a's room and
found M. Jules there--Yes, at Pamela's, the girl whom I was going to
marry, whom I still love--and our marriage will be the talk of the
whole neighborhood. Never mind, he's a great lawyer! Never mind! (To
Justine) Give me something to drink, will you?
Rousseau, Mme. Rousseau, Mme. du Brocard (To Joseph)
Dear friend! You showed yourself a fine fellow!
Dupre
The energy shown by Pamela makes me hopeful. I trembled for a moment
while she was giving evidence; the prosecuting attorney pressed her
very hard and seemed to doubt her veracity; she grew pale and I
thought she was going to faint.
Joseph
And what must my feelings have been?
Dupre
Her self-sacrifice was wonderful. You don't realize all that she has
undergone for you; I, myself even, was deceived by her; she was her
own accuser, yet all the time was innocent. Only one moment did she
falter; but darting a rapid glance at Jules, she suddenly rallied, a
blush took the place of pallor on her countenance, and we felt that
she had saved her lover; in spite of the risk she was running, she
repeated once more before all those people the story of her own
disgrace, and then fell weeping into the arms of her mother.
Joseph
Yes, she is a fine girl.
Dupre
But I must leave you; the summing up of the judge will come this
afternoon.
Rousseau
You must be going then.
Dupre
One moment! Do not forget Pamela! That young girl has compromised her
own honor for you and for him.
Joseph
As for me, I don't ask anything, but I have been led to expect--
Mme. du Brocard, Mme. Rousseau
We can never pay our debt of gratitude to you.
Dupre
Very good; come, gentlemen, we must be starting.
(Exeunt Dupre and Rousseau.)
SCENE SECOND
The same persons excepting Dupre and Rousseau.
Mme. du Brocard (stopping Joseph on his way out)
Listen to me!
Joseph
What can I do for you?
Mme. du Brocard
You see in what a state of anxiety we are; don't fail to let us know
the least turn in our favor which the trial makes.
Mme. Rousseau
Yes, keep us well informed on the whole business.
Joseph
You may rest assured of that--But look here, I needn't leave the court
house to do that, I intend to see everything, and to hear everything.
But do you see that window there? My seat is just under it; you watch
that window, and
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