"He loses as much, even more! And such a sure
thing it seemed, too! What speculation can a fellow engage in
after this? And a man must put his money somewhere; he can't bury
it in the ground!"
Chupin listened with an air of profound commiseration; but it was
only assumed. He was inwardly jubilant, for his interest in the
affair was in direct opposition to that of his employer. Indeed,
if M. Fortunat lost forty thousand francs by the Count de
Chalusse's death, Chupin expected to make a hundred francs
commission on the funeral.
"Still, he may have made a will!" pursued M. Fortunat. "But no,
I'm sure he hasn't. A poor devil who has only a few sous to leave
behind him always takes this precaution. He thinks he may be run
over by an omnibus and suddenly killed, and he always writes and
signs his last wishes. But millionaires don't think of such
things; they believe themselves immortal!" He paused to reflect
for a moment, for power of reflection had returned to him. His
excitement had quickly spent itself by reason of its very
violence. "This much is certain," he resumed, slowly, and in a
more composed voice, "whether the count has made a will or not,
Valorsay will lose the millions he expected from Chalusse. If
there is no will, Mademoiselle Marguerite won't have a sou, and
then, good evening! If there is one, this devil of a girl,
suddenly becoming her own mistress, and wealthy into the bargain,
will send Monsieur de Valorsay about his business, especially if
she loves another, as he himself admits--and in that case, again
good evening!"
M.
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