ng-room he sprang up
as if he were suddenly aroused from slumber, rubbed his eyes, and
exclaimed: "Eh! what's that? Upon my word I must have been asleep!"

But M. Fortunat was not deceived. He noticed, on the floor, a torn and
crumpled newspaper, which betrayed the impatience and anger his client
had experienced during his long waiting. "Well," resumed the marquis,
"what time is it? Half-past twelve? This is a pretty time to keep an
appointment fixed for ten o'clock. This is presuming on my good-nature,
M. Fortunat! Do you know that my carriage has been waiting below ever
since half-past nine, and that my horses have, perhaps, taken cold? A
pair of horses worth six hundred louis!"

M. Fortunat listened to these reproaches with the deepest humility. "You
must excuse me, Monsieur le Marquis," said he. "If I remained out so
much later than usual, it was only because your business interests
detained me."

"Zounds! that is about the same as if it had been your own business that
detained you!" And well pleased with this joke, he added, "Ah well! How
are affairs progressing?"

"On my side as well as could be desired."

The marquis had resumed his seat in the chimney-corner, and was poking
the fire with a haughty, but poorly assumed air of indifference. "I am
listening," he said carelessly.

"In that case, Monsieur le Marquis, I will state the facts in a few
words, without going into particulars. Thanks to an expedient devised
by me, we shall obtain for twenty hours a release from all the mortgages
that now encumber your estates. On that very day we will request a
certificate from the recorder. This certificate will declare that your
estates are free from all encumbrances; you will show this statement to
M. de Chalusse, and all his doubts--that is, if he has any--will vanish.
The plan was very simple; the only difficulty was about raising the
money, but I have succeeded in doing so. All your creditors but two lent
themselves very readily to the arrangement. I have now won the consent
of the two who at first refused, but we shall have to pay dearly for it.
It will cost you about twenty-six thousand francs."

M. de Valorsay was so delighted that he could not refrain from clapping
his hands. "Then the affair is virtually concluded," he exclaimed.
"In less than a month Mademoiselle Marguerite will be the Marquise de
Valorsay, and I shall have a hundred thousand francs a year again."
Then, noting how gravely M. Fortunat shoo