is standing near her mother, who is knitting; Giraud is at
work at a table on the left.)

Mme. Giraud
The fact of the matter is this, my poor daughter; I do not mean to
reproach you, but you are the cause of all our trouble.

Giraud
No doubt about it! We came to Paris because in the country tailoring
is no sort of a business, and we had some ambition for you, our
Pamela, such a sweet, pretty little thing as you were. We said to each
other: "We will go into service; I will work at my trade; we will give
a good position to our child; and as she will be good, industrious and
pretty, we can take care of our old age by marrying her well."

Pamela
O father!

Mme. Giraud
Half of our plans were already carried out.

Giraud
Yes, certainly. We had a good position; you made as fine flowers as
any gardener could grow; and Joseph Binet, your neighbor, was to be
the husband of our choice.

Mme. Giraud
Instead of all this, the scandal which has arisen in the house has
caused the landlord to dismiss us; the talk of the neighborhood was
incessant, for the young man was arrested in your room.

Pamela
And yet I have been guilty of nothing!

Giraud
Come, now, we know that well enough! Do you think if it were otherwise
that we would stay near you? And that I would embrace you? After all,
Pamela, there is nothing like a father and a mother! And when the
whole world is against you, if a girl can look into her parents' face
without a blush it is enough.

SCENE SECOND

The same persons and Joseph Binet.

Mme. Giraud
Well, well! Here is Joseph Binet.

Pamela
M. Binet, what are you doing here? But for your want of common-sense,
M. Jules would not have been found here.

Joseph
I am come to tell you about him.

Pamela
What! Really? Well, let us hear, Joseph.

Joseph
Ah! you won't send me away now, will you? I have seen his lawyer, and
I have offered him all that I possess if he would get him off!

Pamela
Do you mean it?

Joseph
Yes. Would you be satisfied if he was merely transported?

Pamela
Ah! you are a good fellow, Joseph, and I see that you love me! Let us
be friends.

Joseph (aside)
I have good hopes that we shall be.

(A knock at the door is heard.)

SCENE THIRD

The preceding, M. de Verby and Madame du Brocard.

Mme