18Mascarin, who was anxious to make as deep an impression as possibleupon Croisenois and Paul, broke off his story abruptly, and paced upand down the room. Had his intention been to startle his audience, hehad most certainly succeeded. Paul was breathless with interest, andCroisenois broke down in attempting to make one of his usual trivialremarks. He was not particularly intelligent, except as regarded hisself-interests, and though, of course, he knew that there must be someconnection between his interests and the recital that Mascarin hadjust made, he could not for the life of him make out what it was.
Mascarin seemed utterly careless of the effect that he had produced.
But the next time that his walk brought him to his desk he stopped,and, adjusting his glasses, said, "I trust, Marquis, that you willforgive this long preliminary address, which would really make a goodsensational novel; but we have now arrived at the really practicalpart of the business." As he said these words, he took up an imposingattitude, with his elbow resting on the mantelpiece.
"On the night of which I have spoken, I and my friends releasedourselves from all the bonds of virtue and honor, and freed ourselvesfrom all the fetters of duty to our fellow-men. The plan emanated frommy brain complete in all its details in the will I made twenty yearsago to my friends. Marquis, as the summer goes on, you know that theripest and reddest cherries are the fullest flavored, just so, in thenoblest and wealthiest of families in Paris there is not one that hasnot some terrible and ghostly secret which is sedulously concealed.
Now, suppose that one man should gain possession of all of them, wouldhe not be sole and absolute master? Would he not be more powerful thana despot on his throne? Would he not be able to sway society in anymanner he might think fit? Well, I said to myself, I will be thatman!"Ever since the Marquis had been in relation with Mascarin, he hadshrewdly suspected that his business was not conducted on really fairprinciples.
"What you mention," said he, "is nothing but an elaborate and extendedsystem of blackmail."Mascarin bowed low, with an ironical smile on his face. "Just so,Marquis, just so; you have hit on the very name. The word is modern,but the operation doubtless dates from the earliest ages. The day uponwhich one man began to trade upon the guilty secret of another was thedate of the institution of this line of business. If antiquity makes athing respectable, then blackmailing is worthy of great respect.""But, sir," said the Marquis, with a flush upon his face, "but, sir--""Pshaw!" broke in Mascarin, "does a mere word frighten you? Who hasnot done some of it in his time? Why, look at yourself. Do you notrecollect this winter that you detected a young man cheating at cards?
You said nothing to him at the time, but you found out that he wasrich, and, calling upon him the next day, borrowed ten thousandfrancs. When do you intend to repay that loan?"Croisenois sank back in his chair, overcome with surprise at thisdisplay of knowledge on Mascarin's part. "This is too terrible,"muttered he, but Mascarin went on,--"I know, at least, two thousand persons in Paris who only exist by theexercise of this profession; for I have studied them all, from theconvict who screws money out of his former companions, in penalservitude, to the titled villain, who, having discovered the frailtyof some unhappy woman, forces her to give him her daughter as hiswife. I know a mere messenger in the Rue Douai, who in five yearsamassed a comfortable fortune. Can you guess how? When he wasintrusted with a letter, he invariably opened it, and made himselfmaster of its contents, and if there was a compromising word in it, hepounced down upon either the writer or the person to whom it wasaddressed. I also know of one large limited company which pays anannual income to a scoundrel with half a dozen foreign orders, who hasfound out that they have broken their statues of association, andholds proofs of their having done so. But the police are on the alert,and our courts deal very severely with blackmailers."Mascarin went on: "The English, however, are our masters, for inLondon a compromising servant is as easily negotiable as a sound billof exchange. There is in the city a respectable jeweller, who willadvance money on any compromising letter with a good name at the foot.
His shop is a regular pawnshop of infamy. In the States it has beenelevated to the dignity of a profession, and the citizen at New Yorkdreads the blackmailers more than the police, if he is meditating somedishonorable action. Our first operations did not bring in any quickreturns, and the harvest promised to be a late one; but you have comeupon us just as we are about to reap our harvest. The professions ofHortebise and Catenac--the one a doctor and the other a lawyer--facilitated our operations greatly. One administered to the diseasesof the body, and the other to that of the purse, and, of course, thusthey became professors of many secrets. As for me, the head and chief,it would not do to remain an idle looker-on. Our funds had dwindleddown a good deal, and, after mature consideration, I decided to hirethis house, and open a Servants' Registry Office. Such an occupationwould not attract any attention, and in the end it turned out aperfect success, as my friends can testify."Catenac and Hortebise both nodded assent.
"By the system which I have adopted," resumed Mascarin, "the wealthyand respectable man is as strictly watched in his own house as is thecondemned wretch in his cell; for no act of his escapes the eyes ofthe servants whom we have placed around him. He can hardly evenconceal his thoughts from us. Even the very secret that he hasmurmured to his wife with closed doors reaches our ears."The Marquis gave a supercilious smile.
