DUPONT. She prefers it. That’s the only reason. The other was called Angèle. When she was seventeen she was guilty of an indiscretion which it became impossible to hide. I turned her out of my house. [_Quite sincerely_] I was deeply distressed at having to do it. MME. DUPONT. For three days he refused to eat anything. DUPONT. Yes, I was terribly distressed. But I knew my duty as a man of honor, and I did it. MME. MAIRAUT. It was noble of you! [_She shakes him warmly by the hand_]. MAIRAUT. Since you were so fond of her, perhaps it would have been better to keep her with you. MME. MAIRAUT. My dear, you are speaking without thinking. [_To Dupont_] And what has become of her? DUPONT [_lying fluently_] She’s in India. MME. DUPONT. In India? DUPONT [_to Madame Dupont_] Yes, with her aunt, a sister of my first wife’s. I have had news of her from time to time. [_To Madame Mairaut_] Indirectly, of course. MME. MAIRAUT. I repeat, M. Dupont, all this does you honor. [_Thoughtfully_] Still, some people might feel—However, I don’t think this discovery need make us abandon our project at once. Not at once. [_To Mairaut_] What do you think, my dear? MAIRAUT. I? MME. MAIRAUT. You think, as I do, that we must take time to consider, do you not? [_A pause_]. Without any definite promise on either side, but merely in order to get rid of all money questions, which are most distasteful to me, will you allow me to ask you one question, M. Dupont? DUPONT. Certainly, Madame Mairaut. MME. MAIRAUT. Have you ever considered [_she hesitates_] what you would give your daughter? DUPONT. Oh, yes—roughly, you know. MAIRAUT. Just so. MME. MAIRAUT. And the sum is—roughly? DUPONT. Fifty thousand francs. MME. MAIRAUT. Fifty thousand francs. [_To her husband_] You hear, dear, M. Dupont will give his daughter only fifty thousand francs. MAIRAUT. Yes. [_A pause_]. MME. MAIRAUT. In cash, of course. DUPONT. Twentyfive thousand at once. Twentyfive thousand in six months. MME. MAIRAUT [_to Mairaut_] You hear? MAIRAUT. Yes. MME. MAIRAUT. For practical purposes that is only twentyfive thousand francs and a promise. DUPONT [_with dignity_]. Twentyfive thousand francs and my word. MME. MAIRAUT. Precisely. That is what I said [_looking at her husband_]. Under these circumstances, we regret very much, but M. Mairaut must decline. It really is not enough. DUPONT. How much are you giving M. Antonin? MME. MAIRAUT. Not a sou! On that point we are quite decided and quite frank. As soon as he marries his father will take him into partnership, and his wife’s dot will be the capital which he will put into the business. MAIRAUT. That is the exact position. MME. MAIRAUT. Antonin will have nothing except what may come to him after our death. MME. DUPONT. And I am glad to think you are both in excellent health. MME. MAIRAUT [_modestly_] That is so. MME. DUPONT [_meditatively_]. Hasn’t your son an uncle, by the way? MME. MAIRAUT. Yes, madame. MAIRAUT. Uncle Maréchal.