I say this in order that you may understand that I have no need of
advice, or of moralizing,--merely of money. Alas! I do not ask any
thing of you for myself, my dear friend, but I am about to make a
marriage for my daughter, and here we are actually, although secretly,
fallen into absolute destitution. We are in a house where poverty
reigns under the appearance of luxury. The power of promises, and of
credit, all is exhausted! And if I cannot pay in cash for certain
necessary expenses, this marriage must be broken off. All I went here
is a fortnight of opulence, just as all that you want is twenty-four
hours of lying on the Exchange. Verdelin, this request will never be
repeated, for I have only one daughter. Must I confess it to you? My
wife and daughter are absolutely destitute of clothes! (Aside) He is
hesitating.

Verdelin (aside)
He has played me so many tricks that I really do not know whether his
daughter is doing to be married or not. How can she marry?

Mercadet
This very day I have to give a dinner to my future son-in-law, whom a
mutual friend is introducing to us, and I haven't even my plate
remaining in the house. It is--you know where it is--I not only need a
thousand crowns, but I also hope that you will lend me your dinner
service and come and dine here with your wife.

Verdelin
A thousand crowns! Mercadet! No one has a thousand crowns to lend. One
scarcely has them for himself; if he were to lend them whenever he was
asked, he would never have them. (He retires to the fire-place.)