PIERRE [_a tall, thin peasant, embarrassed by his coffee cup, speaks aside to Laurent in a strong provincial accent_] A fine thing, ain’t it, to be so rich and not have enough tables to go round. LAURENT [_formerly a working man, to Pierre Poiret_] At lunch ’twas just the same. JACQUES [_a crafty farmer, putting his cup down upon the centre table, and speaking generally_] As for me, I— LAURENT [_passing his cup to Jacques_] M. le maire, would you mind? PIERRE [_the same_] M. le maire, would you—? _They get rid of their cups, passing them from one to the other._ BRIGNAC [_to the mayors_] Will you take liqueurs? [_He points to a bottle and small glasses on a tray_]. ALL THREE [_making too much fuss about it_] Thank you, thank you, M. le sous-préfet. BRIGNAC. Delighted. [_He passes behind the centre table and pours out liqueur_]. SOUS-IN [_he is small and thin and wears spectacles: a professor disguised as a soldier_] Yes, ladies: it is an eccentricity. I acknowledge it and beg you to excuse it: I am a collector. But you must confess that I have not bored you with it. COLONEL [_very much the fine gentleman_] Indeed, no, it was I who let out the secret. But I said also that you are a learned man. SOUS-IN. A dabbler only, colonel. BRIGNAC [_pretending to find upon the table the circular mentioned in the first act_] Hullo! what’s this? [_No one hears him. He puts the circular back again upon the table_]. LUCIE [_to the sous-intendant_] And are you also a literary man? SOUS-IN. The Intelligence Department is the literary section of the army. LAURENT [_to Jacques Poiret, passing him his glass_] M. le maire—? PIERRE [_same thing_] M. le maire—? BRIGNAC [_again taking up the circular: in a louder voice_] Hullo! What’s this? [_They all look at him_]. It’s that very circular I was talking about at dinner: the one from the Minister of the Interior. COL. About the decline of the population? BRIGNAC. Yes, colonel. This is an important official document. It came to-day, and I have been carefully considering what can be done to advance this movement in my own humble sphere of influence. [_To Chevillot_] As I said to you a short time ago, M. le maire of Châteauneuf, the Minister desires to see the whole of France covered with associations having the increase of the population for their object; I am certain that you will desire that this town of Châteauneuf, of which you are the chief magistrate and in which I am the representative of the Republic, should have the honor of being among the first to set out upon the road indicated to us. CHEV. I’m with you. I am a manufacturer: I am all for large populations. BRIGNAC. You are the very man to be president of the Châteauneuf association. COL. I am a soldier: I also am for large populations. LUCIE. And you, M. l’intendant? SOUS-IN. I, madame, am a bachelor. COL [_joking_] More shame for you! BRIGNAC [_also joking_] It’s a scandal, monsieur, a perfect scandal.