e of his
position, he often becomes possessed of disgraceful secrets."

"Go on, I beg, sir."

"He is often brought into contact with rogues."

"Go on, sir."

"He ought, as well as he can, to prevent an honourable name from being
dragged through the mud."

"What is all this to me?"

"Your father's name is deservedly respected; you, sir, dishonour it."

"How dare you, sir, to address such language to me?"

"But for the interest which the gentleman, of whom I speak, inspires in
the minds of all honest men, instead of being summoned before me, you
would, at this moment, be standing before a police-magistrate."

"I do not understand you."

"Two months since, you discounted, through an agent, a bill for
fifty-eight thousand francs (2,320_l._), accepted by the house of
Meulaert & Company, of Hamburg, in favour of a certain William Smith,
payable in three months, at the bank of M. Grimaldi, of Paris."

"Well?"

"That bill was a forgery."

"Impossible!"

"That bill was a forgery! the firm of Meulaert never gave such a bill to
William Smith, and never had such a transaction with such an
individual."

"Can this be true?" exclaimed M. de Saint-Remy, with equal surprise and
indignation; "then I have been most infamously deceived, sir, for I took
the bill as ready money."

"From whom?"

"From M. William Smith himself; the house of Meulaert is so well known,
and I was so firmly convinced myself of the honour of M. William Smith,
that I took the bill in payment of a debt he owed me."

"William Smith never existed,--he is an imaginary personage."

"Sir, you insult me!"

"His signature is forged and false, as well as all the rest of the
bill."

"I assert that M. William Smith is alive; but I must have been the dupe
of a horrible abuse of confidence."

"Poor young man!"

"Explain yourself, sir."

"The actual holder of the bill is convinced you committed the forgery."

"Sir!"

"He declares that he has proof of this; and he came to me the day before
yesterday, requesting me to see you, and offer to give up this forged
document, under certain conditions. Up to this point all was
straightforward, but what follows is not so, and I only speak to you now
according to my instructions. He requires one hundred thousand francs
(4,000_l._) down this very day, or else to-morrow, at twelve o'clock at
noon, the forged bill will be handed over to the king's
attorney-general."

"This is infamous, sir!"

"It is more