No one can tell what one of your
shares in the stock of the Indies means in actual coin. It means
nothing, stands for nothing, is good for nothing. Now, think you, when
these people, when this France shall discover these facts, that they
will be lenient with those who have thus deceived them?"

"Yet your theory always was that we had too great a scarcity of money
here in France," expostulated the regent.

"True, so I did. We had not enough of good money. We can not have too
little of false money, of money such as your Grace--as you thought
without my knowledge--has been so eager to issue from the presses of our
Company. It had been an easy thing for the regent of France to pay off
all the debts of the world from now until the verge of eternity, had not
his presses given out. Money of that sort, your Grace, is such as any
man could print for himself, did he but have the linen and the ink."

The regent again dropped to his chair, his head falling forward upon his
breast.

"But what does it all mean? What shall be done? What will be the
result?" he asked, his voice showing well enough the anxiety which had
swiftly fallen upon his soul.

"As to that," replied Law, laconically, "I am no longer master here. I
am not controller of finance. Appoint Dubois, appoint D'Argenson. Send
for the Brothers Paris. Take them to this window, your Grace, and show
them your people, show them your France, and then ask them to tell you
what shall be done. Cry out to all the world, as I know you will, that
this was the fault of an unknown adventurer, of a Scotch gambler, of one
John Law, who brought forth some pretentious schemes to the detriment of
the realm. Saddle upon me the blame for all this ruin which is coming.
Malign me, misrepresent me, imprison me, exile me, behead me if you
like, and blame John Law for the discomfiture of France! But when you
come to seek your remedies, why, ask no more of John Law. Ask of Dubois,
ask of D'Argenson, ask of the Paris Freres; or, since your Grace has
seen fit to override me and to take these matters in his own hands, let
your Grace ask of himself! Tell me, as regent of France, as master of
Paris, as guardian of the rights of this young king, as controller of
the finances of France, as savior or destroyer of the welfare of these
people of France and of that America which is greater than this
France--tell me, what will you do, your Grace? What do you suggest as
remedy?"

"You devil! you arch fien