"You must have had some inkling of this," observed Mascarin, "for youhave never taken a servant from our establishment; but for all that, Iam as well posted up in your affairs as yourself. You have even nowabout you a valet of whom you know nothing.""Morel was recommended to me by one of my most intimate friends--SirRichard Wakefield.""But for all that I have had my suspicions of him; but we will talk ofthis later, and we will now return to the subject upon which we havemet. As I told you, I conceal the immense power I had attained throughour agency, and use it as occasion presents itself, and after twentyyears' patient labor, I am about to reap a stupendous harvest. Thepolice pay enormous sums to their secret agents, while I, withoutopening my purse, have an army of devoted adherents. I see perhapsfifty servants of both sexes daily; calculate what this will amount toin a year."There was an air of complacency about the man as he explained theworking of his system, and a ring of triumph in his voice.
"You must not think that all my agents are in my secrets, for thegreater part of them are quite unaware of what they are doing, and inthis lies my strength. Each of them brings me a slender thread, whichI twine into the mighty cord by which I hold my slaves. Theseunsuspecting agents remind me of those strange Brazilian birds, whosepresence is a sure sign that water is to be found near at hand. Whenone of them utters a note, I dig, and I find. And now, Marquis, do youunderstand the aim and end of our association?""It has," remarked Hortebise quietly, "brought us in some years twohundred and fifty thousand francs apiece."If M. de Croisenois disliked prosy tales, he by no means underratedthe eloquence of figures. He knew quite enough of Paris to understandthat if Mascarin threw his net regularly, he would infallibly catchmany fish. With this conviction firmly implanted in his mind, he didnot require much urging to look with favor on the scheme, and, puttingon a gracious smile, he now asked, "And what must I do to deserveadmission into this association?"Paul had listened in wonder and terror, but by degrees all feelings ofdisgust at the criminality of these men faded away before the powerthat they unquestionably possessed.
"If," resumed Mascarin, "we have up to this met with no seriousobstacles, it is because, though apparently acting rashly, we are inreality most prudent and cautious. We have managed our slaves well,and have not driven any one to desperation. But we are beginning toweary of our profession; we are getting old, and we have need ofrepose. We intend, therefore, to retire, but before that we wish tohave all matters securely settled. I have an immense mass ofdocumentary evidence, but it is not always easy to realize the valuethey represent, and I wait upon your assistance to enable me to doso."Croisenois' face fell. Was he to take compromising letters round tohis acquaintances and boldly say, "Your purse or your honor?" He hadno objection to share the profits of this ignoble trade, but heobjected strongly to showing his connection with it openly. "No, no,"cried he hastily, "you must not depend upon me."He seemed so much in earnest that Hortebise and Catenac exchangedglances of dismay.
"Let us have no nonsense," returned Mascarin sternly, "and wait alittle before you display so much fierceness. I told you that mydocumentary evidence was of a peculiar kind. We very often had amongour fish married people who cannot deal with their personal property.
A husband, for instance, will say, 'I can't take ten thousand francswithout my wife, knowing of it.' Women say, 'Why, I get all my moneythrough my husband,' and both are telling the truth. They kneel at myfeet and entreat me to have mercy, saying, 'Find me some excuse forusing a portion of my funds and you shall have more than you ask.' Fora long time I have sought for this means, and at last I have found itin the Limited Company, which you, Marquis, will float next month.""Really!" returned the Marquis. "I do not see--""I beg your pardon; you see it all clearly. A husband who cannot,without fear of disturbing his domestic peace, put in five thousandfrancs, can put in ten thousand if he tells his wife, 'It is aninvestment;' and many a wife who has not any money of her own willpersuade her husband to bring in the money we require by the proposalto take shares. Now, what do you say to the idea?""I think that it is an excellent one, but what part am I to play init?""In taking the part of Chairman of the Company. I could not do so,being merely the proprietor of a Servant's Registry Office. Hortebise,as a doctor, and more than all a homeopath, would inspire noconfidence, and Catenac's legal profession prevents him appearing inthe matter openly. He will act as our legal adviser.""But really I do not see anything about me that would induce people toinvest," remarked De Croisenois.
"You are too modest; you have your name and rank, which, however wemay look upon them, have a great effect upon the general public. Thereare many Companies who pay directors of rank and credible connectionvery largely. Before starting this enterprise you can settle all yourdebts, and the world will then conclude that you are possessed ofgreat wealth, while, at the same time, the news of your approachingmarriage with Mademoiselle du Mussidan will be the general talk ofsociety. What better position could you be in?""But I have the reputation of being a reckless spendthrift.""All the better. The day the prospectus comes out with your name atthe head of it, there will be a universal burst of laughter. Men willsay, 'Do you see what Croisenois is at now? What on earth possessedhim to go into Company work?' But as this proceeding on your part willhave paid your debts and given you Mademoiselle Sabine's dowry, Ithink that the laugh will be on your side."The prospect dazzled Des Croisenois.
"And suppose I accept," asked he, "what will be the end of the farce?""Very simple. When all the shares are taken up, you will close theoffice and let the Company look after itself."Croisenois started to his feet angrily. "Why," cried he, "you intendto make a catspaw of me! Such a proceeding would send me to penalservitude.""What an ungrateful man he is!" said Mascarin, appealing to hisaudience, "when I am doing all I can to prevent his going there.""Sir!"But Catenac now felt it time to interfere. "You do not unde............