She hands them to him politely, only
averting her head. The moment he takes them, she hurries across
to the other side of the room; covers her face with her hands;
and sits down, with her body turned away to the back of the
chair.
NAPOLEON (gloating over the papers). Aha! That's right. That's
right. (Before opening them he looks at her and says) Excuse me.
(He sees that she is hiding her face.) Very angry with me, eh?
(He unties the packet, the seal of which is already broken, and
puts it on the table to examine its contents.)
LADY (quietly, taking down her hands and showing that she is not
crying, but only thinking). No. You were right. But I am sorry
for you.
NAPOLEON (pausing in the act of taking the uppermost paper from
the packet). Sorry for me! Why?
LADY. I am going to see you lose your honor.
NAPOLEON. Hm! Nothing worse than that? (He takes up the paper.)
LADY. And your happiness.
NAPOLEON. Happiness, little woman, is the most tedious thing in
the world to me. Should I be what I am if I cared for happiness?
Anything else?
LADY. Nothing-- (He interrupts her with an exclamation of
satisfaction.
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