cheating them; and (with disdain) they like it, and let her
govern them. (She sits down again, with her back to him.)

NAPOLEON (not attending to her). Barras, Barras I-- (Turning very
threateningly to her, his face darkening.) Take care, take care:
do you hear? You may go too far.

LADY (innocently turning her face to him). What's the matter?

NAPOLEON. What are you hinting at? Who is this woman?

LADY (meeting his angry searching gaze with tranquil indifference
as she sits looking up at him with her right arm resting lightly
along the back of her chair, and one knee crossed over the
other). A vain, silly, extravagant creature, with a very able and
ambitious husband who knows her through and through--knows that
she has lied to him about her age, her income, her social
position, about everything that silly women lie about--knows that
she is incapable of fidelity to any principle or any person; and
yet could not help loving her--could not help his man's instinct
to make use of her for his own advancement with Barras.

NAPOLEON (in a stealthy, coldly furious whisper). This is your
revenge, you she cat, for having had to give me the letters.

LADY. Nonsense! Or do you mean that YOU are that sort of man?

NAPOLEON (exasperated, clasps his hands behind him, his fingers
twitching, and says, as he walks irritably away from her to the
fireplace). This woman will drive me out of my senses. (To her.)