"But how is it that you have come, and not the other one ?" "He intended to come; but at the last moment he drew back; Mascarin, you see, has a great deal to lose, while I----" He paused, and holding up the tattered tails of his coat, turned round, as though to exhibit his shabby attire.

"All my property is on my back," continued he.
"Then I can treat with you ?" asked the Count.
Tantaine nodded his head.

"Yes, Count, I have the missing leaves from the Baron's journal, and also, well--I suppose you know everything, all of your wife's correspondence." "Enough," answered the Count, unable to hide his disgust.

"Sit down." "Now, Count, I will go to the point--are you going to put the police on us ?" "I have said that I would do nothing of the kind." "Then we can get to business." "Yes, if----" The old man shrugged his shoulders.
"There is no 'if' in the case," returned he.

"We state our conditions, for acceptance or rejection." These words were uttered in a tone of such extreme insolence that the Count was strongly tempted to hurl the extortionate scoundrel from the window, but he contrived to restrain his passion.
"Let us hear the conditions then," said he impatiently.
Tantaine extracted from some hidden recess of his coat a much-worn pocketbook, and drew from it a paper.
"Here are our conditions," returned he slowly.