FRANCOIS. I do not know, Monsieur, he is the son of the scientist whose father was so talented. PAUL. (_Aside_) Who has so many positions to dispose of! He’s the one!—Ah, M. de Saint-Réault is here, then. I presume Mme. de Saint-Réault is with him? FRANCOIS. Yes, M. le sous-préfet; likewise the Marquise de Loudan and Mme. Arriégo, but these ladies are at present in Paris, following M. Bellac’s course—with Mlle. Suzanne de Villiers. PAUL. There are no other guests here? FRANCOIS. There is Madame la duchesse de Réville, Madame’s aunt. PAUL. I don’t refer to the Duchess or to Miss Watson; or to Mlle. de Villiers: they are the family! I mean guests, like ourselves. FRANCOIS. No, M. le sous-préfet, there are no others. PAUL. And no one else is expected? FRANCOIS. Oh, yes, M. le sous-préfet; M. Roger, the son of Mme. la comtesse, has just arrived to-day from his scientific investigations in the Orient. He is expected any moment.—Ah, and then M. Bellac, the professor, who is to spend a few days here when his lecture course is over—at least we hope so. PAUL. (_Aside_) Ah, that’s why there are so many ladies!—Very well, thank you. FRANCOIS. Then M. le sous-préfet will be good enough to wait? PAUL. Yes, and tell Mme. la comtesse not to hurry. (FRANCOIS _goes out_) Whew! You gave me a turn with that music! But you got out of it beautifully, changing Lecocq to Beethoven! Rather good, that! JEANNE. Stupid, am I not? PAUL. I know better now! We still have five minutes; I’ll tell you a little about these people: it’s best to be on the safe side. JEANNE. Oh, never mind! PAUL. Come, Jeanne, five minutes! You _must_ know something about them! JEANNE. After each “something” you must kiss me! PAUL. All right, then; what a child you are! I won’t be long: mother, son, friend, and guest,—everyone of them very serious! JEANNE. How amusing that will be! PAUL. Don’t worry, there are two who are not so serious. I have kept them for the last. JEANNE. One moment, please, pay me first! (_She counts on her fingers_) Madame de Céran, one; her son Roger, two; Miss Lucy, three; the two Saint-Réault; one Bellac, one Loudan and one Arriégo, that makes eight! (_She puts her cheek up to be kissed_) PAUL. Eight what? JEANNE. Eight “somethings“—pay. PAUL. _What_ a child! There, there, there! (_He kisses her_) JEANNE. Not so fast: retail, if you please. PAUL. (_After having kissed her more slowly_) There, does that satisfy you? JEANNE. For the present. Now, let’s have the two who are not serious! PAUL. First, the Duchesse de Réville, the aunt, a handsome old lady who was a beauty in her day—— JEANNE. (_Questioningly_) Hmm? PAUL. So they say! A bit brusque and direct—but an excellent lady and very sensible—as you’ll see. But last and best, Suzanne de Villiers! She, is not at all serious—it’s a fault with her. JEANNE. At last, somebody who’s frivolous, thank Heaven!