Lafouraille Your duke cannot return home before two o'clock, and that gives us time enough: do not therefore interlard with anxious thought the professional dish which we have to serve--

Buteux And serve hot.

(Vautrin wears a brown coat, blue trousers, and a black waistcoat. His hair is short and he is got up as an imitation of Napoleon in undress.

As he enters he abruptly puts out the candle and draws the slide of his dark lantern.)

Vautrin What! You have lights here! You think yourselves still members of respectable society. I can understand that this fool should ignore the first elements of sane conduct--but you others! (To Buteux, as he points out Joseph to him) Put wool in this fellow's ears, and talk with him over there. (To Lafouraille) And what of the youngster?

Lafouraille He is kept well out of sight.

Vautrin In what place?

Lafouraille In the other rookery of Giroflee's woman, near here, behind the Invalides.

Vautrin And see that he does not escape like that slippery eel of a Saint-Charles, that madman, who came for the purpose of breaking up our establishment--for I--but I never threaten.

Lafouraille Upon the youngster's safety I will stake my head! Philosopher has put buskins on his hands and frills on his feet, he cannot stir hand or foot, and will be given up only to me. As for the other, who could help it? Poor Giroflee cannot resist strong liquors, and Blondet knew it.

Vautrin What did Raoul say?

Lafouraille He made a terrible uproar; and swore he was disgraced. Fortunately Philosopher is insensible to metaphors.

Vautrin Do you think the boy wishes for a fight to the death? A young man is fearful; he has the courage to conceal his terror and the folly to allow himself to be killed. I hope they prevent him from writing to any one.

Lafouraille (aside) We are in for it! (Aloud) I can conceal nothing from you, before he was fastened up the prince sent little Nini with a letter to the Christoval house.

Vautrin To Inez?

Lafouraille To Inez.

Vautrin He wrote a lot of rubbish, I'll warrant.

Lafouraille A pack of lies and absurdities.

Vautrin (to Joseph) h.e.l.lo there! You--the honest man.

Buteux (leading Joseph to Vautrin) You had better explain things to the master, as he desires.

Joseph It seems to me that I am not unreasonable to ask what risk I am to run, and what profit is to accrue to me.

Vautrin Time is short, speech long, let us employ the former and drop the latter. There are two lives in peril, that of a man I am interested in, and that of a musketeer which I consider useless: we are going to crush him.

Joseph What! Do you mean monsieur the marquis? I will have nothing to do with it.

Lafouraille You have no say in the matter of your consent.

Buteux We have captured him. Look you, my friend, when the wine is drawn--

Joseph If it is bad, it must not be drunk.

Vautrin And you refuse to pledge me in a gla.s.s? He who thinks calculates, and he who calculates betrays.

Joseph Your calculations lead to the scaffold.

Vautrin Enough! You tire me. Your master is to fight a duel to-morrow. In this duel one of the combatants will never leave the ground alive; imagine that the duel has taken place, and that your master has had no fair chance.

Buteux That is just it.

Lafouraille The master is as deep as fate.

Joseph A fine condition to be in.

Buteux The devil to pay and no pitch hot!

Vautrin (to Joseph, pointing out Lafouraille and Buteux) You will conceal these two.

Joseph Where?

Vautrin I tell you, you must conceal them. When all are asleep in the house, excepting us, you must send them up to the musketeer's room. (To Buteux and Lafouraille) Try to go there without him; you must be cautions and adroit; the window of his room overlooks the court.

(Whispers in their ears) Throw him down. It will be a case of despair (turning to Joseph), and suicide will be a ground for averting suspicion from all.

SCENE THIRD.

Vautrin (alone) All is saved! There is only one suspect among us, and I will change that state of affairs. Blondet is the traitor, and in this case bad debts will make good friends, for I will point him out to the duke in a friendly manner as the murderer of Vicomte de Langeac. I must finally discover the motive of the d.u.c.h.ess's singular behavior. If what I learn explains the suicide of the marquis, what a master stroke it will be!

SCENE FOURTH.

Joseph and Vautrin.

Joseph Your men are well concealed, but you doubtless intend to leave the house?

Vautrin No, I am going to do some reading in the study of the Duc de Montsorel.

Joseph But if he comes home, won't you be afraid?

Vautrin If I feared anything, would I be master of you all?

Joseph But where are you going?

Vautrin You are very curious.

SCENE FIFTH.

Joseph (alone) There, he is disposed of for the moment, his two fellows likewise; I hold them, and, as I don't want to have anything to do with the affair, I am going--

SCENE SIXTH Joseph, a footman; and afterwards Saint-Charles.