File No. 113 · Chapter
The Accusation explained
Prosper Bertomy, the head cashier of Fauvel's bank, is accused by his employer, M.
What happens
Prosper Bertomy, the head cashier of Fauvel's bank, is accused by his employer, M. Fauvel, of stealing 350,000 francs. Despite Fauvel's paternal pleas for a confession, Prosper maintains his innocence. The chapter also introduces the bank's secure layout and the arrival of Count Louis de Clameran, who seeks to withdraw a large deposit. The tension escalates as Fauvel calls for the commissary of police, setting the stage for a formal investigation.
Themes in this chapter
Suspicion and Trust
The entire chapter revolves around the breakdown of trust between Fauvel and Prosper, as suspicion leads to accusation and the involvement of police.
Class and Ambition
Fauvel's reference to Prosper's rise from a clerk to a high salary, and the jealousy of fellow clerks, highlights class dynamics and ambition within the bank.
Secrecy and the Past
Fauvel hints at Prosper's secret life—gambling and anonymous letters—suggesting hidden past actions that may have led to the crisis.
Characters to notice
- Prosper Bertomy
The head cashier who is accused of stealing banknotes; he maintains his innocence despite Fauvel's pressure.
- André Fauvel
The banker and Prosper's employer; he confronts Prosper and calls for the police, but also shows paternal concern.
- Marquis de Clameran
Count Louis de Clameran, an iron-manufacturer, who arrives at the bank to withdraw a large deposit.
- Cavaillon
A clerk at the bank who comments on the count's rudeness.
Key passages
“Your generosity is useless, monsieur; having taken nothing, I can restore nothing. I have searched carefully; the banknotes have been stolen.”
Prosper insists that he did not take the money and cannot return what he never stole, asserting that the banknotes are genuinely missing.
Prosper's firm denial of guilt, rejecting Fauvel's offer of leniency.
“I cannot forget that in this very room, fifteen years ago, you were entrusted to me by your father; and ever since that day have I had cause to congratulate myself on possessing so faithful and efficient a clerk.”
Fauvel reminds Prosper of their long history, recalling how Prosper's father placed him under Fauvel's care fifteen years ago, and how he has always valued Prosper's service.
Fauvel appeals to their personal bond, trying to elicit a confession.
“When an honorable man yields, in an hour of weakness, to temptation, his first step toward atonement is confession.”
Fauvel suggests that if Prosper has succumbed to temptation, the honorable thing to do is to confess and seek forgiveness.
Fauvel's moralizing plea for Prosper to admit guilt.