my profit upon the transaction. I should make a good
twenty-five thousand francs.”
“An agreeable sum.”
“Very much so, madame.”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Will you accept that profit, then, on condition of
converting the jewels into money?”
“But you do not intend to sell your diamonds, I suppose,
madame?” exclaimed the bewildered jeweler.
“Silence, M. Faucheux, do not disturb yourself about that;
give me an answer simply. You are an honorable man, with
whom my family has dealt for thirty years; you knew my
father and mother, whom your own father and mother served. I
address you as a friend; will you accept the gold of the
settings in return for a sum of ready money to be placed in
my hands?”
“Eight hundred thousand francs! it is enormous.”
“I know it.”
“Impossible to find.”
“Not so.”
“But reflect, madame, upon the effect which will be produced
by the sale of your jewels.”
“No one need know it. You can get sets of false jewels made
for me, similar to the real. Do not answer a word; I insist
upon it. Sell them separately, sell the stones only.”
“In that way it is easy. Monsieur is looking out for some
sets of jewels as well as single stones for Madame’s
toilette. There will be a competition for them. I can easily
dispose of six hundred thousand francs’ worth to Monsieur. I
am certain yours are the most beautiful.”
“When can you do so?”
“In less than three days’ time.”
“Very well, the remainder you will dispose of among private
individuals. For the present, make me out a contract of
sale, payment to be made in four days.”
“I entreat you to reflect, madame; for if you force the
sale, you will lose a hundred thousand francs.”
“If necessary, I will lose two hundred; I wish everything to
be settled this evening. Do you accept?”
“I do, your ladyship. I will not conceal from you that I
shall make fifty thousand francs by the transaction.”
“So much the better for you. In what way shall I have the
money?”
“Either in gold, or in bills of the bank of Lyons, payable
at M. Colbert’s.”
“I agree,” said the marquise, eagerly; “return home and
bring the sum in question in notes, as soon as possible.”
“Yes, madame, but for Heaven’s sake —- ”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Not a word, M. Faucheux. By the by, I was forgetting the
silver plate. What is the value of that which I have?”
“Fifty thousand francs, madame.”
“That makes a million,” said the marquise to herself. “M.
Faucheux, you will take away with you both the gold and
silver plate. I can assign, as a pretext, that I wish it
remodelled on patterns more in accordance with my own taste.
Melt it down, and return me its value in money, at once.”
“It shall be done, your ladyship.”
“You will be good enough to place the money in a chest, and
direct one of your clerks to accompany the chest, and
without my servants seeing him; and order him to wait for me
in a carriage.”
“In Madame de Faucheux’s carriage?” said the jeweler.
“If you will allow it, and I will call for it at your
house.”
“Certainly, your ladyship.”
“I will direct some of my servants to convey the plate to
your house.” The marquise rung. “Let the small van be placed
at M. Faucheux’s disposal,” she said. The jeweler bowed and
left the house, directing that the van should follow him
closely, saying aloud that the marquise was about to have
her plate melted down in order to have other plate
manufactured of a more modern style. Three hours afterwards
she went to M. Faucheux’s house and received from him eight
hundred thousand francs in gold inclosed in a chest, which
one of the clerks could hardly carry towards Madame
Faucheux’s carriage — for Madame Faucheux kept her
carriage. As the daughter of a president of accounts, she
had brought a marriage portion of thirty thousand crowns to
her husband, who was syndic of the goldsmiths. These thirty
thousand crowns had become very fruitful during twenty