"When I asked you to come here to-day," said he, "and when I beggedyou to conceal yourself in my bedroom--""Where I was half frozen," broke in Hortebise.
"It was," went on Mascarin, "because I desired your advice. We havestarted on a serious undertaking,--an undertaking full of peril bothto you and to myself.""Pooh! I have perfect confidence in you,--whatever you do is donewell, and you are not the man to fling away your trump cards.""True; but I may lose the game, after all, and then----"The doctor merely shook a large gold locket that depended from hiswatch chain.
This movement seemed to annoy Mascarin a great deal. "Why do you flashthat trinket at me?" asked he. "We have known each other for five andtwenty years,--what do you mean to imply? Do you mean that the locketcontains the likeness of some one that you intend to make use of lateron? I think that you might render such a step unnecessary by giving meyour present advice and attention."Hortebise threw himself back in his chair with an expression ofresignation. "If you want advice," remarked he, "why not apply to ourworthy friend Catenac?--he knows something of business, as he is alawyer."The name of Catenac seemed to irritate Mascarin so much, that calm,and self-contained as he usually was, he pulled off his cap and dashedit on his desk.
"Are you speaking seriously?" said he angrily.
"Why should I not be in earnest?"Mascarin removed his glasses, as though without them he could the moreeasily peer into the depths of the soul of the man before him.
"Because," replied he slowly, "both you and I distrust Catenac. Whendid you see him last?""More than three months ago.""True, and I allow that he seems to be acting fairly toward his oldassociates; but you will admit that, in keeping away thus, his conductis without excuse, for he has made his fortune; and though he pretendsto be poor, he is certainly a man of wealth.""Do you really think so?""Were he here, I would force him to acknowledge that he is worth amillion, at least.""A million!" exclaimed the doctor, with sudden animation.
"Yes, certainly. You and I, Hortebise, have indulged our every whim,and have spent gold like water, while our friend garnered his harvestand stored it away. But poor Catenac has no expensive tastes, nor doeshe care for women or the pleasures of the table. While we indulged inevery pleasure, he lent out his money at usurious interest. But, stop,--how much do you spend per annum?""That is a hard question to answer; but, say, forty thousand francs.""More, a great deal more; but calculate what a capital sum that wouldamount to during the twenty years we have done business together."The doctor was not clever at figures; he made several vain attempts tosolve the problem, and at last gave it up in despair. "Forty andforty," muttered he, tapping the tips of his fingers, are eighty, thenforty--""Call it eight hundred thousand francs," broke in Mascarin. "Say Idrew the same amount as you did. We have spent ours, and Catenac hassaved his, and grown rich; hence my distrust. Our interests are nolonger identical. He certainly comes here every month, but it is onlyto claim his share; he consents to take his share of the profits, butshirks the risks. It is fully ten years since he brought in anybusiness. I don't trust him at all. He always declines to join in anyscheme that we propose, and sees danger in everything.""He would not betray us, however."Mascarin took a few moments for reflection. "I think," said he, "thatCatenac is afraid of us. He knows that the ruin of me would entail thedestruction of the other two. This is our only safeguard; but if hedare not injure us openly, he is quite capable of working against usin secret. Do you remember what he said the last time he was here?
That we ought to close our business and retire. How should /we/ live?
for he is rich and we are poor. What on earth are you doing,Hortebise?" he added, for the physician, who had the reputation ofbeing worth an enormous amount, had taken out his purse, and was goingover the contents.
"I have scarcely three hundred and twenty-seven francs!" answered hewith a laugh. "What is the state of your finances?"Mascarin made a grimace. "I am not so well off as you; and besides,"he continued in a low voice, as though speaking to himself, "I havecertain ties which you do not possess."For the first time during this interview a cloud spread over thedoctor's countenance.
"Great Heavens!" said he, "and I was depending on you for threethousand francs, which I require urgently."Mascarin smiled slyly at the doctor's uneasiness. "Don't worry," heanswered. "You can have that; there out to be some six or eightthousand francs in the safe. But that is all, and that is the last ofour common capital,--this after twenty years of toil, danger, andanxiety, and we have not twenty years before us to make a freshfortune in.""Yes," continued Mascarin, "we are getting old, and therefore have thegreater reason for making one grand stroke to assure our fortune. WereI to fall ill to-morrow, all would go to smash.""Quite true," returned the doctor, with a slight shudder.
