from 206 they have risen to 409 in three days,
and the prudent banker had purchased at 206; therefore he must have made
300,000 livres."

"That is not his biggest scoop," said Morcerf; "did he not make a
million in Spaniards this last year?"

"My dear fellow," said Lucien, "here is the Count of Monte Cristo, who
will say to you, as the Italians do,--

"'Danaro e santita, Meta della meta.' [*]

* "Money and sanctity, Each in a moiety.

"When they tell me such things, I only shrug my shoulders and say
nothing."

"But you were speaking of Haitians?" said Monte Cristo.

"Ah, Haitians,--that is quite another thing! Haitians are the ecarte
of French stock-jobbing. We may like bouillotte, delight in whist, be
enraptured with boston, and yet grow tired of them all; but we always
come back to ecarte--it is not only a game, it is a hors-d'oeuvre! M.
Danglars sold yesterday at 405, and pockets 300,000 francs. Had he but
waited till to-day, the price would have fallen to 205, and instead of
gaining 300,000 francs, he would have lost 20 or 25,000."

"And what has caused the sudden fall from 409 to 206?" asked Monte
Cristo. "I am profoundly ignorant of all these stock-jobbing intrigues."

"Because," said Albert, laughing, "one piece of news follows another,
and there is often great dissimilarity between them."

"Ah," said the count, "I see that M. Danglars is accustomed to play at
gaining or losing 300,000 francs in a day; he must be enormously rich."

"It is not he who plays!" exclaimed Lucien; "it is Madame Danglars: she
is indeed daring."

"But you who are a reasonable being, Lucien, and who knows how
little dependence is to be placed on the news, since you are at the
fountain-head, surely you ought to prevent it," said Morcerf, with a
smile.

"How can I, if her husband fails in controlling her?" asked Lucien; "you
know the character of the baroness--no one has any influence with her,
and she does precisely what she pleases."

"Ah, if I were in your place"--said Albert.

"Well?"

"I would reform her; it would be rendering a service to her future
son-in-law."

"How would you set about it?"

"Ah, that would be easy enough--I would give her a lesson."

"A lesson?"

"Yes. Your position as secretary to the minister renders your authority
great on the subject of political news; you never open your mouth but
the stockbrokers immediately stenograph your words. Cause her to lose a
hundred thousand francs, an