BUNERAT. Bravo!

VAGRET. I thank you for that promise in the name of all concerned. I declare that you relieve us of a great anxiety. [_To his wife_] Listen, my dear. Monsieur Mouzon is undertaking the preliminary examination, and he promises us a result before three days are up.

MADAME VAGRET. We shall be grateful, Monsieur Mouzon.

MADAME BUNERAT. Oh, thank you!

VAGRET. Bertha! Tell them to serve dinner--and to send up that old Irrouleguy wine! I will drink to your success, my dear fellow.

THE MANSERVANT. Dinner is served.

_The gentlemen offer their arms to the ladies preparatory to going in to dinner._

CURTAIN.

ACT II

_In the office of Mouzon, the examining magistrate. A door at the back and in the wall to the right. On the left are two desks. Portfolios, armchairs, and one ordinary chair._

SCENE I:--_The recorder, then the doorkeeper, then Mouzon. When the curtain rises the recorder, seated in the magistrate's armchair, is drinking his coffee. The doorkeeper enters._

RECORDER. Ah! Here's our friend the doorkeeper of the courthouse! Well, what's the news?

DOORKEEPER. Here's your boss.

RECORDER. Already!

DOORKEEPER. He got back from Bordeaux last night. f.a.gged out he looked.

RECORDER [_loftily_] A Mauleon magistrate is always fatigued when he returns from Bordeaux!

DOORKEEPER. Why?

RECORDER [_after a pause_] I do not know.

DOORKEEPER. It's the Irissary murder that has brought him here so early.

RECORDER. Probably. [_While speaking he arranges his cup, saucer, sugar basin, etc., in a drawer. He then goes to his own place, the desk at the back. Mouzon enters. The doorkeeper pretends to have completed some errand and leaves the room. The recorder rises, with a low bow_]

Good-morning, your worship.

MOUZON. Good-morning. You haven't made any engagements, have you, except in the case of the Irissary murder?

RECORDER. I have cited the officer of the gendarmerie, the accused, and the wife of the accused.

MOUZON. I am tired, my good fellow. I have a nervous headache! Any letters for me?

RECORDER. No, your worship.

MOUZON. His Honor the State Attorney hasn't asked for me?

RECORDER. No, your worship. But all the same I have something for you.

[_He hands him an envelope_]

MOUZON [_opening the envelope_] Stamps for my collection! I say, Benoit, that's good! Now let's see. Let's see. [_He unlocks the drawer of his desk and takes out a stamp alb.u.m_] Uruguay. I have it! Well, it will do to exchange. And this one too. Oh! Oh! I say, Benoit! A George Albert, first edition! But where did you get this, my dear fellow?

RECORDER. A solicitor's clerk found it in a brief.

MOUZON. Splendid! I must stick that in at once! Pa.s.s me the paste, will you? [_He delicately trims the edges of the stamp with a pair of scissors and pastes it in the alb.u.m with the greatest care, while still talking_] It is rare, extremely rare! According to the _Philatelist_ it will exchange for three blue Amadei or a '67 Khedive, obliterated.

There! [_Turning over the leaves of his alb.u.m_] Really, you know, it begins to look something like. It's beginning to fill up, eh? You know I believe I shall soon be able to get that Hayti example. Look! See here!

[_In great delight_] There's a whole page-full! And all splendid examples. [_He closes the alb.u.m and sighs_] O Lord!

RECORDER. You don't feel well?

MOUZON. It's not that. I was rather worried at Bordeaux.

RECORDER. About your stamps?

MOUZON. No, no. [_A sigh to himself_] d.a.m.n the women! The very thing I didn't want. [_He takes his alb.u.m again_] When I've got that Hayti specimen I shall need only three more to fill this page too. Yes. [_He closes the alb.u.m_] Well, what's the post? Ah! Here is the information from Paris in respect of the woman Etchepare and her husband's judicial record. [_The doorkeeper enters with a visiting-card_] Who is coming to disturb me now? [_More agreeably, having read the name_] Ah! Ah! [_To the recorder_] I shall see him alone.

RECORDER. Yes, your worship. [_He goes out_]

MOUZON [_to the doorkeeper_] Show him in. [_He hides his alb.u.m, picks up a brief, and affects to be reading it with the utmost attention_]

SCENE II:--_Enter Mondoubleau._

MONDOUBLEAU [_speaking with a strong provincial accent_] I was pa.s.sing the Law Courts, and I thought I'd look in and say how do. I am not disturbing you, I hope?

MOUZON [_smiling and closing his brief_] My dear deputy, an examining magistrate, as you know, is always busy. But it gives one a rest--it does one good--to see a welcome caller once in a while. Sit down, I beg you. Yes, please!

MONDOUBLEAU. I can stop only a minute.

MOUZON. But that's unkind of you!

MONDOUBLEAU. Well, what's the latest about the Irissary murder?

MOUZON. So far there's nothing new. I've questioned the accused--an ugly-looking fellow and a poor defence. He simply denied everything and flew into a temper. I had to send him back to the cells without getting anything out of him.

MONDOUBLEAU. Are you perfectly sure you've got the right man?

MOUZON. Certain--no; but I should be greatly surprised if I were mistaken.

MONDOUBLEAU. I saw Monsieur Delorme yesterday. He's a little better.