out twenty dollars a month in that
lawyer's office. So, you see--

LUCIENNE. Oh! poor Therese! And you could play Barberine with a secret
like that!

THERESE [_sadly_] I've had a real bad time since I heard. It's awful at
night!

LUCIENNE. My dearest! And you love him so!

THERESE [_much moved_] Yes--oh! don't make me cry.

LUCIENNE. It might do you good!

THERESE. You know--[_She breaks down a little_]

LUCIENNE [_tenderly_] Yes--I know that you're good and brave.

THERESE. I shall have to be.

LUCIENNE. Then you'll break off the engagement?

THERESE. Yes. I shall never see him again.

LUCIENNE. Never see him again!

THERESE. I shall write to him. If I saw him I should probably break
down. If I write I shall be more likely to be able to make him feel that
we must resign ourselves to the inevitable.

LUCIENNE. He'll be horribly unhappy.

THERESE. So shall I. [_Low and urgently_] Oh, if he only understood me!
If he was able to believe that I can earn my own living and that he
could earn his. If he would dare to do without his people's consent!

LUCIENNE. Persuade him to!

THERESE. It's quite impossible. His people are rich. Only just think
what they'd suspect me of. No; I shall tell him all the things his
father will tell him. But oh! Lucienne, if he had an answer for them! If
he had an answer! [_She cries a little_] But, my poor Rene, he won't
make any stand.

LUCIENNE. How you love him!

THERESE. Oh, yes; I love him. He's rather weak, but he's so loyal and
good and [_in a very low voice_] loving.

LUCIENNE. Oh, my dear, I do pity you so.

THERESE. I am to be pitied, really. [_Pulling herself together_] There's
one thing. I shall take advantage of this business to separate from
godpapa and godmamma.

LUCIENNE. But you have no money--

THERESE. I've not been any too happy here. You know they're--[_She sees
Madame Gueret and whispers to Lucienne_] Go now. I'll tell you all about
it to-morrow. [_Louder and gayly_] Well, good-night, my dear. See you
to-morrow at the Palais de Glace or at the Sorbonne! Good-night.

LUCIENNE. Good-night, Therese.

_She goes out._

MADAME GUERET [_speaking through the door_] Yes, she's here. Come in.
[_Gueret and Feliat come in_] Therese, we have something to say to you.

THERESE. Yes, godmamma.

MADAME GUERET. It's about something important; something very serious.
Let us sit down.

GUERET. You'll have to be brave, Therese.

MADAME GUERET. We are r