to love you in secret.

THERESE. Indeed you have not, and you've kept your secret precious
badly. Madame Nerisse suspects, and I can see quite well that she's
jealous of me. I owe her a great deal; she gave me my first start and
got me my place here. I wouldn't make her unhappy for anything in the
world. As soon as she hears of what you've done what d'you suppose
she'll think?

NERISSE. I don't care a rap what she thinks.

THERESE. But I care very much. You've compromised me seriously.

NERISSE [_sincerely contemptuous_] Compromised you! Aha, yes, there's
the word! Oh, you middle class girls! Always the same! What are you
doing here then? What d'you know about life? Nothing. Compromised! Then
all your dreams of elevating humanity, all your ambitions, your career,
the realization of yourself--you'll give up all that before you'll be
what you describe by that stupid, imbecile, middle class word,
compromised. When you shook yourself free of your family you behaved
like a capable woman. Now you're behaving and thinking like a
fashionable doll. Isn't that true? I appeal to your intelligence, to
your mind, to everything in you that lifts you out of the ordinary ruck.
Your precious word compromised is only the twaddle of a countrified
miss. Don't you see that yourself?

THERESE [_very much out of countenance_] Ah, if I were only certain that
you are hiding nothing behind your friendship and your sympathy!

NERISSE [_with perfectly genuine indignation_] Hiding? You said hiding?
Is that what you throw in my face? You insult me? What d'you take me
for?

THERESE. I beg your pardon.

NERISSE. What kind of assurance do you want me to give you? Do you
believe in nothing? Is it quite impossible for you to feel frankly and
naturally, and to say "I have confidence in you, and I accept your
friendship"--a friendship offered to you perfectly honestly and loyally?
It really drives one to despair.

THERESE [_without enthusiasm_] Well, yes. I say it.

_She puts her hands into the hands Monsieur Nerisse holds
out to her._

NERISSE. Thank you. [_A silence. Then he says in a low voice_] Oh,
Therese, I love you, how I love you!

THERESE [_snatching her hands away_] Oh, this is abominable. You set a
trap for me, and my vanity made me fall into it.

NERISSE. I implore you to let me tell you about myself. I'm so miserable
and lonely when you're away.

THERESE [_trying to speak reasonably_] I know quite well what you want