Henriette.  Tell me something:  do you trust Adolphe?

Maurice.  I trust no human being any longer.

Henriette.  Not even Adolphe?

Maurice.  Him least of all.  How could I trust an enemy—­a man from whom I have taken away his mistress?

Henriette.  Well, as you were the first one to speak of this, I’ll give you some data about our friend.  You heard he had returned that medal from London.  Do you know his reason for doing so?

Maurice.  No.

Henriette.  He thinks himself unworthy of it, and he has taken a penitential vow never to receive any kind of distinction.

Maurice.  Can that he possible?  But what has he done?

Henriette.  He has committed a crime of the kind that is not punishable under the law.  That’s what he gave me to understand indirectly.

Maurice.  He, too!  He, the best one of all, the model man, who never speaks a hard word of anybody and who forgives everything.

Henriette.  Well, there you can see that we are no worse than others.  And yet we are being hounded day and night as if devils were after us.

Maurice.  He, also!  Then mankind has not been slandered—­But if he has been capable of one crime, then you may expect anything of him.  Perhaps it was he who sent the police after you yesterday.  Coming to think of it now, it was he who sneaked away from us when he saw that we were in the papers, and he lied when he insisted that those fellows were not detectives.  But, of course, you may expect anything from a deceived lover.

HENRIETTE.  Could he be as mean as that?  No, it is impossible, impossible!

MAURICE.  Why so?  If he is a scoundrel?—­What were you two talking of yesterday, before I came?

HENRIETTE.  He had nothing but good to say of you.

MAURICE.  That’s a lie!

HENRIETTE. [Controlling herself and changing her tone] Listen.  There is one person on whom you have cast no suspicion whatever—­ for what reason, I don’t know.  Have you thought of Madame Catherine’s wavering attitude in this matter?  Didn’t she say finally that she believed you capable of anything?

MAURICE.  Yes, she did, and that shows what kind of person she is.  To think evil of other people without reason, you must be a villain yourself.

(HENRIETTE looks hard at him.  Pause.)

HENRIETTE.  To think evil of others, you must be a villain yourself.

MAURICE.  What do you mean?

HENRIETTE.  What I said.

MAURICE.  Do you mean that I—?

HENRIETTE.  Yes, that’s what I mean now!  Look here!  Did you meet anybody but Marion when you called there yesterday morning?

MAURICE.  Why do you ask?

HENRIETTE.  Guess!

MAURICE.  Well, as you seem to know—­I met Jeanne, too.

HENRIETTE.  Why did you lie to me?