LUCIE. Well, we’ll have ours decanted. [_Brightly_] Only, you know, it’ll cost money. We shouldn’t have much left if we had to give many dinners to Councils of Revision. BRIGNAC. Don’t worry about that. You know very well that when Balureau gets back into power he’ll have us out of this dead-alive Châteauneuf, and give us a step up. LUCIE. Yes; but _will_ he get back into power? BRIGNAC. Why shouldn’t he? LUCIE. He was in such a short time. BRIGNAC. Precisely. They hadn’t time to find him out. LUCIE [_laughing_] If he heard you! BRIGNAC. You misunderstand me. I have the greatest respect for— LUCIE [_interrupting_] I know, I know. I was only joking. BRIGNAC. You’re always worrying about the future; now what makes me the man I am is my persistent confidence in the future. If Balureau doesn’t get into office again we’ll stay quietly at Châteauneuf, that’s all. _You_ can’t complain, as you were born here. LUCIE. But it’s _you_ who complain. BRIGNAC. I complain of the want of spirit in the people. I complain that I cannot get them to love and respect our political institutions. I complain above all of the society of Châteauneuf: a set of officials entertaining one another. LUCIE. Society in Châteauneuf doesn’t open its arms to us, certainly. BRIGNAC. It doesn’t think us important enough. LUCIE. To have a larger acquaintance we ought to entertain the commercial people. You won’t do that. BRIGNAC. I have to consider the dignity of my position. LUCIE. As you often say, we are in the enemy’s camp. BRIGNAC. That’s true. But the fact that people hate me shows that I am a person of some importance. We must look out for the unexpected. How do you know some great opportunity won’t come in my way to-morrow, or next month, or in six months? An opportunity to distinguish myself and force the people in Paris to pay attention to me. LUCIE. Yes; you’ve been waiting for that opportunity for eleven years. BRIGNAC. Obviously then it is so much the nearer. LUCIE. And what will it be? BRIGNAC. Some conflict, some incident—trouble. LUCIE. Trouble at Châteauneuf? BRIGNAC. I’m quite aware that Châteauneuf is most confoundedly peaceable. One gets no chance. I count more upon Balureau than on anything else. [_Pause_] Is Annette with her friend Gabrielle? LUCIE. No. BRIGNAC. But this is Tuesday. LUCIE. It’s not time for her to go yet. BRIGNAC. Yes, but if she puts it off till too late. LUCIE. I’ve wanted for some time to speak to you about Annette. Don’t you think she goes to the Bernins a little too often? BRIGNAC. Not at all. They’re very influential people and may be useful to me. Call her. [_He goes to the door to the left and calls himself_] Annette! [_Coming back_] Annette goes three times a week to practise with Mademoiselle Bernin, who goes everywhere. That’s an excellent thing for us, and may be of consequence. [_Annette comes in_] Annette, don’t forget how late it is. It’s time you were with your friend.