ring about this grand match. But to
come down to a daughter of a porter--

Dupre
Her father is no longer that, sir!

Rousseau
What do you mean?

Dupre
He lost his place through your son, and he intends returning to the
country, to live on the money-- (Rousseau listens attentively) on the
money which you have promised to give him.

Rousseau
Ah! you are joking!

Dupre
On the contrary, I am quite serious. Your son will marry their
daughter--and you will provide a pension for the old people.

Rousseau
Sir--

SCENE SEVENTH

The same persons and Joseph (coming in pale and faint).

Joseph
M. Dupre, M. Dupre, save me!

All three
What has happened? What is the matter?

Joseph
Soldiers! Mounted soldiers are coming to arrest me!

Dupre
Hold your tongue! Hold your tongue! (Everybody seems alarmed. Dupre
looks with anxiety towards the room where Pamela is. To Joseph) To
arrest you?

Joseph
I saw one of them. Don't you hear him? He is coming up-stairs. Hide
me!

(Joseph tries to hide himself in the small room, from which De Verby
comes out with a cry.)

De Verby
Ah!

(Joseph gets behind the curtain and Mme. du Brocard rushes forth with
a shriek.)

Mme. du Brocard
Oh, heavens!

Mme. Rousseau
My sister!

Rousseau
M. de Verby!

(The door opens.)

Joseph (falling exhausted over a chair)
We are all nabbed.

The servant (entering, to Dupre)
A message from the Keeper of the Seals.

Joseph
The Keeper of the Seals! That must be about me!

Dupre (advancing with a serious face and addressing the four others)
I shall now leave you all four face to face--you whose mutual love and
esteem is so great. Ponder well all I have said to you; she who
sacrificed all for you, has been despised and humiliated, both for you
and by you. It is yours to make full reparation to her--to make it
to-day--this very instant--in this very room. And then, we can take
measures by which all can obtain deliverance, if indeed you are worth
the trouble it will cost me.

(Exit Dupre.)

SCENE EIGHTH

The same persons with the exception of Dupre.

(They stand looking awkwardly at each other for a moment.)

Joseph (going up to them)
We are a nice lot of people. (To De Verby) I should like to know when
we are put in prison, whether