f August it was known at
Marseilles that he had left town in the mailcoach, and then it was said
that the bills would go to protest at the end of the month, and that
Morrel had gone away and left his chief clerk Emmanuel, and his cashier
Cocles, to meet the creditors. But, contrary to all expectation, when
the 31st of August came, the house opened as usual, and Cocles appeared
behind the grating of the counter, examined all bills presented with
the usual scrutiny, and, from first to last, paid all with the usual
precision. There came in, moreover, two drafts which M. Morrel had fully
anticipated, and which Cocles paid as punctually as the bills which the
shipowner had accepted. All this was incomprehensible, and then, with
the tenacity peculiar to prophets of bad news, the failure was put off
until the end of September. On the 1st, Morrel returned; he was awaited
by his family with extreme anxiety, for from this journey to Paris
they hoped great things. Morrel had thought of Danglars, who was now
immensely rich, and had lain under great obligations to Morrel in former
days, since to him it was owing that Danglars entered the service of
the Spanish banker, with whom he had laid the foundations of his vast
wealth. It was said at this moment that Danglars was worth from six
to eight millions of francs, and had unlimited credit. Danglars, then,
without taking a crown from his pocket, could save Morrel; he had but to
pass his word for a loan, and Morrel was saved. Morrel had long thought
of Danglars, but had kept away from some instinctive motive, and had
delayed as long as possible availing himself of this last resource. And
Morrel was right, for he returned home crushed by the humiliation of a
refusal. Yet, on his arrival, Morrel did not utter a complaint, or
say one harsh word. He embraced his weeping wife and daughter, pressed
Emmanuel's hand with friendly warmth, and then going to his private room
on the second floor had sent for Cocles. "Then," said the two women to
Emmanuel, "we are indeed ruined."

It was agreed in a brief council held among them, that Julie should
write to her brother, who was in garrison at Nimes, to come to them
as speedily as possible. The poor women felt instinctively that they
required all their strength to support the blow that impended. Besides,
Maximilian Morrel, though hardly two and twenty, had great influence
over his father. He was a strong-minded, upright young man. At the time
when he