only one to be punished? Ah, Julie, my little Julie, pity me. I’m very unhappy. [_He weeps, bowed over the table, his head in his hands_]. JULIE [_putting her hand upon his head and speaking in a low expressionless voice_] Poor fellow. ANTONIN [_still weeping_] You _are_ sorry for me, aren’t you. Say you are. JULIE. Yes, we are both of us victims. ANTONIN. That’s it. Ever since I was born my parents have taught me that the great thing in life was to be rich. JULIE [_nodding sadly_] Mine too. ANTONIN. Unless one gets on nobody thinks anything of one. JULIE. And marriage is one of the ways of getting on. ANTONIN. That’s what ruined us. JULIE. Yes. It has ruined our lives as it has ruined so many others. ANTONIN [_recovering his composure_] You understand, then? You _do_ understand, don’t you? JULIE [_dully_] Yes. ANTONIN [_taking her hand, which she does not draw away_] You’re not angry? [_Julie says nothing_]. It is all over, isn’t it? [_patting her hand_] All quite over and done with. [_She is still silent_]. You see that I mustn’t do anything that might damage the business? You see that? JULIE. Yes. ANTONIN. And that it’s better not to offend people who may be useful to us. Isn’t it? JULIE. Yes. ANTONIN. After all, why shouldn’t one go to Mass? Come, come. [_He smiles_]. We have been silly, haven’t we, to say all that. It’s forgotten now, isn’t it? Say it’s forgotten. JULIE [_reluctantly_] Yes. ANTONIN [_recovering his spirits_] That’s a good little woman. There, there. One disputes, one flies into a passion, one runs on and on, one says terrible things [_laughing_]. What things you said to me. Oh, it was shocking. But there, we’ll never speak of it again. Never. Never. Let’s make it up. [_He takes her in his arms: hesitating, she lets him do so_]. We’re friends again, eh? And now go and wash your face, or people will see you’ve been crying. Are my eyes red, too? No, I expect not. Shall I tell you something? You won’t believe it. You’ll be shocked. Do you know, I almost think perhaps it’s as well we’ve said all these things to each other. You see, now we know each other better. You understand about some of my worries. The business isn’t going as I should wish. That makes my temper rather quick at times. No: things might be better. If you would say a word to Caroline, perhaps she would change her mind about that money. JULIE [_still on her guard_] I will try. ANTONIN. That’s a good girl. And it’s only for a little while that we shall have to be careful. We are only two and we shall pull through it. Luckily we’ve only ourselves to think of. Imagine what it would be if we were expecting a baby! JULIE. That would give me courage. ANTONIN. Nonsense, my dear. We can do very well without that. JULIE [_alarmed_] But we are going to have children, aren’t we? ANTONIN [_after a moment’s hesitation, firmly_] No. JULIE. Why not? ANTONIN. How absurd you are. Because I don’t choose, of course.