ERAS. (_Reads_). "You love me with the most ardent passion, Éraste, and wish to know if I feel the same. If I do not love Éraste as much, at least I am pleased that Éraste should thus love me.--LUCILE." You assure me by this letter that you accept my love; it is a falsehood which I punish thus. (_Tears the letter_). LUC. (_Reading_). "I do not know what may be the fate of my ardent love, nor how long I shall suffer; but this I know, beauteous charmer, that I shall always love you.--ÉRASTE." This is an assurance of everlasting love; both the hand and the letter told a lie. (_Tears the letter_). GR.-RE. Go on. ERAS. (_Showing another letter_). This is another of your letters; it shall share the same fate. MAR. (_To Lucile_). Be firm. LUC. (_Tearing another letter_). I should be sorry to keep back one of them. GR.-RE. (_To Éraste_). Do not let her have the last word. MAR. (_To Lucile_). Hold out bravely to the end. LUC. Well, there are the rest. ERAS. Thank Heaven, that is all! May I be struck dead if I do not keep my word! LUC. May it confound me if mine be vain. ERAS. Farewell, then. LUC. Farewell, then. MAR. (_To Lucile_). Nothing could be better. GR.-RE. (_To Éraste_). You triumph. MAR. (_To Lucile_). Come, let us leave him. GR.-RE. (_To Éraste_). You had best retire after this courageous effort. MAR. (_To Lucile_). What are you waiting for? GR.-RE. (_To Éraste_). What more do you want? ERAS. Ah, Lucile, Lucile! you will be sorry to lose a heart like mine, and I know it. LUC. Éraste, Éraste, I may easily find a heart like yours. ERAS. No, no, search everywhere; you will never find one so passionately fond of you, I assure you. I do not say this to move you to pity; I should be in the wrong now to wish it; the most respectful passion could not bind you. You wanted to break with me; I must think of you no more. But whatever any one may pretend, nobody will ever love you so tenderly as I have done. LUC. When a woman is really beloved she is treated differently, and is not condemned so rashly. ERAS. Those who love are apt to be jealous on the slightest cause of suspicion, but they can never wish to lose the object of their adoration, and that you have done. LUC. Pure jealousy is more respectful. ERAS. An offence caused by love is looked upon with more indulgence. LUC. No, Éraste, your flame never burnt very bright. ERAS. No, Lucile, you never loved me. LUC. Oh! that does not trouble you much, I suppose; perhaps it would have been much better for me if... But no more of this idle talk; I do not say what I think on the subject. ERAS. Why? LUC. Because, as we are to break, it would be out of place, it seems to me. ERAS. Do we break, then? LUC. Yes, to be sure; have we not done so already? ERAS. And you can do this calmly? LUC. Yes; so can you. ERAS. I? LUC. Undoubtedly. It is weakness to let people see that we are hurt by losing them. ERAS. But, hard-hearted woman, it is you who would have it so.