DUPONT. Very well. You are your own mistress. I’ll have the necessary documents prepared. Don’t you worry about it. I will arrange everything beforehand. You will have nothing to do but sign. [_He looks at his watch_] Three o’clock. Now there is that other matter we have to talk of. [_He goes to the door and calls_] Come in, both of you. [_Julie and Madame Dupont enter_]. Sit down. [_When they are all seated, he says_] My dears, I wanted you all to come here that we may decide how we are to receive Angèle. It is rather a difficult question. You know her life in Paris is—ahem—highly reprehensible. Ought we to let her come here? Ought we to meet her, for instance, at the station? JULIE. Papa, what has Angèle done? Now that I am married surely I may know? People always stop talking about her when I come in. I remember her quite well. MME. DUPONT. But you were only five when she went away. DUPONT. You understand, my children, how painful this subject is both for you and for me. I will spare you the details as far as possible. It is enough that you should know, Julie, that when Angèle was seventeen she was obliged to leave her home because—because— MME. DUPONT [_simply_] Because she was about to become a mother. JULIE. She went away? DUPONT. Yes. JULIE. Of her own free will? DUPONT. I sent her away. JULIE. Ah! DUPONT. As I said, the subject is a very painful one. Let us get it over as quickly as possible. She is coming here to-day. [_He looks at his watch_] She is on her way now. Her train arrived five minutes ago. Now I hope you will all of you behave with dignity, and neither be too affectionate, which would be out of the question, nor too cold, which would be unkind. JULIE. Have you heard anything of her since she left home? DUPONT. Yes. JULIE. And her behavior? DUPONT. Far from what it should be, I’m afraid. Still— CAROLINE. Father, you make too light of all this. We have heard of her three times. First when her baby died. Next we were told that she was singing at a music hall and was almost penniless. The third time we heard that she was rich, rich without working. When I think of it all I am sorry I consented to meet her. JULIE. But she couldn’t get her share of the legacy unless you did. You couldn’t rob her of this money however you feel towards her. CAROLINE. That was what decided me. But there is no reason why I should see her here. DUPONT. I shall see her. Julie will see her. So will your mother. Why should you do differently from us? MME. DUPONT. She was very fond of you, Caroline; and you were fond of her. Come, come, you must not be so hard. One should have compassion for those who have suffered as she has done. CAROLINE [_after a pause_] Very well. I will do as you wish. DUPONT. That’s right. At the same time, I have no intention of going from one extreme to the other. There will be no question of asking her to stay, or even of inviting her to dinner. That is agreed, is it not?