Has my niece given you no orders for the morning?

Felicite
None, madame.

Mademoiselle de Vaudrey
A young man, named Monsieur Raoul de Frescas, is coming to call upon
me towards noon; he may possibly ask for the duchess, but you must
instruct Joseph to bring him to my apartment. (Exit.)


SCENE FOURTH.

Felicite (alone)
A young man for her? Not a bit of it. I always said that there was
some motive in my lady's retired way of living; she is rich, she is
handsome, yet the duke does not love her; and now the first time she
goes out, a young man comes next day to see her, and her aunt wishes
to receive him. They keep me in the dark; I am neither trusted nor
tipped. If this is the way chambermaids are to be treated under the
new government, I don't know what will become of us. (A side door
opens, two men are seen, and the door is immediately closed again.) At
any rate we shall have a look at the young man. (Exit.)


SCENE FIFTH.
Joseph and Vautrin.
(Vautrin wears a tan-colored overcoat, trimmed with fur, over the
black evening dress of a foreign diplomatic minister.)