Mercadet Part 27

SCENE FOURTEENTH

The same persons, Mme. Mercadet, Julie (entering at one side) and De la Brive (entering at the other side).

Mme. Mercadet My friend, M. G.o.deau, feels himself strong enough to see you all.

Mercadet Come, daughter, wife, Adolphe, and my other friends, gather round me, look at me. I know you would not deceive me.

Julie What is the matter, father?

 

Mercadet Tell me (seeing De la Brive come in) Michonnin, tell me frankly--

De la Brive Luckily for me, sir, I followed the advice of madame--otherwise you would have had two G.o.deaus at a time, for heaven has brought back to you the genuine man.

Mercadet You mean to say then--that he has really returned!

Verdelin Do you mean to say that you didn't know it after all?

Mercadet (recovering himself, standing before the table and touching the notes) I--of course I did. Oh, fortune, all hail to thee, queen of monarchs, archd.u.c.h.ess of loans, princess of stocks and mother of credit! All hail! Thou long sought for, and now for the thousandth time come home to us from the Indies! Oh! I've always said that G.o.deau had a mind of tireless energy and an honest heart! (Going up to his wife and daughter) Kiss me!

Mme. Mercadet (in tears) Ah! dear, dear husband!

Mercadet (supporting her) And you, what courage you have shown in adversity!

Mme. Mercadet But I am overcome by the happiness of seeing you saved--wealthy!

Mercadet But honest! And yet I must tell you my wife, my children--I could not have held out much longer--I was about to succ.u.mb--my mind always on the rack--always on the defensive--a giant might have yielded. There were moments when I longed to flee away-- Oh! For some place of repose! Henceforth let us live in the country.

Mme. Mercadet But you will soon grow weary of it.

Mercadet No, for I shall be a witness in their happiness. (Pointing to Minard and Julie.) And after all this financial traffic I shall devote myself to agriculture; the study of agriculture will never prove tedious. (To the creditors) Gentlemen, we will continue to be good friends, but will have no more business transactions. (To De la Brive) M. de la Brive, let me pay back to you your forty-eight thousand francs.

De la Brive Ah! sir--

Mercadet And I will lend you ten thousand more.

De la Brive Ten thousand francs? But I don't know when I shall be able--

Mercadet You need have no scruples; take them--for I have a scheme--

De la Brive I accept them.

Mercadet Ah! It is one of my dreams. Gentlemen (to the creditors who are standing in a row) I am a--creditor!

Mme. Mercadet (pointing to the door) My dear, he is waiting for us.

Mercadet Yes, let us go in. I have so many times drawn your attention to G.o.deau, that I certainly have the right to see him. Let us go in and see G.o.deau!

Final curtain.