e FIDDLERS, who play.]

BERGAMIN. What's all this? The guests? Music?

[The FIDDLERS continue their minuet.]

STRAFOREL. [To BERGAMIN] Well?

BERGAMIN. See Pasquinot.

STRAFOREL. [Reading] "For the purpose of bringing about a
marriage--"

BERGAMIN. Well, there is to be no marriage! Therefore I owe you
nothing!

[Enter BLAISE.]

STRAFOREL. [To PASQUINOT] But, Monsieur--

PASQUINOT. What? Pay you now that it is broken off!

BERGAMIN. [To whom BLAISE has just whispered] My son--run away?

SYLVETTE. Run away?

STRAFOREL. Well! Well!

BERGAMIN. Quick, follow him! [He runs out, followed by the NOTARY
and the WITNESSES.]

SYLVETTE. Gone!

STRAFOREL. [Coming down-stage] Why can't I straighten all this
out?

SYLVETTE. This is too much! [She goes out, followed by PASQUINOT.]

STRAFOREL. Straforel, my son, if you want your ninety pistoles,
you must patch up this marriage! [He goes out. The three FIDDLERS,
left alone, continue their minuet, as the curtain falls.]

Curtain

* * * * *

ACT III

SCENE: The scene is the same except that the wall is being
rebuilt. Bricks and sacks of plaster lie about.

As the curtain rises, the MASON is seen at work with his trowel.
His back is turned to the audience. BERGAMIN and PASQUINOT, each
on his own side of the wall, watch the progress of the work.

The MASON. [Singing at his work] Tra la la--

BERGAMIN. These masons are so slow!

PASQUINOT. Good!

BERGAMIN. How he slaps the mortar!

PASQUINOT. There goes another brick!

[The MASON sings a number of trills.]

PASQUINOT. Sings well, but works very slowly! By to-morrow the
wall will be at least two feet high!

BERGAMIN. I'm impatient to see it higher!

PASQUINOT. What is that you say, Monsieur?

BERGAMIN. I was not addressing you. [A pause.] What do you do
evenings after dinner?

PASQUINOT. Nothing--and you?

BERGAMIN. Nothing. [Another pause. They bow and walk about
again.]

PASQUINOT. [Stopping] Any news from your son?

BERGAMIN. No--he is still away.

PASQUINOT. He will return soon: his money will surely give out.

BERGAMIN. Thank you. [They bow again, and walk.]

PASQUINOT. Now that the wall is being built again, Monsieur, I
should be glad to see you from time to time.

BERGAMIN. Thank you. Perhaps I shall come. [They bow.]

PASQUINOT. Tell me, now, will you play _piquet_?

BERGAMIN. I beg your pardon--