ttle by little human interests asserted
themselves in a louder key even there where their nothingness lay
exposed on all those flat stones covered with dates and figures, as if
death was only an affair of time and calculation--the desired solution
of a problem.

Hemerlingue enjoyed the sight of his friend reduced to such humility,
and gave him advice on his affairs, with which he seemed to be fully
acquainted. According to him the Nabob could still get out of his
difficulties very well. Everything depended on the validation, on the
turning up of a card. The question was to make sure that it should be a
good one. But Jansoulet had no more confidence. In losing Mora, he had
lost everything.

"You lose Mora, but you regain me; so things are equalized," said the
banker tranquilly.

"No, do you see it is impossible. It is too late. Le Merquier has
completed the report. It is a dreadful one, I believe."

"Well, if he has completed his report, he will have to prepare another."

"How is that to be done?"

The baron looked at him with surprise.

"Ah, you are losing your senses. Why, by paying him a hundred, two
hundred, three hundred thousand francs, if necessary.

"How can you think of such a thing? Le Merquier, that man of integrity!
'My conscience,' as they call him."

This time Hemerlingue's laugh burst forth with an extraordinary
heartiness, and must have reached the inmost recesses of the
neighbouring mausoleums, little accustomed to such disrespect.

"'My conscience' a man of integrity! Ah! you amuse me. You don't know,
then, that he is in my pay, conscience and all, and that--" He paused,
and looked behind him, somewhat startled by a sound which he had heard.
"Listen."

It was the echo of his laughter sent back to them from the depths of a
vault, as if the idea of Le Merquier having a conscience moved even the
dead to mirth.

"Suppose we walk a little," said he, "it begins to be chilly on this
bench."

Then, as they walked among the tombs, he went on to explain to him with
a certain pedantic fatuity, that in France bribes played as important a
part as in the East. Only one had to be a little more delicate about
it here. You veiled your bribes. "Thus, take this Le Merquier, for
instance. Instead of offering him your money openly, in a big purse, as
you would to a local pasha, you go about it indirectly. The man is
fond of pictures. He is constantly having dealings with Schwalbach, who
employs him as a de