he left, is another door
opening into a smaller sitting-room. There are papers and
periodicals upon the tables._

_The curtain rises upon Monsieur Mafflu. He is a man of
about fifty, dressed for ease rather than elegance, and a
little vulgar. He turns over the papers on the tables,
studies himself in the mirror, and readjusts his tie. Madame
Nerisse then comes in. She has Monsieur Mafflu's visiting
card in her hand. They bow to each other._

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. My card will have informed you that I am Monsieur
Mafflu.

MADAME NERISSE. Yes. Won't you sit down?

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. I am your new landlord, Madame. I have just bought this
house. I've retired from business. I was afraid I shouldn't have enough
to do, so I've bought some houses. I am my own agent. It gives me
something to do. If a tenant wants repairs done, I go and see him. I
love a bit of a gossip; it passes away an hour or so. In that way I make
people's acquaintance--nice people. I didn't buy any of the houses where
poor people live, though they're better business. I should never have
had the heart to turn out the ones that didn't pay, and I should have
been obliged to start an agent, and all my plan would have been upset.
[_A pause_] Now, Madame, for what brought me here. I hope you'll forgive
me for the trouble I'm giving you--and I'm sorry--but I've come to give
you notice.

MADAME NERISSE. Indeed! May I ask what your reason is?

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. I am just on the point of letting the second floor. My
future tenant has young daughters.

MADAME NERISSE. I'm afraid I don't see what that has got to do with it.

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. Well--he'll live only in a house in which all the
tenants are private families.

MADAME NERISSE. But we make no noise. We are not in any way
objectionable.

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. Oh, no, no; not at all.

MADAME NERISSE. Well, then?

MONSIEUR MAFFLU. How shall I explain? I'm certain you're perfectly all
right, and all the ladies who are with you here too, but I've had to
give in that house property is depreciated by people that work; all the
more if the people are ladies, and most of all if they're ladies who
write books or bring out a newspaper with such a name as _Woman Free_.
People who know nothing about it think from such a name--oh, bless you,
I understand all that's rubbish, but--well--the letting value of the
house, you see. [_He laughs_]

MADAME NERISSE. The sight of women who