DUPONT. That’s a blessing. Well, then we shall ask for—
MME. DUPONT. No settlements. I understand.
DUPONT. On the contrary, we shall ask for the strictest settlements on both sides.
MME. DUPONT. But—
DUPONT. You are out of your depth. Better simply listen without trying to understand. [He rises, replaces his chair, and taps her knowingly on the shoulder]. In these cases one should never ask for the thing one wants. One must know how to get the other side to offer it, and be quite pleased to get it accepted. Well, then, I am giving Julie fifty thousand francs as her dot.
MME. DUPONT. Fifty thousand! But Julie has only twenty-five thousand.
DUPONT. That is so. I shall give her twenty-five thousand down and promise the rest for next year.
MME. DUPONT. You can’t mean that. You will never be able to keep such a promise. [She rises].
DUPONT. Who knows? If I get the contract from the Prefecture.
MME. DUPONT. We ought to ask Julie what she thinks of this marriage.