ess to conceal from you the excessive anxiety which I suffer
over the condition of my husband's affairs. We shall doubtless be in
need of your discretion--for we can depend upon you, can we not?

All
You need not mention it, madame.

Virginie
We were just saying, what excellent employers we had.

Therese
And that we would go through fire and water for you!

Justin
We were saying--

(Mercadet appears unnoticed.)

Mme. Mercadet
Thank you all, you are good creatures. (Mercadet shrugs his
shoulders.) Your master needs only time, he has so many schemes in his
head!--a rich suitor has offered himself for Mlle. Julie, and if--

SCENE THIRD

The same persons and Mercadet.

Mercadet (interrupting his wife)
My dearest! (The servants draw back a little. In a low voice to
madame) And so this is how you speak to the servants! To-morrow they
laugh at us. (To Justin) Justin, go at once to M. Verdelin's house,
and ask him to come here, as I want to speak to him about a piece of
business that will not admit of delay. Assume an air of mystery, for I
must have him come. You, Therese, go to the tradesmen of Madame de
Mercadet, and tell them, sharply, that they must send the things that
have been ordered.--They will be paid for--yes--and cash, too--go at
once. (Justin and Therese start.) Ah!--(They stop.) If--these people
come to the house again, ask them to enter. (Mme. Mercadet takes a
seat.)

Justin
These--these people?--

Therese and Virginie
These people? Eh!

Mercadet
Yes, these people--these creditors of mine!--

Mme. Mercadet
How is this, my dear?

Mercadet (taking a seat opposite his wife)
I am weary of solitude--I want their society. (To Justin and Therese)
That will do.

(Justin and Therese leave the room.)

SCENE FOURTH

Mercadet, Mme. Mercadet and Virginie.

Mercadet (to Virginie)
Has madame given you any orders?

Virginie
No, sir, and besides the tradespeople--

Mercadet
I hope you will do yourself credit to-day. We are going to have four
people to dinner--Verdelin and his wife, M. de Mericourt and M. de la
Brive--so there will be seven of us. Such dinners are the glory of
great cooks! You must have a fine fish after the soup, then two
entrees, very delicately cooked--

Virginie
But, sir, the trades--

Mercadet
For the second course--ah, the second course ought to be at once rich
and brilliant, yet solid. The se