_Dawn. The sun has already risen, but it is hidden behind the heavy mist and smoke._ _A large room in Emil Grelieu's villa, which has been turned into a sickroom. There are two wounded there, Grelieu himself, with a serious wound in his shoulder, and his son Maurice, with a light wound on his right arm. The large window, covered with half transparent curtains, admits a faint bluish light. The wounded appear to be asleep. In an armchair at the bedside of Grelieu there is a motionless figure in white, Jeanne_. EMIL GRELIEU _Softly._ Jeanne! _She leans over the bed quickly_. JEANNE Shall I give you some water? EMIL GRELIEU No. You are tired. JEANNE Oh, no, not at all. I was dozing all night. Can't you fall asleep, Emil? EMIL GRELIEU What time is it? _She goes over to the window quietly, and pushing the curtain aside slightly, looks at her little watch. Then she returns just as quietly._ JEANNE It is still early. Perhaps you will try to fall asleep, Emil? It seems to me that you have been suffering great pain; you have been groaning all night. EMIL GRELIEU No, I am feeling better. How is the weather this morning? JEANNE Nasty weather, Emil; you can't see the sun. Try to sleep. _Silence. Suddenly Maurice utters a cry in his sleep; the cry turns into a groan and indistinct mumbling. Jeanne walks over to him and listens, then returns to her seat._ EMIL GRELIEU Is the boy getting on well? JEANNE Don't worry, Emil. He only said a few words in his sleep. EMIL GRELIEU He has done it several times tonight. JEANNE I am afraid that he is disturbing you. We can have him removed to another room and Henrietta will stay with him. The boy's blood is in good condition. In another week, I believe, we shall be able to remove the bandage from his arm. EMIL GRELIEU No, let him stay here, Jeanne. JEANNE What is it, my dear? _She kneels at his bed and kisses his hand carefully._ EMIL GRELIEU Jeanne! JEANNE I think your fever has gone down, my dear. _Impresses another kiss upon his hand and clings to it._ EMIL GRELIEU You are my love, Jeanne. JEANNE Do not speak, do not speak. Don't agitate yourself. _A brief moment of silence._ EMIL GRELIEU _Moving his head restlessly._ It is so hard to breathe here, the air---- JEANNE The window has been open all night, my dear. There is not a breeze outside. EMIL GRELIEU There is smoke. JEANNE Yes. MAURICE _Utters a cry once more, then mutters_-- Stop, stop, stop! _Again indistinctly._ It is burning, it is burning! Oh! Who is going to the battery, who is going to the battery---- _He mutters and then grows silent._ EMIL GRELIEU What painful dreams! JEANNE That's nothing; the boy always used to talk in his sleep. Yesterday he looked so well. EMIL GRELIEU Jeanne! JEANNE What is it, my dear? EMIL GRELIEU Sit down. JEANNE Very well. EMIL GRELIEU Jeanne.... Are you thinking about Pierre? _Silence._ JEANNE _Softly._ Don't speak of him. EMIL GRELIEU