s he is a
lawyer."

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 dashed it 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 more
easily peer into the depths of the soul of the man before him.

"Because," replied he slowly, "both you and I distrust Catenac. When did
you see him last?"

"More than three months ago."

"True, and I allow that he seems to be acting fairly toward his old
associates; but you will admit that, in keeping away thus, his conduct
is without excuse, for he has made his fortune; and though he pretends
to 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 a
million, 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 harvest and
stored it away. But poor Catenac has no expensive tastes, nor does he
care for women or the pleasures of the table. While we indulged in every
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 would
amount to during the twenty years we have done business together."

The doctor was not clever at figures; he made several vain attempts to
solve the problem, and at last gave it up in despair. "Forty and forty,"
muttered he, tapping the tips of his fingers, "are eighty, then forty--"

"Call it eight hundred thousand francs," broke in Mascarin. "Say I drew
the same amount as you did. We have spent ours, and Catenac has saved
his, and grown rich; hence my distrust. Our interests are no longer
identical. He certainly comes here every month, but it is only to claim
his share; he consents to take his share of the profits, but shirks the
risks. It is fully ten years since he brought in any business. I don't
trust him at all. He always declines to join in any scheme 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, "that
Catenac is afraid of us. He knows that