NURSE. Oh, all right. I may be only a poor country girl, but I’m not quite so stupid as that. I know what it is you want. Just because master’s cross at your having promised me thirty francs a month more if I came to Paris. [_Turning to George_] Well, and what do you expect? Mustn’t I have my own little boy looked after? And hasn’t his father got to eat and drink? We’re only poor country folks, we are. GEORGE. You’re making a mistake, nurse. There’s nothing at all the matter. My mother was quite right to promise you the thirty francs extra, and the only thing in my mind is that she did not promise you enough. Now I have decided when baby is old enough to have a dry-nurse and you leave us, just to show how grateful we are, to give you, er— MME. DUPONT. We shall make you a present, you understand, over and above your wages. We shall give you five hundred francs, or perhaps a thousand. That is, of course, if baby is in perfectly good health. NURSE [_stupefied_] You’ll give me five hundred francs—for myself—[_Struggling to understand_] But you haven’t got to. We didn’t agree to that. MME. DUPONT. No. NURSE [_to herself_] What’s up, then? MME. DUPONT. It is simply because baby will require more attention. You will have rather more trouble with her. You will have to give her her medicine and so on. It may be a little difficult for you. NURSE. Ah, I see. So that you may be sure I shall look after her well. You say to yourself: ‘Nurse has an interest in her.’ I see. MME. DUPONT. That is understood, then? NURSE. Yes, ma’am. MME. DUPONT. Very good. You will not come afterwards and complain of the way we have treated you. We have warned you that the child is ill and that you may catch her illness. To make up for that, and because you will have more trouble with her, we will give you five hundred francs when your time here is over. That is understood? NURSE. But you said a thousand francs, ma’am. MME. DUPONT. Very well; a thousand francs, then. GEORGE [_passing to the right behind the other two and drawing his mother aside_] It’s a pity that we can’t get her to sign that. MME. DUPONT [_to the nurse_] So that there may be no misunderstanding about the sum—you see I forgot just now that I said a thousand francs—we will draw up a little paper which we shall sign on our side and you will sign on your side. NURSE. Very good, ma’am; I understand. _The doctor comes back._ MME. DUPONT. Here is the doctor. You may go, nurse; that is all right. NURSE. Yes, ma’am. [_To herself_] What’s up, then? A thousand francs? What’s the matter with the baby? Has she got something bad, I wonder? [_She passes to the left, between the desk and window, and goes out_]. DOCTOR. The condition is unchanged. There is no need for anxiety. [_He sits down at the desk to write a prescription_].