" La Torpille. The false Abbe based his calculations
on Esther's former intimacy with this famous scoundrel, an incident
peculiar to women of her class.

Georges d'Estourny, whose ambition grew bolder with success, had taken
under his patronage a man who had come from the depths of the country to
carry on a business in Paris, and whom the Liberal party were anxious
to indemnify for certain sentences endured with much courage in the
struggle of the press with Charles X.'s government, the persecution
being relaxed, however, during the Martignac administration. The Sieur
Cerizet had then been pardoned, and he was henceforth known as the Brave
Cerizet.

Cerizet then, being patronized for form's sake by the bigwigs of the
Left, founded a house which combined the business of a general agency
with that of a bank and a commission agency. It was one of those
concerns which, in business, remind one of the servants who advertise in
the papers as being able and willing to do everything. Cerizet was very
glad to ally himself with Georges d'Estourny, who gave him hints.

Esther, in virtue of the anecdote about Nonon, might be regarded as
the faithful guardian of part of Georges d'Estourny's fortune. An
endorsement in the name of Georges d'Estourny made Carlos Herrera master
of the money he had created. This forgery was perfectly safe so long as
Mademoiselle Esther, or some one for her, could, or was bound to pay.

After making inquiries as to the house of Cerizet, Carlos perceived
that he had to do with one of those humble men who are bent on making
a fortune, but--lawfully. Cerizet, with whom d'Estourny had really
deposited his moneys, had in hand a considerable sum with which he was
speculating for a rise on the Bourse, a state of affairs which allowed
him to style himself a banker. Such things are done in Paris; a man may
be despised,--but money, never.

Carlos went off to Cerizet intending to work him after his manner;
for, as it happened, he was master of all this worthy's secrets--a meet
partner for d'Estourny.

Cerizet the Brave lived in an entresol in the Rue du Gros-Chenet, and
Carlos, who had himself mysteriously announced as coming from Georges
d'Estourny, found the self-styled banker quite pale at the name. The
Abbe saw in this humble private room a little man with thin, light hair;
and recognized him at once, from Lucien's description, as the Judas who
had ruined David Sechard.

"Can we talk here without risk of