“That’s true, m’sieur; but I had a little matter of my own to attend to--a matter of a hundred francs, if you please.” M. Fortunat knit his brows angrily. “It’s only right to attend to business,” said he; “but you think too much of money, Victor--altogether too much. You are insatiable.” The young man proudly lifted his head, and with an air of importance, replied: “I have so many responsibilities----” “Responsibilities!--you?” “Yes, indeed, m’sieur. And why not? My poor, good mother hasn’t been able to work for a year, and who would care for her if I didn’t? Certainly not my father, the good-for-nothing scamp, who squandered all the Duke de Sairmeuse’s money without giving us a sou of it. Besides, I’m like other men, I’m anxious to be rich, and enjoy myself. I should like to ride in my carriage like other people do. And whenever a gamin, such as I was once, opened the door for ME, I should put a five-franc piece in his hand----” He was interrupted by Madame Dodelin, the worthy housekeeper, who rushed into the room without knocking, in a terrible state of excitement. “Monsieur!” she exclaimed, in the same tone as if she would have called “Fire!” “here is Monsieur de Valorsay.” M. Fortunat sprang up and turned extremely pale. “What to the devil brings him here?” he anxiously stammered. “Tell him that I’ve gone out--tell him--” But it was useless, for the marquis at that very moment entered the room, and the agent could only dismiss his housekeeper and Chupin. M. de Valorsay seemed to be very angry, and it looked as if he meant to give vent to his passion. Indeed, as soon as he was alone with M. Fortunat, he began: “So this is the way you betray your friends, Master Twenty-per-Cent! Why did you deceive me last night about the ten thousand francs you had promised me? Why didn’t you tell me the truth? You knew of the misfortune that had befallen M. de Chalusse. I heard of it first scarcely an hour ago through a letter from Madame Leon.” M. Fortunat hesitated somewhat. He was a quiet man, opposed to violence of any kind; and it seemed to him that M. de Valorsay was twisting and turning his cane in a most ominous manner. “I must confess, Monsieur le Marquis,” he at last replied, “that I had not the courage to tell you of the dreadful misfortune which had befallen us.” “How--US?” “Certainly. If you lose the hope of several millions, I also lose the amount I advanced to you, forty thousand francs--my entire fortune. And yet, you see that I don’t complain. Do as I do--confess that the game is lost.”