depreciate these values by means of alarming news and then send them soaring up to the highest point by means of optimistic news. The art of the market at its infancy! The infallible process. Young Burzig who, being a British subject, had been ceaselessly flirting in English with pretty Mme. Pums, brusquely returned to the German of his family in order to take part in the discussion and the projects of the group. They were discussing with de Marquesse what bonds they could choose, what mines would be drained in the course of the operation. English or Dutch names, more blazing than tiaras, were quoted: the Pink Star of South Africa, the Transvaal Sun, the Source of the Carbuncles.... Suddenly there were signs of restlessness in the one little green eye of the Marquis de Meuze. It rolled, turned and trembled in its orbit like a fishing cork. He tried hard to take in what was being said. What! There was no mistake about it this time! They were talking about gold mines at the end of the table. Quite so.... Gold mines! _Nom d'un bon homme! Nom d'un chien!_ How could he listen to these gentlemen without being discourteous to the other one, that M. Raindal with his damned stories about mummies and Mariette Bey?... The marquis tried vainly to follow both conversations and his face became purple in the attempt. He could only hear a few words of the one that was carried on further from him: _fontein_ ... _rand_ ... _chartered_ ... _Cecil Rhodes_ ... _de Beers_ ... _claim_ ... and their technical syllables further pricked his curiosity. Well, it was no small matter to him! 120,000 francs engaged on the mining market. "120,000" the marquis repeated to himself; did it not give him a right to a certain amount of anxiety? And it seemed that it was in answer to him that he heard the voice of Pums in a half silence. "_Ya! Gewiss.... Ich glaube das die Red-Diamond...._" _The Red-Diamond--Fontein!..._ Why, that was the favorite mine of the marquis, his most beloved stock, "his little Red Diamond," as he called it victoriously! This time M. de Meuze could no longer contain himself. Brutally he turned right about and addressed the financiers: "Excuse me, M. Pums, you have just mentioned the _Red Diamond_, I believe? Would it be indiscreet to ask what you were saying about it?" "Not at all, marquis," Pums replied, for he always felt honored when M. de Meuze consulted him. And out of regard for the aged nobleman, the sizing up of the different mining stocks was carried on in French. However, M. Raindal had not noticed this desertion. It was some time already since he had been speaking for Zozé's benefit alone; he felt that a gradual mist of sympathy isolated them together from the rest of the party. He thought to himself, charmed and perhaps also emboldened by the mixture of wines he had been drinking: "I was right.... One of Cleopatra's followers!... A little Greek girl.... A true little Greek!" Then he went on: