Florestan de Saint-Herem was a man of thirty, at the most, with
handsome features and a commanding, elegant figure. His physiognomy
expressed both intelligence and wit, but often wore a mask of
supercilious impertinence when addressing persons of the same stamp as
the usurer.
The first moment of surprise and greeting over, the actors in the
foregoing scene resumed their antagonistic attitude toward each other.
Louis, still pale with indignation, glared at his adversary fiercely,
while the latter faced him defiantly.
"To dare raise a hand on me!--an old soldier!" cried the commander,
advancing threateningly toward Louis. "This will not pass unpunished,
Monsieur Richard!"
"As you wish, Monsieur de La Miraudière," returned Louis.
"Monsieur de La Miraudière!" repeated Florestan, with a sarcastic
laugh. "What! do you take this fellow seriously, my good Louis? Do
you believe in his military title, his cross, his campaigns, his
wounds, his duels, and his sonorous name of de La Miraudière?"
"Your jests are entirely out of place!" cried the usurer, flushing
angrily, "and I will not endure them in my own house, Monsieur de
Saint-Herem!--Indeed I will not, my dear fellow."
"His name is Jerome Porquin, my dear Louis," sneered Saint-Herem, "and
it seems admirably chosen, does it not?" Then, turning to the crushed
usurer, he added in a tone that admitted of no retort: "Monsieur
Porquin, this is the second time I am forced to forbid you to address
me as "_your dear fellow_." With me it is a different matter; I have
bought and paid for the right of calling you my _dear_, my enormously
_dear_, my too _dear_ Monsieur Porquin, for you have swindled me
outrageously and cost me a good round sum!"
"Sir, I will not suffer this!" cried the wrathful usurer.
"Whence comes this timid sensitiveness on the part of M. Porquin?"
asked Florestan, derisively. "What has happened? Ah! I see. This
_dear_ M. Porquin does not enjoy having his lies and vain pretentious
unmasked in your presence, Louis. Well, I will tell you who M. de La
Miraudière really is. He once served the rations in the army, and in
that capacity went to Madrid during the last war. This is the only
service he has ever seen, and he was discharged from that for
dishonesty. He has never fought a duel for, to begin with, he is too
cowardly, and then he knows well that a gentleman would receive a
challenge from him with contempt; and if driven to extremities by his
insolence, he would simply teach him a lesson with his walking-stick."
"When you stand in need of me you treat me with more delicacy!" sneered
the usurer.
"When I need your services I pay for them; and as I know your
unscrupulous character, it is my duty to warn M. Richard, whose friend
I have the honor to be. You are doubtless trying to entice him into
your net."
"Ah! this is the reward I get for my services!" cried M. Porquin,
bitterly. "I reveal a secret of the highest importance to your friend,
and--"
"I now understand your object in coming to me," interrupted Louis,
dryly. "I owe you no thanks for the service you have rendered me--if
it is a service," he concluded sadly.
The usurer had no intention of giving up his prey without a struggle,
however, and turning to Florestan, with the same ease as if they had
been on the most friendly terms, he said conciliatingly:
"M. Louis Richard can tell you what conditions I proposed and under
what circumstances I made him this offer; you will then be better able
to judge if my demands were exorbitant. Furthermore, if I disturb you
in your conversation, gentlemen, you may enter the drawing-room. If M.
Richard wishes to consult you on the subject, I shall await his
decision here."
"This is the most intelligent phrase you have uttered yet," returned
Saint-Herem, taking Louis' arm to lead him into the adjoining room.
"And when we get through, I shall tell you the object of my visit. Or,
rather, I will tell you now. I must have two hundred louis this
evening. Here are the securities; examine them at your leisure."
Drawing a bundle of papers from his pocket, he tossed them carelessly
toward the usurer and left the room with his friend.
The haughty brutality with which Florestan had unmasked Porquin had
proved a new blow to Louis Richard. The thought that Mariette had
sacrificed him for such a wretch, filled his heart with bitterness and
resentment, and, unable to control his emotion longer, he burst into
tears the moment he found himself alone with his friend.
"Ah! Florestan, I am unhappy!" he sobbed, as he clasped his
companion's hand.
