Minard
Can it be possible?

Mercadet
It is perfectly possible! Here are judgments by the score! Here is a
writ of my arrest. You see in what straits we are! Here you see all my
sales, the protests on my notes and the judgments classed in order--
for, young man, understand well in a disordered condition of things,
order is above all things necessary. When disorder is well arranged it
can be relieved and controlled-- What can a debtor say when he sees
his debt entered up under his number? I make the government my model.
All payments are made in alphabetic order. I have not yet touched the
letter A. (He replaces the papers.)

Minard
You haven't yet paid anything?

Mercadet
Scarcely anything. You know the condition of my expenses. You know,
because you are a book-keeper. See, (picking up the papers again) the
total debit is three hundred and eighty thousand.

Minard
Yes, sir. The balance is entered here.

Mercadet
You can understand then how you must make me shudder when you come
before my daughter with your fine protestations! Since to marry a poor
girl with nothing but an income of eighteen hundred francs, is like
inviting in wedlock a protested note with a writ of execution.