e yourself
again; either I am greatly mistaken, or she has provided against the
catastrophe which threatens you, and, which will pass over without
affecting her. She has taken care for herself,--at least I hope so,--for
her attention has not been diverted from her projects by watching over
me. She has fostered my independence by professedly indulging my love
for liberty. Oh, no, sir; from my childhood I have seen too much, and
understood too much, of what has passed around me, for misfortune to
have an undue power over me. From my earliest recollections, I have been
beloved by no one--so much the worse; that has naturally led me to love
no one--so much the better--now you have my profession of faith."

"Then," said Danglars, pale with anger, which was not at all due to
offended paternal love,--"then, mademoiselle, you persist in your
determination to accelerate my ruin?"

"Your ruin? I accelerate your ruin? What do you mean? I do not
understand you."

"So much the better, I have a ray of hope left; listen."

"I am all attention," said Eugenie, looking so earnestly at her father
that it was an effort for the latter to endure her unrelenting gaze.

"M. Cavalcanti," continued Danglars, "is about to marry you, and will
place in my hands his fortune, amounting to three million livres."

"That is admirable!" said Eugenie with sovereign contempt, smoothing her
gloves out one upon the other.

"You think I shall deprive you of those three millions," said Danglars;
"but do not fear it. They are destined to produce at least ten. I and a
brother banker have obtained a grant of a railway, the only industrial
enterprise which in these days promises to make good the fabulous
prospects that Law once held out to the eternally deluded Parisians, in
the fantastic Mississippi scheme. As I look at it, a millionth part of a
railway is worth fully as much as an acre of waste land on the banks
of the Ohio. We make in our case a deposit, on a mortgage, which is an
advance, as you see, since we gain at least ten, fifteen, twenty, or a
hundred livres' worth of iron in exchange for our money. Well, within
a week I am to deposit four millions for my share; the four millions, I
promise you, will produce ten or twelve."

"But during my visit to you the day before yesterday, sir, which you
appear to recollect so well," replied Eugenie, "I saw you arranging a
deposit--is not that the term?--of five millions and a half; you
even pointed it out