curiosity, evidently mingled
with interest. "Monsieur," said Morrel, whose uneasiness was increased
by this examination, "you wish to speak to me?"

"Yes, monsieur; you are aware from whom I come?"

"The house of Thomson & French; at least, so my cashier tells me."

"He has told you rightly. The house of Thomson & French had 300,000 or
400,000 francs to pay this month in France; and, knowing your strict
punctuality, have collected all the bills bearing your signature, and
charged me as they became due to present them, and to employ the money
otherwise." Morrel sighed deeply, and passed his hand over his forehead,
which was covered with perspiration.

"So then, sir," said Morrel, "you hold bills of mine?"

"Yes, and for a considerable sum."

"What is the amount?" asked Morrel with a voice he strove to render
firm.

"Here is," said the Englishman, taking a quantity of papers from his
pocket, "an assignment of 200,000 francs to our house by M. de Boville,
the inspector of prisons, to whom they are due. You acknowledge, of
course, that you owe this sum to him?"

"Yes; he placed the money in my hands at four and a half per cent nearly
five years ago."

"When are you to pay?"

"Half the 15th of this month, half the 15th of next."

"Just so; and now here are 32,500 francs payable shortly; they are all
signed by you, and assigned to our house by the holders."

"I recognize them," said Morrel, whose face was suffused, as he thought
that, for the first time in his life, he would be unable to honor his
own signature. "Is this all?"

"No, I have for the end of the month these bills which have been
assigned to us by the house of Pascal, and the house of Wild & Turner of
Marseilles, amounting to nearly 55,000. francs; in all, 287,500
francs." It is impossible to describe what Morrel suffered during
this enumeration. "Two hundred and eighty-seven thousand five hundred
francs," repeated he.

"Yes, sir," replied the Englishman. "I will not," continued he, after
a moment's silence, "conceal from you, that while your probity and
exactitude up to this moment are universally acknowledged, yet the
report is current in Marseilles that you are not able to meet your
liabilities." At this almost brutal speech Morrel turned deathly
pale. "Sir," said he, "up to this time--and it is now more than
four-and-twenty years since I received the direction of this house from
my father, who had himself conducted it for five and thirty year