COUN. I know that I can give rise to a strong passion; I have for that enough of beauty, youth, and rank, thank Heaven; but it is no reason why those who love me should not keep within the bounds of propriety towards others. (_Seeing_ CRIQUET.) What are you doing there, little page? is there not an ante-room for you to be in until you are called? It is a strange thing that in the provinces we cannot meet with a servant who knows his place! To whom do you think I am speaking? Why do you not move? Will you go outside, little knave that you are! SCENE III.--THE COUNTESS, JULIA, ANDRÉE. COUN. Come hither, girl. AND. What do you wish me to do, Ma'am? COUN. To take off my head-dress. Gently, you awkward girl: how roughly you touch my head with your heavy hands! AND. I do it as gently as I can, Ma'am. COUN. No doubt; but what you call gently is very rough treatment for my head. You have almost put my neck out of joint. Now, take also this muff; go and put it with the rest into the closet; don't leave anything about. Well! where is she going to now? What is the stupid girl doing? AND. I am going to take this into the closet, as you told me, Ma'am. COUN. Ah! heavens! (_To_ JULIA) Pray, excuse her rudeness, Madam. (_To_ ANDRÉE) I told you my closet, great ass; that is the place where I keep my dresses. AND. Please, Ma'am, is a cupboard called a closet at court? COUN. Yes, dunce; it is thus that a place where clothes are kept is called. AND. I will remember it, Ma'am, as well as the word furniture warehouse for your attic. SCENE IV.--THE COUNTESS, JULIA. COUN. What trouble it gives me to have to teach such simpletons. JU. I think them very fortunate to be under your discipline, Madam. COUN. She is my nurse's daughter, whom I have made lady's-maid; the post is quite new to her, as yet. JU. It shows a generous soul, Madam, and it is glorious thus to form people. COUN. Come, some seats, I say! Here, little page! little page! little page-boy! Truly, this is too bad not to have a page to give us chairs! My maids! my page! my page! my maids! Ho! somebody! I really think that they must be all dead, and that we shall have to find seats for ourselves. SCENE V.--THE COUNTESS, JULIA, ANDRÉE. AND. What is it you want, Ma'am? COUN. You do make people scream after you, you servants! AND. I was putting your muff and head-dress away in the cup ... in the closet, I mean. COUN. Call in that rascal of a page. AND. I say, Criquet! COUN. Cease that "Criquet" of yours, stupid, and call out "Page." AND. Page then, and not Criquet, come and speak to missis. I think he must be deaf. Criq ... Page! page! SCENE VI.--THE COUNTESS, JULIA, ANDRÉE, CRIQUET. CRI. What is it you want? COUN. Where were you, you rascal? CRI. In the street, Ma'am. COUN. Why in the street? CRI. You told me to go outside.