CHAPTER XXIX.
THE TAFILA COPPER MINES, LIMITED.
Paul could not for the life of him imagine why Tantaine had left theroom in apparently so angry a mood. He had certainly spoken of Flaviain a most improper manner; for the very weakness of which she had beenguilty should have caused him to treat her with tender deference andrespect. He could understand the anger of Hortebise, who was Rigal'sfriend; but what on earth had Tantaine in common with the wealthy bankerand his daughter? Forgetful of the pain which the smallest movement uponhis part produced, Paul sat up in his bed, and listened with intenseeagerness, hoping to catch what was going on in the next room; but hecould hear nothing through the thick walls and the closed door.
"What can they be doing?" asked he. "What fresh plot are theycontriving?"
Daddy Tantaine and Hortebise passed out of the room hastily, but whenthey reached the staircase they stood still. The doctor wore the samesmiling expression of face, and he endeavored to calm his companion, whoappeared to be on the verge of desperation.
"Have courage," whispered he; "what is the use of giving way to passion?You cannot help this; it is too late now. Besides, even if you could,you would not, as you know very well, indeed!"
The old man was moving his spectacles, not to wipe his glasses, but hiseyes.
"Ah!" moaned he, "now I can enter into the feelings of M. de Mussidanwhen I proved to him that his daughter had a lover. I have been hard andpitiless, and I am cruelly punished."
"My old friend, you must not attach too much importance to what you haveheard. Paul is a mere boy, and, of course, a boaster."
"Paul is a miserably cowardly dog," answered the old man in a fierceundertone. "Paul does not love the girl as she loves him; but what hesays is true, only too true, I can feel. Between her father and herlover she would not hesitate for a moment. Ah! unhappy girl, what aterrible future lies before her."
He stopped himself abruptly.
"I cannot speak to her myself," resumed he; "do you, doctor, strive andmake her have reason."
Hortebise shrugged his shoulders. "I will see what my powers of oratorycan do," answered he; "but you are not quite yourself to-day. Rememberthat a chance word will betray the secret of our lives."
"Go at once, and I swear to you that, happen what may, I will be calm."
The doctor went back into Paul's room, while Tantaine sat down on thetopmost stair, his face buried in his hands.
Mademoiselle Flavia was just going to Paul, when the doctor againappeared.
"What, back again?" asked she petulantly. "I thought that you had beenfar away by this time."
"I want to say something to you," answered he, "and something of arather serious nature. You must not elevate those charming eyebrows. Isee you guess what I am going to say, and you are right. I am come totell you that this is not the proper place for Mademoiselle Rigal."
"I know that."
This unexpected reply, made with the calmest air in the world, utterlydisconcerted the smiling doctor.
"It seems to me----" began he.
"That I ought not to be here; but then, you see, I place duty beforecold, worldly dictates. Paul is very ill, and has no one to take care ofhim except his affianced bride; for has not my father given his consentto our union?"
"Flavia, listen to the experience of a man of the world. The natureof men is such that they never forgive a woman for compromising herreputation, even though it be in their own favor. Do you know whatpeople will say twenty-four hours after your marriage? Why, that you hadbeen his mistress for weeks before, and that it was only the knowledgeof that fact that inclined your father to consent to the alliance."
Flavia's face grew crimson. "Very well," said she, "I will obey, andnever say again that I was obstinate; but let me say one word to Paul,and then I will leave him."
The doctor retired, not guessing that this obedience arose from thesudden suspicion which had arisen in Flavia's mind. "It is done," saidhe, as he rejoined Tantaine on the stairs; "let us hasten, for she willfollow us at once."
By the time that Tantaine got into the street, he seemed to haverecovered a certain amount of his self-command. "We have succeeded,"said he, "but we shall have to work hard, and this marriage must behastened by every means in our power. It can be celebrated now withoutany risk, for in twelve hours the only obstacle that stands between thatyouth there and the colossal fortune of the Champdoce will have vanishedaway."
Though he had expected something of the kind, the face of the doctorgrew very pale.
"What, Andre?" faltered he.
"Andre is in great danger, doctor, and may not survive to-morrow, and aportion of the work necessary to this end will be done to-night by ouryoung friend Toto Chupin."
"By that young scamp? Why, only the other day you laughed when Isuggested employing him."
"I shall this time kill two birds with one stone. Once an investigationis made--let us speak plainly--into Andre's death, there will be someinquiry made as to a certain window frame that has been sawed through,and suspicion will fall upon Toto Chupin, who will have been seenlurking about the spot. It will be proved that he purchased a saw, andthat he changed just before a note for one thousand francs; he will befound hiding in a garret in the Hotel de Perou."
The doctor looked aghast. "Are you mad?" cried he. "Toto will accuseyou."
"Very likely, but by that time poor old Tantaine will be dead andburied. Then Mascarin will disappear, our faithful Beaumarchef will bein the United States, and we can afford to laugh at the police."
