on full of lofty sentiments, endowed with a courageous
soul, and--

Minard
Mademoiselle--Julie.

Julie
Let me finish; I must have my say.

Mercadet
My daughter, go and see your mother, and let me speak of matters which
are a great deal more material than these.

Julie
I will go, father--

Mercadet
Come back presently with your mother, my child.

(Mercadet kisses Julie and leads her to the door.)

Minard (aside)
I feel my hopes revive.

Mercadet (returning)
Sir, I am a ruined man.

Minard
What does that mean?

Mercadet
Totally ruined. And if you wish to have my Julie, you are welcome to
her. She will be much better off at your house, poor as you are, than
in her paternal home. Not only is she without dowry, but she is
burdened with poor parents--parents who are more than poor.

Minard
More than poor! There is nothing beyond that.

Mercadet
Yes, sir, we are in debt, deeply in debt, and some of these debts
clamor for payment.

Minard
No, no, it is impossible!

Mercadet
Don't you believe it? (Aside) He is getting frightened. (Taking up a
pile of papers from his desk. Aloud) Here, my would-be son-in-law, are
the family papers which will show you our fortune--

Minard
Sir--

Mercadet
Or rather our lack of fortune! Read-- Here is a writ of attachment on
our furniture.

Minard
Can it be possible?

Mercadet
It is perfectly possible! Here are judgments by the score! Here is a
writ of my arrest. You see in what straits we are! Here you see all my
sales, the protests on my notes and the judgments classed in order--
for, young man, understand well in a disordered condition of things,
order is above all things necessary. When disorder is well arranged it
can be relieved and controlled-- What can a debtor say when he sees
his debt entered up under his number? I make the government my model.
All payments are made in alphabetic order. I have not yet touched the
letter A. (He replaces the papers.)

Minard
You haven't yet paid anything?

Mercadet
Scarcely anything. You know the condition of my expenses. You know,
because you are a book-keeper. See, (picking up the papers again) the
total debit is three hundred and eighty thousand.

Minard
Yes, sir. The balance is entered here.

Mercadet
You can understand then how you must make me shudder when you come
before my daughter with your fine protestations! Since to marry a poor
girl with nothing but an income of eighteen hundred francs, is like