Baron Trigault's Vengeance [108]
designs.
"That does not matter," replied Pascal, "and even if you desire a longer delay "
"That will be unnecessary, thank you! But there is one thing more."
"What is that?"
"What will this negotiation cost me?"
Pascal had expected this question, and he had prepared a reply which was in perfect keeping with the spirit of the role he had assumed. "I shall charge you the ordinary rates," he answered, "six per cent. interest, plus one-and-a-half per cent. commission."
"Bah!"
"Plus the remuneration for my trouble and services."
"And what remuneration will satisfy you?"
"One thousand francs. Is it too much?"
If the marquis had retained the shadow of a doubt, it vanished now. "Ah!" he sneered, "that strikes me as a very liberal compensation for your services!"
But he would gladly have recalled the sneer when he saw how the agent received it. Pascal drew up his head with a deeply injured air, and remarked in the chilling tone of a person who is strongly tempted to retract his word, "Then there is nothing more to be said, M. le Marquis; and since you find the conditions onerous----"
"I did not say so," interrupted M. de Valorsay, quickly--"I did not even think it!"
This gave Pascal an opportunity to present his programme, and he availed himself of it. "Others may pretend to oblige people merely from motives of friendship," he remarked. "But I am more honest. If I do anything in the way of business, I expect to be paid for it; and I vary my terms according to my clients' need. It would be impossible to have a fixed price for services like mine. When, on two different occasions, I saved a gentleman of your acquaintance from bankruptcy, I asked ten thousand francs the first time, and fifteen thousand the second. Was that an exaggerated estimate of my services? I might boast with truth that I once assured the marriage of a brilliant viscount by keeping his creditors quiet while his courtship was in progress. The day after the wedding he paid me twenty thousand francs. Didn't he owe them to me? If, instead of being a trifle short of money, you happened to be ruined, I should not ask you merely for a thousand francs. I should study your position, and fix my terms according to the magnitude of the peril from which I rescued you."
There was not a sentence, not a word of this cynical explanation which had not been carefully studied beforehand. There was not an expression which was not a tempting bait to the marquis's evil instincts. But M de Valorsay made no sign. "I see that you are a shrewd man, Monsieur Maumejan," said he, "and if I am ever in difficulty I shall apply to you."
Pascal bowed with an air of assumed modesty; but he was inwardly jubilant, for he felt that his enemy would certainly fall into the trap which had been set for him. "And now, when shall I have this money?" inquired the marquis.
"By four o'clock."
"And I need fear no disappointment as in the baron's case?"
"Certainly not. What interest would M. Trigault have in lending you a hundred thousand francs? None whatever. With me it is quite a different thing. The profit I'm to realize is your security. In business matters distrust your friends. Apply to usurers rather than to them. Question people who are in difficulties, and ninety-five out of a hundred will tell you that their worst troubles have been caused by those who called themselves their best friends."
He had risen to take leave, when the door of the smoking-room opened, and a servant appeared and said in an undertone: "Madame Leon is in the drawing-room with Dr. Jodon. They wish to see you, monsieur."
Though Pascal had armed himself well against any unexpected mischance, he changed color on hearing the name of the worthy housekeeper. "All is lost if this creature sees and recognizes me!" he thought.
Fortunately the Marquis was too much engrossed in his own affairs to note the momentary agitation of Baron Trigault's envoy. "It is strange that I can't have five minutes' peace and quietness," he said. "I told you that I was
"That does not matter," replied Pascal, "and even if you desire a longer delay "
"That will be unnecessary, thank you! But there is one thing more."
"What is that?"
"What will this negotiation cost me?"
Pascal had expected this question, and he had prepared a reply which was in perfect keeping with the spirit of the role he had assumed. "I shall charge you the ordinary rates," he answered, "six per cent. interest, plus one-and-a-half per cent. commission."
"Bah!"
"Plus the remuneration for my trouble and services."
"And what remuneration will satisfy you?"
"One thousand francs. Is it too much?"
If the marquis had retained the shadow of a doubt, it vanished now. "Ah!" he sneered, "that strikes me as a very liberal compensation for your services!"
But he would gladly have recalled the sneer when he saw how the agent received it. Pascal drew up his head with a deeply injured air, and remarked in the chilling tone of a person who is strongly tempted to retract his word, "Then there is nothing more to be said, M. le Marquis; and since you find the conditions onerous----"
"I did not say so," interrupted M. de Valorsay, quickly--"I did not even think it!"
This gave Pascal an opportunity to present his programme, and he availed himself of it. "Others may pretend to oblige people merely from motives of friendship," he remarked. "But I am more honest. If I do anything in the way of business, I expect to be paid for it; and I vary my terms according to my clients' need. It would be impossible to have a fixed price for services like mine. When, on two different occasions, I saved a gentleman of your acquaintance from bankruptcy, I asked ten thousand francs the first time, and fifteen thousand the second. Was that an exaggerated estimate of my services? I might boast with truth that I once assured the marriage of a brilliant viscount by keeping his creditors quiet while his courtship was in progress. The day after the wedding he paid me twenty thousand francs. Didn't he owe them to me? If, instead of being a trifle short of money, you happened to be ruined, I should not ask you merely for a thousand francs. I should study your position, and fix my terms according to the magnitude of the peril from which I rescued you."
There was not a sentence, not a word of this cynical explanation which had not been carefully studied beforehand. There was not an expression which was not a tempting bait to the marquis's evil instincts. But M de Valorsay made no sign. "I see that you are a shrewd man, Monsieur Maumejan," said he, "and if I am ever in difficulty I shall apply to you."
Pascal bowed with an air of assumed modesty; but he was inwardly jubilant, for he felt that his enemy would certainly fall into the trap which had been set for him. "And now, when shall I have this money?" inquired the marquis.
"By four o'clock."
"And I need fear no disappointment as in the baron's case?"
"Certainly not. What interest would M. Trigault have in lending you a hundred thousand francs? None whatever. With me it is quite a different thing. The profit I'm to realize is your security. In business matters distrust your friends. Apply to usurers rather than to them. Question people who are in difficulties, and ninety-five out of a hundred will tell you that their worst troubles have been caused by those who called themselves their best friends."
He had risen to take leave, when the door of the smoking-room opened, and a servant appeared and said in an undertone: "Madame Leon is in the drawing-room with Dr. Jodon. They wish to see you, monsieur."
Though Pascal had armed himself well against any unexpected mischance, he changed color on hearing the name of the worthy housekeeper. "All is lost if this creature sees and recognizes me!" he thought.
Fortunately the Marquis was too much engrossed in his own affairs to note the momentary agitation of Baron Trigault's envoy. "It is strange that I can't have five minutes' peace and quietness," he said. "I told you that I was