AGA-ABBAS. Certainly. Nothing can be done without this. Come, then, detail to us the conditions which you would impose upon Zeineb. AGA-MERDAN. First of all, Zeineb-Khanoun must deposit with me a fund of 500 tomans to meet certain unavoidable expenses; the remainder of the dues will be paid afterward. Zeineb-Khanoun has herself declared to Aga-Kerim that at the death of Hadji-Ghafour there were a thousand tomans left in the strong-box, and that she carried them off, without the knowledge of the dead man’s sister. ZEINEB-KHANOUN. I make no objection to your demands on this point; tell me your other condition. AGA-MERDAN. It will be also necessary, madame, that you be satisfied with one-half of the legacy; that is to say, that of the 60,000 tomans half goes to you and the other half, some 30,000 tomans, is to be divided between Aga-Kerim and me, as comrades, friends, and associates. ZEINEB-KHANOUN. Good gracious, Aga-Merdan, but this is exorbitant! AGA-MERDAN. It is by no means excessive, Madame. You have no right to this inheritance; the 30,000 tomans are therefore my free gift to you. ZEINEB-KHANOUN. What do you mean? I have no rights? For years I have trudged up and down the house of Hadji-Ghafour; all the closet keys were in my hands; I had all I desired, and it was I who controlled the expenses. So long as Hadji-Ghafour lived his sister could not dispose of a single franc of his. What has happened that I am to be thrust on one side, and that this adventuress is to come and carry off all the money; that she is to drink it up, and spend it in order to have a wedding with a young scamp? AGA-MERDAN. Such reasons as these are not listened to by the Tribunal. ZEINEB-KHANOUN. What! not listened to? Ought not justice to be considered in a lawsuit? For ten years and more this fortune remained in my hands, and now I am to be stripped of it! AGA-MERDAN. Yes, indeed, and you ought to be stripped of it. Listen to me. Surrender one-half of this inheritance, for in reality you have no right to a single penny of it. Aga-Abbas is well acquainted with the matter, and he knows what I say is true. AGA-ABBAS. Yes, we accept the condition. What conditions beside these do you impose? AGA-MERDAN. My third condition is that Zeineb-Khanoun shall declare in presence of the President of the Tribunal that she has by Hadji-Ghafour a child now seven months old, and still at the breast; this child she shall present before the Tribunal. ZEINEB-KHANOUN. Oh, oh, Aga-Merdan, this is very, very hard. How can I dare to tell such a lie? That I have a child seven months old! AGA-MERDAN. It is not hard at all. While Hadji-Ghafour was living you were _enceinte_. A month before his death you brought into the world a little boy--now seven months old. Is there any difficulty in stating that?