VAGRET. And I have the Attorney-General's definite promise--and the presiding judge's too. MADAME VAGRET. It's the deputy's promise you ought to have. VAGRET. What? MADAME VAGRET. Yes, the deputy's. Up to now you've waited for promotion to come to you. My dear, you've got to run after it! If you don't do as the others do, you'll simply get left behind. VAGRET. I am still an honest man. MADAME VAGRET. It is because you are an honest man that you ought to try to get a better appointment. If the able and independent magistrates allow the others to pass them by, what will become of the magistracy? VAGRET. There's some truth in what you say. MADAME VAGRET. If, while remaining scrupulously honest, you can better our position by getting a deputy to push you, you are to blame if you don't do so. After all, what do they ask you to do? Merely that you should support the Ministry. VAGRET. I can do that honestly. Its opinions are my own. MADAME VAGRET. Then you'd better make haste--for a ministry doesn't last long! To support the Ministry is to support the Government--that is, the State--that is, Society. It's to do your duty. VAGRET. You are ambitious. MADAME VAGRET. No, my dear--but we must think of the future. If you knew the trouble I have to make both ends meet! We ought to get Bertha married. And the boys will cost us more and more as time goes on. And in our position we are bound to incur certain useless expenses which we could very well do without; but we have to keep up appearances; we have to "keep up our position." We want Georges to enter the Polytechnique, and that'll cost a lot of money. And Henri, if he's going to study law--you'd be able to help him on all the better if you held a better position. VAGRET [_after a brief silence_] I haven't told you everything. MADAME VAGRET. What is it? VAGRET [_timidly_] Cortan has been appointed Councillor at Amiens. MADAME VAGRET [_exasperated_] Cortan! That idiot of a Cortan? VAGRET. Yes. MADAME VAGRET. This is too much! VAGRET. What can you expect? The new Keeper of the Seals is in his department. You can't fight against that! MADAME VAGRET. There's always something--Cortan! Won't she be making a show of herself--Madame Cortan--who spells "indictment" i-n-d-i-t-e? She'll be showing off her yellow hat! Don't you remember her famous yellow hat? VAGRET. No. MADAME VAGRET. It's her husband who ought to wear that color! VAGRET. Rosa, that's unjust. MADAME VAGRET [_painfully excited_] I know it--but it does me good! _Enter Catialena._ CATIALENA. Madame, where shall I put the parcel we took from the linen-closet this morning? MADAME VAGRET. What parcel? CATIALENA. The parcel--you know, Madame--when we were arranging the things in the linen-closet. MADAME VAGRET [_suddenly_] Oh--yes, yes. Take it to my room. CATIALENA. Where shall I put it there? MADAME VAGRET. Oh well, put it down here. I will put it away myself. CATIALENA. Very good, Madame. [_She leaves the room_]