Mercadet A Comedy In Three Acts 4.2.61

Mercadet A Comedy In Three Acts - Mercadet is a comedic play by Honore De Balzac about a financier named Mercadet, who attempts to swindle money out of investors whilst getting himself into trouble.

 

Mercadet A Comedy In Three Acts - Virginie The panels of their carriage shone like satin.  Their horse had rosettes here. (She points to her ears.) It was held by a boy of eight, fair, with frizzed hair and top boots.  He looked as sly as a mouse—-a very Cupid, though he swore like a trooper.  His master is as fine as a picture, with a big diamond in his scarf.  It ain’t possible that a handsome young man who owns such a turnout as that is going to be the husband of Mlle. Mercadet?  I can’t believe it.

 

Mercadet A Comedy In Three Acts - Justin You don’t know M. Mercadet!  I, who have been in his house for the last six years, and have seen him since his troubles fighting with his creditors, can believe him capable of anything, even of growing rich; sometimes I say to myself he is utterly ruined!  Yellow auction placards flame at his door.  He receives reams of stamped creditor’s notices, which I sell by the pound for waste paper without being noticed.  But presto!  Up he bobs again.  He is triumphant.  And what devices he has!  There is a new one every day!  First of all, it is a scheme for wooden pavements—-then it is dukedoms, ponds, mills.  I don’t know where the leakage is in his cash box; he finds it so hard to fill; for it empties itself as easily as a drained wine-glass!  And always crowds of creditors!  How well he turns them away!  Sometimes I have seen them come with the intention of carrying off everything and throwing him into prison.  But when he talks to them they end by being the best of friends, and part with cordial handshakes!  There are some men who can tame jackals and lions.  That’s not a circumstance; M. Mercadet can tame creditors!