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. SCENE TWELFTH 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. Violette And I--I, who would have been willing to make some reduction--I have been paid in full! Mercadet All! (in a low voice to him) I suppose in drafts? Violette In first-class drafts to the amount of eighteen thousand francs. Mercadet (aside) What a fellow this De la Brive is! Violette And the balance, the other twelve thousand-- Verdelin Yes--the balance? Violette In cash. Here it is. (He shows the bank-notes.) Mercadet (aside) Minard won't bring me more than ten. Goulard (taking a seat at the table) And this very moment he is paying in the same way all your creditors. Mercadet In the same way? Violette (taking a seat at the table) Yes, in drafts, in specie, and in bank-notes. Mercadet (forgetting himself) Lord, have mercy upon me! (Aside) Minard will bring me nothing at all. Verdelin What is the matter with you? Mercadet Me! Nothing--I-- SCENE THIRTEENTH The same persons and Minard, followed by creditors. Minard I have done your errand. Mercadet (trembling) And you--have brought me--a few--bank-notes?