LUCIE. What is it, little girl? ANNETTE [_in tears_] I’m happy! I’m happy! LUCIE. Why, what’s the matter with the child? ANNETTE. No, no. It’s all right—don’t speak to me. I shall soon be better. It’s nervous. [_She laughs and cries at the same time_]. I tell you I’m happy—only—only—How stupid it is to cry like this. I can’t help it. [_She puts her arms round Lucie’s neck_]. Oh, little mother, I love you—I _do_ love you. [_She kisses Lucie: another little sob_]. Oh, I _am_ silly. There now, it’s all right—I’ve done. [_She wipes her eyes_] There: now I’m going to tell you. [_With great joy and emotion, and very simply_] I am going to be married. Monsieur and Madame Bernin are coming to see you about it. LUCIE. Why? ANNETTE. Because Jacques has told them to. LUCIE. Jacques! ANNETTE [_very fast, tumbling out the words_] Yes, it was when I was practising with Gabrielle. He had guessed—it happened this way—practising—he sings a little—oh, nothing very grand—once—[_she laughs_] but I’ll tell you about that afterwards—it’s because of that—We shall be married soon. [_Fresh tears. Then she says gravely, embracing Lucy_] I _do_ love him so, and if he hadn’t asked me to marry him—You don’t understand? LUCIE [_laughing_] I guess a little. ANNETTE. Do you want me to tell you all about it, from the beginning? LUCIE. Yes. ANNETTE. I want to so much. If it won’t bore you. It would make me so happy. LUCIE. Go on. ANNETTE. Well, when I was playing duets with Gabrielle—I must tell you that I began by detesting him because he will make fun of everybody. But he’s most kind, _really_. For instance— LUCIE. Now keep to the point. When you played duets— ANNETTE. Yes, I was telling you. When I played duets with Gabrielle he used to come and listen to us. He stood behind us to turn over the leaves: once he put his hand upon my shoulder— LUCIE. You let him? ANNETTE. He had his other hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder—it would have been priggish to say anything. LUCIE. Yes, but with Gabrielle it’s different. ANNETTE. That’s what I was going to say. My heart began beating so—I got so red, and I had no idea what I was playing. And then, another time—he couldn’t see the music—he stooped right down. But that’s all nothing. We love each other, that’s the whole thing. LUCIE. And has he told you that he loves you? ANNETTE [_gravely_] Yes. LUCIE. And you hid all that from me? I’m sorry, Annette. ANNETTE. I’m so, _so_ sorry. But it all came so gradually. I can hardly tell now exactly when it began. I even thought I was mistaken. And then—then—when we first dared to speak to one another about what we had never spoken of, though we both knew it so well—I knew I’d done wrong. But I was so ashamed I _couldn’t_ tell you about it then. LUCIE [_tenderly_] All the same it was very naughty of you, darling. ANNETTE. Oh, don’t scold me! Please, please don’t scold me. If you only knew how I’ve repented—how unhappy I’ve been. Haven’t you noticed?