Pamela Giraud | Page 4

know what you are talking
about.
Giraud Certainly, Madame Giraud.
Mme. Giraud And besides all this, Pamela, your example was cited in
all the neighborhood as a girl who'd be useful to your parents in their
declining years!
Giraud And worthy to receive the prize of virtue!
Pamela Then what is the meaning of all these reproaches?
Mme. Giraud Joseph has just told us that you had a man hidden in your
room.
Giraud Yes--he heard the voice.
Mme. Giraud Silence, Giraud!--Pamela--pay no attention to your
father--
Pamela And do you, mother, pay no attention to Joseph.
Giraud What did I tell you on the stairs, Madame Giraud? Pamela
knows how we count upon her. She wishes to make a good match as

much on our account as on her own; her heart bleeds to see us porters,
us, the authors of her life! She is too sensible to blunder in this matter.
Is it not so, my child, you would not deceive your father?
Mme. Giraud There is nobody here, is there, my love? For a young
working-girl to have any one in her room, at ten o'clock at
night--well--she runs a risk of losing--
Pamela But it seems to me that if I had any one you would have seen
him on his way up.
Giraud She is right.
Mme. Giraud She does not answer straight out. Please open the door of
this room.
Pamela Mother, stop! Do not come in here,--you shall not come in
here!-- Listen to me; as I love you, mother, and you, father, I have
nothing to reproach myself with!--and I swear to it before God!--Do not
in a moment withdraw from your daughter the confidence which you
have had in her for so long a time.
Mme. Giraud But why not tell us?
Pamela (aside) Impossible! If they were to see this young man every
one would soon know all about it.
Giraud (interrupting her) We are your father and mother, and we must
see!
Pamela For the first time in my life, I refuse to obey you!--But you
force me to it!--These lodgings are rented by me from the earnings of
my work! I am of age and mistress of my own actions.
Mme. Giraud Oh, Pamela! Can this be you, on whom we have placed
all our hopes?
Giraud You will ruin yourself!--and I shall remain a porter to the end of
my days.
Pamela You needn't be afraid of that! Well--I admit that there is some
one here; but silence! You must go down stairs again to your lodge.
You must tell Joseph that he does not know what he is talking about,
that you have searched everywhere, that there is no one in my lodging;
you must send him away--then you shall see this young man; you shall
learn what I purpose doing. But you must keep everything the most
profound secret.
Giraud Unhappy girl! What do you take us for? (He sees the banknotes
on the table.) Ah! what is this? Banknotes!

Mme. Giraud Banknotes! (She recoils from Pamela.) Pamela, where
did you get them?
Pamela I will tell you when I write.
Giraud When you write! She must be going to elope!
SCENE FOURTH
The same persons, and Joseph Binet.
Joseph (entering) I was quite sure that there was something wrong
about him!--He is a ringleader of thieves! The gendarmes, the
magistrate, all the excitement she showed mean something--and now
the house is surrounded!
Jules (appearing) I am lost!
Pamela I have done all that I could!
Giraud And you, sir, who are you?
Joseph Are you a--?
Mme. Giraud Speak!
Jules But for this idiot, I would have escaped! You will now have the
ruin of an innocent man on your consciences.
Pamela M. Adolph, are you innocent?
Jules I am!
Pamela What shall we do? (Pointing to the dormer window.) You can
elude their pursuit that way out.
(She opens the dormer window and finds the police agents on the roof
outside.)
Jules It is too late. All you can do is to confirm my statement. You
must declare that I am your daughter's lover; that I have asked you to
give her in marriage to me; that I am of age; that my name is Adolph
Durand, son of a rich business man of Marseilles.
Giraud He offers her lawful love and wealth!--Young man, I willingly
take you under my protection.
SCENE FIFTH
The same persons, a sheriff, a police officer and gendarmes.
Giraud Sir, what right have you to enter an occupied dwelling--the
domicile of a peaceable young girl?
Joseph Yes, what right have you--?
The sheriff Young man, don't you worry about our right!--A few
moments ago you were very friendly and slowed us where the unknown
might be found, but now you