once endeavored to make up his mind to withdraw
entirely from the business, but he had been unable to resist the strange
fascination of that mysterious person who had been laying bare his
scheme with such extraordinary audacity. The few vestiges of honesty
that were still left in his corrupted soul revolted at the thought of
the shameful compact into which he was about to enter, but the dazzling
prospect held out before his eyes silenced his scruples, and he felt a
certain pride in being the associate of men who possessed such seemingly
illimitable power. Mascarin saw that there was no longer any necessity
for the extreme firmness with which he had before spoken, and it was
with the most studied courtesy that he replied: "I have no orders to
give you, Marquis, our interests are identical, and we must all have a
voice in the deliberations as to the best means of carrying them out."

This change from _hauteur_ to suavity gratified Croisenois' pride
immensely.

"Now," continued Mascarin, "let us speak of your own circumstances. You
wrote to me recently that you had nothing, and I am aware that you have
no expectations for the future."

"Excuse me, but there is the fortune of my poor brother George, who
disappeared so mysteriously."

"Let me assure you," answered Mascarin, "that we had better be perfectly
frank with each other."

"And am I not so?" answered the Marquis.

"Why, in talking of this imaginary fortune?"

"It is not imaginary; it is real, and a very large one, too, about
twelve or fourteen hundred thousand francs, and I can obtain it, for, by
Articles 127 and 129 of the Code Napoleon---"

He interrupted himself, as he saw an expression of hardly-restrained
laughter upon the features of Dr. Hortebise.

"Do not talk nonsense," answered Mascarin. "You could at first have
filed an affidavit regarding your brother's disappearance, and applied
to the Court to appoint you trustee, but this is now exactly what you
wish to avoid."

"Why not, pray? Do you think----"

"Pooh, pooh, but you have raised so much money on this inheritance that
there is nothing of it left hardly, certainly not sufficient to pay your
debts. It is the bait you used to allure your tradespeople into giving
you credit."

At finding himself so easily fathomed, Croisenois burst into a peel of
laughter. Mascarin had by this time thrown himself into an armchair, as
though utterly worn out by fatigue.

"There is no necessity, Marquis," sai