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Updated: May 2, 2025
"M. de Restaud's mother has prejudiced him against me, and he is very far from taking me as his legal adviser; still, I went to see Gobseck last week to tell him about Ernest's love for Mlle. Camille, and pressed him to carry out his contract, since that young Restaud is just of age. "I found the old bill-discounter had been kept to his bed for a long time by the complaint of which he was to die.
"Pooh!" "Yes, she is the only heir to the old bill-discounter Gobseck. Derville will verify the facts. If your mistress' mother was the handsome Dutch woman, la Belle Hollandaise, as they called her, she comes in for " "I know dat she is," cried the banker. "She tolt me all her life. I shall write ein vort to Derville."
What could be more wonderful than his El Verdugo, which gives us a brief horror while compelling our admiration? What, outside of Balzac himself, could be more terrible than Gobseck, a frightful study of avarice, containing a deathbed scene which surpasses in dreadfulness almost anything in literature?
"The young man growled out something, in which the words 'Old scoundrel! were audible. Daddy Gobseck did not move an eyebrow. He drew a pair of pistols out of a pigeon-hole, remarking coolly: "'As the insulted man, I fire first. "'Maxime, you owe this gentleman an explanation, cried the trembling Countess in a low voice. "'I had no intention of giving offence, stammered Maxime.
"'That is possible. "'But ought you not to help Ernest? I suggested. "'Help him! cried Gobseck. 'Not I. Adversity is the greatest of all teachers; adversity teaches us to know the value of money and the worth of men and women. Let him set sail on the seas of Paris; when he is a qualified pilot, we will give him a ship to steer. "I left him without seeking to explain the meaning of his words.
"'Then is the Count actually dying? I asked. "'That is possible, said Gobseck; 'the winding up of his estate will be a juicy bit of business for you. "I looked at my man, and said, by way of sounding him: "'Just explain to me how it is that we, the Count and I, are the only men in whom you take an interest? "'Because you are the only two who have trusted me without finessing, he said.
In this way presents came to be a kind of percentage upon sums too large to pass through his control, while the agency bought up cheaply the small and dubious claims, or the claims of those persons who preferred a little ready money to a deferred and somewhat hazy repayment by the Republic. Gobseck was the insatiable boa constrictor of the great business.
"It's a clever game," said Metivier. "We'll do it," said Gigonnet; "you agree, don't you, Gobseck? Falleix can give us security and put mortgages on the property in my name; we'll go and see des Lupeaulx when all is ready." "We're robbed," said Gobseck. "Ha, ha!" laughed Mitral, "I'd like to know the robber!" "Nobody can rob us but ourselves," answered Gigonnet.
"'Then come in the evening. "'Oh, no! he answered briskly, 'you ought to go into society and see your clients, and I myself have my friends at my cafe. "'His friends! thought I to myself. 'Very well, said I, 'why not come at dinner-time? "'That is the time, said Gobseck, 'after 'Change, at five o'clock. Good, you will see me Wednesdays and Saturdays.
"'So you are cross because I may have tried in other quarters to ruin myself? laughed the Count. "'Ruin yourself! repeated Gobseck ironically. "'Were you about to remark that it is impossible to ruin a man who has nothing? inquired the dandy. 'Why, I defy you to find a better stock in Paris! he cried, swinging round on his heels.
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