# XVIII: An Infamous Trade explained — The Slaves of Paris

> Chapter companion for The Slaves of Paris by Émile Gaboriau.

## What happens

Mascarin reveals his blackmailing enterprise to the Marquis de Croisenois and Paul Violaine, explaining his plan to use a sham limited company to extract money from wealthy families. He enlists Croisenois as a figurehead chairman, while Paul agrees to abandon his identity and assist in the scheme, motivated by the promise of fortune and marriage to Flavia Rigal.

## Themes in this chapter

### Blackmail and Corruption

Mascarin openly describes his blackmailing enterprise, detailing how he exploits guilty secrets to control wealthy families and extract money.

### Deception and Secrecy

Paul agrees to destroy his identity and become another person; the sham company is built on deception to lure investors.

### Wealth and Extravagance

The scheme targets wealthy families and promises Paul a fortune and marriage to an heiress, highlighting the pursuit of wealth.

## Character check-ins

### Baptiste Mascarin

Reveals his blackmailing scheme and recruits Croisenois and Paul for his fraudulent limited company.

### Gaston de Gandelu

Listens to Mascarin's story and is shocked to learn his own past card-cheating is known; he is recruited as chairman of the sham company.

### Paul Violaine

Overcomes his initial disgust, agrees to adopt a new identity and assist Mascarin in exchange for wealth and Flavia Rigal's hand.

### Dr. Hortebise

Present during the discussion; laughs at Paul's cynicism and supports Mascarin's plan.

### Catenac

The lawyer who will draw up the prospectus and articles of association for the fraudulent company.

## Key lines

> The plan emanated from my brain complete in all its details in the will I made twenty years ago to my friends.

Mascarin claims he conceived the entire blackmail scheme twenty years ago and bequeathed it to his associates.

_Mascarin reveals the long-planned nature of his criminal enterprise._

> I know, at least, two thousand persons in Paris who only exist by the exercise of this profession; for I have studied them all, from the convict who screws money out of his former companions, in penal servitude, to the titled villain, who, having discovered the frailty of some unhappy woman, forces her to give him her daughter as his wife.

Mascarin claims to know two thousand Parisians who live by blackmail, ranging from ex-convicts to aristocrats who exploit women's secrets.

_Mascarin justifies his trade by asserting its widespread practice across all social classes._

> You must become another person entirely; you must adopt his name, his gait, his behavior, his virtues, and even his failings. You must forget all that you have either said or done.

Mascarin instructs Paul to completely abandon his identity and convincingly assume a new persona.

_Mascarin outlines the depth of deception required for Paul's role in the scheme._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters/xviii-an-infamous-trade
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_slaves_of_paris_se/chapters