"When you dine there, do you sleep there?""If I like; I am at home there." Caderousse looked at the young man, as if to get at the truth from the bottom of his heart.But Andrea drew a cigar-case from his pocket, took a havana, quietly lit it, and began smoking."When do you want your twelve hundred francs?" said he to Caderousse.
"Now, if you have them." Andrea took five and twenty louis from his pocket.
"Yellow boys?" said Caderousse; "no, I thank you.""Oh, you despise them."
"On the contrary, I esteem them, but will not have them.""You can change them, idiot; gold is worth five sous.""Exactly; and he who changes them will follow friend Caderousse, lay hands on him, and demand what farmers pay him their rent in gold.No nonsense, my good fellow; silver simply, round coins with the head of some monarch or other on them.Anybody may possess a five-franc piece.""But do you suppose I carry five hundred francs about with me? I should want a porter.""Well, leave them with your porter; he is to be trusted.Iwill call for them."
"To-day?"
"No, to-morrow; I shall not have time to day.""Well, to-morrow I will leave them when I go to Auteuil.""May I depend on it?"
"Certainly."
"Because I shall secure my housekeeper on the strength of it.""Now see here, will that be all? Eh? And will you not torment me any more?""Never." Caderousse had become so gloomy that Andrea feared he should be obliged to notice the change.He redoubled his gayety and carelessness."How sprightly you are," said Caderousse; "One would say you were already in possession of your property.""No, unfortunately; but when I do obtain it" --"Well?"
"I shall remember old friends, I can tell you that.""Yes, since you have such a good memory.""What do you want? It looks as if you were trying to fleece me?""I? What an idea! I, who am going to give you another piece of good advice.""What is it?"
"To leave behind you the diamond you have on your finger.We shall both get into trouble.You will ruin both yourself and me by your folly.""How so?" said Andrea.
"How? You put on a livery, you disguise yourself as a servant, and yet keep a diamond on your finger worth four or five thousand francs.""You guess well."
"I know something of diamonds; I have had some.""You do well to boast of it," said Andrea, who, without becoming angry, as Caderousse feared, at this new extortion, quietly resigned the ring.Caderousse looked so closely at it that Andrea well knew that he was examining to see if all the edges were perfect.
"It is a false diamond," said Caderousse.
"You are joking now," replied Andrea.
"Do not be angry, we can try it." Caderousse went to the window, touched the glass with it, and found it would cut.
"Confiteor," said Caderousse, putting the diamond on his little finger; "I was mistaken; but those thieves of jewellers imitate so well that it is no longer worth while to rob a jeweller's shop -- it is another branch of industry paralyzed.""Have you finished?" said Andrea, -- "do you want anything more? -- will you have my waistcoat or my hat? Make free, now you have begun.""No; you are, after all, a good companion; I will not detain you, and will try to cure myself of my ambition.""But take care the same thing does not happen to you in selling the diamond you feared with the gold.""I shall not sell it -- do not fear."
"Not at least till the day after to-morrow," thought the young man.
"Happy rogue," said Caderousse; "you are going to find your servants, your horses, your carriage, and your betrothed!""Yes," said Andrea.
"Well, I hope you will make a handsome wedding-present the day you marry Mademoiselle Danglars.""I have already told you it is a fancy you have taken in your head.""What fortune has she?"
"But I tell you" --
"A million?" Andrea shrugged his shoulders.
"Let it be a million," said Caderousse; "you can never have so much as I wish you.""Thank you," said the young man.
"Oh, I wish it you with all my heart!" added Caderousse with his hoarse laugh."Stop, let me show you the way.""It is not worth while."
"Yes, it is."
"Why?"
"Because there is a little secret, a precaution I thought it desirable to take, one of Huret & Fitchet's locks, revised and improved by Gaspard Caderousse; I will manufacture you a similar one when you are a capitalist.""Thank you," said Andrea; "I will let you know a week beforehand." They parted.Caderousse remained on the landing until he had not only seen Andrea go down the three stories, but also cross the court.Then he returned hastily, shut his door carefully, and began to study, like a clever architect, the plan Andrea had left him.
"Dear Benedetto," said he, "I think he will not be sorry to inherit his fortune, and he who hastens the day when he can touch his five hundred thousand will not be his worst friend."