MME. B. How do you know I foresaw nothing? And how can one tell the right moment to interfere to prevent playmates becoming lovers? While I was uncertain didn’t I run the risk of causing the very thing I was anxious to prevent, by separating them without a good reason? When I really felt sure there was danger I spoke to Jacques. I said to him ‘Annette is not a suitable match for you: you must be very careful how you behave to her: don’t forget to treat this girl as a sister.’ LUCIE. And he said ‘It is too late: we love each other.’ MME. B. On the contrary, he said: ‘You needn’t worry, mother. I have been thinking the same thing myself, and I am a man of honor. Besides, though Annette is charming, she’s not the sort of woman I mean to marry.’ LUCIE. How long ago did he tell you that? MME. B. About two months ago. LUCIE. Well, at that time he had already spoken of marriage to Annette; or at least he had spoken of love, which from him to her is the same thing. MME. B. I can only tell you what I know. LUCIE. Well, madame, all this is beside the question. You are opposed to this marriage? MME. B. Yes. LUCIE. Finally? Irrevocably? MME. B. Finally. Irrevocably. LUCIE. Because Annette has no money? MME. B. Yes. LUCIE. Your son knew she had no money when he made her love him. MME. B. Believe me, he didn’t mean to do the harm he has done. A young girl of his own age was his sister’s constant companion, and at first he treated her as he treated his sister. At first, I’m sure, it was without any special intention that he saw so much of her. Afterwards probably he made some pretty speeches to your little Annette, and no doubt he was greatly taken with her. As Annette is more innocent and simple and affectionate, and of course more ignorant than he is, she has been more quickly and more deeply touched. But my son is not the worthless fellow you think him, and the proof of that is that he himself came and told me all about it. LUCIE. And when you told him he must give up Annette, he agreed? MME. B. Yes, he agreed. He’s reasonable and sensible, and he saw the force of my arguments. He saw that this parting, though it will be painful, was an absolute necessity. He will certainly suffer; but they are both so young. At that age love troubles don’t last. LUCIE. I understand. In a week your son will have forgotten all about it. But Annette— MME. B. She will soon forget it, too. LUCIE. I don’t know—I don’t know. Oh, my poor darling! If you had seen her just now when she came to tell me about it! It’s not for joy she will cry now. Oh!—[_she begins to cry_]. MME. B [_moved_] Don’t cry—oh, don’t cry. I assure you I am most deeply sorry. Oh, if it were only possible, how happy it would make me that my boy should marry Annette. The girl he is engaged to is an affected little thing who annoys me, and I really love your sister. LUCIE. But if that is true you can afford to let your son marry a girl without fortune.