You have enough in Godeau’s pocket-book wherewith to liquidate; besides, to-morrow the Basse-Indre will rise above par.  It will go up, up, till you don’t know how far it will go.  Your letter worked wonders, and we were obliged to publish on the Exchange the results of our explorations by boring.  The mines will become as valuable as those of Mons—­and—­your fortune is made—­when I thought I was going to make mine.

Mercadet
I now understand your rage. (To Pierquin) And this is the origin of
all the doubtful rumors.

Verdelin
Rumors which can only vanish before the appearance of Godeau’s cash.

Scenetwelfth

The same persons, Violette and Goulard.

Goulard
Ah! my friend!

Violette (following him)
My dear Mercadet!

Goulard
What a man this Godeau is!

Mercadet (aside)
Fine!

Violette
What high sense of honor he has!

Mercadet (aside)
That’s pretty good!

Goulard
What magnanimity!

Mercadet (aside)
Prodigious!

Verdelin
Have you seen him?

Violette
Of course, I have!

Pierquin
Have you spoken to him?

Goulard
Just as I speak to you.  And I have been paid.

All
Paid!

Mercadet
Paid?  How—­how have you been paid?

Goulard
In full.  Fifty thousand in drafts.

Mercadet (aside)
That I can understand.

Goulard
And eight thousand francs net, in notes.

Mercadet
In bank-notes?

Goulard
Bank-notes.

Mercadet (aside)
It is past my understanding.  Ah!  Eight thousand!  Minard might have
given them, so that now he’ll bring me only twenty-two thousand.