r. And now they repulse you and
treat you with contempt; but I look upon you with hearty admiration--
you shall yet be happy, for I will make full reparation to you!
Pamela, I am forty-eight years old. I have some reputation, and a
fortune. I have spent my life as an honest man, and will finish it as
such; will you be my wife?

Pamela (much moved)
I, sir?

Giraud
His wife! Our daughter his wife! What do you say to that, Mme. Giraud?

Mme. Giraud
Can it be possible?

Dupre
Why should you wonder at this? Let us have no idle phrases. Put the
question to your own heart--and answer yes or no--Will you be my wife?

Pamela
You are a great man, sir, and I owe everything to you. Do you really
wish to add to the debt? Ah! my gratitude--!

Dupre
Don't let me hear you use that word,--it spoils everything! The world
is something that I despise! And I render to it no account of my
conduct, my hatred or my love. From the moment I saw your courage and
your resignation--I loved you. Try to love me in return!

Pamela
Ah, sir, indeed I will!

Mme. Giraud
Could any one help loving you?

Giraud
Sir, I am only a poor porter. I repeat it, I am nothing but a porter.
You love our daughter, you have told her so. Forgive me--my eyes are
full of tears--and that checks my utterance. (He wipes his eyes.)
Well, well, you do right to love her! It proves that you have brains!
For Pamela--there are a great many landowners' children who are her
inferiors. But it is humiliating for her to have parents such as us.

Pamela
O father!

Giraud
You are a leader among men! Well, I and my wife, we will go and hide
ourselves somewhere far into the country! And on Sunday, at the hour
of mass, you will say, "They are praying to God for us!"

(Pamela kisses her parents.)

Dupre
You are good people, and to think that such as you have neither title
nor fortune! And if you are pining for your country home, you shall
return there and live there in happiness and tranquillity, and I will
make provision for you.

Giraud and Mme. Giraud
Oh! our gratitude--

Dupre
That word again--I should like to cut it out of the dictionary!
Meanwhile I intend to take you both with me into the country, so set
about packing up.

Giraud
Sir!

Dupre
Well, what is it?

Giraud
Poor Joseph Binet is also in danger. He does not know that we are all