PERCY. Oui, oui. (_He slowly turns round his hat, hiding the word INTERPRÈTE_) CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Ya-t-il ici un jeune monsieur et une jeune demoiselle? PERCY. Oui, oui. (_He retreats toward the lower left door, and disappears_) CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Qu’est-ce qu’il y a? Où est l’interprète? CASHIER. What do you wish? CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Bonjour, Madame M. Forsyth, est-il ici? CASHIER. Forsyth? CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Oui, Forsyth. CASHIER. No, there’s no one registered here with that name. No! CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Voyons, un jeune homme et une jeune demoiselle? CASHIER. I can’t understand a word you are saying. Interpreter! (_Enter the_ PORTER) Have you seen the interpreter? PORTER. He was here a moment ago. CHANOINE-MALHERBE. (_Taking a pocket-dictionary from his valise_) Commissaire, police--here! PORTER. Wot’s ’e saying? CASHIER. I think he wants to see a police officer. (_Pointing_) Just around the corner. CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Non,--here! CASHIER. He wants to see the officer here. CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Oui, oui--here. (_Gives the_ PORTER _a coin_) PORTER. Thank you, sir. (_Aside_) Ten bob! CASHIER. (_To_ PORTER) Run around to the station and get an officer--then the Frenchman can tell him what he wants. PORTER. But ’e don’t know no English. CASHIER. We have an interpreter, haven’t we? Run, now. (_The_ PORTER _starts to go, but stops when the Frenchman says to him_:) CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Je voudrais une chambre. CASHIER. Chambre? Chambre? Oh, I know what that means: you want a _room_. Very well, we’ll give you a “chambre.” (_To the_ PORTER) Here, take this gentleman to number seventeen. (_She gives the_ PORTER _a key_) CHANOINE-MALHERBE. (_To_ PORTER) Prenez donc ma valise. PORTER. Yes, sir. CHANOINE-MALHERBE. Saprelotte, ma valise! PORTER. Certainly, sir. CHANOINE-MALHERBE. (_Pointing to the valise_) La voilà, sot! PORTER. (_Taking the valise_) Oh, ’is bag! (_The_ PORTER _and_ CHANOINE-MALHERBE _go out, up-stage left_.) CASHIER. Where is that interpreter? (_Goes out, up-stage left_) (_Enter_ GERALD _and_ SÉRAPHINE, _up-stage right_.) SÉRAPHINE. Then you must go? You will not stay longer? GERALD. Only to the telegraph office. I’ll be back at once. SÉRAPHINE. Oh, I am so afraid. I thought I heard the voice of Papa. GERALD. Imagination.--I’ll be back in no time. SÉRAPHINE. Good-bye, chéri. GERALD. Say “Dearest!” SÉRAPHINE. Dearest! (SÉRAPHINE _goes out up-stage right_, GERALD _center_.) (_Re-enter_ PERCY, _on tip-toe_.) PERCY. Nobody here! Half-past ten, and this has got to last till midnight. (_He goes up-stage and examines the train-schedules_) No train from Paris till seven. Nine hours of peace and quiet. (_He sits down on the stool by the desk and takes a cigar from his pocket._) (_Re-enter_ CASHIER.) CASHIER. Interpreter, where have you been all this time? PERCY. All what time? CASHIER. I told you to stay here.