Page:Eekhoud - The New Carthage.djvu/213

Rh myself sinking. I have figured up on this paper—and you can take it away to verify my figures at your leisure—that my debts and obligations will reach two million francs. Please don't let's have any more electric shocks … so that I may be able to explain the situation to you! I have enough money myself to liquidate the first four notes that mature, amounting to about eight hundred thousand francs. That will carry us until the first of next month …"

"And then?"

"And then I shall have to reckon upon you!"

"Do you seriously believe that I am going to find you over a million francs?"

"I couldn't believe it any more seriously."

The same mortal and tense silence ensued, while Gina, upstairs, continued singing the beautiful classic German songs, accompanying herself at the piano. Dobouziez put his forehead between his hands and crushed it as if he wished to squeeze out his brain, then relaxed suddenly, rose, clenched his fists, and without letting Béjard know in any other way what extreme measures he had resolved upon, he said:

"Let me have two weeks to think it over … and don't involve yourself any further between now and then!…" Béjard understood that his father-in-law would save him, and came toward him, his hand outstretched, smothered in sweetish formulas of gratitude.

But Dobouziez drew back, swinging his hands sharply behind his back.

"Useless!… If you are really capable of some gratitude, you owe it to Gina and the baby … If it had not been for them!…"