"We must, and that is certain, venture on a bold stroke. I have saidthis for years, and woven a web of gigantic proportions. Do you nowknow why at this last moment I appeal to you, and not to Catenac forassistance? If only one out of two operations that I have fullyexplained to you succeeds, our fortune is made.""I follow you exactly.""The question now is whether the chance of success is sufficientlygreat to warrant our going on with these undertakings. Think it overand let me have your opinion."An acute observer could easily have seen that the doctor was a man ofresource, and a thoroughly competent adviser, for the reason that hiscoolness never deserted him. Compelled to choose between the use ofthe contents of his locket, or the continuance of a life of luxuriousease, the smile vanished from the doctor's face, and he began toreflect profoundly. Leaning back in his chair, with his feet restingon the fender, he carefully studied every combination in theundertaking, as a general inspects the position taken up by the enemy,when a battle is impending, upon which the fate of an empire mayhinge. That this analysis took a favorable turn, was evident, forMascarin soon saw a smile appear upon the doctor's lips. "We must makethe attack at one," said he; "but make no mistake; the projects youpropose are most dangerous, and a single error upon our side wouldentail destruction; but we must take some risk. The odds are againstus, but still we may win. Under these circumstances, and as necessitycheers us on, I say, /Forward!/" As he said this, he rose to his feet,and extending his hand toward his friend, exclaimed, "I am entirely atyour disposal."Mascarin seemed relieved by the doctor's decision, for he was in thatframe of mind when, however self-reliant a man may be, he has adisinclination to be left alone, and the aid of a stout ally is of theutmost service.
"Have you considered every point carefully?" asked he. "You know thatwe can only act at present upon one of the undertakings, and that isthe one of which the Marquis de Croisenois----""I know that.""With reference to the affair of the Duke de Champdoce, I have stillto gather together certain things necessary for the ultimate successof the scheme. There is a mystery in the lives of the Duke andDuchess,--of this there is no doubt,--but what is this secret? I wouldlay my life that I have hit upon the correct solution; but I want nosuspicions, no probabilities; I want absolute certainties. And now,"continued he, "this brings us back to the first question. What do youthink of Paul Violaine?"Hortebise walked up and down the room two or three times, and finallystopped opposite to his friend. "I think," said he, "that the lad hasmany of the qualities we want, and we might find it hard to discoverone better suited for our purpose. Besides, he is a bastard, knowsnothing of his father, and therefore leaves a wide field forconjecture; for every natural son has the right to consider himself,if he likes, the offspring of a monarch. He has no family or any oneto look after him, which assures us that whatever may happen, there isno one to call us to account. He is not overwise, but has a certainamount of talent, and any quantity of ridiculous self-conceit. He iswonderfully handsome, which will make matters easier, but--""Ah, there is a 'but' then?""More than one," answered the doctor, "for there are three forcertain. First, there is Rose Pigoreau, whose beauty has so captivatedour old friend Tantaine,--she certainly appears to be a danger in thefuture.""Be easy," returned Mascarin; "we will quickly remove this young womanfrom our road.""Good; but do not be too confident," answered Hortebise, in his usualtone. "The danger from her is not the one you think, and which you aretrying to avoid. You think Paul loves her. You are wrong. He woulddrop her to-morrow, so that he could please his self-indulgence. Butthe woman who thinks that she hates her lover often deceives herself;and Rose is simply tired of poverty. Give her a little amount ofcomfort, good living, and luxury, and you will see her give them allup to come back to Paul. Yes, I tell you, she will harass and annoyhim, as women of her class who have nothing to love always do. Shewill even go to Flavia to claim him.""She had better not," retorted Mascarin, in threatening accents.
"Why, how could you prevent it? She has known Paul from his infancy.
She knew his mother; she was perhaps brought up by her, perhaps evenlived in the same street. Look out, I say, for danger from thatquarter.""You may be right, and I will take my precautions."It was sufficient for Mascarin to be assured of a danger to find meansof warding it off.
"My second 'but,' " continued Hortebise, "is the idea of themysterious protector of whom the young man spoke. His mother, he says,has reason to know that his father is dead, and I believe in the truthof the statement. In this case, what has become of the person who paidMadame Violaine her allowance?""You are right, quite right; these are the crevices in our armor; butI keep my eyes open, and nothing escapes me."The doctor was growing rather weary, but he still went oncourageously. "My third 'but' " said he, "is perhaps the strongest. Wemust see the young fellow at once. It may be to-morrow, without evenhaving prepared him or taught him his part. Suppose we found that hewas honest! Imagine--if he returned a firm negative to all yourdazzling offers!"Mascarin rose to his feet in his turn. "I do not think that there isany chance of that," said he.
"Why not, pray?""Because when Tantaine brought him to me, he had studied himcarefully. He is as weak as a woman, and as vain as a journalist.
Besides, he is ashamed at being poor. No; I can mould him like waxinto any shape I like. He will be just what we wish.""Are you sure," asked Hortebise, "that Flavia will have nothing to sayin this matter?""I had rather, with your permission, say nothing on that head,"returned Mascarin. He broke off his speech and listened eagerly.
"There is some one listening," said he. "Hark!"The sound was repeated, and the doctor was about to seek refuge in theinner room, when Mascarin laid a detaining hand upon his arm.
