DUCHESS. It’s in my room; hurry! (SUZANNE _goes out. To_ ROGER) Quick! On the table! ROGER. What? DUCHESS. The letter! She’s hidden it! I saw her! ROGER. Hidden it? (_He goes to the table and looks for the letter_) DUCHESS. On the corner, there! Under the black book. Don’t you see anything? ROGER. No—oh, yes!—a pink paper. (_He takes the letter and brings it to the_ DUCHESS, _reading it as he walks_) Oh! DUCHESS. What is it? ROGER. (_Reading_) “I shall arrive Thursday.” From Bellac! DUCHESS. (_Snatching the letter from him and reading it_) From—? But it isn’t signed. And the handwriting——? ROGER. Yes, disguised. Oh, he’s a crafty one! But “I shall arrive Thursday” applies to me as well as to him! DUCHESS. (_Reading_) “This evening at ten in the conservatory. Say you have a headache.” A rendezvous! (_Giving him the letter_) Quick, put it back, I hear her coming! ROGER. (_Agitated_) All right. (_Puts letter back in place_) DUCHESS. Come now. ROGER. Very well. DUCHESS. Hurry up! (ROGER _resumes his position by the side of the_ DUCHESS) And be calm! Here she is. (SUZANNE _re-enters. The_ DUCHESS _turns over the leaves in the notebook_) Well, these are very good, very good! SUZANNE. Here’s your mantle, Aunt. DUCHESS. Thank you, dear. (_Aside to_ ROGER) Speak up. (SUZANNE _goes to the table, takes the letter, glances through it, turning away as before_.) ROGER. (_Agitated_) There are—well—er—certain—you have made wonderful progress—er—I am astonished—(_Aside to_ DUCHESS, _pointing to_ SUZANNE) Aunt! DUCHESS. (_Aside_) Yes, she’s picked it up again; I saw her. (_The dinner-gong sounds_) The second bell! Hurry and get dressed, Suzanne! You’ll never be ready in time. SUZANNE. (_Aside as she looks at_ ROGER) A rendezvous! With Lucy! Oh! (_She goes up to_ ROGER _without saying a word and, looking him straight in the eye, takes her notebooks out of his hand, tears them and throws the pieces angrily to the floor; then she goes out_.) ROGER. (_Astonished; turning to the_ DUCHESS) Aunt! DUCHESS. A rendezvous! ROGER. With Bellac! DUCHESS. Nonsense! ROGER. (_Falling into a chair_) Who could have imagined such a thing! (_Voices heard outside. The door at the back opens._) DUCHESS. (_Looking out_) Ah, here comes Toulonnier! And everybody, _and_ dinner, too! Quick, go and dress! It will calm your nerves; you’re very pale. ROGER. Suzanne! It’s not possible! (_He goes out_) DUCHESS. No, it’s not possible! And yet——! (_Enter_ MADAME DE CÉRAN, TOULONNIER, M. _and_ MME. DE SAINT-RÉAULT _and a moment later_, LUCY, MADAME DE LOUDAN, MADAME ARRIÉGO, _with_ BELLAC _in their midst_.) MME. DE CÉRAN. (_Introducing_ TOULONNIER _to the_ DUCHESS) The Secretary General, Aunt. TOULONNIER. (_Bowing_) Madame la duchesse! DUCHESS. My dear Monsieur Toulonnier, we were just going to sit down without you.