M. Richard bowed⁠ ⁠… to nobody; bent his back⁠ ⁠… before nobody; and walked backward⁠ ⁠… before nobody.⁠ ⁠… And, a few steps behind him, M. Moncharmin did the same thing that he was doing, in addition to pushing away M. Rémy and begging M. de La Borderie, the ambassador, and the manager of the Crédit Central “not to touch M. le directeur .”

Moncharmin, who had his own ideas, did not want Richard to come to him presently, when the twenty-thousand francs were gone, and say:

“Perhaps it was the ambassador⁠ ⁠… or the manager of the Crédit Central⁠ ⁠… or Rémy.”