“They might ask ten,” said Molina, smiling.  “They would give it!”

“And you wish me to subscribe to your Algerian gas?” asked Vaudrey.

The fat Molina burst out into loud laughter this time.

“I?  I simply wish to give you the opportunity to make a fortune!”

“How?”

“That is one scheme.  I will bring you four, five, ten of them!  I have another, the Luxemburg coal.  A deposit equal to that of Charleroi.  You have only to allow me to print in the list of directors:  Monsieur Sulpice Vaudrey, former President of the Council.”

Vaudrey looked the fat man squarely in the face.

“Besides you will be in good company!” said the banker as he read over the names of deputies, senators, statesmen, coupled with those of financiers.

Sulpice knew most of them.

He despised nearly all of them.  It was such that Molina styled good company!

“And those mines, are you certain they will produce what you promise?”

“Ah!” said Salomon, “that is the engineers’ matter!  Here is the report of a mining engineer who is perhaps straining after effect and doing a little puffing up!  But one must go with the times!  He who ventures nothing, has nothing.  In war, one risks one’s skin; in business, one risks one’s money.  That is war.”

Vaudrey debated with himself whether he should tear the prospectus in pieces and throw them in the face of the fat man.

“My dear Vaudrey,” said the Tumbler, “you have a vein that is entirely your own.  A former minister remains always a former minister.  Well, such a title as that is turned to account.  It is quoted, like any other commodity.  You are not rich, that fact proves your honesty, although in America, and we are Americanizing ourselves devilishly much, that would only be the measure of your stupidity.  You can become rich, I have the means of making myself agreeable to you and you have the opportunity of becoming useful to us.”

“In a word, you buy my name?”

“I hire it from you!  Very dearly,” said Molina, still laughing.

“Certainly,” said Vaudrey, “you did not understand me on the first occasion that you called on me to speak about money, and when I questioned with myself whether I should ask you not to call again.”

Molina interrupted him abruptly by rising.  He felt that an insult was about to be uttered.  He parried it by anticipating it.

“Stupidity!” he said.  “Here is the prospectus.  There are the names of the directors.  You will consider.  It has never injured any one to take advantage of his position.  The puritans, in an age of trickery, are idiots; I say so.  What I propose to you surprises you.  To place your name beside that of Monsieur Pichereau or Monsieur Numa de Baranville!  It is as simple as saying good-day.  Perhaps you think then that you will be the only one?  They all do it, all those who are extravagant and shrewd.  It is a matter of coquetting in these days over a hundred-sou piece!  Come, I will wager that Monsieur Montyon would not mince matters—­especially if he had transferable paper in circulation!”