Croisenois started to his feet angrily. “Why,” cried he, “you intend to make a catspaw of me! Such a proceeding would send me to penal servitude.” “What an ungrateful man he is!” said Mascarin, appealing to his audience, “when I am doing all I can to prevent his going there.” “Sir!” But Catenac now felt it time to interfere. “You do not understand,” remarked he, addressing Croisenois. “You will start a Company for the development of some native product, let us say Pyrenean marble, for instance, issue a prospectus, and the shares will be at once taken up by Mascarin’s clients.” “Well, what happens then?” “Why, out of the funds thus obtained we will take care when the crash comes to reimburse any outsiders who may have taken shares in the concern, telling them that the thing has been a failure, and that we are ruined; while Mascarin will take care to obtain from all his clients a discharge in full, so the Company will quietly collapse.” “But,” objected the Marquis, “all the shareholders will know that I am a rogue.” “Naturally.” “They would hold me in utter contempt.” “Perhaps so, but they would never venture to let you see it. I never thought that you would make objections; and whose character, however deep, will bear investigation?” “Are you sure that you hold your people securely?” asked he; “and that none of them will turn surly?” Mascarin was waiting for this question, and taking from his desk the pieces of cardboard which he took so much pains to arrange, he replied, “I have here the names of three hundred and fifty people who will each invest ten thousand francs in the Company. Listen to me, and judge for yourself.” He put all three pieces of cardboard together, and then drawing out one he read,-- “‘N---, civil engineer. Five letters written by him to the gentleman who procured his appointment for him: worth fifteen thousand francs.’ “‘P---, merchant. Absolute proof that his last bankruptcy was a fraudulent one, and that he kept back from his creditors two hundred thousand francs. Good for twenty thousand francs.’ “‘Madame V---. A photograph taken in very light and airy costume. Poor, but can pay three thousand francs.’ “‘M. H---. Three letters from her mother, proving that the daughter had compromised herself before marriage. Letter from a monthly nurse appended. Can be made to pay ten thousand francs.’ “‘X---, a portion of his correspondence with L--- in 1848. Three thousand francs.’ “‘Madame M. de M---. A true history of her adventure with M. J---.’” This sample was quite sufficient to satisfy M. de Croisenois. “Enough,” cried he, “I yield. I bow before your gigantic power, which utterly surpasses that of the police. Give me your orders.”