LUCIE. But it’s you who complain.
BRIGNAC. I complain of the want of spirit in the people. I complain that I cannot get them to love and respect our political institutions. I complain above all of the society of Châteauneuf: a set of officials entertaining one another.
LUCIE. Society in Châteauneuf doesn’t open its arms to us, certainly.
BRIGNAC. It doesn’t think us important enough.
LUCIE. To have a larger acquaintance we ought to entertain the commercial people. You won’t do that.
BRIGNAC. I have to consider the dignity of my position.
LUCIE. As you often say, we are in the enemy’s camp.
BRIGNAC. That’s true. But the fact that people hate me shows that I am a person of some importance. We must look out for the unexpected. How do you know some great opportunity won’t come in my way to-morrow, or next month, or in six months? An opportunity to distinguish myself and force the people in Paris to pay attention to me.
LUCIE. Yes; you’ve been waiting for that opportunity for eleven years.
BRIGNAC. Obviously then it is so much the nearer.