"But if you make me say it; it only proves your cleverness, because you make me stupid."
"Come, stop affectations! what were we saying?"
"That a young man from Tonnerre, named Frédérick Gaillardet, has brought me a MS. which has some ideas in it, but he has never had anything to do with the stage; it is not, dramatically speaking, any good as it is. But I have entered into treaty with him because I have my own plans."
"Let us hear what they are."
"For a long time Janin has wanted to write a drama."
"Good!"
"I said, 'Here is your excuse ready to hand!' I took my young author's MS. to him."
"Next?"
"He read it."
"And then?"