JULIE. Oh, my dear sir, leave me alone. It’s well for you I take it laughing. If I took it seriously, what sort of figure would you cut? Everything about a wedding is absurd, just because it is so detestable. Yes; everything. From the moment when you set it before us as a duty to hand ourselves over to our lords on such and such a day, at such and such an hour, at a date and a minute fixed beforehand. How is it that brides do not die of shame under the curious eyes of the wedding guests and the thoughts they hide? To think that they are passing the day among people who know. Pah! Oh, yes; I am quite aware how ridiculous the bride looks. [_She puts her hand familiarly on his shoulder_]. But don’t imagine the bridegroom cuts a very brilliant figure. [_She laughs_]. You all wear a look of stupid complacency, like a contented animal sure of its prey. And there must be a dot, and you must be bought, and a price must be paid you in order that you may marry us. Oh, yes. You have arranged things finely among you; with your Deputies’ scarves and your music and incense. And you need them. But do you think they impose on anyone nowadays? No. ANTONIN. You make out too good a case for yourself. And it’s not fair to make me responsible. All this is as much the result of your acts as of mine. JULIE. Indeed! I am curious to hear what those acts are. ANTONIN. I’ll tell you. JULIE. Have I ever failed in my duty? Haven’t I been— ANTONIN [_sternly_] Be silent. I’m going to have my say. It’s no good your trying to play the injured victim. You did exactly the same as I did. When I proposed for you, I was not in love with you. I admit it. I didn’t love you as you want to be loved. Yet you accepted me. JULIE. Do you suppose I knew? What did I understand about life? How could I have guessed— ANTONIN. You knew perfectly well the sort of love I felt for you, a sort of love every mother tries to rouse in any young man she wants to catch for her daughter. And the daughters take a hand in the game, too, bless their little hearts! JULIE. Do you mean to say _I_ did such a thing? ANTONIN. Yes: I do. You began this plain speaking: I’m going on with it. You wanted the cards on the table and you shall have them. Let us both own up. We know now what marriage is, our own and everybody else’s. We know all the tricks, all the humbug of it. Let’s look it in the face. Your parents deceived mine. JULIE. And yours? ANTONIN. They did the same. I’m not denying it. But did you help them? Yes or no? JULIE. No.