Produced by Dagny and John Bickers

MERCADET A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS

BY

HONORE DE BALZAC

                Presented for the First Time in Paris
                At the Theatre du Gymnase-Dramatique
                           August 24, 1851

PERSONS OF THE PLAY

Mercadet, a speculator
Madame Mercadet, his wife
Julie, their daughter
Minard, clerk of Mercadet
Verdelin, friend of Mercadet
Goulard, creditor of Mercadet
Pierquin, creditor of Mercadet
Violette, creditor of Mercadet
Mericourt, acquaintance of Mercadet
De la Brive, suitor to Julie
Justin, valet
Therese, lady's maid
Virginie, cook
Various other creditors of Mercadet

SCENE: Paris, in the house of Mercadet

TIME: About 1845

MERCADET

ACT I

SCENE FIRST

(A drawing-room. A door in the centre. Side doors. At the front, tothe left, a mantel-piece with a mirror. To the right, a window, andnext it a writing-table. Armchairs.)

Justin, Virginie and Therese

Justin (finishing dusting the room)Yes, my dears, he finds it very hard to swim; he is certain to drown,poor M. Mercadet.

Virginie (her basket on her arm)
Honestly, do you think that?

JustinHe is ruined! And although there is much fat to be stewed from amaster while he is financially embarrassed, you must not forget thathe owes us a year's wages, and we had better get ourselves discharged.

ThereseSome masters are so frightfully stubborn! I spoke to the mistressdisrespectfully two or three times, and she pretended not to hear me.

VirginieAh! I have been at service in many middle-class houses; but I havenever seen one like this! I am going to leave my stove, and become anactress in some theatre.

Justin
All of us here are nothing but actors in a theatre.

VirginieYes, indeed, sometimes one has to put on an air of astonishment, as ifjust fallen from the moon, when a creditor appears: "Didn't you knowit, sir?"—"No."—"M. Mercadet has gone to Lyons."—"Ah! He is away?"—"Yes, his prospects are most brilliant; he has discovered some coal-mines."—"Ah! So much the better! When does he return?"—"I do notknow." Sometimes I put on an expression as if I had lost the dearestfriend I had in the world.

Justin (aside)
That would be her money.

Virginie (pretending to cry)"Monsieur and mademoiselle are in the greatest distress. It seems thatwe are going to lose poor Madame Mercadet. They have taken her away tothe waters! Ah!"

ThereseAnd then, there are some creditors who are actual brutes! They speakto you as if you were the masters!

VirginieThere's an end of it. I ask them for their bill and tell them I amgoing to settle. But now, the tradesmen refuse to give anythingwithout the money! And you may be sure that I am not going to lend anyof mine.

Justin
Let us demand our wages.

...