omrade. I have nothing, and I am frank to say that even if
I had I could give you nothing. I have already lent you all that my
means permit me to dispose of; I have never asked you for payment, for
I am your friend as well as your creditor, and indeed, if my heart did
not overflow in gratitude towards you, if I had not been a man
different from ordinary men, the creditor would long ago have killed
the man. I tell you everything has a limit in this world.

Mercadet
Friendship has a limit, that's certain; but not misfortune.

Verdelin
If I were rich enough to save you altogether, to cancel your debt
entirely, I would do so with all my heart, for I admire your courage.
But you are bound to go under. Your last schemes, although cleverly
projected, have collapsed. You have ruined your reputation, you are
looked upon as a dangerous man. You have not known how to take
advantage of the momentary success of your operations. When you are
utterly beggared, you will always find bread at my house; but it is
the duty of a friend to speak these plain truths.

Mercadet
What would be the advantage of friendship unless it gave us the
pleasure of finding ourselves in the right, and seeing a friend in the
wrong--of being comfortable ourselves and seeing our friend in
difficulties and of paying compliment to ourselves by saying
disagreeable things to him? Is it true then that I am little thought
of on 'Change?

Verdelin
I do not say so much as that. No; you still pass for an honest man,
but necessity is forcing you to adopt expedients--

Mercadet
Which are not justified by the success which luckier men enjoy! Ah,
success! How many outrageous things go to make up success. You'll
learn that soon enough. Now, for instance, this morning I began to
bear the market on the mines of Basse-Indre, in order that you may
gain control of that enterprise before the favorable report of the
engineers is published.

Verdelin
Hush, Mercadet, can this be true? Ah! I see your genius there! (Puts
his arm around him.)

Mercadet
I say this in order that you may understand that I have no need of
advice, or of moralizing,--merely of money. Alas! I do not ask any
thing of you for myself, my dear friend, but I am about to make a
marriage for my daughter, and here we are actually, although secretly,
fallen into absolute destitution. We are in a house where poverty
reigns under the appearance of luxury. The power of promises, and of
credit, all is exhaus