"Stay," observed he, "it is only Beaumarchef;" and as he spoke, hestruck a gilded bell that stood on his desk. In another instantBeaumarchef appeared, and with an air in which familiarity was mingledwith respect, he saluted in military fashion.
"Ah," said the doctor pleasantly, "do you take your nips of brandyregularly?""Only occasionally, sir," stammered the man.
"Too often, too often, my good fellow. Do you think that your nose andeyelids are not real telltales?""But I assure you, sir--""Do you not remember I told you that you had asthmatic symptoms? Why,the movement of your pectoral muscles shows that your lungs areaffected.""But I have been running, sir."Mascarin broke in upon this conversation, which he consideredfrivolous. "If he is out of breath," remarked he, "it is because hehas been endeavoring to repair a great act of carelessness that he hascommitted. Well, Beaumarchef, how did you get on?""All right, sir," returned he, with a look of triumph. "Good!""What are you talking about?" asked the doctor.
Mascarin gave his friend a meaning glance, and then, in a carelessmanner, replied, "Caroline Schimmel, a former servant of the Champdocefamily, also patronizes our office. How did you find her,Beaumarchef?""Well, an idea occurred to me.""Pooh! do you have ideas at your time of life?"Beaumarchef put on an air of importance. "My idea was this," he wenton: "as I left the office with Toto Chupin, I said to myself, thewoman would certainly drop in at some pub before she reached theboulevard.""A sound argument," remarked the doctor.
"Therefore Toto and I took a squint into every one we passed, andbefore we got to the Rue Carreau we saw her in one, sure enough.""And Toto is after her now?""Yes, sir; he said he would follow her like her shadow, and will bringin a report every day.""I am very pleased with you, Beaumarchef," said Mascarin, rubbing hishands joyously.
Beaumarchef seemed highly flattered, but continued,--"This is not all.""What else is there to tell?""I met La Candele on his way from the Place de Petit Pont, and he hasjust seen that young girl--you know whom I mean--driving off in a two-horse Victoria. He followed it, of course. She has been placed in agorgeous apartment in the Rue Douai; and from what the porter says,she must be a rare beauty; and La Candele raved about her, and saysthat she has the most magnificent eyes in the world.""Ah," remarked Hortebise, "then Tantaine was right in his descriptionof her.""Of course he was," answered Mascarin with a slight frown, "and thisproves the justice of the objection you made a little time back. Agirl possessed of such dazzling beauty may even influence the fool whohas carried her off to become dangerous."Beaumarchef touched his master's arm kindly. "If you wish to get ridof the masher," said he, "I can show you a way;" and throwing himselfinto the position of a fencer, he made a lunge with his right arm,exclaiming, "One, two!""A Prussian quarrel," remarked Mascarin. "No; a duel would do us nogood. We should still have the girl on our hands, and violent measuresare always to be avoided." He took off his glasses, wiped them, andlooking at the doctor intently, said, "Suppose we take an epidemic asour ally. If the girl had the smallpox, she would lose her beauty."Cynical and hardened as the doctor was, he drew back in horror at thisproposal. "Under certain circumstances," remarked he, "science mightaid us; but Rose, even without her beauty, would be just as dangerousas she is now. It is /her/ affection for Paul that we have to check,and not /his/ for her; and the uglier a woman is, the more she clingsto her lover.""All this is worthy of consideration," returned Mascarin; "meanwhilewe must take steps to guard ourselves from the impending danger. Haveyou finished that report on Gandelu, Beaumarchef? What is hisposition?""Head over ears in debt, sir, but not harassed by his creditorsbecause of his future prospects.""Surely among these creditors there are some that we could influence?"said Mascarin. "Find this out, and report to me this evening; andfarewell for the present."When again alone, the two confederates remained silent for some time.
The decisive moment had arrived. As yet they were not compromised; butif they intended to carry out their plans, they must no longer remaininactive; and both of these men had sufficient experience to know thatthey must look at the position boldly, and make up their minds atonce. The pleasant smile upon the doctor's face faded away, and hisfingers played nervously with his locket. Mascarin was the first tobreak the silence.
"Let us no longer hesitate," said he; "let us shut our eyes to thedanger and advance steadily. You heard the promises made by theMarquis de Croisenois. He will do as we wish, but under certainconditions. Mademoiselle de Mussidan must be his bride.""That will be impossible.""Not so, if we desire it: and the proof of this is, that before twoo'clock the engagement between Mademoiselle Sabine and the Baron deBreulh-Faverlay will be broken off."The doctor heaved a deep sigh. "I can understand Catenac's scruples.
Ah! if, like him, I had a million!"During this brief conversation Mascarin had gone into his sleepingroom and was busily engaged in changing his dress.
"If you are ready," remarked the doctor, "we will make a start."In reply, Mascarin opened the door leading into the office. "Get acab, Beaumarchef," said he.
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