ANTONIN [_greatly excited, in a low voice_] Don’t move. You are entrancing. [_He kisses her upon the arm; she pulls it away sharply_]. JULIE. Monsieur! ANTONIN [_angry_] I beg your pardon, mademoiselle. _A very long silence._ JULIE [_after looking at him for some time_] I have vexed you? ANTONIN. Well, when I see that you positively dislike me. [_Julie, after a short inward struggle, goes to him_]. JULIE [_putting her arm to his lips with a resigned sadness, which she hides from him_] Antonin. ANTONIN [_kissing her arm_] Oh, I love you. I love you. JULIE. Hush. They are coming back. _The Mairauts and Duponts come in again._ DUPONT. And when I have the contract from the Prefecture I shall double my business. MAIRAUT. Excellent. Excellent. MME. MAIRAUT. We must be going, dear madame. We have stayed far too long already. Are you coming, Antonin? ANTONIN [_to Julie, aloud, bowing profoundly_] Mademoiselle. [_In a low voice_] My beloved Julie. [_To his mother_] She’s charming. I was charming, too, by the way. Wagner, children, every kind of romantic idiocy. And she believed me. [_Aloud to Dupont_] M. and Madame Dupont, my parents will have the honor of calling upon you to-morrow to ask on my behalf for the hand of Mlle. Julie. DUPONT. Till to-morrow, then. Till to-morrow. [_To Antonin_] All sorts of messages to your uncle, if you see him. ANTONIN. I shall not fail. [_He bows. The Mairauts take their leave_]. DUPONT [_to Julie_] That’s all right, then? JULIE. Yes. I really do like him. I think I managed him pretty well too. Wagner. The bank. He thinks I’ve a perfect passion for banking. DUPONT [_laughing_] Good. You’re my own daughter. Kiss me. And your father? He managed pretty well, I think. I have arranged that all moneys except your dot shall be held by you both jointly; so that if you are divorced, or if you die after Uncle Maréchal, your dot will come back to us, and half whatever he leaves. I call that a good day’s work. And at dessert we’ll drink a bottle of the best to the health of Madame Antonin Mairaut. MME. DUPONT [_embracing her_] My poor little daughter. DUPONT. Poor, indeed! She’s a very lucky girl. I wonder where that great stupid Caroline has got to. [_He calls_] Caroline. She is never here when one wants her. [_He calls again_] Caroline. She is hard at work painting Cupids on plates, I bet. [_Caroline appears_] Here she is. Great news. Your sister is engaged to be married. CAROLINE. Julie. Is it true? JULIE. Yes. CAROLINE. Ah! DUPONT. Is that all you have to say? CAROLINE. I am very glad, very glad. [_She bursts into tears_]. DUPONT [_astonished_] What’s wrong with her? Crying! And she’s not even asked who he is. She’s to marry M. Antonin Mairaut, nephew of M. Maréchal. MME. DUPONT. Don’t cry like that, my dear. JULIE. Caroline. CAROLINE [_trying to restrain her sobs_] Don’t mind me. It is only because I love you, dear. Now you at least will be happy. JULIE [_musing_] Yes.