ANNETTE. No, no. What can you be thinking of? I promise you— LUCIE. What is it, then? ANNETTE. Well, I’ve been foolish enough to tell some of my friends that I was engaged. LUCIE. Before telling me about it? ANNETTE [_confused_] Don’t ask me any more questions. Please, please don’t! LUCIE. Indeed, I must scold you. You deserve it. You have hurt me very much by not letting me know what was going on. I could never have believed that you would keep me so in the dark, whoever had said it of you. I thought you were too fond of me. I was wrong. We see each other every day, all the time, and you could still hide from me what was in your heart. It was very, very wrong of you. Not only because I am your elder sister, but because I am in mother’s place towards you. And then, if only that, because I am your friend. A little more, and I should have heard of your engagement from strangers. Well, my dear, you’ve made a bad choice, and now you’ll need all your courage. These people aren’t worth your tears. I’m going to tell you everything. They don’t want you, my poor dear; you’re too poor for them. ANNETTE [_staring_] They don’t want me! They don’t want me! But he—Jacques—he knows they don’t? LUCIE. Yes; he knows. ANNETTE. He’ll do what they say, if they tell him to give me up? LUCIE. Yes. ANNETTE [_madly_] I must see him. I’ll write to him. I must see him! If they don’t want me, I’ve nothing but to kill myself! LUCIE [_forcing Annette to look at her_] Look at me, Annette. [_Silence. Then in the same grave, tender voice_] Have you not a secret to trust me with? ANNETTE [_disengaging herself_] Don’t ask me anything [_very low_] or I shall die of shame at your feet. _Lucie forces her to sit down at her side and takes her in her arms._ LUCIE. Come, come here, in my arms. So. Put your head on my shoulder, as you used when you were tiny. Tell me, what is it? [_Quite low_] My sweet, my little darling, are you terribly, terribly unhappy? Speak out, from your heart, as you would to our poor mother. ANNETTE [_very low, in tears of shame_] Oh, mother, if you knew what your little girl had done! LUCIE [_almost nursing her_] Tell me; whisper, quite low, in my ear. [_She rises and breaks loose, then hides her face in her hands_]. Oh, you, Annette, you! ANNETTE [_on her knees, her arms stretched out_] Forgive me! Forgive me! My dear one, forgive me! Oh, I deserve it all, everything you can say; but, oh, I am so unhappy! LUCIE. You, Annette, you! ANNETTE. Forgive me! Do you want me to be sorry I didn’t kill myself without telling you? Forgive me! LUCIE [_raising her_] My dear, my dear! You’ve suffered too much not to be forgiven. ACT II _The same scene. Evening. Electric light._ LUCIE. Now you know. I sent for you as soon as possible. MADELEINE [_who is in evening dress_] There is only one thing to do. Tell your husband everything and make him go to the Bernins. LUCIE. My God!