MADAM POTIPHAR. She will be back in a moment. I brought her here to
show her the educated slave of whom you are so proud, at work. But he
is away somewhere, as usual.

POTIPHAR. (_defensively_) He has other duties.

MADAM POTIPHAR. Oh, yes, no doubt!

POTIPHAR. What's the matter now?

MADAM POTIPHAR. Nothing new. You know what I think about this Joseph of
yours.

POTIPHAR. (_irritated_) Now, if you are going to bring that
subject up again--! Well, I tell you flatly, I won't do it.

MADAM POTIPHAR. You'd better take my advice!

POTIPHAR. It's the most unreasonable thing I ever heard of! For the
first time in my life I get an efficient secretary--and you want me to
get rid of him. It's ridiculous. What have you against Joseph, anyway?

MADAM POTIPHAR. I--I don't think he's honest.

POTIPHAR. Honest! Who expects the secretary of a government official to
be honest? I don't want an honest man in charge of my affairs--all I
want is a capable one. Besides, how would I know whether he is honest
or not? I can't bother to go over his accounts, and I couldn't
understand them if I did. Mathematics, my dear, is not an art that