to be in debt? What man is there who does not owe his father his
existence? He can never repay that debt. The earth is constantly
bankrupt to the sun. Life, madame, is a perpetual loan! Am I not
superior to my creditors? I have their money, when they can only
expect mine. I do not ask anything of them, and yet they are
constantly importuning me.--A man who does not owe anything is not
thought about by any one, while my creditors take a keen interest in
me.

Mme. Mercadet
They take rather too much! To owe and to pay is well enough--but to
borrow without any prospect of returning--

Mercadet
You feel a great deal of compassion for my creditors, but our
indebtedness to them springs from--

Mme. Mercadet
Their confidence in us, sir.

Mercadet
No, but from their greed of gain! The speculator and the broker are
one and the same--each of them aims at sudden wealth. I have done a
favor to all my creditors, and they all expect to get something out of
me! I should be most unhappy but for the secret consciousness I have
that they are selfish and avaricious--so that you will see in a few
moments how I will make each of them play out his little comedy. (He
sits down.)

Mme. Mercadet