Two banks of the Seine (Les Deux Rives)Vandérem, Fernand
General
Two banks of the Seine (Les Deux Rives)
Vandérem, Fernand
Paris (France) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"There are enough names in there!... Jews, Moslems, Christians, yes, and
goyim, too.... Names from all countries and all religions.... It is to
these names that the whole wealth of the land belongs.... They are all
the names of those who fleece and grind us; you understand, my dear
Raindal?... One of these names at the bottom of a paper is better than a
cartridge of dynamite under a house.... It makes the millions dance as
oranges fly from the hands of a juggler.... But, God be praised! my
friend, this will not last forever!..."
"Ah! you are clever, Schleifmann!" the younger M. Raindal murmured,
throwing an inquisitive glance at the Galician over the book he held
open in his hand. "We know your game!... You want to egg me on again to
your socialism.... Well, no.... It's not to be done! I stand for freedom
... and for property ... and for the whole system of our filthy society,
provided, however, people are honest. Yes, to be sure! Otherwise, pan,
pan! To the wall with the grafters!..."
Schleifmann protested mildly, asserting that his remarks were
disinterested. Then he came closer to Cyprien, who had laid the book on
the table, the better to consult it. He guided his friend's search among
the terrible complications of interdependent banks, boards of
administration, committees, sub-committees and other mysterious groups
bent upon conquest.
Gradually, the younger M. Raindal waxed excited as he read. When he saw
the same name figure on two, three, four boards, he exclaimed in
distress like a man who is being assaulted. His jocular anger was
especially excited by the names that bore the signs of Hebraic descent.
"Another one!" he would throw at Schleifmann.
"So it seems! But is it my fault?" the Galician replied sadly.
Again they took up their reading. To see their backs, their elbows
closely touching, one might have fancied that they were two good little
boys greedily perusing some picture-book or a fascinating volume of
adventures.
Suddenly Cyprien straightened up and struck his rounded forehead. "By
the way, Schleifmann," he asked, "do you happen to know a certain
Lemeunier de Saulvard?"
"Member of the Institute of France?"
"Yes, himself."
Did Schleifmann know him? Of course, he did. None better. As a matter of
fact, Saulvard banked at the Stummerwitz Bank and the Galician had heard
the Stummerwitzes mention him more than once. He was teaching German to
their children, or rather he was perfecting them in the use of that
tongue; for they had learned the rudiments of it from their maternal
grandfather, born in Stuttgart, and their paternal grandfather, born in
Cologne. Rapidly in a hundred lashing words, Saulvard was sized up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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