"I have no doubt of it, my poor Louis," said Saint-Herem
sympathizingly, "for to place yourself in the clutches of such a rascal
as Porquin, is to sell yourself to the devil! But tell me what has
happened? You have always been good and industrious, I know, but you
may have contracted some debt or committed some slight folly. What may
seem enormous to you, may be only a trifle to me. I shall receive two
hundred louis from this Arab to-night; you have but to say the word and
they are yours. I can turn to someone else! Two hundred louis ought
to cover the debts of a notary clerk---come, must you have more? Then
we shall raise more; but in heaven's name don't put yourself in the
toils of this scoundrel!"
This generous offer filled Louis' heart with such sweet consolation
that for the moment he forgot his sorrows.
"My dear Florestan," he said gratefully, "you cannot imagine how this
proof of friendship on your part comforts and consoles me."
"You accept, then?"
"No."
"What?"
"I have no need of your good services. This usurer, who was a total
stranger to me, wrote to me requesting an interview; and he offers to
lend me more money in one year than I have spent in all my life."
"He offers you that! Why, the rascal never advances a sou without the
best securities. People of his stamp consider neither honor, probity,
nor industry; and I was not aware that you had expectations."
"You are mistaken, Florestan; my father is worth over two millions."
"Your father!" exclaimed Saint-Herem in amazement. "Your father rich!"
"This usurer discovered his secret; how, I cannot say."
"And so he offered his services. Well, you may be sure his information
is correct, for he advances nothing on doubtful security."
"I believe it," rejoined Louis sadly.
"My dear Louis, one might think you had made some unfortunate
discovery. What is it? Are you unhappy?--and why, pray?"
"Ah! my friend, don't scoff at me. I love, and have been deceived."
"You have a rival?"
"And that rival is this wretch!"
"Porquin?--nonsense; what makes you imagine such an absurdity?"
"I had some suspicions, and then he assured me he had been accepted."
"A fine authority, upon my word! He lies, I am sure of it."
"He is rich, Florestan; and the woman I loved and still love in spite
of myself, is poor. She has endured the most cruel misery for years."
"The devil!"
"Besides this, she is the only support of a crippled old woman. This
man's offers dazzled the poor child; and like so many others, she
succumbed through misery. What good is a fortune now, when my only
desire was to share it with Mariette?"
"My dear Louis, I know you too well to believe you could have loved a
woman unworthy of your affections."
"For a whole year Mariette gave me abundant proofs of a sincere
affection; then yesterday, without warning, a letter came announcing
the sudden rupture--"
"A woman who loved a poor man like you for a whole year, does not yield
to an old rascal like Porquin in one day. I tell you he lies!" And to
Louis' great astonishment, Saint-Herem called aloud, "Hi, there! de la
Miraudière!"
"Florestan! what are you doing?" remonstrated Louis, as the usurer
appeared.
"Monsieur de La Miraudière," observed Saint-Herem, with his habitual
supercilious air, "there seems to exist some slight confusion in your
mind in regard to a respectable young girl, who, according to you, has
been seduced by your wit, your personal charms and excellent manners,
still more enchanced by that gold which you so honorably grasp. Now,
my worthy commander, will you do me the pleasure to speak the truth?
If not, I shall know how to deal with you."
"I deeply regret having jested on a subject which seems to annoy M.
Richard," responded Porquin, deeming it better policy to sacrifice a
fancy which stood little chance of being gratified, than to run the
risk of losing so promising a client as Louis.
"You may perhaps be able to explain how the idea of this jest--which,
by the way, I should call a base calumny--entered your head?" pursued
Florestan.
"Nothing more simple, monsieur: I saw Mademoiselle Mariette Moreau in
the workshop, and was struck with her beauty. I then procured her
address, visited her home, where I found her godmother, and proposed--"
"Enough, sir! enough!" cried Louis indignantly.
"Permit me to add, my dear client," resumed Porquin, imperturbably,
"that the said godmother refused my offers point-blank, and that
Mademoiselle Mariette indignantly showed me the door. As you see, I am
perfectly frank, and hope this sincere avowal will win me the
confidence of M. Richard, who will not fail to accept my services. As
for you, Monsieur de Saint-Herem, I have examined your securities and
will place the two hundred _louis_ in your hands this evening--and now
that you have learned the conditions I have proposed to your friend, I
am sure you must consider them reasonable."
