A friend is never satisfied until everybody knows that he has
generously obliged you. It is far better to apply to a usurer.' I
thought all that very sensible, and I quite agreed with you when
you added: 'So, Monsieur le Marquis, no borrowing of this kind
until after your marriage--not on any pretext whatever. Go
without eating rather than do it. Your credit is still good; but
it is being slowly undermined--and the indiscretion of a friend
who chanced to say: "I think Valorsay is hard up," might fire the
train, and then you'd explode.'"
M. Fortunat's embarrassment was really painful to witness. He was
not usually wanting in courage, but the events of the evening had
shaken his confidence and his composure. The hope of gain and the
fear of loss had deprived him of his wonted clearness of mind.
Feeling that he had just committed a terrible blunder, he racked
his brain to find some way of repairing it, and finding none, his
confusion increased.
"Did you, or didn't you, use that language?" insisted M. de
Valorsay. "What have you to say in reply?"
"Circumstances----"
"What circumstances?"
"Urgent need--necessity. There is no rule without its exceptions.
I did not imagine you would be so rash. I have advanced you forty
thousand francs in less than five months--it is outrageous. If I
were in your place, I would be more reasonable--I would economize----"
He paused! in fact, he was compelled to pause by the piercing
glance which M.
Pages:
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96