ARGUMENT TO THE SECOND ACT

The messenger, w'ho in Se. ii. of the former Act had brought a letter for M. Vanderk, has been waiting ail this time, asleep in the warehouse. He now reappears, and goes with Antoine to deliver his message (Se. i. ii.). Young M. Vanderk soliloquises gloomily on the anxiety he is obliged to cause his family (Se. iii.). His father enters (Se. iv.) and rallies him on his unnatural mood. A question about the marriage settlement which has just been sighed leads him to tell his son the story of his life, from which it a^pears that, though by birth of good family, force of circum- ' stances has made him a man of business by profession. Their talk is interrupted (Se. V.) by Antoine's entranee with the sleepy servant who retires with a courteous answer from M. Vanderk to his master. M. Vanderk now (Se. vi.) goes on to prépare his son for the arrivai of an aunt, who has never forgiven him for being in business, but who has consented to be présent at Sophie's wedding. They ail go to meet her (Se. vii. viii.) and she enters (Se. ix.) in great state, and is agreeably surprised at the sight of her brother's family. When she has gone, young M. Vanderk, who is left alone with Vietorine, shews her the wateh his sister had given him, and lends it to her, on condition that she return^ it to him next morning in person (Se. x.). Vietorine (Se. xi.) is uneasy at his manner, and Antoine who comes in, (Se. xii.) impatient at the many ealls upon him, sends her off, and then (Se. xiii.) retires to bed himself in no very good humour.