their
reflections in the mirror. Du Roy raised his hand with the lighted
match in it, in order to distinguish their images more clearly, and
said, with a triumphant smile:

"The millionaires are passing by."

CHAPTER XV.

SUZANNE

Morocco had been conquered; France, the mistress of Tangiers, had
guaranteed the debt of the annexed country. It was rumored that two
ministers, Laroche-Mathieu being one of them, had made twenty millions.

As for Walter, in a few days he had become one of the masters of the
world--a financier more omnipotent than a king. He was no longer the
Jew, Walter, the director of a bank, the proprietor of a yellow
newspaper; he was M. Walter the wealthy Israelite, and he wished to
prove it.

Knowing the straitened circumstances of the Prince de Carlsbourg who
owned one of the fairest mansions on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, he
proposed to buy it. He offered three million francs for it. The prince,
tempted by the sum, accepted his offer; the next day, Walter took
possession of his new dwelling. Then another idea occurred to him--an
idea of conquering all Paris--an idea a la Bonaparte.

At that time everyone was raving over a painting by the Hungarian, Karl
Marcovitch, exhibited by Jacques Lenoble and representing "Christ
Walking on the Water." Art critics enthusiastically declared it to be
the most magnificent painting of the age. Walter bought it, thereby
causing entire Paris to talk of him, to envy him, to censure or approve
his action. He issued an announcement in the papers that everyone was
invited to come on a certain evening to see it.

Du Roy was jealous of M. Walter's success. He had thought himself
wealthy with the five hundred thousand francs extorted from his wife,
and now he felt poor as he compared his paltry fortune with the shower
of millions around him. His envious rage increased daily. He cherished
ill will toward everyone--toward the Walters, even toward his wife, and
above all toward the man who had deceived him, made use of him, and who
dined twice a week at his house. Georges acted as his secretary, agent,
mouthpiece, and when he wrote at his dictation, he felt a mad desire to
strangle him. Laroche reigned supreme in the Du Roy household, having
taken the place of Count de Vaudrec; he spoke to the servants as if he
were their master. Georges submitted to it all, like a dog which wishes
to bite and dares not. But he was often harsh and brutal to Madeleine,
who me