第60章 A TURN OF THE SCREW.(2)

"What do you mean?" stammered he; "what is it you say now?""First," replied the doctor, speaking slowly and distinctly,--"first, we wish that you should listen to us when we speak to you.""I am listening."

"Then sit down again, and hear what Baptiste has to say."The command Catenac had over his countenance was so great that it was impossible to see to what conclusion he had arrived from the words and manner of his confederates.

"Then let Baptiste explain himself," said he.

"Before entering into matters completely," said he coolly, "I first want to ask our dear friend and associate if he is prepared to act with us?""Why should there be any doubt on that point?" asked the lawyer. "Do all my repeated assurances count as nothing?""We do not want promises now; what we do want is good faith and real co-operation.""Can it be that you--"

"I ought to inform you," continued Mascarin, unheeding the interruption, "that we have every prospect of success; and, if we carry the matter through, we shall certainly have a million apiece."Hortebise had not the calm patience of his confederate, and exclaimed,--"You understand it well enough. Say Yes or No."Catenac was in the agonies of indecision, and for fully a minute made no reply.

"/No/, then!" he broke out in a manner which betrayed his intense agitation. "After due consideration, and having carefully weighed the chances for and against, I answer you decidedly, No."Mascarin and Hortebise evidently expected this reply, and exchanged glances.

"Permit me to explain," said Catenac, "what you consider as a cowardly withdrawal upon my part--""Call it treachery."

"I will not quibble about words. I wish to be perfectly straightforward with you.""I am glad to hear it," sneered the doctor, "though that is not your usual form.""And yet I do not think that I have ever concealed my real opinion from you. It is fully ten years ago since I spoke to you of the necessity of breaking up this association. Can you recall what I said?

I said only our extreme need and griping poverty justified our acts.

They are now inexcusable."

"You talked very freely of your scruples," observed Mascarin.

"You remember my words then?"

"Yes, and I remember too that those inner scruples never hindered you from drawing your share of the profits.""That is to say," burst in the doctor, "you repudiated the work, but shared the booty. You wished to play the game without staking anything."Catenac was in no way disconcerted at this trenchant argument.

"Quite true," said he, "I always received my share; but I have done quite as much as you in putting the agency in its present prosperous condition. Does it not work smoothly like a perfect piece of mechanism? Have we not succeeded in nearly all our schemes? The income comes in monthly with extreme regularity, and I, according to my rights, have received one-third. If you desire to throw up this perilous means of livelihood, say so, and I will not oppose it.""You are really too good," sneered the doctor, with a look of menace in his glance.

"Nor," continued Catenac, "will I oppose you if you prefer to let matters stand as they are; but if you start on fresh enterprises, and embark on the tempestuous sea of danger, then I put down my foot and very boldly 'halt.' I will not take another step with you. I can see by the looks of both of you that you think me a fool and a coward.

Heaven grant that the future may not show you only too plainly that Ihave been in the right. Think over this. For twenty years fortune has favored us, but, believe me, it is never wise to tempt her too far, for it is well known that at some time or other she always turns.""Your imagery is really charming," remarked Hortebise sarcastically.

"Good, I have nothing else to say but to repeat my warning: /reflect/.

Grand as your hopes and expectations may be, they are as nothing to the perils that you will encounter."This cold flood of eloquence was more than the doctor could bear.

"It is all very well for you," exclaimed he, "to reason like this, for you are a rich man.""I have enough to live on, I allow; for in addition to the income derived from my profession, I have saved two hundred thousand francs;and if you can be induced to renounce your projects, I will divide this sum with you. You have only to think."Mascarin, who had taken no part in the dispute, now judged it time to interfere.

"And so," said he, turning to Catenac, "you have only two hundred thousand francs?""That or thereabouts."

"And you offer to divide this sum with us. Really we ought to be deeply grateful to you, but----"Mascarin paused for a moment; then settling his spectacles more firmly, he went on,--"But even if you were to give us what you propose, you would still have eleven hundred francs remaining!"Catenac burst into a pleasant laugh. "You are jesting," said he.

"I can prove the correctness of my assertion;" and as he spoke, Mascarin unlocked a drawer, and taking a small notebook from it, turned over the pages, and leaving it open at a certain place, handed it to the lawyer.

"There," said he, "that is made up to December last, and shows precisely how you stand financially. Twice, then, you have increased your funds. These deposits you will find in an addenda at the end of the book."Catenac started to his feet; all his calmness had now disappeared.

"Yes," he said, "I have just the sum you name; and I, for that very reason, refuse to have anything further to do with your schemes. Ihave an income of sixty thousand francs; that is to say, sixty thousand good reasons for receiving no further risks. You envy me my good fortune, but did we not all start penniless? I have taken care of my money, while you have squandered yours. Hortebise has lost his patients, while I have increased the number of my clients; and now you want me to tread the dangerous road again. Not I; go your way, and leave me to go home."Again he took up his hat, but a wave of the hand from Mascarin detained him.