. Rousseau
Oh, heavens!

Dupre
Refused what?

Mme. du Brocard
An income of six thousand francs.

Dupre
I could have wagered on it. To think of offering money!

Mme. du Brocard
But it was the only way--

Dupre
To spoil everything. (To Mme. Giraud) Madame, kindly tell your
daughter that the counsel of M. Jules Rousseau is here and desires to
see her.

Mme. Giraud
Oh, as for that you will gain nothing.

Giraud
Either from her or from us.

Joseph
But what is it they want?

Giraud
Hold your tongue.

Mme. du Brocard (to Mme. Giraud)
Madame, offer her--

Dupre
Now, Mme. du Brocard, I must beg you-- (To Mme. Giraud) It is in the
name of the mother of Jules that I ask of you permission to see your
daughter.

Mme. Giraud
It will be of no use at all, sir! And to think that they point-blank
offered her money when the young man a little time before had spoken
of marrying her!

Mme. Rousseau (with excitement)
Well, why not?

Mme. Giraud (with vehemence)
How was that, madame?

Dupre (seizing the hand of Mme. Giraud)
Come, come! Bring me your daughter.

(Exit Mme. Giraud.)

De Verby and Mme. du Brocard
You have then made up your mind?

Dupre
It is not I, but madame who has made up her mind.

De Verby (questioning Mme. du Brocard)
What has she promised?

Dupre (seeing that Joseph is listening)
Be silent, general; stay for a moment, I beg you, with these ladies.
Here she comes. Now leave us alone, if you please.

(Pamela is brought in by her mother. She makes a curtsey to Mme.
Rousseau, who gazes at her with emotion; then Dupre leads all but
Pamela into the other room; Joseph remains behind.)

Joseph (aside)
I wonder what they mean. They all talk of a sacrifice! And old Giraud
won't say a word to me! Well, I can bide my time. I promised the
advocate that I would give him my fourteen hundred francs, but before
I do so, I would like to see how he acts with regard to me.

Dupre (going up to Joseph)
Joseph Binet, you must leave the room.

Joseph
And not hear what you say about me?

Dupre
You must go away.

Joseph (aside)
It is evident that they are concealing something from me. (To Dupre) I
have prepared her mind; she is much taken with the idea of
transportation. Stick to that point.

Dupre
All right! But you must leave the room.

Joseph (aside)