LUCIE. Julien, you’re not dreaming of that!
BRIGNAC. And why not?
LUCIE. Think of the scandal, and then—
BRIGNAC. And then I should be tried for murder? Well, do you think I’m afraid of that? What then? I should defend myself, and I can tell you not many people have heard such a speech as I should make! Think of the effect on the jury! I should be acquitted, and the public would cheer till the court had to be cleared. [A pause]. He’s in luck’s way, the brute, that I’ve too much respect for human life. If I weren’t a bit old fashioned—ha, so much for him. [A pause]. No, no; the weak point in these folk is their pocket. That’s what I’ll go for. That’s it. We’ll bring an action, an action for the seduction of an infant.
LUCIE. Publish her shame like that!
BRIGNAC. He’ll have his share of it. I’ll make him sing another tune, so I will. We’ll ask twenty, fifty, a hundred thousand francs damages! It’ll be a dowry for Annette. Yes; we can do that, an ordinary civil action, or else, if we like, prosecute him criminally. I could shew you the law about it; it’s all in the reports. And besides, the way I’ll conduct the case, the papers will boom it sky high.
LUCIE. You can’t surely want to have the papers talking about us, printing poor Annette’s story, discussing her honor?
BRIGNAC. Reflecting on me, too. If only we weren’t related!
LUCIE. We should be just as much dishonored.
BRIGNAC. If you hadn’t made me take Annette to live with us when your parents died, none of this would have happened.