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"Third-rate," said Danglars, rather humble, "what do you mean by that?"

"Certainly," continued Monte Cristo, "I make three assortments in fortune--first-rate, second-rate, and third-rate fortunes I call those first-rate which are composed of treasures one possesses under one's hand, such as mines, lands, and funded property, in such states as France, Austria, and England, provided these treasures and property form a total of about a hundred ained byenterprises, joint-stock coa capital of about fifty millions; finally, I call those third-rate fortunes, which are co capital, dependent upon the will of others, or upon chances which a bankruptcy involves or a false telegram shakes, such as banks, speculations of the day--in fact, all operations under the influence of greater or lessin a real or fictitious capital of about fifteen millions I think this is about your position, is it not?"

"Confound it, yes!" replied Danglars

"The result, then, of six more such months as this would be to reduce the third-rate house to despair"

"Oh," said Danglars, becoine seven such months," continued Monte Cristo, in the saht that seven times 1,700,000 francs make nearly twelve ht, for if you indulged in such reflections, you would never risk your principal, which is to the speculator what the skin is to civilized man We have our clothes, some more splendid than others,--this is our credit; but when afro but your real principal of about five or six millions, at the most; for third-rate fortunes are never more than a fourth of what they appear to be, like the loconified by the s it Well, out of the five or six millions which form your real capital, you have just lost nearly two ree diminish your credit and fictitious fortune; to follow out , and this if repeated three or four times will cause death--so pay attention to it, lars Do you want money? Do you wish me to lend you solars, calling to his assistance all his philosophy and dissimulation "I have made money at the same time by speculations which have succeeded I have made up the loss of blood by nutrition I lost a battle in Spain, I have been defeated in Trieste, but alleons, and my Mexican pioneers will have discovered some mine"