ANGÈLE. I understand. [A pause]. Julie—she is there? [She points to the door].
DUPONT. Tut, tut, what am I thinking of? I had forgotten. Yes; she is there. They will take you to her. [To Madame Dupont] Go and see if—I’ll tell someone to go and find Caroline. [He rings].
MME. DUPONT [opening a door and calling through it] Julie: your sister Angèle is here.
JULIE [from her room] Angèle? Ask her to come in.
MME. DUPONT. You can go in to her.
Angèle goes. Dupont has rung and says a few words to the maid, who goes out at once.
DUPONT. Ouf! [To Madame Dupont] Ah well, it has all gone off excellently. I didn’t say a word of what I had got ready, but still it was all right. Don’t you think so?
MME. DUPONT. Quite. Poor girl! I felt sorry for her.
DUPONT. She is quite happy. She was very well dressed, quite like a lady in fact. Who would think to see her—Eh? [Madame Dupont nods]. And yet—But when one has had a good education it always comes out. It is curious. I thought I should be quite upset when I saw her. Instead of which—Of course I don’t mean that I didn’t feel it. Still it wasn’t so bad as I expected. But now she’s no longer there I feel—I feel my legs giving way under me! [He sits down. A silence]. If I were not so sure it was my duty to do as I did—for it was my duty? [Pause] You don’t answer. Wasn’t it my duty?
MME. DUPONT. I don’t know.