"I don't want your money," cried Louis. "Do you believe me capable of
discounting my father's death?"
"But, my dear client, allow me--"
"Come, Florestan, let us go," interrupted Louis, "this room stifles me."
"My dear Porquin," remarked Saint-Herem, as he followed his friend to
the door, "as you see, there are still honest sons and daughters
living. I will not say: 'May this serve you as a lesson or an
example,' for you are too old a sinner to reform; but I sincerely hope
this double disappointment will prove a most disagreeable pill to
swallow."
"Ah! my dear friend, you have relieved me of a cruel doubt," said
Louis, gratefully, when they had reached the street. "I am now certain
that Mariette never lowered herself to this wretch--but the fact still
remains that she has broken our engagement."
"Did she tell you so?"
"She has written or, rather, made someone else write."
"Made someone else write?"
"Ah! you will laugh at me--the poor girl I love can neither read nor
write."
"What a happy mortal you are! You are spared the lengthy epistles I am
forced to endure from a little shop girl whom I have robbed from a
jealous banker. I amuse myself by making her the rage, and enjoy the
poor creature's ecstasies immensely! It is so delightful to make
others happy. Her grammar is outrageous, however. Ah! my friend, what
orthography! it is of the antediluvian, innocent style; such as Mother
Eve must have used--but if your Mariette cannot write, who knows but
her secretary may have misinterpreted her thoughts?"
"With what object?"
"I don't know. But why not have an explanation with her?"
"She has begged me, in the name of her future happiness, not to see her
again."
"Well, now that you are a prospective millionaire, I would advise you
to see her in the name of that very future happiness."
"You are right, Florestan; I shall see her, and if this cruel mystery
can be explained, if I find her as in the past, affectionate and
devoted, what bliss shall be mine! Poor child, her life has been one
of work and misery; but she will now find comfort and rest, for my
father shall consent, and--Ah! my God!--"
"What is it?" asked Florestan, anxiously.
"I have forgotten to tell you that my father wishes me to marry your
cousin."
"What cousin?"
"Mademoiselle Ramon."
"You don't mean it?"
"I have just returned from Dreux, where I met her; and I must admit
that, even if I were not in love with Mariette, I could never marry
such a woman--"
"My uncle must be still wealthy, then, though he announced his ruin
many years ago," interrupted Saint-Herem. "It is evident that a
marriage with my cousin would be advantageous to you, or your father
would never propose it, believe me."
"My father explained our poverty in the same way; he pretended to have
lost his money many years ago."
"Ah, my worthy uncle, I knew you to be disagreeable and unendurable!"
resumed Florestan; "but I did not believe you capable of such
superiority of conception; from this day I esteem and venerate you. I
am not your heir, it is true; but the thought of a millionaire uncle is
a pleasant one, nevertheless. In moments of trouble we dream of him,
we form all sorts of affectionate hypotheses, even revel in thoughts of
apoplexy and long for cholera, that Providence of impecunious heirs,
which appears like a good fairy, robed in rosy hues."
"My dear Florestan," laughed Louis, "though I wish no one harm, I admit
that I would be glad to see your uncle's fortune fall into your hands
instead of going to his detestable daughter. You would know how to
enjoy the money at least; and, with such wealth, I am sure you would--"
"Contract debts, my dear fellow," interrupted his friend, majestically.
"What! with that immense fortune--"
"I would most assuredly contract debts, I tell you."
"With two or three millions?"
"With ten, or twenty millions! My system is similar to that of the
State: the higher the debt of a country, the higher stands her credit;
therefore, what is credit?--wealth! This is elementary, not counting
that it involves a high question of moral philosophy. But I shall
explain my financial and philosophical ideas on a more favorable
occasion. Go to Mariette, and report to me later. As for me, I have
promised to take my little shop-girl out on a new saddle-horse which,
by the way, cost me an outrageous price. Now don't fail to come or
write to me; whatever happens, I want to share your joy or sorrow. But
jump in and let me take you there."
"Thank you, I prefer to walk; it will give me time to think over all
that has happened and what attitude I should assume toward my father,
in view of this singular revelation."
"Good-bye, then, my dear Louis; don't forget that I shall expect you
before the day is over," said Saint-Herem, jumping into his brougham,
while Louis turned toward Mariette's home.