The eyeglass came up again as slowly and cautiously as before. "Listen, mon ami," said Payot, "Monsieur Ribout, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is, I understand, about to raise a loan for the new Morocco-Tunisian Railway. Do you think you can get me the concession for flotation?" "My dear Payot, you anticipate me. I have it in my portfolio?" "What! Do you mean to say that you actually have it here, in your portfolio?" cried Payot in a shrill tremor of delight. "C'est vrai, mon ami. Just wait a moment and I will show it you. Here it is, now we can arrange these things beautifully." Payot rubbed his hands together in a fever of delight, while his eyes sparkled with impatient greed, as he stretched out his hand to clasp the precious document. "Stop, stop, mon vieux, there are a few, just a few little preliminaries to arrange before I give it up to you. In the first place I must ask you to sign this little paper, undertaking to pay me twenty-five per cent. of the net profits which you make over the concession. A mere form, of course, but between friends it is always as well to attend to these little details." The eyeglass went up again with more deliberation than ever, and Payot calmly surveyed as much of him as was visible above the table. "What is his little game now?" he muttered to himself. "And now," continued Duval, "you have only to sign this, and give me your solemn promise that Renée shall marry my son, and the concession is yours." Payot sat still, playing an imaginary tune upon the table, evidently thinking intently. "Twenty-five per cent. is rather a high price to pay, mon vieux. Let me see," said he, casting up the figures in his head. "The concession is for a capital of 45,000,000 frs., and my profit on the deal will be 2,000,000 frs. Then there are certain deductions to be made. Yes, to be sure," he muttered to himself. "750,000 frs., and 200,000 frs., and 50,000 frs., that leaves a million francs, and twenty-five per cent. on a million is 250,000 frs. Two hundred and fifty thousand francs is a lot of money to give away," said Payot, nervously playing with his wine glass. "But you see what you are getting for it," said Duval, "Seven hundred and fifty thousand francs." "A mere bagatelle compared with my daughter. Why, I am simply giving her away, sir--giving her away!" and he heaved a sigh as if he had been asked to sign away his birthright. "Well then," said Duval, anxious to strike while the iron was hot, "we will call it a bargain," and without any further to-do he pushed the paper over to Payot to sign. Payot seeing that further haggling was useless, took his pen and mechanically signed the document. Duval rang the bell. "What do you want?" cried Payot, wondering why Duval should take upon himself the ordering of his servants. "Oh, it's all right, mon ami," said Duval, as the butler entered. "I merely wanted someone to witness our signatures."