Vautrin (aside) How she loves him! Poor girl, she does not deserve to be imposed upon.

The d.u.c.h.ess My husband's letter does in truth give you the full authority, general.

Vautrin I have the authentic doc.u.ments, and family deeds.

A footman (as he enters) Will her grace the d.u.c.h.ess see Monsieur de Frescas?

Vautrin (aside) What! Raoul here?

The d.u.c.h.ess (to the footman) Let him come in.

Vautrin (aside) What a mess! The patient is liable to dose his doctor.

The d.u.c.h.ess Inez, you can see Monsieur de Frescas alone hereafter, since he has been acknowledged by your father.

(Inez kisses her mother's hand formally.)

SCENE SIXTH.

The same persons, and Raoul.

(Raoul salutes the two ladies. Vautrin approaches him.)

Vautrin (to Raoul) Don Raoul de Cardaval.

Raoul Vautrin!

Vautrin No! General Crustamente.

Raoul Crustamente!

Vautrin Certainly; Mexican Envoy. Bear well in mind the name of your father, --Amoagos, a gentleman of Aragon, friend of the Duc de Christoval. Your mother is dead; I bring the acknowledged t.i.tles, and authentic family papers. Inez is yours.

Raoul And do you think that I will consent to such villainies? Never!

Vautrin (to the two ladies) He is overcome by what I have told him, not antic.i.p.ating so prompt an explanation.

Raoul If the truth should kill, your falsehoods would dishonor me, and I prefer to die.

Vautrin You wished to obtain Inez by any means possible, yet you shrink from practicing a harmless stratagem.

Raoul (in exasperation) Ladies!

Vautrin He is beside himself with joy. (To Raoul) To speak out would be to lose Inez and deliver me to justice: do as you choose, I am at your disposal.

Raoul O Vautrin! In what an abyss you have plunged me!

Vautrin I have made you a prince; and don't forget that you are at the summit of happiness. (Aside) He will give in. (Exit.)

SCENE SEVENTH.

Inez (standing at the door through which her mother has pa.s.sed); Raoul (at the other side of the stage).

Raoul (aside) Honor bids me to speak out, grat.i.tude to keep silence; well, I accept my role of happy man, until he is out of danger; but I will write this evening, and Inez shall learn who I am. Vautrin, after such a sacrifice, I may cry quits with you; all ties between us are severed.

I will seek, I care not where, a soldier's death.

Inez (approaching, after gazing at him) My father and yours are friends; they consent to our marriage; we make love to each other as if they were opposed to it, and you seem lost in thought, and almost sad!

Raoul You are right, and I have lost my reason. At the very moment you see no obstacle in our way, it is possible that insurmountable difficulties may arise.

Inez Raoul, what a damper you are throwing on our happiness!

Raoul Our happiness! (Aside) It is impossible to dissemble. (Aloud) In the name of our common love I implore you to believe in my loyalty.

Inez Has not my confidence in you been boundless? And the general has quite justified it, even during your silence before the Montsorels. I forgive you all the little annoyances you were forced to cause me.

Raoul (aside) Ah! Vautrin! I trust myself to you! (Aloud) Inez, you do not know how great is the impression your words make upon me; they give me power to bear the overwhelming rapture your presence causes--Come then, let us be happy!

SCENE EIGHTH The same persons and the Marquis de Montsorel.

The footman (announcing a visitor) Monsieur le Marquis de Montsorel.

Raoul (aside) Ah! That name recalls me to myself. (To Inez) Whatever happens, Inez, do not judge my conduct until I have myself given an account of it, and believe at the present moment that I am carried along by an invincible fatality.

Inez Raoul, I cannot understand you; but I shall trust you always.

The Marquis (aside) Again this little gentleman here! (He salutes Inez.) I thought you were with your mother, mademoiselle, and I never dreamed my visit would be so inopportune. Be good enough to excuse me--

Inez I beg that you will not go; there is no one but ourselves here, for Monsieur Raoul has been accepted by my family.

The Marquis Will Monsieur Raoul de Frescas, then, accept my congratulations?

Raoul Your congratulations? I accept them (they shake hands) in the same spirit as that in which they are offered.

Inez (to Raoul) Manage that he go away, and do you remain. (To the Marquis) My mother requires me for a few moments, and I will return with her.

SCENE NINTH.

The Marquis and Raoul; later, Vautrin.

The Marquis Will you agree to a meeting without seconds--a fight to the death?

Raoul Without seconds?

The Marquis Do you realize that both of us cannot exist in the same world?

Raoul Your family is a powerful one; your proposition exposes me, in case I am victorious, to their vengeance. Allow me to say that I do not want to exchange this house for a prison. (Vautrin appears.) I will fight to the death--but not without seconds.