MME. DUPONT Fairly well, but I sent for the doctor at once. GEORGE. What did he say? MME. DUPONT. That you must make a change; that the child must be brought up on the bottle. GEORGE. What an extraordinary idea. MME. DUPONT. He told me that what she was suffering from might become very serious. So without saying anything to nurse, I made her come with me and we took the train back. GEORGE. Well, what is the matter with the child? MME. DUPONT [_after a thoughtful pause_] I do not know. GEORGE. Didn’t you ask him? MME. DUPONT. Yes. GEORGE [_beginning to be anxious_] Well? _A silence._ MME. DUPONT. He replied evasively. GEORGE [_tonelessly_] He probably did not know himself. MME. DUPONT [_after a silence_] Probably. _During what follows they avoid looking at one another._ GEORGE. But our own doctor, didn’t he say—? MME. DUPONT. It was not to him that I went. GEORGE. Ah! [_A very long silence. Then lower_] Why? MME. DUPONT. The nurse’s doctor had so terrified me. GEORGE. Seriously? MME. DUPONT. Yes: it is a disease—[_Silence_] GEORGE [_in anguish_] Well? MME. DUPONT. I asked him if the matter was too serious for our own doctor to deal with. GEORGE. What did he answer? MME. DUPONT. That if we had the means it would be preferable to see a specialist. GEORGE [_trying to pull himself together_] And—where did he send you? MME. DUPONT [_handing him a visiting card_] There. GEORGE. He sent you to that doctor? MME. DUPONT. Yes. Do you know him? GEORGE. No—Yes—I think I have met him—I don’t know. [_Very low_] My God! MME. DUPONT [_after a silence_] He is coming to speak to you. GEORGE [_scarcely daring to pronounce the words_] Then is he anxious? MME. DUPONT. NO. HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU. GEORGE. He wants to speak to me? MME. DUPONT. Yes. GEORGE [_resigning himself_] Very well. MME. DUPONT. When he saw the nurse, whom I had left in the waiting room, he called me back and said: ‘It is impossible for me to continue attending on this child unless I can see its father and speak to him at once.’ I answered ’Very well,’ and gave him your address. He will not be long. GEORGE [_to himself in a low voice_] My poor little child! MME. DUPONT [_looking at him_] Yes, she is a poor little child. GEORGE [_after a long silence_] Mother— MME. DUPONT [_hearing the door opened_] Hush! [_A maid comes in and speaks to her. To George_] It is he! [_To the maid_] Show him in. [_To George_] I shall be there if you want me. _She goes out by the left. The doctor enters by the right._ DOCTOR [_to the maid_] You will let me know here when the child wakes up, will you not? MAID. Yes, sir. _She goes out._ GEORGE [_with the greatest emotion_] Good day, doctor: you don’t recognize me? DOCTOR [_simply: more discouraged than angry_] You—it is you. You married and had a child after all I said to you. [_Almost to himself_] Scoundrel. GEORGE. Let me explain. DOCTOR. I can listen to no explanation of what you have done. _A silence._