Marcel. You're like all the rest!
Françoise [more excited]. Doesn't unhappiness level us all?
Marcel. I see it does!
Françoise. What can you ask for, then? So long as you have no great happiness like mine you are ready enough to make any sacrifice, but when once you have it, you never resign yourself to losing it.
Marcel. That's just the difficulty.
Françoise. Be a little patient, dear: I have not yet reached that state of cynicism and subtlety which you seem to want in your wife—I thought I came near to your ideal once! Perhaps there's some hope for me yet: I have promised myself to do my best to satisfy your ideal.
Marcel [moved]. I don't ask that.
Françoise. You are right, I am very foolish to try to struggle. What is the good? It will suffice when I have lost the dearest creature on earth—through my foolishness, my blunders!
Marcel. The dearest creature?
Françoise. I can't help it if he seems so to me!