, 1872-11-10

Ny brother, yes
rs threatened With disaster--"
"Do they call it D disaster ?"
ayes, md his failure becomes imminent, the
Commercial Court within whose jurisdiction he
is (foEloE mo Closely has the power, by q de-
cree. to appoint hquoators for his firm. To 80
into liquidation is not to fail, do you SEQ ? BY
@ audaon man 1o senaos an a6neet
~ That is very different, If it does not cost
more" said Grandet.
" But liquidation can be had even without
tho aid Of the Commercial Court" For" SAID
the President, taking his pinch Of snuff, how
is bankruptcy declared ?"
"Yes, never thought OF thnt," replied
Grandct.
Firstly, said the masistrate, q by filing. =
the merchant himself, or his agent, makes out,
and which is properly recorded. Secondly, on
tho application OF tho creditors. Now, If the
merchant files no schedule; if no creditor re-
aforesaid merchant in bankruptcy, what will
happen ?"
"Then the family Of tho deceased, his repre-
sentaliTes, his hois; or the merchant if he is
not dead; or lis friends, it he is hidden, liqui-
date. Perhaps you want to settle your brothers.
affairs? ?" asked the President.
,'Ah, Grandet!" exclaimed the notary, "that
would be excellent. There is yet honor in our
provinces + you save your nao, for it is your
Sublime man., said tho President, interrupt
ing his uncle.
"certainly," said the old rine-dresaer, ssmy
brother was called Grandet, just like me. Thnt
liquidation might, in all points, bo very advan-
ta6eous, in all respects. to the interests Of my
nephew, whom love. But We must see. do not
| know these rogues of Paris. I am at
saumur,, you sec: Ny vines, my bitches, in
| given any notes. What is note? have re-
ccircd many, but have never signed any. They
are received, and they are discounted. That is
al know. have heard it said that you could
"Yoa." said tho President. { numerical
paper can be bought up on Change for such or
| such per cent. Do you understand :"
Grandet made q trumpet Of his hand, put it to
1is ear. and the President repeated his remark.
''But, seid the yine-dresser, "is there anything
to be made out of all this? At my ago, know
! nothing about all these things. I must stay
hero to look after the wheat. Wheat is gar
nered up, and it is with wheat we pay. First OF
| all, we must watch over the harvests. I haye
important and interesting business at Froidfond.
l cannot abandon my house for these Internally
entan9led matters about which I understand
nothing. You say ought in order to Iquidate,
to stop declaration Of bankruptcy, to be at
Paris. One cannot be in. two places ut once,
unless one is little bird And"
And I understand you," exclaimed the
notary. "Well, my old friend, you hare friends,
old old + 5frieads' capable of showing devotion for
-" Go ahead, then" thought the viine-dressor;
''mako up your mind"
t. And if some one we're to 20 to Paris, look
up the largest creditor Of your brother William,
and to linl-"
zone moment, just here" said the goodman !;
.'say what to him' Something like this: A1r:
Grandet, of Sau1nur, this; Mr. Grandet, Of
Saumur, that. He loves his brother; he loves his
nephew. Grandet is q good relative, and has
sold his wines we'll. Do not have the bankruptcy
declared; meet and appoint trustees. Then
Grandet will zee. You will make more by put
ting the thing into liquidation than by allowing
the lawyers to stick their noses in it, Eli! Is
Exactly, "s said the President
Because, you see, llr. de Bonfons, We must
see before deciding. He who cannot, cannot.
In all burdensome matters, SO as not to ruin
one self: it is necessary to know the resources
aud the liabilities. Eh? Is MT that so ?"
"Certaiuly," said the President. II think
myself that, in few months, we can buy up the
obligations at so much of, and settle up every
thing by agreement. ALI yes! dogs are led q
long ways by showing them q bit OF bacon.
Wien there has been nc. declaration of bank.
1uptcy, and you become the sole creditor, you
become as white as suow.'
"As snow," repeated Grandest, again making
; derstand that about snow"
. "But," shouted the President, "please lister
to me-"
~ am listening.
, IA debt is commodity which may appreciate
or dcpreciate in value. This is deduction from
| the theory Of Jeremy Beutham on usury. Thil
! publicist has proved that the prejudice which
+ condemned usurers was an absHrdlty."
1.-THE deuce !" said the goodman.
, 'Slnce in principle, according to, Bentham
money is q commodity, and that which repre-
sents money must also be acommodity," con
, tinued the President; "uince it is plain that
: obedicnt to the ordinary variations which con
note bearing this or tlat signature. is, just lk'
8 this or that article, abundant or scarce OF
Change, that it is dear, OF becomes ya1ue1ess tht
t Court orders--stop! What fool / am!
Bcttlo your brothers affairs for twenty cent
on the dollar"
"You mentioned Jeremy Ben"
d "Bentham, an Enelishman."
q "That jeremy will mako us escape man.
lamentations in business matters" said the no
o "TLese English have sometimes good sense,
). said Gl2ndct. $50, according to Bentham,
> my brothers debts are worthless. Yes, I an
It correct, am I not' That seems plain to me
i TIC creditors will bc--no, they will not be.
J, understand it,
!, LET ne explain Ill tms to you,! said th
n President" In law, if you bought up all th'
q debts Of Of the firm Of Grandet, your brother O.
d his heirs would owe nobody anything. So ta1
is so geoa;" ~. zooza.u
d In equity, if the obligations Of your brothe
# arc offered for sale-do you fully understand
q that phrase, offered for eale Pin the market,
d discount Of q certain per cent; il one Of you
n friends happened along and bought them up, th
is creditors Having been forced by no violence t
J. surrender them, tho estate Of the late Grande
9. Of Paris is lonorably settled"
in That is true business is business" eai
= the cooper. That being settledr--But still 30
70 understand that it is difficult. have neithc
tho money nor the time, neither the tim
k- nor"
"Ycs, you cannot incommode yourself. Vel
q I will so to Paris. iou will pay my travellin
or expenses, but they will be trihe. I .,vll Be
ID tho creditors. I will talk to them. will secu1
is delay, and all will be settled for supplement
t, al sum, which you add to what is realized frol
le the assets, in order to become possessed Of a
1g these obligations"
ae ''But We will see about that. I cannot, nj
it not pledge myself without-He who cal
OF not cannot. Do you understand ?"
Of g. That is proper
or My head is confused with what you hay
in just explained to me. This is the first tin
g in my life that have been forced to thir
be | Off,