s too:
"The murderer still at large." As if that was our fault! "Justice
asleep!" Justice asleep indeed! How can they say such things when your
father hasn't closed his eyes for a fortnight! Can they complain that he
hasn't done his duty? Or that Monsieur Delorme, the examining
magistrate, isn't doing his? He has made himself quite ill, poor man!
Only the day before yesterday he had a tramp arrested because his
movements were ever so little suspicious! So you see! No! I tell you
these journalists are crazy!

BERTHA. It seems they are going to have an article in the Basque paper
too.

MADAME VAGRET. The _Eskual Herria_!

BERTHA. So the chemist told me.

MADAME VAGRET. I don't care a sou for that. The Attorney-General doesn't
read it.

BERTHA. On the contrary, father was saying the other day that the
Attorney-General has translations sent him of every article dealing with
the magistracy.

MADAME VAGRET. The Attorney-General has translations sent him! Oh well,
never mind. Anyhow, let's change the subject! How many shall we be this
evening? You've got the list?

BERTHA [_She takes the list from the over-mantel_] The President of
Assizes--the President of the Court--

MADAME VAGRET. Yes. Yes, that's all right; nine in all, isn't it?

BERTHA. Nine.

MADAME VAGRET. Nine! To have nine people coming to dinner, and not to
know the exact hour at which they'll arrive! That's what's so trying
about these dinners we have to give at the end of a session--in honor of
the President of Assizes. One dines when the Court rises. When the Court
rises! Well, we'll await the good pleasure of these gentlemen! [_She
sighs_] Well, child!

BERTHA. Mother?

MADAME VAGRET. Are you still anxious to marry a magistrate?

BERTHA [_with conviction_] I am not!

MADAME VAGRET. But you were two years ago!

BERTHA. I am not now!

MADAME VAGRET. Look at us! There's your father. Procurator of the
Republic--Public Prosecutor--State Attorney; in a court of the third
class, it's true, because he's not a wire-puller, because he hasn't
played the political game. And yet he's a valuable man--no one can deny
that. Since he's been District Attorney he has secured three sentences
of penal servitude for life! And in a country like this, where crimes
are so frightfully rare! That's pretty good, don't you think? Of course,
I know he'll have had three acquittals in the session that ends to-day.
Granted. But that was mere bad luck. And for protecting