JULIE [_with a sigh_] Heigho! You don’t know of a husband for me, do you, Caro? CAROLINE. What sort of one do you want? JULIE [_seriously_] I am getting to the time of life when a woman accepts the first man who offers himself. Choose whatever sort you think best for me [_laughing_]. What would be your ideal? Someone in business? A captain in the army? Tell me. CAROLINE. No. JULIE. Why not? CAROLINE. If I were to marry, I should choose a worker, a man with a noble aim, a man who would be ready to sacrifice himself to make life a little easier for those who will come after him. MME. DUPONT. Oh, don’t talk like a sentimental novel, Caroline. CAROLINE. I was not. MME. DUPONT. Well, I’m sure I’ve read that somewhere. Besides, at your age one doesn’t speak of those things any longer. JULIE. Talking of that, you know Henriette Longuet? MME. DUPONT. Yes. JULIE. She is going to be married. MME. DUPONT. Indeed? JULIE. Yes. [_Thoughtfully_] I’m the last to go. MME. DUPONT. The last go off best. What a week this is for marriages! Courthezon brought me an announcement just now which I kept to show you. Where is it? Ah, here it is. [_Hands it to her_]. JULIE [_after looking at it, sadly_] That finishes it! MME. DUPONT. What do you mean? CAROLINE. What is it, Julie? JULIE. Nothing. MME. DUPONT. Were you thinking of M. Jacquemin? JULIE. How do I know? He has never said anything to me, of course, but I fancied he had noticed me. I didn’t care much about him, but he was better than nothing. Better than nothing! [_Sighs_] It’s a stupid sort of world for girls nowadays. _Dupont comes in._ DUPONT [_brimming over with excitement and importance_] Ah! Here are the children. Run away, my dears, for a few minutes. I’ll call you when I want you. JULIE [_going with Caroline_] Caroline! Do you think it is—? CAROLINE [_thoughtfully_] It does look like it. _They go out together._ MME. DUPONT. Well, what is it? DUPONT [_with an air of importance_] M. and Madame Mairaut will be here in an hour, at six o’clock. MME. DUPONT. Yes? DUPONT [_craftily_] And do you know why they are coming? MME. DUPONT. No. DUPONT. To ask for Julie’s hand in marriage. That’s all! MME. DUPONT. For their son? DUPONT. Well, my dear, it’s not for the Sultan of Turkey. MME. DUPONT. M. Mairaut, the banker. DUPONT. M. Mairaut, head of the Banque de l’Univers, 14 Rue des Trois-Chapeaux, second floor. MME. DUPONT. Yes; but—