VINTIMILLE [_meditates with an ironical smile. A few steps from him, the Pensioners are guarding the cannon._] Our evil conscience! The corporal thinks he has a right to a conscience! He's richer than I. Conscience! It is neither good nor bad. It simply does not exist. Honor, yes. Honor? Under the late King, honor consisted in scheming for him to take one's wife or sister--provided they were presentable--for a mistress, or else in marrying the titled courtesan--honor! And now to have it barked at by this brothel-whelp. Let us not trouble honor. Really, I don't know why I am fighting here. Loyalty? Fidelity to the King? We are too used to clear thinking to be deceived by empty phrases. I have not believed in the King for many a long year. Well, then? [_He shrugs his shoulders._] Habit, manners, fashion? We know we are wrong, we do not believe in what we are doing, and yet we must go through it to the end and behave correctly, elegantly, in order to conceal the utter uselessness of our existence. [_Great confusion outside. The Swiss Guards suddenly rush back with_ DE FLUE _and_ DE LAUNEY _from the exterior court._] THE SWISS GUARDS. They are coming! VINTIMILLE. What! Who are coming? The people? Impossible! DE FLUE [_without troubling to answer_]. Quick! Up with the draw-bridge! God Almighty! DE LAUNEY. To the cannon! [_The Swiss Guards quickly raise the draw-bridge. The Pensioners roll the cannon into place opposite the gate. Immediately after, the Crowd is heard shouting and muttering like an angry sea, just outside._] VINTIMILLE [_stupefied_]. Are they in! Really? DE FLUE [_puffing_]. Just in time! The damned rascals! [_To_ VINTIMILLE.] Would you believe they could have torn down the outer draw-bridge? You know the perfumer's house next to the outer gate? I told you, we ought to have burned all those houses! There were three or four of them on the roof--carpenters, masons--well, they scaled that wall like monkeys and got to the roof of the guard-house. No one was watching the place. They got to the gate, broke the chains, and the bridge fell right into the midst of the crowd, knocking a dozen of them flat. You should have seen them scramble and shout! The nasty scoundrels! [_The confusion among soldiers and officers has up to the present concealed a group of Swiss Guards some distance away, who bring in a woman prisoner_.] Swiss GUARDS [_with_ LA CONTAT _in their midst._] We've made a good capture.