pting our invitation to dine
without ceremony?

Mercadet
To take pot-luck with us. (To De la Brive) You must excuse our
simplicity.

Justin (entering, in a low voice to Mercadet)
M. Pierquin wishes to speak to you, monsieur.

Mercadet (low)
Pierquin?

Justin
He says it is concerning an important and urgent matter.

Mercadet
What can he want with me? Let him come in. (Justin goes out. Aloud) My
dear, these gentlemen must be tired. Won't you take them into the
drawing-room? M. de la Brive, give my daughter you arm.

De la Brive
Mademoiselle-- (offers her his arm)

Julie (aside)
He is handsome, he is rich--why does he choose me?

Mme. Mercadet
M. de Mericourt, will you come and see the picture which we are going
to raffle off for the benefit of the poor orphans?

Mericourt
With pleasure, madame.

Mercadet
Go on. I shall be with you in a moment.

SCENE SEVENTH

Mercadet (alone)
Well, after all, this time I have really secured fortune and the
happiness of Julie and the rest of us. For a son-in-law like this is a
veritable gold mine! Three thousand acres! A chateau! Salt marshes!
(He sits down at his desk.)

Pierquin (entering)
Good-day, Mercadet. I have come--

Mercadet
Rather inopportunely. But what do you wish?

Pierquin
I sha'n't detain you long. The bills of exchange I gave you this
morning, signed by a man called Michonnin, are absolutely valueless. I
told you this beforehand.

Mercadet
I know that.

Pierquin
I now offer you a thousand crowns for them.

Mercadet
That is either too much or too little! Anything for which you will
give that sum must be worth infinitely more. Some one is waiting for
me in the other room. I will bid you good-evening.

Pierquin
I will give you four thousand francs.

Mercadet
No!

Pierquin
Five--six thousand.

Mercadet
If you wish to play cards, keep to the gambling table. Why do you wish
to recover this paper?

Pierquin
Michonnin has insulted me. I wish to take vengeance on him; to send
him to jail.

Mercadet (rising)
Six thousand francs worth of vengeance! You are not a man to indulge
in luxuries of that kind.

Pierquin
I assure you--

Mercadet
Come, now, my friend, consider that for a satisfactory defamation of
character the code won't charge you more than five or six hundred
francs, and the tax on a blow is only fifty francs--

Pierquin
I swear to you--

Mercadet
Has this Michonnin come into a