[_A young girl in the habit of a Carmelite novice leaves the shadow of a pillar, with raised face and hands crossed upon her breast mounts the step and passes out between the soldiers._ Gaspard Le Borgne! LE BORGNE An angel leads me on. [_He follows the novice._ GRÉGOIRE Enguerrand La Fôret! LA FÔRET Ha, ha!—ha, ha! Ha, ha!— [_Hysterical and continued laughter._ GRÉGOIRE _and the turnkeys look stolidly on, but the prisoners are disturbed_. COUNT LOUIS For shame, Enguerrand La Fôret! Before women!—Die like a gentleman! LA FÔRET (_He leans against the balustrade of the choir_) Ha, ha! COUNT LOUIS Fie, fie! You shame us all! LA FÔRET Ha, ha! I laugh because—ha, ha!—‘tis such a joke! [_He mounts the step still laughing, then suddenly recovers himself and turns with fury._ Who calls me coward? I laughed because I laughed! [_He wrests a musket from the nearest soldier and stabs him with the bayonet._ Take that!—There’s one at least will laugh no more! [_Oaths and confusion among the gaolers and soldiers. A sigh of satisfaction from the prisoners._ LA FÔRET _is dragged out_. GRÉGOIRE _looks at his list, then at_ DE VARDES. _The latter advances._ GRÉGOIRE (_hurriedly to himself_) To-morrow—not to-day! I’ll risk that much,— Just for the way he fought that Morbec night! (_Aloud._) Stand back, Citoyen Vardes! Your time’s not yet. [_A murmur of pleasure and congratulation from the prisoners._ MLLE. DE CHÂTEAU-GUI We are so pleased, Monsieur le Baron! GRÉGOIRE Citoyens Rochedagon and Pincornet! [_The men named go out. There is heard from the square without and from the passage a sound of acclamation. The door is flung open and the Actress enters._ THE ACTRESS They harmed me not! “No, no!” they said. “No, no! Delphine Gérard must play for us in Nantes.” Oh, the people! Oh, the dear good people! Oh, blessed fortune! DE VARDES We are most happy! THE ABBÉ Delphine Gérard! COUNT LOUIS