"
M. Fortunat bowed. "Pray be seated," was his reply. "I remember
your friend very well. If I am not mistaken I gave him some
advice with reference to his third failure."
"Precisely; and it is because I find myself in the same fix as
Bouscat that I have called on you. Business is very bad, and I
have notes to a large amount overdue, so that--"
"You will be obliged to go into bankruptcy."
"Alas! I fear so."
M. Fortunat already knew what his client desired, but it was
against his principles to meet these propositions more than half
way. "Will you state your case?" said he.
The coal merchant blushed. It was hard to confess the truth; but
the effort had to be made. "This is my case," he replied, at
last. "Among my creditors I have several enemies, who will refuse
me a release. They would like to deprive me of everything I
possess. And in that case, what would become of me? Is it right
that I should be compelled to starve?"
"It is a bad outlook."
"It is, indeed, monsieur; and for this reason, I desire--if
possible, if I can do so without danger--for I am an honest man,
monsieur--I wish to retain a little property--secretly, of course,
not for myself, by any means, but I have a young wife and----"
M. Fortunat took compassion on the man's embarrassment. "In
short," he interrupted, "you wish to conceal a part of your
capital from your creditors?"
On hearing this precise and formal statement of his honorable
intentions, the coal-merchant trembled.
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