at the risk of being shown out of doors.

Molina was too shrewd to run this risk. He would return at another time,
seeing that the minister turned a deaf ear, but _pecaire_! he sweat huge
drops in seeking roundabout phrases, this man who never minced his words
and habitually called things by their proper names. Was the like ever
seen! A pettifogger from Grenoble to _floor_ Salomon Molina!

"It made me warm," said the money-maker, on leaving the cabinet, "but,
deuce take it! I'll have my revenge. One is not a minister always. You
shall pay me dearly, my little fellow, for that uncomfortable little
time."

Vaudrey had thoroughly understood the matter, but he did not intend to
allow it to be seen that he did. That was a simpler way. He had not had
to dismiss the buyer of consciences; he had enjoyed his embarrassment
and that was sufficient.

"What, however, if I had spoken to him of money before he had shown his
hand! If I had accepted from him--!" he said to himself.

He shuddered at the thought as he had previously done while Molina was
talking to him. A single imprudence, a single confidence might easily
have placed him under the hand of this fat man. He must, however, find
some solution. The days were rolling away and the bills signed for
Marianne would in a very short time reach maturity.

"When I think that this Molina could in one day enable me to gain three
times this sum."

Salomon had just told him: "To forestall the news on the Bourse is
sometimes worth gold ingots!" A _forestaller_! As well say the
revelation of a State secret, base speculation, almost treachery! And
yet on hearing these words that covered up an insult, he had not even
rung for the messenger to show Molina out, but had striven to comprehend
nothing!

As the result of this conversation, he felt uncomfortable. The man had
left an odor of pollution, as it were, behind him.

Vaudrey must needs be soon reassured respecting the Gochard paper. In
visiting Marianne, he observed that his mistress was a shrewd woman. She
informed him immediately that Claire Dujarrier whom she had seen, would
secure a renewal from Gochard, who was unknown to Vaudrey, from three
months to three months until the expiration of six months in
consideration of an additional twenty thousand francs for each period of
ninety days.

"I did not understand that at first," Marianne began by remarking.

"Oh!" said Sulpice, "I understand perfectly, it is absolute usury. But