Pauline In saying this, you give me the right to defend myself before my father. (Aside) O Ferdinand! Our love, (Gertrude takes a seat on the sofa during the soliloquy of Pauline) as she has said, is greater than life. (To Gertrude) Madame, you must repair all the evil that you have done to me; the sole difficulties which lie in the way of my marriage with Ferdinand, you must overcome. Yes, you who have complete control over my father, you must make him forego his hatred of the son of General Marcandal. Gertrude And do you really mean that? Pauline Yes, madame. Gertrude And what means do you possess formidable enough to compel me to do so? Pauline Are we not carrying on a warfare of savages? Gertrude Say rather, of women, which is even more terrible! Savages torment the body alone; while we direct our arrows against the heart, the self-love, the pride, the soul of those whom we attack in the very midst of their happiness. Pauline That is truly said. It is the whole woman-nature that I attack. Therefore, my dear and truly honored stepmother, you must eliminate by to-morrow, and not later, all the obstacles that stand between me and Ferdinand; or you may be sure my father shall learn from me the whole course of your conduct, both before and after your marriage. Gertrude Ah! That is the way you are going to do it! Poor child! He will never believe you. Pauline Oh, I know the domination you exercise over my father; but I have proofs. Gertrude Proofs! Proofs! Pauline I went to Ferdinand's house--I am very inquisitive--and I found there your letters, madame; I took from among them those which would convince even the blindness of my father, for they will prove to him-- Gertrude What will they prove? Pauline Everything! Gertrude But this will be, unhappy child, both theft and murder! For think of his age. Pauline And have not you accomplished the murder of my happiness? Have you not forced me to deny, both to my father and to Ferdinand, my love, my glory, my life? Gertrude (aside) This is a mere trick; she knows nothing. (Aloud) This is a clever stratagem, but I never wrote a single line. What you say is not true. It is impossible. Where are the letters? Pauline They are in my possession. Gertrude In your room? Pauline They are where you can never reach them. Gertrude (aside) Madness with its wildest dreams spins through my brain! My fingers itch for murder. It is in such moments as this that men kill each other! How gladly would I kill her! My God! Do not forsake me! Leave me my reason! (Aloud) Wait a moment. Pauline (aside) My thanks to you, Ferdinand! I see how much you love me; I have been able to pay back to her all the wrongs she did us a short time ago--and--she shall save us from all we feared!