_Count de Ravonnieres_--Very well. You will please go to my florist Lemoine, the Opera florist,--you know who I mean,--and tell him to send, to-day, with my card,--he has a lot of cards of mine in advance,--to Mademoiselle Albertine de la Borde, 26 or 28 Rue de la Paix--I don't exactly remember the number that the lady gave me-- _Joseph_--No. 26. _Count_--Ah! You know her address, do you? _Joseph_--Yes, sir. _Count_--To send her a bouquet of white lilacs and roses. And I don't need you any more: go at once. [_Joseph bows, and hands the Count a large envelope._] What's all this? _Joseph_--Some law papers that have come in your absence, sir, which I did not think ought to be forwarded to Dieppe. _Count_ [_without taking the papers_]--Quite right. Has my son seen them? _Joseph_--No, sir. _Count_--Very well; don't let him see them. Put them away with the others. _Joseph_--May I beg monsieur to say a good word for me to his son? _Count_--As to what, Joseph? _Joseph_--Your son, sir, has just told me to look out for another situation; and I am so attached to the family-- _Count_--Oh, I will straighten all that out; if my son sends you away I will take you into our service again. Come now, get off to my florist; be quick about it. _As_ Joseph _goes out,_ André _enters. He does not at first perceive his father, but on turning toward the table discovers him._ _André_--Ah! you are here, are you? _Count_--Yes, I have been here during an hour; and moreover, a very agreeable person has been doing the honors of your establishment on my behalf. _André_--It is a fine time to talk about agreeable persons! You are a very agreeable person-- _Count_--What in the world is the matter with you? _André_--I am perfectly furious. _Count_--Against whom? _André_--Against you. _Count_--Why? What have I been doing? _André_--You have drawn on me at sight this draft here. _Count_--Oh yes, I know very well what that means. It comes from London; it is to pay for the boat, you know. _André_--Oh yes, it comes from London, and it is to pay for the boat! That is no excuse for it. And what about the boat, if you please? _Count_--But my dear fellow, they had no business to present it until the 15th. _André_--Well? _Count_--Why, to-day _is_ the 15th! _André_--You ought to know it. _Count_--I thought that to-day was only the 14th! Have you paid it? _André_--Of course. _Count_--Ah! then I owe you six thousand francs. That's all there is to the matter. _André_--Yes, that's all! But you never said a word to me about it; I had no money in the house: I had to send to our man of business. May I beg of you in the future to be so good as to-- _Count_--Poor boy! poor boy! Really, between ourselves, you would have done a great deal better (as it is a month since you have seen me, and since you are really very fond of me) to embrace me in meeting me again, rather than to say all these things to me that you have been saying!