se de Montsorel
Ah! madame, it is extremely kind of you thus to anticipate my visit to
you.

The Duchesse de Christoval
I come in this way that there may be no formality between us.

The Duchesse de Montsorel (to Inez)
Have you read my letter?

Inez
One of your maids has just handed it to me.

The Duchesse de Montsorel (aside)
It is evident that Raoul is also coming.

The Duke (to the Duchesse de Christoval, whom he leads to a seat)
I hope we see in this informal visit the beginning of a family
intimacy?

The Duchesse de Christoval
Pray do not exaggerate the importance of a civility, which I look upon
as a pleasure.

The Marquis
You are seriously afraid, madame, I perceive, of encouraging my hopes?
Did I not suffer sufficiently yesterday? The princess did not notice
me, even by a look.

Inez
I didn't expect the pleasure of meeting you again so soon, sir. I
thought you were on duty; I am glad to have an opportunity of
explaining that I never saw you till the moment I left the ball-room,
and this lady (pointing to the Duchesse de Montsorel) must be the
excuse of my inattention.

The Marquis
You have two excuses, mademoiselle, and I thank you for mentioning
only one--my mother.

The Duke
His reproaches spring only from his modesty, mademoiselle. Albert is
under the impression that Monsieur de Frescas can give him ground for
anxiety! At his age passion is a fairy that makes trifles appear vast.
But neither yourself nor your mother, mademoiselle, can attach any
serious importance to the claims of a young man, whose title is
problematical and who is so studiously silent about his family.

The Duchesse de Montsorel (to the Duchesse de Christoval)
And are you also ignorant of the place where he was born?

The Duchesse de Christoval
I am not intimate enough with him to ask for such information.

The Duke
There are three of us here who would be well pleased to have it. You
alone, ladies, would be discreet, for discretion is a virtue the
possession of which profits only those who require it in others.

The Duchesse de Montsorel
As for me, I do not believe that curiosity is always blameless.

The Marquis
Is mine then ill-timed? And may I not inquire of madame whether the
Frescas of Aragon are extinct or not?

The Duchesse de Christoval (to the duke)
Both of us have known at Madrid the old commander, who was last of his
line.

The Duke
He died, of course, without issue.

Inez
But there exists a b