carries a chest. Oh! what a huge chest! Gentlemen, it is Godeau! I
recognize him by the chest.

Mercadet
Yes--I was expecting Godeau.

Goulard
He has come back from Calcutta.

Pierquin
With a fortune.

Mercadet
Of incalculable extent!

Violette
What have I been saying?

(Violette goes in silence to Mercadet and grasps his hand. The two
others follow his example, and then all the creditors form a ring
round Mercadet.)

Mercadet (with seeming emotion)
Oh! Gentlemen--my friends--my dear comrades--my children!

SCENE SEVENTH

The same persons and Mme. Mercadet.

Mme. Mercadet (entering from the left)
Mercadet! My dear!

Mercadet (aside)
It is my wife. I thought that she had gone out. She is going to ruin
everything!

Mme. Mercadet
My dear! I see that you don't know what has happened?

Mercadet
I? No, I don't--if I--

Mme. Mercadet
Godeau is returned.

Mercadet
Ah! You say? (Aside) I wonder if she suspects--

Mme. Mercadet
I have seen him--I have spoken to him. It was I who saw him first.

Mercadet (aside)
De la Brive has won her over! What a man he is! (To Mme. Mercadet,
low) Good, my dear wife, good! You will be our salvation.

Mme. Mercadet
But you don't understand me, it is really he, it is--

Mercadet (in a low voice)
Hush! (Aloud) I must--gentlemen--I must go and welcome him.

Mme. Mercadet
No--wait, wait a little, my dear; poor Godeau has overtaxed his
strength--scarcely had he reached my apartment when fatigue,
excitement and a nervous attack overcame him--

Mercadet
Really! (Aside) How well she does it!

Violette
Poor Godeau!

Mme. Mercadet
"Madame," he said to me, "go and see your husband. Bring me back his
pardon; I do not wish to see him face to face, until I have repaired
the past."

Goulard
That was fine.

Pierquin
It was sublime.

Violette
It melts me to tears, gentlemen, it melts me to tears.

Mercadet (aside)
Look at that! Well! There's a woman worth calling a wife! (Taking her
by the hand) My darling-- Excuse me, gentlemen. (He kisses her on both
cheeks. In a low voice) Things are going on finely.

Mme. Mercadet (in a low voice)
How lucky this is, my dear! Better than anything you could have
fancied.

Mercadet
I should think so. (Aside) It is very much better. (Aloud) Go and look
after him, my dear. And you, gentlemen, be good enough to pass into my
office. (He points to the left.) Wait there till we settle our