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received from Lyons that the notorious malefactor； Robert
Macaire； has broken prison； and the Brigadier is now scouring the
country in his pursuit。 I myself am instructed to watch the
visitors to our house。
DUMONT。 That will do； Charles： you may go。 （EXIT CHARLES。）
You have considered the case I laid before you？
NOTARY。 Considered a case？
DUMONT。 Yes； yes。 Charles； you know； Charles。 Can he marry？
under these untoward and peculiar circumstances； can he marry？
NOTARY。 Now； lemme tell you： marriage is a contract to which
there are two constracting parties。 That being clear； I am
prepared to argue categorically that your son Charles … who； it
appears； is not your son Charles … I am prepared to argue that
one party to a contract being null and void； the other party to a
contract cannot by law oblige or constrain the first party to
constract or bind himself to any contract； except the other party
be able to see his way clearly to constract himself with him。 I
donno if I make myself clear？
DUMONT。 No。
NOTARY。 Now； lemme tell you： by applying justice of peace might
possibly afford relief。
DUMONT。 But how？
NOTARY。 Ay； there's the rub。
DUMONT。 But what am I to do？ He's not my son； I tell you：
Charles is not my son。
NOTARY。 I know。
DUMONT。 Perhaps a glass of wine would clear him？
NOTARY。 That's what I want。 （THEY GO OUT； L。 U。 E。）
ALINE。 And now； if you've done deranging my table； to the cellar
for the wine； the whole pack of you。 （MANET SOLA； CONSIDERING
TABLE。） There： it's like a garden。 If I had as sweet a table
for my wedding； I would marry the Notary。
SCENE III
The Stage remains vacant。 Enter； by door L。 C。； MACAIRE；
followed by BERTRAND with bundle； in the traditional costume。
MACAIRE。 Good！ No police。
BERTRAND （LOOKING OFF； L。 C。）。 Sold again！
MACAIRE。 This is a favoured spot； Bertrand： ten minutes from
the frontier： ten minutes from escape。 Blessings on that
frontier line！ The criminal hops across； and lo！ the reputable
man。 （READING） 'AUBERGE DES ADRETS； by John Paul Dumont。' A
table set for company； this is fate： Bertrand； are we the first
arrivals？ An office； a cabinet； a cash…box … aha！ and a
cash…box； golden within。 A money…box is like a Quaker beauty：
demure without； but what a figure of a woman！ Outside gallery：
an architectural feature I approve； I count it a convenience both
for love and war： the troubadour … twang…twang； the craftsmen …
（MAKES AS IF TURNING KEY。） The kitchen window： humming with
cookery； truffles； before Jove！ I was born for truffles。 Cock
your hat： meat； wine； rest； and occupation； men to gull； women
to fool； and still the door open； the great unbolted door of the
frontier！
BERTRAND。 Macaire； I'm hungry。
MACAIRE。 Bertrand； excuse me； you are a sensualist。 I should
have left you in the stone…yard at Lyons； and written no
passport but my own。 Your soul is incorporate with your
stomach。 Am I not hungry； too？ My body； thanks to immortal
Jupiter； is but the boy that holds the kite…string； my
aspirations and designs swim like the kite sky…high； and overlook
an empire。
BERTRAND。 If I could get a full meal and a pound in my pocket I
would hold my tongue。
MACAIRE。 Dreams； dreams！ We are what we are； and what are we？
Who are you？ who cares？ Who am I？ myself。 What do we come from？
an accident。 What's a mother？ an old woman。 A father？ the
gentleman who beats her。 What is crime？ discovery。 Virtue？
opportunity。 Politics？ a pretext。 Affection？ an affectation。
Morality？ an affair of latitude。 Punishment？ this side the
frontier。 Reward？ the other。 Property？ plunder。 Business？
other people's money … not mine； by God！ and the end of life to
live till we are hanged。
BERTRAND。 Macaire； I came into this place with my tail between
my legs already； and hungry besides； and then you get to
flourishing； and it depresses me worse than the chaplain in the
jail。
MACAIRE。 What is a chaplain？ A man they pay to say what you
don't want to hear。
BERTRAND。 And who are you after all？ and what right have you to
talk like that？ By what I can hear； you've been the best part of
your life in quod； and as for me； since I've followed you； what
sort of luck have I had？ Sold again！ A boose； a blue fright；
two years' hard； and the police hot…foot after us even now。
MACAIRE。 What is life？ A boose and the police。
BERTRAND。 Of course； I know you're clever； I admire you down to
the ground； and I'll starve without you。 But I can't stand it；
and I'm off。 Good…bye： good luck to you； old man！ and if you
want the bundle …
MACAIRE。 I am a gentleman of a mild disposition and； I thank my
maker； elegant manners； but rather than be betrayed by such a
thing as you are； with the courage of a hare； and the manners； by
the Lord Harry； of a jumping…Jack … （HE SHOWS HIS KNIFE。）
BERTRAND。 Put it up； put it up： I'll do what you want。
MACAIRE。 What is obedience？ fear。 So march straight； or look
for mischief。 It's not BON TON； I know； and far from friendly。
But what is friendship？ convenience。 But we lose time in this
amiable dalliance。 Come； now an effort of deportment： the head
thrown back； a jaunty carriage of the leg； crook gracefully the
elbow。 Thus。 'Tis better。 （CALLING。） House； house here！
BERTRAND。 Are you mad？ We haven't a brass farthing。
MACAIRE。 Now！ … But before we leave！
SCENE IV
TO THESE； DUMONT
DUMONT。 Gentlemen； what can a plain man do for your service？
MACAIRE。 My good man； in a roadside inn one cannot look for the
impossible。 Give one what small wine and what country fare you
can produce。
DUMONT。 Gentlemen； you come here upon a most auspicious day； a
red…letter day for me and my poor house； when all are welcome。
Suffer me； with all delicacy； to inquire if you are not in
somewhat narrow circumstances？
MACAIRE。 My good creature； you are strangely in error； one is
rolling in gold。
BERTRAND。 And very hungry。
DUMONT。 Dear me； and on this happy occasion I had registered a
vow that every poor traveller should have his keep for nothing；
and a pound in his pocket to help him on his journey。
MACAIRE。 A pound in his pocket？ ｝
BERTRAND。 Keep for nothing？ ｝ ASIDE。
MACAIRE。 Bitten！ ｝
BERTRAND。 Sold again！ ｝
DUMONT。 I will send you what we have： poor fare； perhaps； for
gentlemen like you。
SCENE V
MACAIRE； BERTRAND； AFTERWARDS CHARLES； WHO APPEARS ON THE
GALLERY； AND COMES DOWN。
BERTRAND。 I told you so。 Why will you fly so high？
MACAIRE。 Bertrand； don't crush me。 A pound： a fortune！ With a
pound to start upon … two pounds； for I'd have borrowed yours …
three months from now I might have been driving in my barouche；
with you behind it； Bertrand； in a tasteful livery。
BERTRAND （SEEING CHARLES）。 Lord； a policeman！
MACAIRE。 Steady！ What is a policeman？ Justice's blind eye。
（TO CHARLES。） I think； sir； you are in the force？
CHARLES。 I am； sir； and it was in that character …
MACAIRE。 Ah； sir； a fine service！
CHARLES。 It is； sir； and if y