Madame Vagret. Don't you know? At the close of each session the President submits a report to the Minister—Ah, my dear Madame Bunerat! [The three women seat themselves at the back of the stage]
Mouzon. Three acquittals—and the Irissary murder. A deplorable record! A pretty pickle we're in.
Bunerat. You know, my dear Vagret, I'm a plain speaker. No shilly-shallying about me. When I hunt the boar I charge right down on him. I speak plainly—anyone can know what's in my mind. I'm the son of a peasant, I am, and I make no bones about it. Well, it seems to me that your Bar—I know, of course, that you lead it with distinguished integrity and honesty—but it seems to me—how shall I put it?—that it's getting weak. Mouzon, you will remember, said the same thing when he was consulting the statistics.
Mouzon. It really is a very bad year.
Bunerat. You know it was a question of making ourselves an exception to the general rule—of getting our Court raised to a higher class. Well, Mauleon won't be raised from the third class to the second if the number of causes diminishes.
Mouzon. We should have to prove that we had been extremely busy.
Bunerat. And many of the cases you settled by arrangement might well have been the subject of proceedings.
Mouzon. Just reflect that this year we have awarded a hundred and eighteen years less imprisonment than we did last year!
Bunerat. And yet the Court has not been to blame. We safeguard the interests of society with the greatest vigilance.
Mouzon. But before we can punish you must give us prisoners.