Minard It is love, pure and holy, which can lend a charm to all the hours of life.

Mercadet Yes all!--except the dinner hour.

Julie Father, do not ridicule two children who love each other with a pa.s.sion which is true and pure, because it is founded upon a knowledge of each other's character; on the cert.i.tude of their mutual ardor in conquering the difficulties of life; in a word, of two children who will also cherish sincere affection for you.

Minard (to Mercadet) What an angel, sir!

Mercadet (aside) I'll angel you! (Putting an arm around each.) Happy children!--You are absolutely in love? What a fine romance! (To Minard) You desire her for your wife?

Minard Yes, sir.

Mercadet In spite of all obstacles?

Minard It is mine to overcome them!

Julie Father, ought you not to be grateful to me in that by my choice I am giving you a son full of lofty sentiments, endowed with a courageous soul, and--

Minard Mademoiselle--Julie.

Julie Let me finish; I must have my say.

Mercadet My daughter, go and see your mother, and let me speak of matters which are a great deal more material than these.

Julie I will go, father--

Mercadet Come back presently with your mother, my child.

(Mercadet kisses Julie and leads her to the door.)

Minard (aside) I feel my hopes revive.

Mercadet (returning) Sir, I am a ruined man.

Minard What does that mean?

Mercadet Totally ruined. And if you wish to have my Julie, you are welcome to her. She will be much better off at your house, poor as you are, than in her paternal home. Not only is she without dowry, but she is burdened with poor parents--parents who are more than poor.

Minard More than poor! There is nothing beyond that.

Mercadet Yes, sir, we are in debt, deeply in debt, and some of these debts clamor for payment.

Minard No, no, it is impossible!

Mercadet Don't you believe it? (Aside) He is getting frightened. (Taking up a pile of papers from his desk. Aloud) Here, my would-be son-in-law, are the family papers which will show you our fortune--

Minard Sir--

Mercadet Or rather our lack of fortune! Read-- Here is a writ of attachment on our furniture.

Minard Can it be possible?

Mercadet It is perfectly possible! Here are judgments by the score! Here is a writ of my arrest. You see in what straits we are! Here you see all my sales, the protests on my notes and the judgments cla.s.sed in order-- for, young man, understand well in a disordered condition of things, order is above all things necessary. When disorder is well arranged it can be relieved and controlled-- What can a debtor say when he sees his debt entered up under his number? I make the government my model.

All payments are made in alphabetic order. I have not yet touched the letter A. (He replaces the papers.)

Minard You haven't yet paid anything?

Mercadet Scarcely anything. You know the condition of my expenses. You know, because you are a book-keeper. See, (picking up the papers again) the total debit is three hundred and eighty thousand.

Minard Yes, sir. The balance is entered here.

Mercadet You can understand then how you must make me shudder when you come before my daughter with your fine protestations! Since to marry a poor girl with nothing but an income of eighteen hundred francs, is like inviting in wedlock a protested note with a writ of execution.

Minard (lost in thought) Ruined, ruined! And without resources!

Mercadet (aside) I thought that would upset him. (Aloud) Come, now, young man, what are you going to do?

Minard First, I thank you, sir, for the frankness of your admissions.

Mercadet That is good! And what of the ideal, and your love for my daughter?

Minard You have opened my eyes, sir.

Mercadet (aside) I am glad to hear it.

Minard I thought that I already loved her with a love that was boundless, and now I love her a hundred times more.

Mercadet The deuce you do!

Minard Have you not led me to understand that she will have need of all my courage, of all my devotion! I will render her happy by other means than my tenderness; she shall feel grateful for all my efforts, she shall love me for my vigils, and for my toils.

Mercadet You mean to tell me that you still wish to marry her?

Minard Do I wish! When I believed that you were rich, I would not ask her of you without trembling, without feeling ashamed of my poverty; but now, sir, it is with a.s.surance and with tranquillity of mind that I ask for her.

Mercadet (to himself) I must admit that this is a love exceedingly true, sincere and n.o.ble!

And such as I had believed it impossible to find in the whole world!

(To Minard) Forgive me, young man, for the opinion I had of you-- forgive me, above all, for the disappointment I am about to cause you.

Minard What do you mean?

Mercadet M. Minard--Julie--cannot be your wife.

Minard What is this, sir? Not be my wife? In spite of our love, in spite of all you have confided to me?

Mercadet Yes, and just because of all I have confided to you. I have shown you Mercadet the rich man in his true colors. I am going to show you him as the skeptical man of business. I have frankly opened my books to you. I am now going to open my heart to you as frankly.

Minard Speak out, sir, but remember how great my devotion to Mlle. Julie is.

Remember that my self-sacrifice and unselfishness are equal to my love for her.