TOULONNIER. I hope you will pardon me, my dear Duchess, but—business, you know! We are literally up to the ears in work. You’ll permit me to leave early, I trust? DUCHESS. With pleasure! MME. DE CÉRAN. (_Embarrassed_) Ah, Monsieur Bellac! TOULONNIER. (_To whom_ MME. DE CÉRAN _introduces_ BELLAC) Monsieur! (_He and_ BELLAC _shake hands and talk_) MME. DE CÉRAN. (_Coming to the_ DUCHESS) Be nice to him, Aunt; please. DUCHESS. Your Republican friend? Nonsense! A man who gives us twenty minutes of his time as if he were a king! The idea! MME. DE CÉRAN. You will at least allow him to escort you to the table? DUCHESS. I should think not! Keep him yourself! I’ll take little Raymond. He’s much more amusing. (_Enter_ ROGER, _dressed for dinner_.) ROGER. (_To the_ DUCHESS, _frightened_) Aunt! DUCHESS. Well, what is it now? ROGER. Oh, something—I just overheard something in the corridor upstairs. It’s unbelievable. DUCHESS. Well, what? ROGER. I didn’t see who was speaking, but I’m sure I heard—— (RAYMOND _and_ JEANNE _enter furtively_.) DUCHESS. Well, what? ROGER. The sound of a kiss! What do you think of that? DUCHESS. Of a what? ROGER. Yes, I’m sure I heard it! DUCHESS. Well, who—— MME. DE CÉRAN. (_Introducing to_ TOULONNIER) Monsieur Paul Raymond, Sub-prefect of Agenis. RAYMOND. Monsieur le Secrétaire-Géneral! (_Introducing_ JEANNE) Madame Paul Raymond. (SUZANNE _enters, wearing an evening gown._) MME. DE LOUDAN. (_Seeing_ SUZANNE) Ohh! BELLAC. Ah, my young pupil! (_Murmurs of astonishment._) ROGER. (_To the_ DUCHESS) Look, Aunt! _Décolletée!_ It’s disgraceful! DUCHESS. I don’t think so. (_Aside_) She’s been crying. FRANCOIS. (_Announcing_) Dinner is served. ROGER. (_Approaching_ SUZANNE, _who is conversing with_ BELLAC) I must know! (_Offering her his arm_) Suzanne! (SUZANNE _looks at him coldly and takes the arm of_ BELLAC, _who is speaking with_ LUCY) BELLAC. (_To_ SUZANNE) How the rest will envy me, Mademoiselle! ROGER. (_Aside_) This is too much! (_He offers his arm to_ LUCY) DUCHESS. What does this mean?—Come, Raymond, give me your arm. (RAYMOND _approaches her_) My friend, one must suffer much before one becomes a Prefect! PAUL. The suffering is by no means unpleasant, Duchess. DUCHESS. You’re going to sit next to me at the table. We’ll slander the Government! PAUL. Oh, Duchess! And I one of her servants! Oh, no!—But there is nothing to prevent my listening to you! _Curtain._ ACT II (_Same scene as_ ACT I.) (BELLAC, TOULONNIER, ROGER, PAUL RAYMOND, MADAME DE CÉRAN, MADAME DE LOUDAN, _the_ DUCHESS, SUZANNE, LUCY, JEANNE, _seated in a semi-circle, listening to_ SAINT-RÉAULT, _who is finishing his lecture_.)