"It seems like a success," said the doctor, "but push on for mercy'ssake; all these delays and fluctuations will make me seriously ill."
The two worthy associates held this conversation in a doorway, anxiousto be sure that Flavia had kept her promise. In a brief space of timethey saw her come out of the house and move in the direction of herfather's bank.
"Now," said Tantaine, "I can go in peace, doctor; farewell for thepresent;" and without waiting for a reply he was walking rapidly awaywhen he was stopped by Beaumarchef, who came up breathless and barredhis passage.
"I was looking for you," cried he; "the Marquis de Croisenois is in theoffice and is swearing at me like anything."
"Go back to the office and tell the Marquis that the master will soon bewith him;" and thus speaking, Tantaine disappeared down a court by theside of Martin Rigal's house.
The Marquis was striding up and down the office, every now and thendischarging a rumbling cannonade of oaths. "Fine business people,"remarked he, "to make an appointment and then not to keep it!" Hechecked himself; for the door of the inner office slowly opened, andMascarin appeared on the threshold. "Punctuality," said he, "does notconsist in coming _before_, but _at_ the time appointed."
The Marquis was cowed at once, and followed Mascarin into the sanctumand watched him with curious gaze as the redoubtable head of theassociation seemed to be searching for something among the papers on hisdesk. When Mascarin had found what he was in search of, he turned andaddressed the Marquis.
"I desired to see you," said he, "with reference to the great financialenterprise which you are to launch almost immediately."
"Yes; I understand that we must discuss it, fully understand it, andfeel our way."
Mascarin uttered a contemptuous whistle.
"Do you think," asked he, "that I am the kind of person to standand wait while you feel your way? Because if you do, the sooner youundeceive yourself the better. Things that I take in hand are carriedout like a flash of lightning. You have been playing while I and Catenachave been working, and nothing remains to be done but to act."
"Act! What do you mean?"
"I mean that offices have been taken in the Rue Vivienne, that thearticles of association have been drawn up, the directors chosen,and the Company registered. The printer brought the prospectus hereyesterday; you can begin sending them out to-morrow."
"But----"
"Read it for yourself," said Mascarin, handing a printed paper to
him."Read, and then, perhaps, you will be convinced."
Croisenois, in a dazed sort of manner, accepted the paper and read italoud.
COPPER MINES OF TAFILA, ALGERIA.
Chairman: THE MARQUIS HENRI DE CROISENOIS.
Capital: Four Million Francs.
This company does not appeal to that rash class of speculators who arewilling to incur great risks for the sake of obtaining for a time heavydividends.
The shareholders in the Tafila Copper Mining Company, Limited, must notlook for a dividend of more than six, or at the utmost seven, per cent.
"Well," interrupted Mascarin, "what do you think of this for abeginning?"
"It seems fair enough," answered De Croisenois, "but suppose others thanthose whose names you have in your black list take shares, what do yousay we are to do then?"
"We should simply decline to allot shares to them, that is all. See theArticle XX. in the Articles of Association. 'The Board of Directors maydecline to allot shares to applicants without giving any reason for sodoing.'"
"And suppose," continued the Marquis, "that one of our own peopledispose of his share, may we not find our new shareholder a thorn in ourside?"
"Article XXI. 'No transfer of stock is valid, unless passed by the Boardof Directors, and recorded in the books of the Company,'" read outMascarin.
"And how will the game be brought to a conclusion?"
"Easily enough. You will advertise one morning that two-thirds of thecapital having been unsuccessfully sunk in the enterprise, you arecompelled to apply for a winding-up of the Company under Article XVII.Six months afterwards you will announce that the liquidation ofthe Company has, after all expenses have been paid, left no balancewhatsoever. Then you wash your hands of the whole thing, and the matteris at an end."
Croisenois felt that he had no ground to stand upon, but he ventured onone more objection.
"It seems rather a strange thing to launch this enterprise at thepresent moment. May it not interfere with my marriage prospects? and maynot the Count de Mussidan decline to give me his daughter and risk herdowry in this manner? One moment, I--"
The agent sneered and cut short the tergiversations of the Marquis.
"You mean, I suppose," said he, "that when once you are safely marriedand have received Mademoiselle Sabine's dowry, you will take leaveof us. Not so, my dear young friend; and if this is your idea, put itaside, for it is utter nonsense. I should hold you then as I do now."
The Marquis saw that any further struggle would be of no avail, and gavein.
* * * * *
That evening, when M. Martin Rigal emerged from his private office, hisdaughter Flavia was more than usually demonstrative in her tokens ofaffection. "How fondly I love you, my dearest father!" said she, asshe rained kisses on his cheeks. "How good you are to me!" but on thisoccasion the banker was too much preoccupied to ask his daughter thereason for this extreme tenderness on her part.