ercadet
Of the law?

Mercadet
Of the law! You are losing your senses, you don't know what you are
doing, you are ruining us both--yourself and me--at the same time.

Goulard (anxiously)
How?--You--that of course is possible--but--but--me?

Mercadet
Both of us, I tell you! Quick, sit down there--write--write--!

Goulard (mechanically taking his pen)
Write--write what?

Mercadet
Write to Delannoy that he must make them stay the proceedings, and
give me the thousand crowns which I absolutely need.

Goulard (throwing down the pen)
That is very likely, indeed!

Mercadet
You hesitate, and, when I am on the eve of marrying my daughter to a
man immensely wealthy--that is the time you choose to cause my arrest.
And by that means you are killing both your capital and interest!

Goulard
Ah! you are going to marry your daughter--

Mercadet
To the Comte de la Brive; he possesses as many thousand francs as he
is years old!

Goulard
Then if he is up in years, there is reason for giving you some delay.
But the thousand crowns--the thousand crowns--never.--I am quite
decided on that point. I will give you nothing, neither delay nor--I
must go now--

Mercadet (with energy)
Very well! You can go if you like, you ungrateful fellow!--But don't
forget that I have done my best to save you.

Goulard (turning back)
Me?--To save me--from what?

Mercadet (aside)
I have him now. (Aloud) From what?--From the most complete ruin.

Goulard
Ruin? It is impossible.

Mercadet (taking a seat)
What is the matter with you? You, a man of intelligence, of ability--a
strong man, and yet you cause me all this trouble! You came here and I
felt absolutely enraged against you--not because I was your friend, I
confess it, but through selfishness. I look upon our interests as
identical. I said to myself: I owe him so much that he is sure to give
me his assistance when I have such a grand chance--like the one at
this moment! And you are going to let out the whole business and to
lose everything for the sake of a paltry sum! Everything! You are
perhaps right in refusing me the thousand crowns--It is better,
perhaps, to bury them in your coffers with the rest. All right! Send
me to prison! Then, when all is gone, you'll have to look somewhere
else for a friend!

Goulard (in a tone of self-reproach)
Mercadet!--my dear Mercadet!--But is it actually true?

Mercadet (rising from his seat)
Is it true? (to his wife) You would not believe he