ACTE IL

ARGUMENT

St. Hérkm and Dubonloy hâve been set at liberty after belng forced to mariy Charlotte aiul Louise respectively, but Roger, believiiig himself the victim of a plot by which Charlotte lias contrived to obtaiu the i)ublic recoguitiou of their marriage, learns witli great surprise from his servant that his wife bas been put, in liis absence and iinknown to him, in possession of his apartments. Dubouloy arrives, incensed at having otiended his father by breaking the marriage arranged for him and coutracting another without his consent ; he cornes to demand froni Roger, whom he regards as responsible for the mystification of which he is the dupe, a satisfaction, which he renounces, however, on hearing that Roger has been forced to marry Charlotte, and has thus been sufficiently punished. Tlie two friends agrée to act in concert, and to treat their respective wives in jjrecisely the same manuer. Tlien St. Hérem (within hearing of Dubouloy, whoni he has coucealed in an adjoining rooni in order that he miglit learn and imitate his condnct) lias an interview with his wife, in which, in spite of her indignant protestations of ignorance, he informs her that " being her victim he does not iutend beiug her dupe," and will be nominally her husband, but in fact a stranger to her in their private relations. Charlotte has not yet had time to give herself up to despair when Louise cornes, gives her an amnsing account of an ideutical scène having taken place between her and her husband, and endeavonrs to revive her courage. The two ladies withdraw when the Dnke of Anjou, under the conventional nanie of Count of Mauléon, arrives and has a conversation with St. He'rem, at the end of which the latter agrées with Dubouloy to join him at Jladrid, where the Duke is going to take possession of the throne of Spain. Dubouloy returns, consents to accompany his friend to Spain, and takes leave of his wife, who maintains a resolute attitude ; but the leave-

taking scène hetween Roger and Charlotte is of a vevy différent character. St. Hérem is somewhat takeu aback by his wife's protestations of devoted love, and her disinterestedness in tearing np the deed wliich he places in lier liands assuring lier tlie fortune to wliich his rank entitles her ; the fear of appearing ridiculous, however, overcomes his émotion, and lus hésitation ends when Dubouloy returns and tells hini that ail Paris is laughing at their adventnre. They both start for Spaiii.