ceased trying to please. When he shaved he spared the narrow strip
of pepper-and-salt beard round his chin, as it gave him the air of a
trust-worthy family man in the eyes of the Arrogants and of fools in
general. Then he descended to his cabinet, where he received the file of
men who were entirely occupied by one thought--that of augmenting their
capital. These gentlemen discussed several projected enterprises, all
of them of considerable importance, notably that of a new railroad to
be laid across a wild desert. Another scheme was for the founding of
monster works in the environs of Paris, another of a mine to be worked
in one of the South American republics. It goes without saying that no
one asked if the railway would have passengers or goods to carry, or if
the proposed works should manufacture cotton nightcaps or distil whisky;
whether the mine was to be of virgin gold or of second-rate copper:
certainly not. The conversation of M. Godefroy's morning callers turned
exclusively upon the profits which it would be possible to realize
during the week which should follow the issue of the shares. They
discussed particularly the values of the shares, which they knew would
be destined before long to be worth less than the paper on which they
were printed in fine style.

These conversations, bristling with figures, lasted till ten o'clock
precisely, and then the director of the _Comptoir General de Credit_,
who, by the way, was an honest man--at least, as honest as is to be
found in business--courteously conducted his last visitor to the head of
the stairway. The visitor named was an old villain, as rich as Croesus,
who, by a not uncommon chance, enjoyed the general esteem of the public;
whereas, had justice been done to him, he would have been lodging at the
expense of the State in one of those large establishments provided by a
thoughtful government for smaller delinquents; and there he would have
pursued a useful and healthy calling for a lengthy period, the exact
length having been fixed by the judges of the supreme court. But M.
Godefroy showed him out relentlessly, notwithstanding his importance--it
was absolutely necessary to be at the Bourse at 11 o'clock--and went
into the dining-room.

It was a luxuriously furnished room. The furniture and plate would
have served to endow a cathedral. Nevertheless, notwithstanding that M.
Godefroy took a gulp of bicarbonate of soda, his indigestion refused
to subside, conseque