proportions:

ACT I.--_Scene, a Gambling-House. Enter_ M. POMMEROL, _a benevolent
lawyer._

POMMEROL. "I am a lawyer with an enormous practice. Having nothing
whatever to do, I came here to find FERNANDE, the pretty waiter girl.
Here comes my cousin CLOTILDE. She is an angel of virtue and the
mistress of my friend ANDRE. What can she want here?"

CLOTILDE. "My carriage has just run over a young girl, who lives here.
As the horses trampled upon her for some time, I came to see if she had
sustained any inconvenience."

POMMEROL. "CLOTILDE, this girl is named FERNANDE. She is as bad as she
can well be, therefore I implore you to take her home with you and adopt
her. Will you do it?"

CLOTILDE. "Of course I will. Who could refuse such a trifling request!
But look, here come the people of the house."

_Enter various gamblers and disreputable women, who conduct themselves
with appropriate freedom from the restraints of conventionality._
FERNANDE, _who is too lachrymose to be a cheerful feature, is wisely
placed on guard at the outer door. The company proceed to play at faro,
the bank being the loser. There is a false alarm of police, and the game
is suddenly stopped. The Banker, being naturally indignant, attempts to
relieve his mind by punching_ FERNANDE's _head. Heroic interference by_
POMMEROL, _and consequent tableau. Curtain._