D'Avaux – who seemed uncharacteristically nervous, all of a sudden – took Eliza's remark as a witticism, and produced a smile as thin and dry as parchment. Mr. Sluys took it as stupidity, and got sexually aroused. 'De la Vega is still selling V.O.C. stock short! He'll be doing it all night long – until he hears the news tomorrow morning, and gets word to his brokers to stop!' Sluys seemed almost outraged to be making money so easily.