Adolphe. [Rising] Well, now I have to leave you—­model, you know.  Good-bye, both of you.  And good luck to you, Maurice.  To-morrow you will be out on the right side.  Good-bye, Henriette.

Henriette.  Do you really have to go?

Adolphe.  I must.

Maurice.  Good-bye then.  We’ll meet later.

(Adolphe goes out, saluting Mme. Catherine in passing.)

Henriette.  Think of it, that we should meet at last!

Maurice.  Do you find anything remarkable in that?

Henriette.  It looks as if it had to happen, for Adolphe has done his best to prevent it.

Maurice.  Has he?

Henriette.  Oh, you must have noticed it.

Maurice.  I have noticed it, but why should you mention it?

Henriette.  I had to.

Maurice.  No, and I don’t have to tell you that I wanted to run away through the kitchen in order to avoid meeting you and was stopped by a guest who closed the door in front of me.

Henriette.  Why do you tell me about it now?

Maurice.  I don’t know.

(Mme. Catherine upsets a number of glasses and bottles.)

Maurice.  That’s all right, Madame Catherine.  There’s nothing to be afraid of.

Henriette.  Was that meant as a signal or a warning?

Maurice.  Probably both.

Henriette.  Do they take me for a locomotive that has to have flagmen ahead of it?

Maurice.  And switchmen!  The danger is always greatest at the switches.

Henriette.  How nasty you can be!

Mme. Catherine.  Monsieur Maurice isn’t nasty at all.  So far nobody has been kinder than he to those that love him and trust in him.

Maurice.  Sh, sh, sh!

Henriette. [To Maurice] The old lady is rather impertinent.

Maurice.  We can walk over to the boulevard, if you care to do so.

Henriette.  With pleasure.  This is not the place for me.  I can just feel their hatred clawing at me. [Goes out.]

Maurice. [Starts after her] Good-bye, Madame Catherine.

Mme. Catherine.  A moment!  May I speak a word to you, Monsieur
Maurice?

Maurice. [Stops unwillingly] What is it?

Mme. Catherine.  Don’t do it!  Don’t do it!

Maurice.  What?

Mme. Catherine.  Don’t do it!

Maurice.  Don’t be scared.  This lady is not my kind, but she interests me.  Or hardly that even.

Mme. Catherine, Don’t trust yourself!

Maurice.  Yes, I do trust myself.  Good-bye. [Goes out.]

(Curtain.)

ACT II