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Mercadet Before the ladies come in, gentlemen, we must talk a little serious business.
De la Brive (to Mericourt) Now comes the tug of war!
(They all sit down.)
Mercadet (on the sofa) Are you seriously in love with my daughter?
De la Brive I love her pa.s.sionately!
Mercadet Pa.s.sionately?
Mericourt (to his friend) You are over-doing it.
De la Brive (to Mericourt) Wait a moment. (Aloud) Sir, I am ambitious--and I saw in Mlle. Julie a lady at once distinguished, full of intellect, possessed of charming manners, who would never be out of place in the position in which my fortune puts me; and such a wife is essential to the success of a politician.
Mercadet I understand! It is easy to find a woman, but it is very rare that a man who wishes to be a minister or amba.s.sador finds a wife. You are a man of wit, sir. May I ask your political leaning?
De la Brive Sir, I am a socialist.
Mercadet That is a new move! But now let us talk of money matters.
Mericourt It seems to me that the notary might attend to that.
De la Brive No! M. Mercadet is right; it is best that we should attend to these things ourselves.
Mercadet True, sir.
De la Brive Sir, my whole fortune consists in the estate which bears my name; it has been in my family for a hundred and fifty years, and I hope will never pa.s.s from us.
Mercadet The possession of capital is perhaps more valuable in these days.
Capital is in your own hand. If a revolution breaks out, and we have had many revolutions lately, capital follows us everywhere. Landed property, on the contrary, must furnish funds for every one. There it stands stock still like a fool to pay the taxes, while capital dodges out of the way. But this is not real obstacle. What is the amount of your land?
De la Brive Three thousand acres, without a break.
Mercadet Without a break?
Mericourt Did I not tell you as much?
Mercadet I never doubted it.
De la Brive A chateau--
Mercadet Good--
De la Brive And salt marshes, which can be worked as soon as the administration gives permission. They would yield enormous returns!
Mercadet Ah, sir, why have we been so late in becoming acquainted! Your land, then, must be on the seash.o.r.e.
De la Brive Without half a league of it.
Mercadet And it is situated?
De la Brive Near Bordeaux.
Mercadet You have vineyards, then?
De la Brive No! fortunately not, for the disposal of wines is a troublesome matter, and, moreover, the cultivation of the vine is exceedingly expensive. My estate was planted with pine trees by my grandfather, a man of genius, who was wise enough to sacrifice himself to the welfare of his descendants. Besides, I have furniture, which you know--
Mercadet Sir, one moment, a man of business is always careful to dot his i's.
De la Brive (under his voice) Now we're in for it!
Mercadet With regard to your estate and your marshes,--I see all that can be got out of these marshes. The best way of utilizing them would be to form a company for the exploitation of the marshes of the Brive! There is more than a million in it!
De la Brive I quite understand that, sir. They need only to be thrown upon the market.
Mercadet (aside) These words indicate a certain intelligence in this young man. (Aloud) Have you any debts? Is your estate mortgaged?
Mericourt You would not think much of my friend if he had not debts.
De la Brive I will be frank, sir, there is a mortgage of forty-five thousand francs on my estate.
Mercadet (aside) An innocent young man! he might easily-- (Rising from his seat. Aloud) You have my consent; you shall be my son-in-law, and are the very man I would choose for my daughter's husband. You do not realize what a fortune you possess.
De la Brive (to Mericourt) This is almost too good to be true.
Mericourt (to De la Brive) He is dazzled by the good speculation which he sees ahead.
Mercadet (aside) With government protection, which can be purchased, salt pits may be established. I am saved! (Aloud) Allow me to shake hands with you, after the English fas.h.i.+on. You fulfill all that I expected in a son- in-law. I plainly see you have none of the narrowness of provincial land-holders; we shall understand each other thoroughly.
De la Brive You must not take it in bad part, sir, if I, on my part, ask you--
Mercadet The amount of my daughter's fortune? I should have distrusted you if you hadn't asked! My daughter has independent means; her mother settles on her her own fortune, consisting of a small property--a farm of two hundred acres, but in the very heart of Brie, and provided with good buildings. Besides this, I shall give her two hundred thousand francs, the interest of which will be for your use, until you find a suitable investment for it. So you see, young man, we do not wish to deceive you, we wish to keep the money moving; I like you, you please me, for I see you have ambition.
De la Brive Yes, sir.
Mercadet You love luxury, extravagance; you wish to s.h.i.+ne at Paris--
De la Brive Yes, sir.
Mercadet You see that I am already an old man, obliged to lay the load of my ambition upon some congenial co-operator, and you shall be the one to play the brilliant part.
De la Brive Sir, had I been obliged to take my choice of all the fathers-in-law in Paris, I should have given the preference to you. You are a man after my own heart! Allow me to shake hands, after the English fas.h.i.+on!
(They shake hands for the second time.)
Mercadet (aside) It seems too good to be true.
De la Brive (aside) He fell head-first into my salt marshes!
