And it is exactly as a woman of the world that I protest, Monsieur. You have a very pretty way of putting things, but none the less this is a fact: Jean Martinel brings to his bride, as a nuptial present, on the day of his marriage, an illegitimate child. Well, I ask you, woman of the world or not, can she accept such a thing? PETITPRÉ My sister is in the right this time, Monsieur Martinel. MME. DE RONCHARD And by no means too soon. PETITPRÉ It is evident that a situation exists patent and undeniable, which places us in an awkward dilemma. We have wedded our daughter to a man supposedly free from all ties and all complications in life, and then comes--what you know has come. The consequences should be endured by him, not by us. We have been wounded and deceived in our confidence, and the consent that we have given to this marriage we should certainly have refused, had we known the actual circumstances. MME. DE RONCHARD We should have refused? I should say so--not only once, but twice. Besides, this child, if Jean brings it into the house, will certainly be a cause of trouble among us all. Consider, Gilberte will probably become a mother in her turn, and then what jealousies, what rivalries, what hatred, perhaps, will arise between this intruder and her own children. This child will be a veritable apple of discord. MARTINEL Oh, no, no! he will not be a burden to anyone. Thanks to Jean's liberality, this child's mother will have left him enough to live comfortably, and, later, when he has become a man, he will travel, no doubt. He will do as I have done; as nine-tenths of the human race do. PETITPRÉ Well, until then, who will take care of it? MARTINEL I, if it is agreeable. I am a free man, retired from business; and it will give me something to do, something to distract me. I am ready to take him with me at once, the poor little thing--[_looks at_ Mme. de Ronchard] unless Madame, who is so fond of saving lost dogs-- MME. DE RONCHARD That child! I! Oh, that would be a piece of foolishness. MARTINEL Yet, Madame, if you care to have him, I will yield my right most willingly. MME. DE RONCHARD But Monsieur, I never said-- MARTINEL Not as yet, true, but perhaps you will say it before very long, for I am beginning to understand you. You are an assumed man-hater and nothing else. You have been unhappy in your married life and that has embittered you--just as milk may turn upon its surface, but at the bottom of the churn there is butter of fine quality. MME. DE RONCHARD [_frowns_] What a comparison!--milk--butter--pshaw! how vulgar! PETITPRÉ But Clarisse-- MARTINEL Here is your daughter. SCENE V. (_The same, and_ Gilberte _and_ Leon _who enter_ L.) PETITPRÉ [_approaches Gilberte_] Before seeing your husband again, if you decide to see him, it is necessary that we should decide exactly what you are going to say to him. GILBERTE [_greatly moved, sits_ L. _of table_] I knew it was some great misfortune.