Mascarin shook his head.
“Well then, I will give you a third; it is not worth while to give you more.”
“No, no; I would not take half, nor even the whole of the dowry. You may keep that as well as what you owe us.”
“Well, but tell me what you do want.”
“I will do so,” answered Mascarin, adjusting his spectacles carefully; “but before doing so, I feel that I must give you a short account of the rise and progress of this association.”
At this statement Hortebise and Catenac sprang to their feet in surprise and terror. “Are you mad?” said they at length, with one voice.
Mascarin shrugged his shoulders.
“Not yet,” answered he gently, “and I beg that you will permit me to go on.”
“But surely we have some voice in the matter,” faltered Catenac.
“That is enough,” exclaimed Mascarin angrily, “Am not I the head of this association? Do you think,” he continued in tones of deep sarcasm, “that we cannot speak openly before the Marquis?”