"It is
very kind of you to make such an offer," he said. "If I am not mistaken,
your occupations are such as to make your time precious. You are
in--a--as we say, dans les affaires."
"In business, you mean? Oh no, I have thrown business overboard for the
present. I am 'loafing,' as WE say. My time is quite my own."
"Ah, you are taking a holiday," rejoined M. de Bellegarde. "'Loafing.'
Yes, I have heard that expression."
"Mr. Newman is American," said Madame de Bellegarde.
"My brother is a great ethnologist," said Valentin.
"An ethnologist?" said Newman. "Ah, you collect negroes' skulls, and
that sort of thing."
The marquis looked hard at his brother, and began to caress his other
whisker. Then, turning to Newman, with sustained urbanity, "You are
traveling for your pleasure?" he asked.'
"Oh, I am knocking about to pick up one thing and another. Of course I
get a good deal of pleasure out of it."
"What especially interests you?" inquired the marquis.
"Well, everything interests me," said Newman. "I am not particular.
Manufactures are what I care most about."
"That has been your specialty?"
"I can't say I have any specialty. My specialty has been to make the
largest possible fortune in the shortest possible time." Newman made
this last remark very deliberately; he wished to open the way, if it
were necessary, to an authoritative statement of his means.
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