"What do you mean by that?"
"I have been told that he is speculating heavily on the Bourse."
"If he has the means to do it, it's all right; he must know what he's about."
"Batonnin was telling me just now that Monléard must have lost a great deal of money by the failure—or the flight, I don't quite know which it was—of one Morissel."
"Ah! Monsieur Batonnin told you that? I notice that disagreeable news is generally brought by smiling faces and honeyed words."
"I prefer to believe that my son-in-law's fortune has not sustained such a serious loss."
"After all, father, in business a man can't always make money, can he?"
"Hoity-toity! here you are talking almost as well as your sister.—By the way, I met Monsieur Grandcourt too."
"Monsieur Grandcourt?"
"Well, well! what's the matter now? You're as pale as a ghost. Don't you feel well?"