Desvarennes, coldly. "But by what means?"

"These," answered Cayrol. "The shares taken away by Herzog, under the
security of the Prince's signature, were deposited by the shareholders.
When the Universal Credit removed to its new offices, these shares were
taken away by mistake. It will suffice to replace the scrip. I will give
back the receipt to the Prince and all trace of this deplorable affair
will be wiped out."

"But the numbers of the shares will not be the same," said Madame
Desvarennes, accustomed to minute regularity in all operations.

"We can explain the change by feigning a sale when they were high, and
buying them up when low. We will show a profit, and the shareholders will
not quarrel. Besides, I reserve the right of divulging Herzog's fraud
without implicating Panine, if the shareholders insist. Trust me, I will
catch Herzog another time. It is my stupid confidence in that man which
has been partly the cause of this disaster. I will make your business
mine and force him to shell out. I shall leave for London to-night, by
the 1.50 train. Promptness of action in such a case is the first step
toward success."

"Thank you, Cayrol," said the mistress. "Have my daughter and the Prince
arrived?"

"Yes, Serge is calm; he has more power over himself than I could have
believed."

"What does it matter to him what is going on? Is it he who will feel the
blow? No. He knows that I shall go on working to keep him in idleness and