MME. DE CÉRAN. Stay here! SUZANNE. But, cousin—— MME. DE CÉRAN. Stay! Sit down! SUZANNE. (_Dropping on to a piano-stool, and abruptly turning to each person who addresses her_) Well? MME. DE CÉRAN. And why, may I ask, did you leave the reading? SUZANNE. Why should I let myself be bored by that old gentleman? ROGER. Is that the true reason? SUZANNE. I went out because Lucy went out, if you must know! MME. DE CÉRAN. Miss Watson, Mademoiselle? SUZANNE. Yes, indeed: Miss Watson, the pink of perfection, the _rara avis_—she may do as she likes, but I——! ROGER. You, Suzanne? MME. DE CÉRAN. Let me speak to her! But you Mademoiselle, run about the streets alone! SUZANNE. The way Lucy does! MME. DE CÉRAN. And you dress most outrageously. SUZANNE. The way Lucy does! MME. DE CÉRAN. You monopolise M. Bellac and talk to him affectedly—— SUZANNE. The way Lucy does! I suppose she doesn’t speak to him, does she? And to Monsieur, too! (_Indicating_ ROGER) MME. DE CÉRAN. Oh, but in private! You understand me perfectly. SUZANNE. Let’s not talk about “in private!” When anyone has a secret, he _writes_ it—(_Aside to_ ROGER _between her teeth_) in a disguised hand! MME. DE CÉRAN. What? ROGER. (_Aside_) Aunt! DUCHESS. (_Aside_) Shh! MME. DE CÉRAN. Well? SUZANNE. Well, Lucy speaks to whomever she likes; Lucy goes out whenever she wants to; Lucy dresses just as she likes. I want to do just like Lucy, because every one loves her! MME. DE CÉRAN. And do you know why everyone loves her, Mademoiselle? Because, in spite of her plainness—a necessary consequence of her nationality—she is serious, dignified and cultured— SUZANNE. (_Rising_) And what about me? Haven’t I been all that? For the last six months up to this very evening at five o’clock, I worked hard without resting, and I studied as much as she did; and I learned as much as she did: “objective” and “subjective” and all that! And what good did it all do me? Does anyone love me better for it? Doesn’t everyone always treat me just as if I were a little girl? Everyone!! Everyone!! (_Looking sidewise at_ ROGER) Who pays any attention to me? Suzanne, Suzanne!! What does Suzanne count for! And all because I’m not an old English woman! ROGER. Suzanne! SUZANNE. Yes, defend her! Oh, I know what to do in order to please you! Here! (_Taking the_ DUCHESS’S _lorgnette and putting it up to her eyes and looking through it_) How esthetic! Schopenhauer! The Ego, the non-Ego! Et Cetera, nyah! nyah! MME. DE CÉRAN. We can dispense with your impertinence, Mademoiselle! SUZANNE. (_Bowing ceremoniously_) Thank you, cousin! MME. DE CÉRAN. Yes, impertinence! and your absurd pranks—— SUZANNE. Well, what can you expect from a “street gamin” like me! No wonder I don’t behave any better! (_A little excited_) Of course I misbehave! I do it on purpose and I’ll continue to do it! MME. DE CÉRAN. Not under my roof!