The General The Charnys.  Then if he is in love with Pauline, and Pauline with him, I, for my part, would prefer him to Godard in spite of Godard’s fortune.  Ferdinand understands the business of the factory, he could buy the whole establishment with the dowry of Pauline.  That would be understood.  All he has to do is to tell us where he comes from, who he is, and who his father was.  But we will see his mother.

Gertrude
Madame Charny?

The General
Yes, Madame Charny.  Doesn’t she live near Saint-Melo?  That is by no
means at the other end of the world.

Gertrude
Just use a little tact, some of the manoeuvres of an old soldier, and
be very gentle, and you will soon learn whether this child—­

The General
Why should I worry about it?  Here comes Pauline herself.

Scenefourth

The same persons, Marguerite, then Pauline.

The General
Ah!  It is you, Marguerite.  You came near causing the death of my
daughter last night by your carelessness.  You forgot—­

Marguerite
I, General, cause the death of my child!

The General
You forgot to take away the vase containing flowers of a strong scent,
and she was almost suffocated.

Marguerite
Impossible!  I took away the vase before the arrival of M. Godard, and
Madame must have seen that it was not there while we were dressing
Mademoiselle—­

Gertrude
You are mistaken.  It was there.

Marguerite (aside) She’s a hard one. (Aloud) Does not Madame remember that she wished to put some natural flowers in Mademoiselle’s hair, and that she remarked about the vase being gone?

Gertrude
You are inventing a story.  But where did you carry it?

Marguerite
To the foot of the veranda.

Gertrude (to the General)
Did you find it there last night?

The General
No.

Gertrude
I took it from the chamber myself last night, and put it where it now
stands. (Points to the vase of flowers on the veranda.)

Marguerite
Sir, I swear to you by my eternal salvation—­

Gertrude
Do not swear. (Calling.) Pauline!

The General
Pauline!

(Pauline appears.)

Gertrude
Was the vase of flowers in your room last night?

Pauline
Yes.  Marguerite, my dear old friend, you must have forgotten it.

Marguerite
Why don’t you say, Mademoiselle, that some one put it there on purpose
to make you ill!

Gertrude
Whom do you mean by some one?

The General
You old fool, if your memory failed you, it is unnecessary for you, at
any rate, to accuse anybody else.

Pauline (aside to Marguerite)
Keep silence! (Aloud) Marguerite, it was there!  You forgot it.

Marguerite
It is true, sir, I was thinking of the day before yesterday.