"I mean that if I had your talents, and especially Monbrun's, I wouldn't be where you are now, but I would have my bread well b.u.t.tered."

"What do you mean?" asked Edouard, pouring out a gla.s.s of brandy; "explain yourself."

"Anybody can understand that, my son; I tell you again that if I knew how to handle a pen as you do, I would speculate on a large scale! But you're scared to death!"

"We have speculated enough, but it hasn't succeeded with us."

"But that's not what I'm talking about, youngster. Let's take a drink, messieurs; it's good stuff, at all events."

"Tell us, Lampin, what you would have done to----"

"Ah! I'm a blade, I am; I would risk the job! But I write like a cat."

"But what is it that you'd write?"

"That depends--sometimes one thing, sometimes another.--Look here, here's a note that a friend entrusted to me; it is the proceeds of his father's property, which is to be paid him here in Paris, because he means to enjoy himself with us."

"What is it?"

"A note for twelve hundred francs, accepted by a famous banker of Paris.

Oh! it's good, anyone would discount it for you on the instant; my colleague knows a man who lives in the suburbs of Paris, and who proposed to give him _rocks_ for his paper.--Well, my boy, make one like it, and you can get that discounted too."

"What? What do you say? Counterfeit this note?"

"Oh, no, not counterfeit it, for instead of twelve hundred francs I would make it twelve thousand; it's just an imitation. Here's your health."

"Why, you villain! that's forgery!"

"No, it ain't forgery; it's a note that we put in circulation; it ain't forgery; is it, Dufresne? In all this, the banker is the only one that's fooled; but those rascals are rich enough to make us a little present."

"In fact," said Dufresne, "it isn't exactly a forgery; we create a note, that's all, and we make someone else pay it."

"That's just it, my boy, it's only a little joke.--Oh! you understand such games, you do; but Monbrun is a little dull."

"No, no, I understand very well, messieurs; but I cannot consent to resort to such methods. I disapprove of your plan."

"Is that so? Well, you'll never get ahead, my man, and you'll die of hunger, like the fleas in winter!"

"It is true that we have no resources," said Dufresne; "no linen, no clothes except those we have on!"

"That's very fine! Just reflect that you have everything to gain and nothing to lose."

"What about honor?" said Edouard in a weak voice.

"Honor! Pardi! I rather guess yours has been roaming the country for a long while; as for Dufresne, he's like me, never had any, for fear of losing it."

"This rascal of a Lampin is always joking! Let's have a drink, messieurs."

"Remember, too, that with the twelve thousand francs you will get, you can make up all your losses. I have discovered a sure way of winning; you only need three hundred louis to catch a thousand."

"Really?"

"On my word as an honest man; I will teach you my scheme, and we will share the profits."

"That is really attractive," said Dufresne, examining the note closely, while Lampin filled Edouard's gla.s.s with rum, and he began to lose command of his wits.

"You say, Lampin, that you know a man who would discount your friend's note?"

"Yes, he knows that it is all right. It can't look suspicious to him, I tell you; he will think that the inheritance was larger, that's all."

"True," said Dufresne; "who will ever know about it? It is a secret between ourselves."

"And our conscience?" faltered Edouard.

"Oh! d.a.m.n! What an a.s.s he is with his conscience! Do you think you're talking to small boys?"

"The most essential thing," continued Dufresne, "is to succeed. For my part, if Monbrun will write the body of the note, I will look after the signature, and I will take the whole thing on myself."

"Well! what have you got to say to that, b.o.o.by? Are you going to make more fuss? You hear, he takes the whole thing on himself; I should say that that was acting like a friend?"

"What! Dufresne, would you----"

"Faith, I see no other way of extricating ourselves from poverty; I tell you again, it will not put you forward in any way!"

"Are you sure of it?"

"Bah! What's the matter with you, Nicodemus, when he tells you that you won't be put forward? Look here, colleagues, I happen to have on me a blank note, all stamped; just cut a quill, Dufresne, and let's amuse ourselves by making different kinds of letters."

"My hand trembles, messieurs," said Edouard; "I shall never be able to write."

"Go on, go on! that's just right! Ah! how rich I should be if I had been able to do as much! But my education was rather neglected."

"Suppose we should be arrested, identified as the authors of----"

"Bah! it is impossible; and if you should be, you would get off with a few months in prison; and you are very well off there, you enjoy yourself and make acquaintances."

Edouard, led astray by the talk of the villains who were with him, and having long since lost all sense of delicacy in the haunts of vice and debauchery, crossed the narrow s.p.a.ce which still separated him from the miserable wretches who are at odds with the laws; he choked back the last cry of his conscience, and committed the most shameful of crimes.

The note was written, Dufresne exerted himself to counterfeit the signatures, and succeeded perfectly, whereat Edouard alone was surprised. They invented endorsers; the unhappy Murville, who allowed himself to be led wherever they would, disguised his handwriting and wrote on the back of the note the names that they gave him.

Lampin was overjoyed, and for greater safety proposed to carry the note to the man who had agreed to discount the one for twelve hundred francs, and who lived in a small town not far from Paris. This plan was agreed upon: Dufresne was to accompany Lampin, because those gentry did not trust him sufficiently to leave their note in his hands; and Edouard, who was less bold than they, was to await at Paris the result of the affair.

Everything being arranged, they drank again, Edouard to deaden his conscience more completely, the others for conviviality's sake. They formed plans for the use of their future wealth, and ended by falling asleep with their elbows on the table.

Edouard, who had drunk more, and who was less able to stand excessive indulgence in wine and liqueurs than the others, did not wake until eight o'clock in the morning. The first thought that came to his mind was that of the dishonorable act he had committed the night before. He shuddered, for he realized the full extent of his crime; he looked for Dufresne, to urge him to destroy the false note; but Dufresne was not there, he had gone away early with Lampin, antic.i.p.ating remorse on Edouard's part, and by his own absence making it impossible for him to retrace his steps.

Edouard left his room, and went out into the street with no definite object. But he sought some distraction from the anxiety which beset him.

Already he was afraid of being recognized as a criminal. He glanced about him fearfully; if anyone looked hard at him as he pa.s.sed, he blushed, became confused, and fancied that he was about to be arrested; he tried in vain to overcome his terror and his weakness, but he could not succeed, and he already cursed money obtained at so high a price.