SUZANNE. But he was such a respectable old gentleman! And he was very nice to me! He helped me into the train. So nice of him! Of course, all the rest were, too; _they_ all got into the compartment with us.—And it was so jolly! Such fun! They offered me their places, every one! They opened the window for me, and then fell all over themselves being nice to me! “This way, Mademoiselle! Not there, you’ll be in the sun!” And they pulled down their cuffs, and twirled their moustaches, and bowed and scraped as if I’d been some grand lady—Oh, it’s fun to go by yourself! And the respectable old gentleman kept talking all the time about his immense estates, but what did I care about that? MME. DE CÉRAN. Why, this is outrageous! SUZANNE. But the funniest thing of all was when we arrived, I found my purse in my pocket; I paid the respectable old gentleman for the ticket, made a pretty curtsey to the other gentlemen, and then I ran off. Oh, you should have seen how they all looked at me! (_To_ ROGER) Just as you do now! Why, what’s the matter? Kiss me again! MME. DE CÉRAN. (_To the_ DUCHESS) There’s an impropriety even worse than the rest! SUZANNE. Impropriety! DUCHESS. You see, she’s perfectly innocent! MME. DE CÉRAN. A young girl traveling alone in a train! SUZANNE. Doesn’t Lucy go out alone? MME. DE CÉRAN. Lucy is not a girl of sixteen! SUZANNE. No: she’ll never see twenty-four again! MME. DE CÉRAN. Lucy is able to take care of herself. SUZANNE. Why? Because of those glasses of hers? DUCHESS. (_Laughing_) Now, Suzanne! (_Aside_) I adore that girl! MME. DE CÉRAN. Lucy wasn’t expelled from the convent! SUZANNE. That isn’t fair, and you know it! I was so bored—! MME. DE CÉRAN. Your tutor knows—— SUZANNE. But he doesn’t know why—you’ll see if it wasn’t unfair. When I used to get bored in class, I sat near the door leading into the garden. Oh, it was so easy! I had a clever plan! When everything was as quiet as could be, I shouted at the top of my voice, “Long live the great Voltaire!” Sister Séraphine at once ordered me to leave the room. It was perfectly simple, and it only took a moment. One day when the sun was shining beautifully, I was looking out of the window, and all at once I shouted, “Long live Voltaire!” I listened, there was no answer. I shouted again, “Voltaire!” Silence again! Very much surprised, I turned around: the Mother Superior was there: I hadn’t heard her come in! Tableau! But she didn’t send me into the garden, oh, no! She sent me here! I didn’t care! I had had enough of that convent life.—I’m a woman now! MME. DE CÉRAN. Your conduct fails to reveal the fact.—Mme. de Saint-Réault must be very anxious about you. SUZANNE. Oh, the lecture was almost over: she will be here in a moment, with M. Bellac and the others. Oh, his lecture to-day——! DUCHESS. (_Looking at_ ROGER) Hm!