DE LAUNEY. Well, let us see: it costs nothing. VINTIMILLE. Ridiculous. If we allowed them to discuss matters we might seem to be accepting them as equals. DE LAUNEY. What shameless aberration led you to accept this mission? HOCHE. The idea of serving both my friends and you. VINTIMILLE. Do you realize what you have done? Do you know what a traitor is? HOCHE. Yes, Monseigneur. He who takes up arms against his people. VINTIMILLE [_turns his back with a shrug_]. Fool! HOCHE. I beg your pardon, I did not intend to insult you. On the contrary, I come as a friend. I was told I would be shot. Possibly I shall, but really I should be surprised. I have come to try to help you to arrange matters. But if I am shot, well, you know the proverbs "A fine death compensates for a whole life." DE LAUNEY. What is your message? HOCHE [_presenting a letter_]. From the Permanent Committee of the Hôtel de Ville. [DE LAUNEY _takes the letter, stands to one side, with two officers, reading it. The Pensioners hold_ JULIE _on their knees._] BÉQUART. Why did you take it into your head to come, little one? Do you know some one here? JULIE. I know a great many. BÉQUART. Where? JULIE. In the prison. BÉQUART. You have nice acquaintances! Who? Relatives? JULIE. No. BÉQUART. What are their names? JULIE. I don't know. BÉQUART. You don't know? What do they look like? JULIE. I couldn't say. BÉQUART. Are you making fun of us? JULIE. No, no, I know them very well: I've seen them. Only, I can't say-- BÉQUART. Tell us. JULIE. Mamma lives in the Rue Saint-Antoine, near here. The carriages that go to the prison pass our house at night. I get up and see them--I see nearly all. But sometimes I miss them, and when I wake up, they've already passed. BÉQUART. Why did you want to see them? JULIE. Because they suffer. BÉQUART. It's not very pleasant to see people who suffer. Why do you want to see them? JULIE [_naively_]. Because it makes me sad. A PENSIONER [_laughing_]. There's a reason for you! BÉQUART. Shut up! You fool! THE PENSIONER [_angry at first_]. Fool? [_He reflects a moment, scratching his head._] True, though! JULIE [_who sits down and plays with a cannon_]. You're not going to fire on us, are you? [_They do not answer._] Tell me you won't. Please. I like you. You must like me. BÉQUART [_hissing her_]. Good little thing! DE LAUNEY [_shrugs his shoulders, after reading the letter_]. This is unheard-of! Messieurs, this strange message which has been delivered to me by some committee of tramps--this--this Permanent Committee, asks me to divide the guard of the Bastille between the rest of our own troops and the people! [_The Soldiers laugh, the officers rage._] VINTIMILLE. Charming proposal!