Pierquin
Please explain to us—­

Goulard
We desire to know—­

Violette (rising to his feet)
M. Mercadet, if there is anything—­tell us about it.

Mercadet (coming to the table) Nothing!  I shall say nothing, not I—­I wish to be put behind the bars!—­I would like to see the figure you all will cut to-morrow or this evening, when you find he has returned.

Goulard (rising to his feet)
He has returned?

Pierquin
Returned from where?

Violette
Who has returned?

Mercadet (coming forward)
Nobody has returned.  Let us start for Clichy, gentlemen.

Goulard
But listen, if you are expecting any assistance—­

Pierquin
If you have any hope that—­

Violette
Or if even some considerable legacy—­

Goulard
Come, now!

Pierquin
Answer—­

Violette
Tell us—­

Mercadet Now, take care, I beg you.  You are giving way, you are giving way, gentlemen, and if I wished to take the trouble, I could win you over again.  Come now, act like genuine creditors!  Ridicule the past, forget the brilliant strokes of business I put within the power of each of you before the sudden departure of my faithful Godeau—­

Goulard
His faithful Godeau!

Pierquin
Ah!  If there were only—­

Mercadet Forget all that preposterous past, take no account of what might induce him to return—­after being waited for so long—­and—­let us start for Clichy, gentlemen, let us start for Clichy!

Violette
Mercadet, you are expecting Godeau, aren’t you?

Mercadet
No!

Violette (as with a sudden inspiration)
Gentlemen, he is expecting Godeau!

Goulard
Can it be true?

Pierquin
Speak.

All
Speak!  Speak!

Mercadet (with feeble deprecations) Why, no, no—­yet I do not know—­I—­ Certainly, it is possible that some day or other he may return form the Indies with some—­ considerable fortune—­ (In a decided tone) But I give you my word of honor that I don’t expect Godeau here to-day.

Violette (excitedly)
Then it must be to-morrow!  Gentlemen, he expects him to-morrow!

Goulard (in a low voice to the others)
Unless this is some fresh trick to gain time and ridicule us—­

Pierquin (aloud)
Do you think it might be?

Goulard
It is quite possible.

Violette (in a loud tone)
Gentlemen, he is fooling us.

Mercadet (aside)
The devil he is! (Aloud) Come, gentlemen, we had better be starting.

Goulard
I swear that—­

(The rumbling of carriage wheels is heard.)

Mercadet (aside)
At last! (Aloud) Oh, heavens! (He lays his hand upon his heart.)

A Postillion (outside)
A carriage at the door.

Mercadet
Ah! (Falls back on a chair near the table.)