Aristide Saccard, the speculator of The Kill, is down on his luck when he launches the Universal Bank, promising Catholic capital, Eastern railways and fortunes for all. Small savers, aristocrats and journalists pour in their money as the shares climb and Saccard wages war on the great banker Gundermann.
Zola’s novel of finance and mania, part of the Rougon-Macquart cycle; its portrayal of Jewish bankers reflects the prejudices of 1891. Download the free EPUB.