JULIE [putting her arm to his lips with a resigned sadness, which she hides from him] Antonin.
ANTONIN [kissing her arm] Oh, I love you. I love you.
JULIE. Hush. They are coming back.
The Mairauts and Duponts come in again.
DUPONT. And when I have the contract from the Prefecture I shall double my business.
MAIRAUT. Excellent. Excellent.
MME. MAIRAUT. We must be going, dear madame. We have stayed far too long already. Are you coming, Antonin?
ANTONIN [to Julie, aloud, bowing profoundly] Mademoiselle. [In a low voice] My beloved Julie. [To his mother] She’s charming. I was charming, too, by the way. Wagner, children, every kind of romantic idiocy. And she believed me. [Aloud to Dupont] M. and Madame Dupont, my parents will have the honor of calling upon you to-morrow to ask on my behalf for the hand of Mlle. Julie.
DUPONT. Till to-morrow, then. Till to-morrow. [To Antonin] All sorts of messages to your uncle, if you see him.
ANTONIN. I shall not fail. [He bows. The Mairauts take their leave].