Mercadet What proofs! I have in my hands forty-seven thousand francs' worth of your notes.

De la Brive
Are they signed to the order of Pierquin?

Mercadet
Precisely so.

De la Brive
And you have had them since this morning?

Mercadet
Since this morning.

De la Brive
I see. You have given worthless stock in exchange for valueless notes.

Mercadet
Sir!

De la Brive And, in order to seal the bargain, Pierquin, one of the least important of your creditors, has given you a delay of three months.

Mercadet
Who told you that?

De la Brive Who? Who? Pierquin himself, of course, as soon as he learned I was going to make an arrangement—